Nationals’ GM Rizzo gets new deal
In nearly a decade as general manager of the Washington Nationals, Mike Rizzo has proved adept at wheeling and dealing, at drafting and developing, to the tune of four NL East titles in the past six years.
When it came time to discuss his own contract — talks that resulted in a two-year extension through 2020, announced hours before Thursday’s home opener against the New York Mets — Rizzo joked that he wasn’t quite as tough at the table as usual.
“My negotiating skills are much better when I’m negotiating for a trade or with free agents than I was for myself; you don’t usually buy a house when you’re negotiating a contract.
“But like I do a lot of times, I made no bones about where I wanted to be and wanted to do,” Rizzo said, wearing a three-piece gray suit to mark the occasion. “I came to a deal that I’m very happy with, very satisfied with.”
For comparison’s sake, executives leading other recently successful franchises such as Theo Epstein with the Cubs, Dave Dombrowski with the Red Sox, Brian Cashman with the Yankees, and Andrew Friedman with the Dodgers all have five-year deals. So, too, does Mike Hill with the Marlins, while Andrew Anthopolous with the Braves has a four-year contract.
Because he was entering the final year of his contract, Rizzo’s future was a big question mark heading into this season, along with 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper’s chance to become a free agent after 2018.
Now one of those franchise-altering issues is resolved.
One of Rizzo’s big jobs moving forward — in addition to trying to finally oversee the Nationals’ first series victory in the postseason — will be to either figure out a way to keep Harper in D.C. beyond this season or figure out a way to suitably replace his production.
“We’ve made no bones about it that Harp’s a big part of this organization. He’s a vital cog in what we’re trying to do. He’s a guy I’ve known since he was 16 years old that we scouted, signed and watched him blossom into a star at the big-league level,” said Rizzo, who drafted the outfielder with the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft. “Of course, we’d love to keep him long term.”
A free man back at work
Imprisoned 23 years for a crime he didn’t commit, Nevest Coleman couldn’t imagine a day like this.
He was back in his old job as a groundskeeper for the Chicago White Sox, working the home opener against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
“When you sit back when you’re locked up, you don’t think about [a day like this],” Coleman said. “You just think about what’s going on trying to move forward in life, trying to figure out what I’m gonna do when I get out, how I’m gonna support myself. The White Sox gave me the opportunity.”
Coleman is getting another shot after he and another Illinois man named Darryl Fulton were exonerated in a 1994 rape and murder.
“Nevest was a good friend of mine back then and I was glad to have him back,” said Jerry Powe, his supervisor. “I’m real happy for him. Nice day today.”
Tebow goes deep
Tim Tebow sure knows how to make an entrance.
Playing his first game in double-A ball, Tebow hit a three-run homer on the first pitch he saw. The New York Mets minor leaguer connected on a frigid Thursday night at home for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies in the Eastern League, facing Portland.