(From Tonight's GameThread)... Twitter = Wikipedia... (ed. note - "I trust Twitter posts...

(From Tonight's GameThread)...

Twitter = Wikipedia...

(ed. note - "I trust Twitter posts (tweets?) as sources about as much as I trust wikipedia profiles, meaning I never believe anything without double checking the facts, but ROSCOEtheNATSfan sent this to me and I thought it was at least interesting... From Will Carroll's Twitter account, where the Baseball Prospectus' scribe wrote last night..."):

"Hearing that Nats offered GM job to someone and got turned down. Rizzo should have that job already, but if true, sets up weird winter."

I thought Rizzo as full-time GM was a certainty, and the "take-it-for-what it's worth" caveat still stands, but this sure is interesting...

Baseball Prospectus' Will Carroll's Twitter

over 2 years ago Patrick Reddington 19 comments 0 recs |

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Wow.

This makes it really really awkward for the Nats. I hope this isn’t true, but I also don’t think somebody is going to just make something like this up.

Beimel, Harris on Caring About Losing

Seems like Beimel and Harris want to make amends with the fans, which is good. I was hoping that what he said was taken out of context (to an extent, every quote is), but it sounds like he meant something very different from the way it came out. That makes me feel better, because he’s not a bad middle reliever.

by John Quinn on Jul 23, 2009 1:56 PM EDT reply actions

"Hey, here's your job...

try to sign Strasburg, and by the way, we don’t really want you as GM. The only reason you’re still here is the guy we want running the show doesn’t want the gig. And, by the way, don’t mess up with Strasburg."

Do I have that about right?

by tim815 on Jul 23, 2009 2:36 PM EDT reply actions

As someone who is a BIG fan of Mr. Rizzo...

…that’s about the same thing I was thinking when I read this. I have to stress just how unsubstantiated this is, but if true I can’t imagine how this team could possibly undercut themselves anymore…

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Jul 23, 2009 2:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

We're seeing the snowball effect effecting our baseball team's image.

Kasten has to find a way to stop it. IMO those kind of media leaks come from Nats park, eh…

by Berndaddy on Jul 23, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

From Stan Kasten’s point of view (if this is true)…Stan was stuck with Bowden and had to publicly support him even though Bowden was a freaking horrible GM. Now Kasten is the last guy who hasn’t been replaced. If Stan is ultimately the one responsible for the team’s success or failure, I think he should be able to choose the GM. Stan is in a crappy situation because Rizzo is a helluva talent evaluator, but I have to think he’s unproven as an executive. If he doesn’t keep Rizzo as GM, I’d imagine Rizzo would either leave or the team would have to invent some new job title for him.

If you can’t convince them, confuse them. - President Harry S Truman

by RoscoeNats on Jul 23, 2009 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm kind of neutral on Rizzo.

Great eye for talent (the Storen signing was a pure signability thing IMO, but look at the later rounds of the draft; they’ve done well), but I don’t know if I know / like how he wants to build a ML team.

by Chris Pendley on Jul 23, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Um, he signed Villone and Tavarez and bragged about it...... (the pointing at his head thing)

Rizzo’s getting a lot of mileage out of the Drew signing. I’m unsure if his evaluation success rate is normal or above/below the curve.

"And it's really tough to put your finger on what it is, uh specifically, it kind of like snowballs on us and we just don't execute at times..." -Rizzo

by cat daddy3000 on Jul 23, 2009 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

call me a cynic, but...

Stan Kasten is the man signing, or not signing, Strasburg. i don’t think Rizzo has much to do with it at all, frankly.

Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com

by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 23, 2009 2:53 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

...but I saw somewhere that Rizzo has a great relationship with Boras. (like anybody has such a thing...gimme a break)

If you can’t convince them, confuse them. - President Harry S Truman

by RoscoeNats on Jul 23, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Rizzo dealt with Boras on Stephen Drew signing...

…that’s the one success I always see referenced…

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Jul 23, 2009 2:57 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Question...

Rizzo was a high ranking scout for the D-Backs…

Will one of our high ranking scouts be negotiating with Boras? Negative.

Point…Rizzo’s team successfully signed Drew, but how much negotiating did Rizzo do?

If you can’t convince them, confuse them. - President Harry S Truman

by RoscoeNats on Jul 23, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

"High ranking" of the three full-time and one part-time scouts the Nats employ?

There’s a joke in there somewhere…

"And it's really tough to put your finger on what it is, uh specifically, it kind of like snowballs on us and we just don't execute at times..." -Rizzo

by cat daddy3000 on Jul 23, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

You're kidding about this, right?

by Chris Pendley on Jul 23, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

this has been overblown...

that report was talking about the Nats’ 3.5 Major League scouts, not amateur scouts. they have dozens of those, just like every MLB team.

Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com

by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 23, 2009 5:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks for the clarification, Dave. I assume "high ranking" wouldn't include minor league scouts.

Even so, 3.5 scouts is a pretty low number when you’re trying to build a team, no?

"And it's really tough to put your finger on what it is, uh specifically, it kind of like snowballs on us and we just don't execute at times..." -Rizzo

by cat daddy3000 on Jul 23, 2009 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah, it's a little short

but not out of the question for a non-contender. they are scouting the minors much heavier in advance of potential trades. really, if you have a major scout at your next two opponents and one to fly around to look at a specific player, you’re pretty much covered.

Your voice of doom and gloom. Read more at natsnewsnetwork.blogspot.com

by Dave at District Sports Page on Jul 24, 2009 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

An interesting aspect of the Strasburg situation I hadn’t heard before:

July 31st is also the deadline for Japanese teams to acquire foreign players for the rest of their season, so if Scott Boras is going to send Stephen Strasburg overseas, this will have to be the week.

So, if he doesn’t go to Japan, things are even better for the Nats.

by John Quinn on Jul 23, 2009 4:15 PM EDT reply actions

At least that bluff will be called long before the signing deadline...

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Jul 23, 2009 4:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions