Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Desi, J-Zimm, Sweet Lou and Listach

Photo by Mark Zuckerman / NATS INSIDER
Pat Listach could get consideration for the Cubs' managerial job.
CINCINNATI -- Several quick-hit items to share before tonight's game gets underway. (Though with rain falling, thunder booming and the tarp on the field, it's possible this one is delayed a bit.)...

-- Jim Riggleman has Ian Desmond hitting second tonight, and the manager suggested it's something we could see more of the rest of the season. Though Desmond hasn't exactly torn the cover off the ball, it's tough for a National League rookie to bat eighth every single night. With the pitcher behind you, you rarely get much to hit. "I don't want to keep hitting him eighth. It's just that's the way our lineup was really set up," Riggleman said. "We didn't have anybody else to hit eighth, to tell you the truth. But we're going to try to get him out of the eighth spot a little bit more often and see if we can get him going at the top."

-- Jordan Zimmermann, who was scratched from his rehab assignment last night with Class A Potomac due to a stiff neck, is now to due to pitch tomorrow. Mike Rizzo said Zimmermann slept funny and woke up feeling stiff yesterday, and though he felt good enough to pitch by late-afternoon, the GM decided it wasn't worth taking the risk. Zimmermann, who is in the final stages of rehab from Tommy John surgery, was examined today and checked out fine. He's yet to allow an earned run or issue a walk in nine total innings with Potomac to date.

-- You may have heard that Cubs manager Lou Piniella announced today he'll retire at the end of the season. Riggleman, who along with Piniella lives in the Tampa area during the offseason, said he wasn't terribly surprised by the decision. "Lou's been doing it for 22 years in the major leagues as a manager," Riggleman said. "I see him every now and then down in Florida in the offseason, and I know how much time he wants to spend with his family, his grandchildren. He's alluded to that in the past." A lot of names are already being thrown around as possible candidates to take over in Chicago, headlined by Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, but one name to keep in mind is Pat Listach. He managed in the Cubs' farm system from 2006-08, including at Class AAA Iowa in 2008 before joining the Nationals. Listach said today he hasn't heard anything from the Cubs yet, but don't be surprised if he gets at least some consideration for the position. "I definitely think he's going to manage someday," Riggleman said. "He's a really good baseball man in terms of strategy and talking and preparing. He brings up some interesting conversation and asks the right questions. He's got the whole resume."

20 comments:

Nate said...

"We didn't have anybody else to hit eighth."

That's priceless.

Anonymous said...

Well shit you can't let Guzman and his massive .317 OBP (or whatever it is nowadays) or Morgan and his sub-.300 OBP bat too far back in the lineup! Guzman has the BA and Morgan is just a great speedster who puts pressure on the opposing pitcher!

natsfan1a said...

Who was the other young pitcher who slept funny and ended up with a crick in his neck earlier this year - I'm thinking SS?

natsfan1a said...

Oh, and Louuuuuu...

Avar said...

Mark,
I apologize if you addressed this and I missed it but any chance you could ask Riggleman directly why he insists on giving Morgan the start almost every stinking day while either Bernadina or Morse sit. I've been through a lot with this team and here we finally have three good outfielders and the manager won't play them and won't explain why. It's exceedingly frustrating to watch.

Again, sorry if I missed a previous explanation. Maybe you could point me to a recent post I missed.

Mark Zuckerman said...

natsfan1a: It was indeed Stephen Strasburg who missed a start in the Arizona Fall League after waking up with a stiff neck. Obviously, that didn't turn into anything of consequence.

Mark Zuckerman said...

Avar: It's been a little while since the question of Nyjer playing every day was raised, but basically Riggleman's reasoning is this: If Nyjer's not your everyday center fielder and leadoff man, he's really not serving any purpose on this team. Also, he has played considerably better over the last three weeks (that first at-bat tonight notwithstanding!)

Anonymous said...

Hopefully, Riggleman will join Sweet Lou in retirement in Tampa at the end of the season.

Grandstander said...

He's not really serving any purpose on this team AS the everyday center fielder and leadoff man.

Just saying...

Anonymous said...

MLBTR is reporting nats agree to terms with Yunesky Maya, a Cuban defector. Sounds like a good grab.

Anonymous said...

Actually Yuniesky Maya Mendiluza.

Avar said...

Thanks Mark. I think I disagree w/ our esteemed skipper but appreciate you helping me with that. Really can't get that anywhere else.

Doc said...

If Lou Pinella were the manager, lot of asses would be kicked on the Nats. I think he was given some consideration, probably before Acta.

Sunderland said...

This is worth repeating:

Nate said...
"We didn't have anybody else to hit eighth."

That's priceless.

Sec3MySofa said...

Just BTW, Uncle Lou turns 68 in August.

This is not a factoid, it is true. At least if we can trust baseball-reference.com, it is true.

natsfan1a said...

Thanks, Mark, that's what I was thinking.

Doc, as I recall it, Piniella was given consideration, but wasn't interested in the Nats job (having had his fill of losing in Tampa, evidently).

Anonymous said...

Listach isn't even a decent third base coach. No way the Cubs will hire him as their manager.

natsfan1a said...

hmmm...a certain team, from a certain town, with a certain mystery skipper at the helm? :-)

Anonymous said...

If Riggleman stick to his guns and bats Desmond 2nd the rest of the way here is my proposed lineup:

Morgan
Desmond
Zimmerman
Dunn
Willingham
Morse/Bernadina
Guzman
Rodriguez

Anonymous said...

Lou sucks. I can't believe any of you would want him to manage the Nats. Come on, now.

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