fat EMO kid baseball blog

The Nationals have finally done the right thing and named Mike Rizzo to be their full-time GM after operating on an interim basis since before the season began.   Rizzo has been able to do what Jim Bowden failed to do, make meaningful moves that have brought Washington close to respectability.  Rizzo has reconstucted a sorry pitching staff, and now features a decent young rotation led by John Lannan, Craig Stammen and Colin Balester.  Add to that the signing of Steven Strausburg, and there’s finally some hope for the future.  The only downside is the loss of promising right-hander Jordan Zimmerman to Tommy John Surgery. 

Rizzo has also remade the bullpen, which couldn’t close a door, let alone a game, to start the season.  Re-tread veterans like Mike MacDougal, Ron Villone, and Jorge Sosa has brought some measure of consistency to the ‘pen. 

Rizzo’s biggest move was the trade with Pittsburgh that landed Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett for banished outfielder Lastings Milledge and struggling closer Joel Hanrahan.  It may be a one-year wonder, but Morgan is tearing up the National League, and Burnett has given Washington a nice situational lefty. 

They may only be 43-77 and destined for another last-place finish, but there is finally some reason for optimization in the Nation’s Capitol, and Rizzo seems to be the right man for the job.

The Brewers landed David Weathers from the Reds. Nice trade for the Reds, unloading a 39 year old reliever for their choice of minor leaguers from Milwauke. Fully expect the Reds to make the worst choice possible. I still can’t figure out if the Brewers think they can win or not, seems like no matter what they do, they aren’t getting any better.