The Nationals Enquirer

Happy Thanksgiving, NatsTown.

(Photo from Reuters. President Obama pardoned "Courage", the National Thanksgiving Day turkey at the White House this afternoon. The other dumb birds won't be so lucky. Too bad Screech isn't one of them.)

Give Thanks.

Let's all gather around with our friends and family and be thankful for having a baseball team in Washington to complain about.

...and take a moment to point out all the good things the organization does in the community that we usually overlook while complaining about the other stuff all the time.

Happy Thanksgiving. We'll resume our complaining here on Friday.

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Rest in Peace, Mr. Pollin.

(AP Photo. Abe Pollin, right, celebrates after the Bullets 1978 NBA Championship.)

D.C. loses an icon.

Our condolences to the Pollin family. Here's the official statement released by the Nationals.

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Every GM's Worst Nightmare.

(Photo of TV by Nationals Enquirer staff. The Peoria Javelinas celebrate the 2009 AFL championship by jumping on top of each other.)

The good news is, the photo above isn't a picture of Espinosa, Storen, Marrero, et al. in a dog pile, jumping on top of each other like they just won the World Series. Because, you can get injured jumping into a dog pile. Then again, you can get injured shagging BP fly balls; just ask Strasburg.

And so, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss by the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the AFL championship game, here's the key takeaway from the 2009 Arizona Fall League for Nationals fans:

Weird shit just happens sometimes.

A bunch of healthy 20-something year old athletes can hit, run, and throw for nine innings day after day for over a month of meaningless development league games, then jump around on top of each other at the end on the pitcher's mound after winning a meaningless trophy; and everyone walks away healthy.

Or a healthy, 20-something year old athlete with a $15 million paycheck burning in his pocket can stoop for a ground ball while playing long toss during batting practice before a meaningless development league game, and with a single pop of the knee can put an entire organization (not to mention, fanbase) on edge. Dave Sheinen captured the moment over at Nationals Journal:

According to Rizzo, the injury occurred while Strasburg and a teammate were playing long-toss in the outfield during batting practice before the Phoenix Desert Dogs' regular-season finale Thursday. Strasburg apparently went to field a ground ball that had been hit near him when his cleats caught in the outfield grass. Witnesses said Strasburg immediately crumpled to the ground and reported hearing a "pop" in his knee

Weird shit just happens sometimes.

The good news is, no surgery required for Strasburg after his latest little bump in the road. And if, in this post-Jimbo world, we really can trust what we're being told by the organization (it certainly seems like a safer proposition, nowadays!), then Strasburg's left knee really does look okay; there's nothing for Nationals fans to worry about with regards to the patellar subluxation suffered by the guy we're not supposed to call the Savior of the Franchise. Let's move on and start worrying about more pressing matters: like the 2010 rotation.

Meanwhile...

More good news for the Nationals on the injury front: According to MLB dot com's Bill Ladson, Nyjer Morgan's hand is 100%, and he's open to the idea of changing his slide approach:

While he hasn't talked to general manager Mike Rizzo or manager Jim Riggleman, Morgan expects to be told to slide feet-first into the base instead of going headfirst like he did against the Cubs.

"If I have to make the change, I'm definitely prepared to make the change," Morgan said. "But I'm not going to stop my aggressiveness on the base paths. I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing out there. If I have to change my slide for team's sake, I will. We have something brewing and it will be special. I just want to be on board with everybody."

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Riggleman's Rigglemen

The Nationals have announced Jim Riggleman's Rigglemen, a.k.a. the Nats 2010 coaching staff. From the official release:

The Washington Nationals today announced that hitting coach Rick Eckstein, pitching coach Steve McCatty and third base coach Pat Listach will return in the same roles in 2010. The club also named John McLaren bench coach, Jim Lett bullpen coach and Dan Radison first-base coach. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo and Nationals Field Manager Jim Riggleman made the joint announcement.

Now, about that little problem of the baseball team...

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DeAngelo Hall's Birthday party. Hosted by Ryan Zimmerman?

 

(Photo via Absolute Addiction dot com. H/T to http://twitter.com/ckstevenson. Wow. You really can't make this stuff up.)

Seriously? No joke?

Ryan Zimmerman is hosting DeAngelo Hall's Birthday party tonight in D.C.

Our anonymous, unnamed sources tell us Zim will also be doing magic tricks and making balloon animals for the kids.

(Quite a year for Zim: Gold Glove. Silver Slugger. Birthday Party Host - and for DeAngelo Hall, no less.)

After DeAngelo Hall's own teammates didn't stick up for him on the sidelines in Atlanta a few weeks ago, it looks like Ryan Zimmerman clearly has Hall's back. We just can't figure out why. What, none of Hall's own teammates would host his birthday party? Do they hate him that much? Anyway, Zim is hosting Hall's birthday bash at Shadow Room on K street in DC tonight, like the image above suggests. From the official release:

Join Shadow Room as we celebrate DeAngelo Hall's Birthday hosted by Ryan Zimmerman of The Washington Nationals along with his celebrity friends and athletes this Friday. You don’t want to miss this party!!

Celebrity friends!? Athletes!? Count us in!

But: Ryan Zimmerman. DAngelo Hall. Ryan Zimmerman & DeAngelo Hall. Can you think of a more unlikely pairing of pro-athletes in DC-sports history? How did Zim get the gig? And if his hosting duties require him to get on mic and greet/fire up the crowd, will he use the same deadpan drone he subjects Nats fans to during interviews, or will he be a little more...peppy?

(thanks again to http://twitter.com/ckstevenson for the tip.)

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The "Pop" Heard Round the World

(AP Photo. There's Stephen Strasburg in happier times, with both knees still intact.)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Strasburg scratched from Saturday's AFL start after blowing out twisting his knee effectively ending his career shagging fly balls.

It's a good thing the Nats are "in the market for big name pitching."

Admittedly, it's been touch and go around NatsTown since news started spreading Thursday night that Strasburg hurt his knee shagging fly balls during BP.

Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein Tweeted about an 'ugly pop' heard by a teammate:

"#Nationals uber-righty Stephen Strasburg injured knee in BP today -- teammate said he heard an ugly pop, but no real info yet."

Uh oh! Ugly pop!? That doesn't sound good. Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post reported that Rizzo won't return his calls (okay, he didn't say that exactly), and that the Nats have placed a gag order on the AFL squad:

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo did not immediately return voice and text messages seeking additional information, and players and coaches in Arizona were instructed not to discuss the injury with the media.

But Ben Goessling of the Washington Times reports that the team doesn't consider the injury to be serious, although serious enough that he won't pitch on Saturday, and he'll fly back to DC:

An MRI showed inflammation on his left knee, but the team said the injury is not considered serious. Still, he will be flown back to Washington on Friday so team doctor Wiemi Douoguih can put him through a precautionary exam.

But, MLB dot com's Bill Ladson says Strasburg will see Lewis Yocum out in Los Angeles:

The injury is not considered serious. Strasburg reportedly hurt the knee while shagging fly balls. An MRI showed inflammation in the knee. As a precaution, Strasburg is scheduled to be examined Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles on Friday. 

So, exhale, NatsTown. For now. Strasburg will be flying from Arizona to either LA or DC to get his knee checked out. You know, either the East or West Coast. For precautionary reasons. Nothing to worry about. He's flying...somewhere. It''s okay. We should probably start getting prepared to suffer like this for every hangnail, owie, and stomach ache that may arise during the Stephen Strasburg Era. Let's hope it's worth it.

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Davey is the cherry on top.

(AP Photo. The Nationals have officially hired Davey Johnson as senior advisor to GM Mike Rizzo.)

"Davey makes me a smarter general manager. He is a deep thinker. He has done every aspect you can do in the game. Just to be around him, it makes me all that much better."
(Mike Rizzo, via MLB dot com, 11/18/2009)

Mike Likes Davey's Aura

Rizzo ends offseason hiring spree by adding Davey Johnson to his stable of  "Wise Old Owls".

"These are guys who sit in ballparks at every level, watch games and talk to other scouts. It sounds trivial. But in baseball, there is nothing more important. They are the wise old owls."
(Stan Kasten, via Washington Post, 11/19/2009)

With all those other advisers and special assistants around, even Davey doesn't know what his senior ad-visor job really entails, but what the heck, the pay is probably pretty good! Via Washington Times:

Johnson isn't sure exactly what his role will be yet -- though it will likely take advantage of his experience doing everything from running major-league teams to working with rookie-league players. But he will be another resource among the veteran additions to Washingtons front office this fall.

Meanwhile, over at the Washington Post, Mr. Thomas Boswell is gushing over Rizzo's front office remodel job. Indeed, it appears Rizzo has established some semblance of respectability and credibility for the organization. And that's something to cheer about.

Now, about that little problem of the baseball team...

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Don't bother wasting another breath talking about John Lackey coming to D.C., okay?

(AP Photo. There's not a chance in hell John Lackey ends up in Washington. But, we'll waste a minute on the topic anyway.)

Nope. No Chance.

MLB dot com's Bill Ladson reports that the Nationals have "expressed interest" in signing John Lackey:

The Nationals are one of several teams who have expressed interest in free agent right-hander John Lackey, according to a baseball source.

The team is reportedly in competition with the Angels, Red Sox, Yankees and Mets for his services.

Cue the laugh track, folks. Please disperse. Nothing to see here. I think we can safely move on from this topic now. But we hear Daniel Cabrera is still available!

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NatsTown turns into a Bizzarro World version of Seattle, circa 2008.

(Photo by Reuters. Manager in waiting? John McLaren is reportedly the Nats new bench coach.)

Role Reversal.

According to Mark Zuckerman of the Washington Times, the Nationals have hired John McLaren to serve as Jim Riggleman's bench coach. Mr. Riggles, of course, served as McLaren's bench coach in Seattle back in 2008, only to replace McLaren as Interim Manger in June 2008 after McLaren spent the first three months of the season jockeying for position with Manny Acta for the worst record in baseball and top prize in the Strasburg Sweepstakes.

Riggleman would eventually undermine McLaren's work and blow the Strasburg Sweepstakes for the Mariners, while Manny Acta brought home the prize for Washington. So Jim owed him one for ruining his legacy in Seattle. And of course, Mr. Riggles became Manny Acta's bench coach in 2009, and you know how that story ends.

So, Jim and John are reunited. Now what's going to happen with the other 5 open slots on Riggleman's staff?

Meanwhile...

Both the Washington Post and the Washington Timesoffer up a bunch of nice little news nuggets about the Nats: from Guzman's impending move to 2nd, to the the Nats new academy in the DR, updates on Jesus Flores, Jordan Zimmermann, Scott Olsen, etc. etc.

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Need a job? Mike Rizzo is hiring!

(AP Photo. Mike Rizzo seems to be enjoying his first offseason as a real, live, Major League GM.)

Rizzo hires two more assistants to assist the assistant director to the GM. Or something like that.

"We have two of the best baseball minds in the industry. These guys are as sharp as you can get. They both interviewed for the assistant general manager's job. Both were so impressive that I decided to hire both of them."
(Mike Rizzo, via Nationals dot com, 11/16/2009)

Mike Rizzo momentarily shifted his focus from the front office to the field with the Riggleman hiring last week. Yesterday, Mike Rizzo shifted his focus back to his front office, hiring two more reportedly-able-minded pieces for his dream front office team: ex-Pirate Exec Bryan Minniti as assistant GM, and an ex-Investment Banker, Jay Sartori, as Director of Baseball Operations. Nationals Enquirer staff could've sworn Rizzo filled both positions weeks ago; fortunately, Mark Zuckerman of the Washington Times has been keeping closer tabs on the hirings.

Worth noting, Zuckerman says Jim Bowden's former college roomie (and possible source of Jimbo's Tweet leaks?) Squire Galbreath has been relegated to part-owner duties, like shagging batting practice balls with Mark Lerner, going forward. Via Chatter, let's cut and paste:

And as previously stated, Bryan Minniti and Jay Sartori were hired as assistant GM and director of baseball operations, respectively. They take over adminstrative duties previously held by Squire Galbreath, Bowden's former college roommate who remains as a part-owner of the Nats but won't be working day to day in the front office anymore.

Meanwhile...

• We don't really have an opinion about bringing back Scott Olsen for another go (Bill Ladson reports Olsen says his shoulder is 100%); here's hoping Rizzo is listening to any and all offers for Josh Willingham.
• Even with Strasburg and Storen, we've been having trouble staying interested in the Arizona Fall League.
• Warm Stove: Via MLB Trade Rumors, Fox Sports reports that the Nationals are one of a few teams interested in Billy Wagner. Bill Ladson reports the Nationals are interested in Mark DeRosa and Mike Gonzalez. Bang. Zoom. Go the Fireworks.
• ZZZZZZ. How many days until pitchers and catchers report?

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