#riggleman

[blamethedevil]

Riggleman by Tera Melos

[mookieproof]

Jim Riggleman

Jim Riggleman earned less than 20% of what the average major league ballplayer makes, in an industry in which left-handers are, with increasing frequency, outright released while being owed $14M.

Trying to manage young millionaires is difficult enough even before team management makes you a lame duck, and Riggleman evidently has more pride/gives less of a fuck than Jim Zorn. As he said today, "You won’t need to use both hands to count how many head coaches and managers in the four major sports are on a one-year contract."

If I were working for an organization -- particularly one with that much money floating around -- that tried to string me along until the last possible moment, I'd be upset too. (Wait, I *do* work for an organization like that . . .)

Were the A's being brazenly selfish when they fired Bob Geren? The Nats wanted Riggleman, but only for three months, no more, and he decided it wasn't worth it. That's business, and I can't blame him for it.

[natsline]

Q: How do you view the potential of 25-year-old shortstop Ian Desmond and 23-year-old second baseman Danny Espinosa as your middle infielders of the present and future? A: “They could be outstanding, one of the best [tandems] in the league. They can do two things not many others can do: 1. They have tremendous range; 2. They both have great arms. It’s a great double-play combination for us. We’re going to allow them to play defense and hope they do enough offensively to be our two guys. Going into spring training, our intent is to go with those two guys [as our starters].”

Q & A with Washington Nationals' manager Jim Riggleman