"To say that Scott Olsen was surprised today when the Nationals sent him to Class AAA Syracuse would be an understatement.

"We were pretty blown away," said Matt Sosnick, Olsen's agent, in a telephone conversation.

Olsen had been competing at the end of spring with Garrett Mock, whom the Nationals named the final piece of their rotation. Olsen struggled at the start of spring as he returned from the major shoulder surgery that ended his 2009 season. But he made a strong argument in his final two starts, particularly Friday against the Red Sox. He allowed one run on five hits while striking out seven, hitting 91 mph on one scout's radar gun.

"What they were hoiping was as spring training progressed, his velocity would get higher and his stuff and his command would get sharper," Sosnick said. "It seemed like his last two starts were much more indicative of his careeer than his" beginning to spring.

Despite his disappointment, Sosnick said, Olsen will report to Syracuse with the intent on making a swift return to the Nationals."