Jim Riggleman and Mike Rizzo: Have you gone nuts?
The Nats are one game above .500 as I write this, and Riggleman promptly quit the team Thursday, saying it wouldn’t give him a contract extension. I’ve dared to start trying to love the Nats again and this happens? Really? Really?
The above-.500 record is particularly noteworthy because June was the month last year when it all fell apart for the team. It didn’t even matter that Stephen Strasburg was promoted to the bigs in June, as the Nats’ weaknesses in non-Strasburg starting pitching and defense were exposed and exploited by opponents. And although they were a bit better last year than in 2009, it was a mild progression — and one that led to some off-season overhauling.
Now they’re en fuego, to quote the phrase that ESPN used to wear out. Even more shockingly, they’ve been an offensive threat in recent weeks, probably helped in no small part by the return of Ryan Zimmerman. Michael Morse has been a downright stud; if Adam LaRoche can return from shoulder surgery next year and play more like the Adam LaRoche of the past, Morse can be moved to the outfield and the Nats look even tougher.
And Riggleman — perhaps because he was dissed, perhaps not — up and quits.
Perhaps he knows something we don’t. To me, the Nats still feel like they’re one more hitter and one more starter away from being a contender, or even a .500 team in the long haul. It’s entirely possible that their starter will be ready in 2012 with Strasburg’s return. It may be possible that their hitter is Bryce Harper, who is playing up the road right now in Hagerstown — although he’s more likely a 2013 addition.
Which brings us back to 2011. I predicted this year’s edition of the Nats would be dreadfully dull to watch — and for the first two months of the season, they were certainly that. As they slid to their well-worn depths in May, I worried that this team would start mailing it in and become not only dull, but sloppy.
They haven’t. The Nats have solid starting pitching, good defense (!) and superior relief pitching — they’ve got one of the best bullpens in baseball now.
We’ll see in a few weeks whether the Nats are in the midst of an aberration, or whether they can remain a competitive team in baseball’s toughest division — with, unbelievably, a new manager.
But again, really? Really? It’s hard not to think of the Nats, given all their woes and questionable moves of the past few years, and wonder if stupid is as stupid does.
