Some news and notes following a conversation with Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo in the dugout before today’s game with the Atlanta Braves. Reporters hit on a number of topics, including Stephen Strasburg, who will make his final start of a brief 2011 on Wednesday against the Florida Marlins, and the status of manager Davey Johnson.
Johnson and Rizzo both said he will be back next season – they just wouldn’t confirm if that would be as manager or as an advisor. He signed a three-year contract with Washington in June after taking over when Jim Riggleman quit. There will be a managerial search. It shouldn’t take long.
“Because we’ve done this exercise before we’ve got a very streamlined group of high quality candidates that we want to talk to,” Rizzo said. “I anticipate the process moving much quicker because we’ve already identified the candidates who we want to talk to.”
Rizzo wouldn’t confirm if third-base coach Bo Porter or Randy Knorr, the manager at Triple-A Syracuse in 2011, would be interviewed as internal candidates, if Johnson decides not to return. Rizzo said he has a “tentative” timetable, but didn’t want to make that public. Needless to say, the front office wants to take care of it and move on to address the team’s offseason needs. Rizzo says that includes adding to its starting rotation and finding a high on-base percentage player who can lead off or play center field. That won’t be easy, obviously.
“I think we’re an outfield bat and starting pitcher away from really being a contender in the division,” Rizzo said.
As for his own free agents, Rizzo said there is “mutual interest” with pitcher Chien-Ming Wang. Those discussions have started and will continue, though no guarantee anything gets done before Wang officially becomes a free agent. Rizzo didn’t close the door on free agents Livan Hernandez, Rick Ankiel, Jonny Gomes or Laynce Nix. Not all will be back, especially among the three outfielders. But Rizzo offered praise for each player.
Strasburg will be on an innings limit next season similar to one faced by Jordan Zimmermann in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. Rizzo didn’t get into exact details. But Washington will officially need to plan that into their rotation next season – whether Strasburg starts late, gets skipped throughout the year or is shut down in September as Zimmermann was earlier this month.
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