Rizzo had a gag order on Eckstein?

[tomterp]

Jason Reid rips into Rizzo for apparently having a policy in place preventing media from interviewing Rick Eckstein.  

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/mike-rizzo-makes-some-slips-on-a-steep-learning-curve/2011/06/03/AGBty8HH_story.html

Rizzo has made major mistakes quickly, showing he has much to learn. Despite his impressive scouting background and strong work ethic, Rizzo, at this point, has a lot to learn regarding some of his most important duties. His dealing with the media is at best awkward and at worst antagonistic, which won’t make his on-the-job training any easier.

Since officially being given full control of the Nationals in October, Rizzo grossly overpaid for right fielder Jayson Werth, assembled a batting order with baseball’s fourth-worst on-base percentage and for several weeks prohibited hitting coach Rick Eckstein from speaking with reporters.

He ...exhibited alarming naivete about how the news media functions and instigated an unnecessary fight over access to Eckstein, which is concerning on many levels.

At the request of the Baseball Writers Association of America, the commissioner’s office became involved in the situation, and the Nationals are now permitting Eckstein to share his thoughts from time to time.

Asked earlier in the week to explain why Eckstein was off-limits, Rizzo told reporters they don’t need to speak with him because they never speak with other coaches. Informed he was incorrect, Rizzo offered this gem: “When you’re the GM, you can do whatever you want. And I don’t want you guys talking to Rick Eckstein.”

 

[MarquisDeSade]

Jason Reid rips into Rizzo for apparently having a policy in place preventing media from interviewing Rick Eckstein. 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/mike-rizzo-makes-some-slips-on-a-steep-learning-curve/2011/06/03/AGBty8HH_story.html

 

It's pretty obvious the inmates are running the asylum down on South Capital Street and no one knows how to run this team like a MLB level enterprise.  Rizzo, in my opinion, was starting to look like a complete and total assclown before this nonsense and has now moved into total douche territory with this gem.  Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[PatsNats28]

lolwut

[BerkeleyNat]

Rizzo is in wayyyyyyy over his head. But wait....isn't he one of the lowest paid GM's in baseball? If so..he fits right in here. You get what you pay for.

[hammondsnats]

Rizzo is in wayyyyyyy over his head. But wait....isn't he one of the lowest paid GM's in baseball? If so..he fits right in here. You get what you pay for.

would that surprise you?

[mitlen]

I like Rizzo.   He seems like a hard working nice guy.   I want to see him succeed.   But  ...  he's in over his head at this time.   Unfortunately, his first GM job is with an awfully run franchise.   He can't help but become part of that.   He has no mentor.   I see this going on for 3 or so more years.   He'll get canned in DC.   Take the knowledge and move to a well owned  franchise and tear it up.   We'll all be sitting here wondering, "What happened?"

[BerkeleyNat]

would that surprise you?

No, not at all. I've come to expect these things when it comes to the Nationals. It's pretty much par for the course.

[hammondsnats]

No, not at all. I've come to expect these things when it comes to the Nationals. It's pretty much par for the course.

yup

[PANatsFan]

Ok, anyone think Rizzo ISN'T at fault?

[PANatsFan]

Rizzo is in wayyyyyyy over his head. But wait....isn't he one of the lowest paid GM's in baseball? If so..he fits right in here. You get what you pay for.

Just because NeedANewTroll says so doesn't make it true - do you have proof?

[HalfSmokes]

I like Rizzo.   He seems like a hard working nice guy.   I want to see him succeed.   But  ...  he's in over his head at this time.   Unfortunately, his first GM job is with an awfully run franchise.   He can't help but become part of that.   He has no mentor.   I see this going on for 3 or so more years.   He'll get canned in DC.   Take the knowledge and move to a well owned  franchise and tear it up.   We'll all be sitting here wondering, "What happened?"

I think mentoring is a bit overrated, look at the Rays prior baseball experience. The problem is hiring a scout (who's questionable as a scout- if you disagree, who do you actually give him credit for scouting?), and expecting him to take over a huge organization

[hammondsnats]

Just because NeedANewTroll says so doesn't make it true - do you have proof?

so just b/c someone criticizes the owners, makes them a troll?

[mitlen]

I think mentoring is a bit overrated, look at the Rays prior baseball experience. The problem is hiring a scout (who's questionable as a scout- if you disagree, who do you actually give him credit for scouting?), and expecting him to take over a huge organization

Maybe "mentoring" is the wrong word.   I don't see anyone in this organization willing or able to throw a drowning man a life preserver.    None of them have the tools to do what they are expected to do ...  Lerners, Rizzo, Riggleman .... IMO

[wpa2629]

Rizzo's issues aside. I love it how some of the media thinks they're entitled to ANYTHING. It's not like they give a crap about the Nationals and when did Jason Reid realize Washington had a baseball team? Last week? I think the notion that one of Rizzo's most important jobs is dealing with the media is ridiculous. All I want Rizzo caring about is fielding a winning team. Not dancing with these clowns.

Most of them only care about taking cheap shots anyway. There are some great guys covering this baseball team, Ben & Adam, etc., Boz really cares about baseball., but the rest of the jackals can pound sand for all I care.

[MarquisDeSade]

All I want Rizzo caring about is fielding a winning team. Not dancing with these clowns.

And all I want is accountability of who's keeping us from being a winning team.  Right now it's looking Mike "Talk to the Hand" Rizzo and Rick "Binders" Eckstein.

[wpa2629]

And all I want is accountability of who's keeping us from being a winning team.  Right now it's looking Mike "Talk to the Hand" Rizzo and Rick "Binders" Eckstein.

Jason Reid is not writing about accountability. He's got his panties in a twist because Rizzo won't kiss his ass. I'm not defending Rizzo, I'm simply pointing out what an entitled jerk Jason Reid and many of his ilk are what a joke that is.

[mitlen]

I think the notion that one of Rizzo's most important jobs is dealing with the media is ridiculous.

That's what Nixon thought     We may not like it but that's the way the game is played.

[wpa2629]

That's what Nixon thought    We may not like it but that's the way the game is played.

Nixon was a crook.  (I am not a crook)

Besides,  I don't see Ben or Adam or Boz ripping Rizzo for the way he deals with the them. Sure they have their issues with Rizzo and question some of the things he's done, that's valid. but who the freak is Jason Reid? And why does he all of a sudden give a crap about the Nationals?

[MarquisDeSade]

He's got his panties in a twist because Rizzo won't kiss his ass. I'm not defending Rizzo, I'm simply pointing out what an entitled jerk Jason Reid and many of his ilk are what a joke that is.

I'm sure he is, no doubt.  My problem is more with this quote from Rizzo the Great - "When you’re the GM, you can do whatever you want. And I don’t want you guys talking to Rick Eckstein."  That's a dickheaded thing to say to anyone short of Peter Angelos.

[wpa2629]

I'm sure he is, no doubt.  My problem is more with this quote from Rizzo the Great - "When you’re the GM, you can do whatever you want. And I don’t want you guys talking to Rick Eckstein."  That's a dickheaded thing to say to anyone short of Peter Angelos.

I'm actually fine with the quote. I'd rather a guy have balls than be a carnival barker like Stan Kasten was. Rizzo has his issues, he's done some good things and some not so good things. He's got a lot to learn and he may or may not be suited for the job in the long run. But it appears he treats the regular beat writers just fine. As far as I'm concerned, Jason Reid is being an jerk so I really don't care how Rizzo acts towards him.

[MarquisDeSade]

I'm actually fine with the quote. I'd rather a guy have balls than be a carnival barker like Stan Kasten was. Rizzo has his issues, he's done some good things and some not so good things. He's got a lot to learn and he may or may not be suited for the job in the long run. But it appears he treats the regular beat writers just fine. As far as I'm concerned, Jason Reid is being an jerk so I really don't care how Rizzo acts towards him.

I wonder if anyone other than Jason Reid ask to speak with Eckstein though.  Rizzo doesn't have any balls by the way, this is just posturing from a guy afraid of being exposed as making crappy moves.

[wpa2629]

I wonder if anyone other than Jason Reid ask to speak with Eckstein though.  Rizzo doesn't have any balls by the way, this is just posturing from a guy afraid of being exposed as making crappy moves.

I don't know, I only see Jason Reid whining like a nag. And I completely disagree about Rizzo. Maybe he's being defensive and again he may not be suited for the job, but he's been a baseball man all his life, he's from a baseball family "Doesn't have any balls" is the last thing I'll believe about Rizzo.


And just to be clear, I'm not defending Rizzo, I'm offended by Jason Reid acting like he all of a sudden gives a freak about the Nationals

[PANatsFan]

so just b/c someone criticizes the owners, makes them a troll?

He never posts about anything else, ever.

[Kevrock]

And I completely disagree about Rizzo. Maybe he's being defensive and again he may not be suited for the job, but he's been a baseball man all his life, he's from a baseball family "Doesn't have any balls" is the last thing I'll believe about Rizzo.


And just to be clear, I'm not defending Rizzo, I'm offended by Jason Reid acting like he all of a sudden gives a freak about the Nationals

I am here on this issue. If Rizzo is incompetent, it's not because he's over his head. He's been around baseball forever. Given, he studied under a crap GM here in Washington, but that's not the extent of his baseball experience. "Over his head" is a cop-out.

Also, I don't see the big deal with this one. Rizzo freaked up with how to handle the media and got a member of the media pissed. BFD. This is about the least of our PR freak ups over the years.

That being said, I'd really like to hear a legit interview with Eckstein.

[GburgNatsFan]

I'm here, too.

Rizzo over-reached trying to protect Eckstein (who is a pro, and doesn't need protecting), but better that than throw him under the bus to protect his own image, as our previous GM might have done.

Reid is right about one thing though, this isn't Boston, New York, or Philly. Eckstein would have had the Washington media eating out of his hand.

I am here on this issue. If Rizzo is incompetent, it's not because he's over his head. He's been around baseball forever. Given, he studied under a crap GM here in Washington, but that's not the extent of his baseball experience. "Over his head" is a cop-out.

Also, I don't see the big deal with this one. Rizzo freaked up with how to handle the media and got a member of the media pissed. BFD. This is about the least of our PR freak ups over the years.

That being said, I'd really like to hear a legit interview with Eckstein.