Washington Times' Amanda Comak: Mike Rizzo, Washington Nationals In Contract Extension Talks

The Washington Nationals promoted Mike Rizzo to GM following Jim Bowden's resignation in the Spring of 2009. At the end of the summer the team removed the interim or "acting" tag from his title and named the former scout and scouting director as the team's second General Manager. Rizzo spent the winter after he became GM reshaping the Nats' front office, hiring scouts and executives from around the league to join him in the nation's capital. When Rizzo was given a five-year deal (actually 3 years w/ club options for 2014-15) the next fall, he told reporters that adding the, "... best and brightest scouting and front office types," to his team was as his biggest achievement as GM to that point.

Rizzo acknowledged that the extension and the addition of "Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations" to his job title provided him with a, "huge opportunity and a huge responsibility." As he saw it then, the moves the organization made gave them, "continuity and consistency from the top down," which he said all succesful teams in baseball needed. Going forward, Rizzo said, his own philosophy in building a winning team would be apparent in the way the Nationals were constructed. "There really hasn't been a shortage of my stamp on the organization," Rizzo told reporters," but now, "It will be my baby, and my fingerprints will be all over the organization, more so than they are already."

Under his guidance, the Nationals went from 59-103 in 2009, to 69-93 in 2010, 80-81 in 2011 and 98-64 in 2012, when Washington won the NL East and brought postseason baseball back to the nation's capital for the first time since 1933. According to a report this afternoon by the Washington Times' Amanda Comak, a "source with knowledge of the discussion" informed her that the Nationals, "... have already indicated they will exercise the 2014 option on Rizzo’s contract, securing him through at least next season. But their focus remains on a longer-term commitment."

The Washington Times' writer quotes Nationals Principal Owner Mark lerner in the article saying, "'We’re talking about the future now. We’re in discussions with Mike and I think both sides are confident that we’re going to come to an extension.'"

• Check out the entire report by the Washington Times' Amanda Comak:

#Nats have indicated they'll pick up GM Mike Rizzo's 2014 option, per source. Mark Lerner said focus is on extension: bit.ly/ZLMqMI

— Amanda Comak (@acomak) April 9, 2013