Nationals, GM Rizzo earn 'I told you so' World Series title

WASHINGTON (AP) — In some ways, this World Series championship serves as an "I told you so" for the Washington Nationals and their general manager, Mike Rizzo.

For the choices to hire, then stick by, manager Dave Martinez, especially in the face of a 19-31 record, the worst 50-game start to a season in baseball history for an eventual title winner.

For making midseason pickups of veterans discarded by other teams, such as Gerardo "Baby Shark" Parra, and assembling, in this "Let the Kids Play" era, a group of "Viejos" such as playoff star Howie Kendrick, to form the oldest roster in the majors.

For caring about chemistry as much as what's quantifiable.

For the much-debated decision to shut down Stephen Strasburg all those years ago, a move meant to protect the surgically repaired right elbow that just made Strasburg a World Series MVP and the first pitcher to end a postseason with a 5-0 record.

For the philosophy of valuing old-fashioned starting pitching above all else: Each of Washington's four wins in the Fall Classic came after sending to the mound Strasburg or Max Scherzer, whose "back from the dead" — in teammate Adam Eaton's phrasing — return from a nerve problem near his neck got things going in a 6-2 victory in Game 7 at Houston on Wednesday night.

"Mike's a baseball guy. He always has been," first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "He leans on his scouts, on his guys that go watch games. He's evolved, just like everyone else has, with the analytics and all the data that's available. That information is useful. I don't think you have to be one way or the other. I think you can kind of blend it together. And I think he does a really good job of that.

"But he's huge on chemistry and clubhouse stuff, not bringing in bad teammates, not bringing in bad guys....

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Nationals-GM-Rizzo-earn-I-told-you-so-World-14670133.php