Nats' Stammen headed to bullpen

The Nationals' bullpen is about to get younger. The team has decided that Craig Stammen, 25, will be a reliever once left-hander Scott Olsen is activated from the disabled list on Monday.

Instead, the Nationals will designate a veteran reliever for assignment. Right-handers Joel Hanrahan and Jesus Colome are the leading candidates to leave the team. Both have been hit hard this season.         

As for Stammen, he will be a reliever for the first time since early last year when he was with Class a Potomac. He said he was happy that he wasn't going back to the Minor Leagues.

"I wants to stick around as a starter, but Scott has been doing this a while and he deserves to have his spot back," Stammen said. "I have been in the bullpen before. I did it before in college and I did it in the Minor Leagues."