Rizzo had the sense Buehrle could decide quickly, and he had high hopes he would land the pitcher the Nationals made their top target this offseason. The confidence traced back to that meeting in November, when Rizzo flew to Buehrle’s home in St. Louis and laid out why Buehrle should come play in Washington.

“There was a connection there,” Rizzo said. “I went in there and really gave him a presentation of what we’re all about, what we’re trying to do now, what we’re trying to do in the future, what part does he play in it. It was a well-rounded presentation to show all the facets.”

Rizzo told Buehrle he would serve both as a top-of-the-rotation starter and a mentor to the Nationals’ young pitching staff, headlined by Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann. He emphasized how Washington appeals to a young family like Buehrle’s, and he included details such as how the Nationals handle security for players’ wives. Rizzo said he argued why the Nationals are ready to win, an important factor for the pitcher.

“At the beginning, there was a lot of interest,” Rizzo said. “When we left, there was a great interest in the Washington Nationals.”

Rizzo has been making pitches to free agents for three offseasons now as the Nationals’ general manager, and they have become easier. He inherited a 103-loss team that had finished with the worst record in the majors two years running. He now runs a team packed with potential that finished third in the National League East and finished one win shy of .500.

“We’re beyond the point where we apologize for not being very good and we’re rebuilding,” Rizzo said. “I think we’re a solid team. We have a chance to compete, and we get that point across. We do it by what our reputation is amongst the players. They talk a lot. We have a good reputation out there as a good place to be.

“It’s an easier presentation to put together, I know that. It’s, ‘Here’s how we’re going to win, and here’s how you’re going to help us get there.’ We can base that on facts and names and not just concepts and philosophies.”

Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman can remember the days when a top free agent choosing the Nationals seemed even more preposterous than at the start of Rizzo’s tenure, back when Major League Baseball owned a team that played in rundown RFK Stadium. Zimmerman — who endorsed Buehrle as “a guy who throws 200 innings every year” — said the Nationals’ young talent finally reaching the majors caused the shift.

“It’s a lot different with the guys we have coming up,” Zimmerman said. “People can see where we’re going now.”

While Buehrle is the Nationals’ clear-cut top choice, Rizzo called C.J. Wilson “an extremely talented, young left-handed pitcher” who “will immediately improve a ball club.” Rizzo said he has spoken with Wilson, but the Nationals are not believed to be seriously pursuing him.

Buehrle precisely fits the profile of the kind of starting pitcher the Nationals want to add, a veteran with a consistent, durable track record. Buehrle, 32, has a 161-119 career record with a 3.83 earned run average and has thrown at least 200 innings in all 11 of his major league seasons. Despite his experience, he’s only one year older than Wilson, regarded as the best free agent starter available.

If the Nationals miss out on Buehrle, they would move to sign free agent right-hander Roy Oswalt, 34. Rizzo said yesterday he would also consider searching for a starting pitcher via trade. The Nationals have ample depth in their rotation, but adding Buehrle and pairing him with Strasburg and Zimmermann would give the Nationals one of the most formidable rotations in the league.

As Buehrle’s representatives continued to make the rounds at the winter meetings, his decision could come sooner than later.

“From my meeting with him, I don’t think he wants this to be a long, drawn-out process,” Rizzo said. “I think he wants to get comfortable with a team, be treated fairly and get on with the offseason and his preparation for spring training.”

Buehrle wants a no-trade clause in his contract. Rizzo is loathe to give them out, but he said he would be open to offering one for the “right fit.” For the Nationals, Buehrle would be that right fit. And, in a change from past winters, the Nationals might actually be the right fit for a top free agent.

WASHINGTON (WJZ)—Eight days after being kidnapped in his home town of Venezuela, Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos returned to Washington, D.C. after a dramatic rescue.

Monique Griego has more on his traumatic ordeal.

Just days after being rescued from kidnappers in Venezuela, Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was back in D.C. to thank his fans.

“I just want to thank my fans for your prayers and support,” Ramos said.

Ramos’ harrowing experience began Nov. 9. He was in his home town of Valencia, Valenzuela to play winter ball when four men kidnapped him at gunpoint.

As investigators searched for clues, the Nationals team, including General Manager Mike Rizzo, waited and worried.

“A lot of people were just sitting on their hands waiting for some information. It was very, very difficult,” Rizzo said.

Fans in Washington held vigils.  Along with his friends back home who pleaded for his safe return.

Two days later, their prayers were answered. After a dramatic gunfight, Ramos was rescued.

Commandos also arrested six of his ten alleged kidnappers. It didn’t take long for word to get back to Rizzo.

“I get emotional when I talk about it now. It’s one of our own. He is a family member,” Rizzo said.

Despite his ordeal, Ramos’ focus seems to already be back on baseball.

“I’m happy to be here, happy to be with my family, and see you in spring training,” Ramos said.

Despite everything that happened to him, Ramos still plans on returning to Venezuela to play for their league.

It’s believed Ramos’ kidnappers planned to hold him for ransom money.

By Michael Bean

– Newsdesk contributor

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Nov 4, 2011 – If early offseason activity is an indication of things to come this winter, the Washington Nationals may be more active in free agency than fans have come to expect in recent years. Coming off an 80-81 season, the franchise’s best mark since relocating from Montreal to D.C., the Nationals signed veteran right-hander Chien-Ming Wang to a one-year deal already. According to a report by Bill Ladson of MLB.com, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo has his eyes on an even bigger free agent prize — former Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher, Roy Oswalt.

Oswalt, the 2006 NL ERA leader, is a free agent after the Phillies declined a team option to keep him in Philadelphia for the 2012 season. Now RIzzo can pursue the 34-year old Oswalt once again (he reportedly was interested in bringing Oswalt to Washington in the spring of 2010 as well). Rizzo recently spoke about the Nationals’ interest in acquiring veteran starting pitching help this offseason:

“The type of pitcher we are looking for is a good leader-type of guy that throws a lot of innings, has shown that he can win in the big leagues and really lead our staff,” Rizzo said without mentioning any names. “It’s not by having the best stuff on the staff, but showing how to be a professional, how to be a winner, how to pitch 200 innings in a season many, many times in a career. That’s kind of the guy we are looking for.”

During his 11-year career, Oswalt is 159-93 with a 3.21 ERA. In 2011, Oswalt started 23 games and finished with a 9-10 record, a 3.69 ERA, 93 K’s and 33 BB’s in 139.0 innings pitched.

Stay tuned for more MLB offseason news here and at Federal Baseball.

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Monday morning, the Nationals officially named Johnson their manager for the 2012 season, exercising an option in his contract and continuing a tenure that began last season amid upheaval and led to perhaps the most promising stretch since baseball returned to Washington.

General Manager Mike Rizzo called bringing Johnson back, a move long expected, an “easy decision.” Players uniformly supported the return of Johnson, 68, who will be the oldest manager in baseball.

“It really feels great,” Johnson said. “It’s such a great organization, such a great bunch of kids. We didn’t come close to the ceiling this year. I really feel like I’m kind of their father figure. I think they respect me, and I feel like I’m the guy to steer them along their path.”

Johnson moved from a front-office role to the dugout last season on June 27, four days after Jim Riggleman’s abrupt resignation. He went 40-43, including a 14-4 finishing kick that built uncommonly high expectations for 2012. He gained the trust and support of players, most of whom had met Johnson while he worked in his front-office position.

“If you have someone struggling, he’s going to stick with him,” third baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. “He puts the lineup up every day, and that’s going to be the lineup. We respect him for giving us our space, and because of that we’re going to play hard for him.”

Rizzo interviewed multiple candidates to become the Nationals’ manager in 2012, including third base coach Bo Porter. But there was never a question who would remain in charge. Rizzo feels a distinct comfort with Johnson, whom he hired as a special assistant the day he became the Nationals’ interim general manager in 2009.

This June, when Riggleman suddenly quit, Rizzo thought first of Johnson, who had last managed in the majors in 2000 for the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the night of June 23, after Riggleman resigned, Rizzo had dinner with Johnson at a Washington hotel.

“The only question I had about Davey taking over was, did he want to do it?” Rizzo said. “Was his energy level and his focus going to be there?”

And so, the basis of Johnson’s appointment for 2012 arrived well before the opportunity arose, all the way back in last spring training. Johnson arrived last February with more energy than he had felt in years, largely because of an ablation doctors at the Mayo Clinic performed on his heart over the winter. He pounded groundballs and moved briskly from field to field.

“He had an energy about him,” Rizzo said. “I thought to myself, ‘Davey is really into it and really fired up for the season.’ ”

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The Washington Nationals 2011 season can’t exactly be called a huge success, but the young club did give fans ample reason to be hopeful about the direction the club is heading in for 2012 and beyond. The Nationals finished the season 80-81, an 11.5 improvement from their 2010 record of 69-93.

When Jim Riggleman surprised the baseball world by stepping down just shy of the halfway mark of the season with the Nats sporting a winning record (38-37), Davey Johnson was hired three games later to manage the club for the remainder of the season. That couldn’t have been too easy of an environment to walk into, but Johnson kept the ship afloat as Washington played close to .500 baseball under his direction (40-43).  According to Mike Rizzo, Washington’s general manager, Johnson more than earned the opportunity to remain as manager of the club in 2012:

“We feel pretty confident that Davey’s in place,” Rizzo said. “He’s going to be here for years to come. He’s a terrific manager. I can see him managing this team through 2012. We haven’t made any announcements yet, because we haven’t done our full due diligence, but those announcements will come probably soon after the World Series.”

We’ll see if there is actually any more ‘due diligence’ to do, or if Rizzo and the Nationals are appropriately waiting until after the World Series to conclude before making any formal announcement, but all signs point towards the 68-year old returning for at least one more year of duty for the improving Nationals organization.  

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — When the season ends Wednesday, the Washington Nationals will begin the process of searching for their 2012 manager. Their list, general manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday, is not long. They know what they want and who they’re looking at.

And when it’s over, the guy in the dugout next spring may well be the same one who’s there now: Davey Johnson.

But their list of candidates could dwindle soon if third base coach Bo Porter is hired elsewhere. Porter interviewed for the Florida Marlins‘ managerial opening Monday and is thought to be high on their list. The Marlins are expected to move swiftly with their decision on who will replace 80-year-old Jack McKeon, who announced Monday that he plans to retire after the season.

“Bo Porter is an outstanding third base [coach] and baseball man,” Johnson said Monday. “I hope he’s back. I hope [his interview] went well. But I hope we don’t lose him.”

This is the third time Porter has interviewed with the Marlins after interviewing twice during the 2010 season – first when Fredi Gonzalez was fired midseason and then after the season when the Marlins opted to go with Edwin Rodriguez, who resigned in June. Porter also interviewed for the Pirates’ opening last offseason but accepted the Nationals third base coaching job under then-manager Jim Riggleman when Pittsburgh opted to go with Clint Hurdle.

Porter, who coached or managed almost all of the Marlins‘ current roster during a 2005-09 stint with the organization at the minor and major league levels, declined to comment.

A report by the Chicago Sun-Times late Monday, however, said the White Sox were in the “final stages” of completing a deal to send Ozzie Guillen to Florida to manage the Marlins in 2012.

Porter also is considered a main candidate for the Nationals’ opening — if there is one — and Rizzo thinks highly of him The GM interviewed Porter for the Nationals’ managerial job before the 2010 season but ultimately hired Riggleman, who’d been the interim manager.

“I brought Bo in here,” Rizzo said when asked about Porter as a candidate for next season. “He’s a terrific baseball guy and certainly a major league-manager candidate.”

If Johnson does return, the Nationals will have to make decisions on the rest of their coaching staff, including Porter. The feeling is that unless Porter is hired as Nationals manager or to manage another major league team, he would return. First base coach Trent Jewett and Triple-A manager Randy Knorr also are thought to be under consideration for the manager’s job.

Knorr is well-liked in the organization and has managed a large percentage of Washington’s current roster while the players were coming through the minor leagues. He is open to interviewing for the position but also would also relish an opportunity to return to the Triple-A level.

“I think Randy Knorr is definitely a major league-manager candidate,” Rizzo said. “His goal is to manage in the major leagues, and I think he’s a great candidate and a great baseball guy, and I feel very lucky to have him in the organization.”

Neither Johnson nor Rizzo has wavered in their stance that Johnson is not a sure thing for the 2012 season, though his three-year consulting contract does include an option for him to manage the team next year. The decision is not expected to come until the season is over and a search following MLB guidelines has been conducted.

“The biggest factor is whether they want me,” Johnson reiterated Monday. “That’s No. 1. And No. 2, I’d like to have a say-so in seeing how much they would want my opinion on trades and free agent signings and that stuff. I love the talent level, and I love what we have in the development stages.”

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

This year, there was no Bryce Harper and no Stephen Strasburg. There was no No. 1 overall pick deemed once-in-a-generation waiting until the clock struck midnight to relent, get paid record sums and join the Washington Nationals.

But as the 2011 signing deadline for draft picks inched ever-closer the Nationals completed a coup of a different kind: perhaps the most impactful draft from start to finish in organizational history. In signing all of their top five picks in the 2011 draft, and 29 of their 51 selections, the Nationals took in an unparalleled haul.

Minutes before the midnight deadline, the Nationals locked up No. 6 overall pick Anthony Rendon to a four-year major league contract worth a total of $7.2 million — $6 million of it bonus money. They also signed No. 23 Alex Meyer to a $2 million deal, No. 34 Brian Goodwin for $3 million and No. 93 Matt Purke, once considered a first-overall selection, to a four-year major league deal worth roughly $4 million. No. 127 overall, Kylin Turnbull, agreed to a $325,000 deal about 2 ½ hours before the deadline.

All told, the Nationals spent an estimated $16.5 million on their top five selections in the draft.

“We’re the talk of the industry right now,” said Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo. “Before we signed these players, we had a minor league system that the needle was heading north in a big, big way. This just solidifies us, to me, as one of the great scouting and player development organizations in baseball. We feel really good about ourselves tonight.”

With good reason.

Draft experts were already crowing over the Nationals shrewd selection when they nabbed third baseman Rendon at No. 6 overall, where he fell to largely because of injury concern, and Meyer, a right-handed pitcher, in the first round. Those compliments only got more effusive when they tabbed outfielder Goodwin in the supplemental round and Purke, a left-hander, in the third round.

Even before the selection of Purke ESPN’s Keith Law and Jason A. Churchill called the Nationals top three selections an “unbelievable haul.” The ESPN experts also noted that, “if they get all four under contract, the Nationals will have one of the strongest classes on the draft.”

The Nationals locked up about $16. 2 million in the first four selections alone, including the first time Rizzo had ever doled out two major league deals in one draft, but it was worth it to Rizzo, vice president of player personnel Roy Clark and the Lerner family to make that commitment.

“This is my 27th year being involved with the draft and it’s the best draft I’ve ever been a part of,” Clark said. “As far as the number of impact players that we’re bringing into the system at once… I think this is a huge day in the franchise history of the Washington Nationals.”

“If you would have told me that we’d walk out of this thing and we signed everybody we wanted to sign, I would have doubted that it could have been done,” Rizzo said.

Rendon and Purke were injury concerns and their draft stock fell because of it, but the Nationals put both through a rigorous physical. Purke allowed the Nationals to give him an MRI-arthrogram on his left shoulder on a visit to Washington in July, as well as putting on two separate throwing sessions for them, and Rendon visiting with both Dr. Lewis Yocum and Nationals medical director Wiemi Douoguih to examine his right shoulder.

Rizzo met personally with both Purke and Rendon and felt the framework of a deal with Purke was in place once he departed from Houston, where he’d been negotiating with Purke’s representation, on Sunday morning. Rendon met with Rizzo and Mark Lerner in Los Angeles when the Nationals played the Dodgers. Both were deemed close enough to being major league-ready that the Nationals agreed to offer them big league deals. Rizzo did not meet with Meyer or Goodwin.

The Nationals have not shied away from spending big-time money on the draft, dropping nearly $14 million last year on four players: Bryce Harper, Sammy Solis, AJ Cole and Robbie Ray, the latter two later-round picks the Nationals signed for well over slot money. And this year was no different, a testament, Rizzo said, to the Lerner family’s commitment to bringing a winning team to Washington in the near future.

“I can’t stress enough that this ownership group has allowed me to be me — to be aggressive, go after these guys, get the best players available and worry about signing them later,” Rizzo said. “What they showed me in that room tonight, was, I can’t put into words. It was great stuff. You talk about the trust in a staff? They don’t talk about it, they show it. It was a huge night for us.”

© Copyright 2011 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

By Jeff Sullivan

– Editor

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Jun 10, 2011 – It’s the season of top prospect call-ups, and Thursday the San Diego Padres made their move, promoting first baseman Anthony Rizzo from triple-A Tucson and putting him in the starting lineup against the Washington Nationals. Rizzo was to make his Major League debut in front of the home crowd, and I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but people were actually excited. Padres fans were excited about something about the Padres. For real, I got a text message and everything.

Rizzo, you see, is the team’s big hope in searching for a successor to Adrian Gonzalez. Dealing Gonzalez left a huge void, and Rizzo and his 1.159 triple-A OPS stand the best chance of filling it.

So how’d Rizzo’s debut end up going, you ask? It went just about as well as anyone could’ve hoped.

Rizzo came to bat for the first time in the bottom of the second, against Livan Hernandez. As he stepped in, he received as much of a standing ovation as anyone in Petco’s ever going to get.

Rizzo ultimately wound up striking out looking on a pitch that appeared inside, which was anticlimactic, but it all worked out in the end. Rizzo shook off his nerves and found his timing, and in his second at-bat, he arrived.

Batting against Hernandez to lead off the bottom of the fifth, Rizzo worked a 2-2 count before doing this:

It was, in so many ways, a perfectly appropriate moment. Rizzo worked a good at bat. He put a perfect swing on the ball. He blasted the pitch way deep to center field, with Livan Hernandez hanging his head on the mound. And Rizzo wound up on third base with a triple, because home runs aren’t allowed in Petco Park. It was both Rizzo’s welcome-to-the-Majors moment and Rizzo’s welcome-to-Petco moment, rolled into one. It happened to Gonzalez, and it’ll happen to Rizzo, now and forever.

Rizzo would score in the fifth and bat again in the sixth. With two on and one out, he took four low balls to draw a six-pitch walk off Sean Burnett. And in his final plate appearance, against Henry Rodriguez in the seventh, Rizzo worked another six-pitch walk for his second base on balls in as many innings.

In all, Rizzo batted four times, seeing 21 pitches. And he reached base three times, becoming the sixth Padres player in franchise history to reach base three times in his big league debut. The last to do it was Wiki Gonzalez in 1999. Gonzalez also tripled. The man to do it before Gonzalez was Derrek Lee, and the Padres wouldn’t be too upset if Rizzo went on to have that kind of career.

As for the rest of the game – yeah, there was a whole baseball game around Rizzo’s four trips to the plate. Chase Headley put the Padres up early with a two-run blast in the bottom of the first, and though the Nationals got a run back in the second, Aaron Harang limited the damage. Rizzo scored after his triple in the fifth on Chris Denorfia’s RBI single, and the Padres blew things open with a three-run sixth. Brad Hawpe hit an RBI single, Kyle Phillips drew a bases-loaded walk, and Logan Forsythe lifted an RBI sac fly.

At that point, the Padres were up 6-2, and each team would score one more time to achieve a 7-3 final. The Padres improved to 29-35, while the Nationals fell to 27-36.

In closing, I’ll leave you with this. Livan Hernandez may have gotten tagged with the loss after allowing six runs in 5-1/3 innings, but his night really could’ve been a lot worse than it was.

For more on the Nationals and Padres, please visit Federal Baseball and Gaslamp Ball.

Read More: Adrian Gonzalez (1B – BOS), Anthony Rizzo (1B – SDP), San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals

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By Joseph White, Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Well, that was familiar. The Washington Nationals proudly announced they had selected a college third baseman, boasting that he is an accomplished hitter who can win Gold Gloves. They say it shouldn’t be long before he’s in the majors.

Just like Ryan Zimmerman six years ago.

The Nationals chose Anthony Rendon with the No. 6 overall pick in the baseball draft Monday. They really didn’t have much choice — there were six players considered head and shoulders above the rest, and the junior from Rice was the last of the six still available.

“I think he will be quick to the big leagues,” general manager Mike Rizzo said.

Rendon, drafted on the day he turned 21, won the Howser Trophy as the nation’s top amateur player last year, when he hit .394 with 26 home runs and 85 RBIs as a sophomore, but injuries and antsy pitchers left him idle for much of this season. He drew a Division I-leading 80 walks while batting .327 with six home runs and 37 RBIs for the Owls in 2011, and two ankle surgeries and a strained shoulder limited him mostly to the designated hitter role.

Rizzo said the Nationals painstakingly checked Rendon’s medical reports but will “probably be very cautious” with him initially.

“Our medical staff has cleared his health,” Rizzo said.

Rizzo said Rendon will start off in Class A as a third baseman, despite the apparent roadblock at the position in the name of Zimmerman, the current face of the franchise.

“Right now we feel that third base is his position,” Rizzo said. “We evaluate him as a Gold Glove-caliber defensive guy at third base. We’re going to delay that decision until he gets to the big leagues and establishes himself here, and we’ll make those decisions down the road.”

As expected, the Nationals went for pitching in their next selection, taking Kentucky junior Alex Meyer at No. 23.

Meyer was considered to be a top 15 pick, sporting a mid-90s fastball that can get up to 100 mph, not to mention a solid slider and changeup to go along with an intimidating, 6-foot-9 mound presence. The right-hander went 7-5 with a 2.94 ERA for the Wildcats this year, but his 46 walks are evidence he needs more work on his mechanics and control.

“This guy is a tweak away from being a front-of-the-rotation guy,” Rizzo said.

At No. 34, Washington took outfielder Brian Goodwin, who batted .382 this year for Miami Dade College, where he transferred after facing academic suspension at North Carolina. The Nationals see him as a leadoff hitter playing center field.

For the first time in three years, the Nationals went into draft day unsure of their selection. They went first in 2009 and 2010, selecting Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. This year they had three picks in the top 34, having been given two compensatory selections for losing free agent Adam Dunn.

Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

When asked to evaluate Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo, Major League Baseball people first mention his keen eye for talent.

He’s often praised for his significant role in building the Arizona Diamondbacks through the first-year player draft. Rizzo, they say, is better than most at that part of the game, but some express doubts about his ability to lead an entire baseball operation. And after Rizzo’s bumpy start this season, the questions are valid.

Rizzo has made major mistakes quickly, showing he has much to learn. Despite his impressive scouting background and strong work ethic, Rizzo, at this point, has a lot to learn regarding some of his most important duties. His dealing with the media is at best awkward and at worst antagonistic, which won’t make his on-the-job training any easier.

Since officially being given full control of the Nationals in October, Rizzo grossly overpaid for right fielder Jayson Werth, assembled a batting order with baseball’s fourth-worst on-base percentage and for several weeks prohibited hitting coach Rick Eckstein from speaking with reporters.

He erred in choosing Werth to be an out-front guy, giving a merely good player superstar money and expecting him to lead. Rizzo displayed questionable judgment in constructing a defense-heavy, offense-light roster that is primarily responsible for the Nationals again occupying last place in the National League East. He also exhibited alarming naivete about how the news media functions and instigated an unnecessary fight over access to Eckstein, which is concerning on many levels.

At the request of the Baseball Writers Association of America, the commissioner’s office became involved in the situation, and the Nationals are now permitting Eckstein to share his thoughts from time to time.

Eckstein is in his third season as the person primarily responsible for Washington’s performance on offense. He spent five seasons coaching in the minor leagues, including four in the Nationals’ organization. He’s not some wide-eyed newcomer incapable of answering a few reporters’ occasional questions.

Eckstein is a big league coach who has been on the job long enough to understand that accountability comes with the gig. Each day, Eckstein tutors players who are critiqued publicly by fans and the media. By explaining his batting philosophy and approach, Eckstein provides context and insight into the process when things are going well or poorly.

That’s why reporters interview managers and coaches as well as players. It’s actually a fairly simple concept, though it seems lost on Rizzo.

Asked earlier in the week to explain why Eckstein was off-limits, Rizzo told reporters they don’t need to speak with him because they never speak with other coaches. Informed he was incorrect, Rizzo offered this gem: “When you’re the GM, you can do whatever you want. And I don’t want you guys talking to Rick Eckstein.”

The most ludicrous part of this is that Eckstein was willing to be interviewed. Obviously, Eckstein has the right to decline to comment, but true baseball professionals understand the media plays a role in the game’s success as a conduit to fans.

By BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) – Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and catcher Ivan Rodriguez were penalized by Major League Baseball on Monday for verbally confronting umpires in a stadium tunnel after a disputed call last week.

Rodriguez was fined an undisclosed amount, MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said. Courtney confirmed Rizzo was disciplined, but provided no specifics.

In general, penalties for non-uniformed personnel involve fines.

The Nationals were upset after Jayson Werth was called out by first-base umpire Phil Cuzzi in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 1-0 loss to the New York Mets. Replays appeared to show Werth was safe.

Manager Jim Riggleman argued with Cuzzi and plate umpire Manny Gonzalez, then came back on the field with Rodriguez to holler at the umpires when they walked past the Nationals’ third-base dugout after the game. With crew chief Tom Hallion away for the series, Bill Miller served as the acting chief and Gonzalez was called up from Triple-A.

Moments later, Rizzo and Rodriguez got into a verbal altercation with the umpires as they headed to their locker room at Citi Field. Uncertain which Nationals executive had accosted them, the umpires asked for help – a Mets security official went into the Nationals’ clubhouse and identified Rizzo by a head shot.

The umpires filed a report after the game with Joe Torre, MLB’s vice president for baseball operations. Cuzzi said the crew had spoken to Torre, but declined further comment at the time.

Washington played at Milwaukee on Monday night.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

NEW YORK – Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and catcher Ivan Rodriguez were penalized by Major League Baseball on Monday for verbally confronting umpires in a stadium tunnel after a disputed call last week.

Rodriguez was fined an undisclosed amount, MLB spokesman Pat Courtney said. Courtney confirmed Rizzo was disciplined, but provided no specifics.

In general, penalties for non-uniformed personnel involve fines.

The Nationals were upset after Jayson Werth was called out by first-base umpire Phil Cuzzi in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 1-0 loss to the New York Mets. Replays appeared to show Werth was safe.

Manager Jim Riggleman argued with Cuzzi and plate umpire Manny Gonzalez, then came back on the field with Rodriguez to holler at the umpires when they walked past the Nationals’ third-base dugout after the game. With crew chief Tom Hallion away for the series, Bill Miller served as the acting chief and Gonzalez was called up from Triple-A.

Moments later, Rizzo and Rodriguez got into a verbal altercation with the umpires as they headed to their locker room at Citi Field. Uncertain which Nationals executive had accosted them, the umpires asked for help — a Mets security official went into the Nationals’ clubhouse and identified Rizzo by a head shot.

The umpires filed a report after the game with Joe Torre, MLB’s vice president for baseball operations. Cuzzi said the crew had spoken to Torre, but declined further comment at the time.

Washington played at Milwaukee on Monday night.

BALTIMORE – Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo says he is not under investigation for verbally confronting umpires underneath the stands following a controversial call.

Rizzo said he contacted Joe Torre, Major League Baseball’s vice president of operations, immediately after Thursday’s game in New York, which concluded with players and staff on the Nationals bench jawing at the departing umpires following a crucial ninth-inning call that went against them.

“Despite a lot of the reports in the media, this by no means is an investigation against Mike Rizzo,” Rizzo said before the Nationals played an interleague game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

But the Nationals GM refused divulge specifics about his conversation with Torre. He said only that MLB was conducting an investigation, but that it had nothing to do with an apparent blown call in the Nationals 1-0 to the New York Mets.

“This is an investigation of what happened last night after the game,” Rizzo said.

Asked what he spoke to Torre about, Rizzo cut off a question and told reporters he could not talk about the conversation because “it’s an ongoing investigation.”

The Nationals were upset by a ninth-inning call at first base by umpire Phil Cuzzi, who ruled Washington’s Jayson Werth out on a close play. Replays showed first baseman Daniel Murphy’s foot came off the bag and the next batter, Adam LaRoche, grounded out for the game’s final out with the potential tying run at third base.

Following the game, Nationals manager Jim Riggleman, catcher Ivan Rodriguez and third-base coach Bo Porter were on the field hollering at the umpires as they departed.

Speaking at Yankee Stadium, Torre acknowledged talking with Rizzo and said he expected to have a resolution soon.

“We’re still gathering information on the incident,” Torre said. “We’ll probably have something in the next few days.”

Rizzo said he was sticking up for his team.

“My job is to stick up for the whole organization,” he said. “I’ve always got the manager’s, the coaches’ and the players’ back. Whenever I need to put myself on the line to do so, that’s my job, so I’m willing to do it.”

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AP Baseball Writer Ben Walker contributed from New York.

Rain or shine, the Washington Nationals have trouble scoring runs.
Jonathon Niese pitched seven sharp innings, some of them in heavy showers, and Justin Turner hit a two-run double that sent the New York Mets to a 3-0 victory over the light-hitting Nationals on Wednesday night.
Quiet nights at the plate are nothing new for the Nats. They began the day ranked last in the NL in batting average (.225), on-base percentage (.298), slugging (.348), hits (302), total bases (467) and doubles (57).
“There’s nothing to do except work your way out of it, and our guys are doing that,” manager Jim Riggleman said. “We’ve kind of showed signs of it a couple times that we’re coming out of it, but it’s been a little elusive to really get it going. But the effort, the intensity has been there.”
With maybe a few thousand hardy souls in the stands on another soggy night at Citi Field, the Mets’ depleted lineup scratched out enough offense to help Niese (3-4) win his second consecutive start.
Playing without injured regulars David Wright, Ike Davis and Angel Pagan, New York won for the eighth time in 12 games and tied Washington for fourth place in the NL East.
The Nationals managed eight hits but were shut out for the sixth time this season.
“We’ve just got to click as a team. We’re just waiting for that one big hit,” shortstop Ian Desmond said.
Jason Bay had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and Turner cracked a two-out double in the sixth to chase Tom Gorzelanny (2-3) after 116 pitches. Jose Reyes singled three times, drew an intentional walk and scored twice from his leadoff spot.
“I’ve never played in anything like that,” Niese said. “It’s the wettest I’ve ever been pitching. … Every ball the umpire gave me was wet. I had to do my best to rub them dry in my hands.”
With deep puddles forming on the infield, Jason Isringhausen worked a one-hit eighth and Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 13th save in 14 chances. With two on, he retired pinch-hitter Laynce Nix and then Roger Bernadina on consecutive flyouts to left.
Both teams were rained out Tuesday night — the Nationals at home against Pittsburgh, and the Mets at home against the Marlins. That came after New York and Florida played through the mist on a muddy track Monday night.
The announced attendance Wednesday was 24,527, but nearly all the seats were empty and hecklers could be heard from the stands.
“It was wet and rainy just like it looked, but I think all of us were kind of itching to play,” Desmond said. “We were ready to get back out there.”
After some torrential rain in the afternoon, the heavy stuff stopped in time to start the game on time — with no more than a couple hundred fans in the ballpark.
The grounds crew worked hard between innings all night to try to dry out the infield and it was absolutely pouring when Bernadina grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh.
Still, play went on without interruption.
“I thought the grounds crew did a great job. It got a little touchy a couple times but I don’t think it had any effect on the play of the game. Maybe I’m missing something,” Riggleman said. “Nobody got hurt. I don’t think there were errors made because of the conditions or anything like that.”
Reyes hit a leadoff single in the first, went to third on Turner’s double and scored on Bay’s sacrifice fly.
Scott Hairston reached on an infield single to start the sixth, easily beating a throw from his brother, Jerry, at third base. With two outs and first base open, Reyes was intentionally walked to bring up Turner. He doubled to center over the head of the speedy Bernadina, who was playing shallow.
“He got a good pitch that he could handle,” Bernadina said. “It was big for them.”
Before that hit, New York was 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position.
NOTES: Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said RHP Stephen Strasburg is preparing to throw off a mound “any day now,” the next step in his recovery from Sept. 3 elbow surgery. … Washington OF Rick Ankiel (right wrist) is close to beginning a minor league rehab assignment and could be back in about a week. … Riggleman said Matt Stairs will probably be the leading candidate to DH against right-handed pitching this weekend in Baltimore. … 3B Ryan Zimmerman, who had surgery to repair a tear in his abdominal muscle on May 3, is at least three weeks away from returning, Riggleman said. … The Nationals said Rizzo’s grandfather, Vito, died Sunday in Chicago from natural causes. He was 103. Vito Rizzo also was the father of Nationals senior adviser to the general manager Phil Rizzo. “My grandfather was a long time Chicago railroad worker, who doubled as a terrific semi-professional ballplayer. A lifelong fan and student of baseball, it was his passion for the game that sparked careers in baseball for my father and myself,” Mike Rizzo said in a statement. … There was a moment of silence before the game for Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew, who died Tuesday at age 74.

VIERA – Nyjer Morgan went public last week with his wish to move on from the Washington Nationals and late Saturday night his wish was granted.

The Nationals on Sunday morning announced they had traded Morgan, their incumbent centerfielder, to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league infielder Cutter Dykstra.

The move all but hands the job to newly acquired veteran Rick Ankiel, at least against right-handed pitchers. Nationals Manager Jim Riggleman said earlier this spring that newly acquired veteran Jerry Hairston Jr. would start in center against left-handed pitchers.

Thus the question beyond Hairston was who would get the start against right-handers and that now has been answered.

Morgan left Space Coast Stadium after being notified of the trade and was not available for comment.

General Manager Mike Rizzo told reporters the move was a case of Ankiel winning the job and Morgan, who had a tumultuous time in Washington that included starting a brawl and on-field miscues, not losing it.

“Ankiel showed us that he can go get the ball in the outfield,” Rizzo said. “His arm is really a weapon. This spring when he’s out there, very few players are going first to third, second to home. He can create a lot of damage with one swing of the bat.

“I focus it more on what Ankiel did, not what Nyjer didn’t do. Nyjer had a nice spring training. After the first week he played really well and did everything he had to do.”
Rizzo acquired Morgan via trade from Pittsburgh on June 30, 2009 and he responded offensively and defensively despite missing the final five weeks with a broken left hand. However his production fell off in 2010 as did his discipline. And despite getting high marks from the organization this spring, the acquisition and subsequent performance of Ankiel made Morgan dispensable.

Remarks Morgan made to MLB.com about believing it was time to move on were not a factor in the trade, Rizzo maintained.

It came down to Ankiel and the potential the Nationals believe Dykstra, son of former big leaguer Lenny Dykstra, possesses.

“He’s an athletic kid, he’s a really good runner,” Rizzo told reporters. “I believe he stole 27 bases last year (at Class A Wisconsin) and has really good speed. He’s a good offensive player, high on-base percentage, works counts. He’s really a type of guy who hits at the top of the lineup. He has a little pop and speed and really commands the strike zone.”

Dykstra is expected to report to the Nationals on Monday and is projected to be grouped with players from the Potomac High A team, Rizzo said.

As for the status of returnee Roger Bernadina, who also was competing for a roster spot in center or behind leftfielder Michael Morse, Rizzo was non-committal.

“Spring training’s not over,” Rizzo said. “We haven’t made any final decisions on who’s going to be the extra players and the extra bullpen pieces. We still have games to play and decisions to make.”

WASHINGTON — Adding a starting pitcher at last this offseason, the Washington Nationals finalized their trade to acquire left-hander Tom Gorzelanny from the Chicago Cubs for three minor league prospects on Wednesday.

Washington also agreed to a one-year contract with utility player Jerry Hairston Jr., and unconditionally released pitcher J.D. Martin, who had lower-back surgery in August. Martin’s move cleared space on the 40-man roster for first baseman Adam LaRoche, whose free-agent contract recently was approved by Major League Baseball.

General manager Mike Rizzo hoped to land a top-of-the-rotation starter for the 2011 season, but that hasn’t happened. The 28-year-old Gorzelanny is 36-37 with a 4.68 ERA in six major league seasons with the Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

He went 7-9 with a 4.09 ERA in 23 starts and six relief appearances last year, and the Cubs dealt him after obtaining starter Matt Garza in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Rizzo said Nationals scouts saw Gorzelanny consistently throw at 92 mph and reach 94 mph in 2010.

Before the trade to the Nationals became official, Gorzelanny avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $2.1 million, one-year deal with the Cubs.

The Nationals sent outfielder Michael Burgess, right-hander A.J. Morris and left-hander Graham Hicks to Chicago.

“We think there’s still some upside to this guy, and we think he’s going to have a big rebound year,” Rizzo said. “We see him somewhere in the rotation. We’re going to have a good competition there this spring training, and we’re looking forward to it.”

With Stephen Strasburg expected to miss most — if not all — of 2011 after reconstructive elbow surgery, the Nationals are expected to have Livan Hernandez, Jordan Zimmermann and Gorzelanny in their rotation, along with perhaps Jason Marquis, Yunesky Maya or Ross Detwiler.

Rizzo also noted that right-hander Chien-Ming Wang — who is trying to come back from shoulder surgery and hasn’t pitched since July 2009 — will be ready for the start of spring training. Pitchers and catchers are due to report to Viera, Fla., on Feb. 15.

“He’s not in rehabilitation mode right now; he’s in preparation mode to get ready for spring training,” Rizzo said.

The 34-year-old Hairston is a career .257 hitter with 59 homers and 341 RBIs across 13 seasons with six clubs. His deal was for $2 million, according to a major league source.

He hit .244 with 10 homers and a career-high 50 RBIs for the San Diego Padres last season.

Rizzo said that Hairston, a member of the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees, would be “very, very comfortable and very effective” playing any position in the field other than first base or catcher.

“He gives the manager a lot of options,” Rizzo said. “He’s a very versatile player. Very upbeat. High-energy guy. Good clubhouse presence. And a guy with a championship ring that knows how to win and knows how to be a good teammate.”

The Associated Press and ESPNChicago.com’s Bruce Levine contributed to this report.