Washington Nationals Pick Jim Riggleman

After looking over all their options, the Washington Nationals stuck with what they had. Jim Riggleman, who served as the team’s interim manager last season after the firing of Manny Acta, has been named the full-time manager of the Nationals.

After starting the season 26-61, the Nationals went 33-42 under Riggleman. That performance was apparently good enough to earn the gig for the 2010 baseball season.

For the second straight season, the Nationals finished with the worst record in baseball. The team didn’t have many bright spots anywhere on their roster.

Riggleman has to find a way to breathe life into a franchise that has a loser’s mentality. Going into every season, Washington has the mindset that they aren’t going to have a chance at the postseason. We’ll see if Riggleman can refocus his bunch for 2010.

As it stands, the biggest name in the franchise has never played a game for the Nationals. Stephen Strasburg, the first overall pick of the 2009 baseball draft, is a pitching prospect with a huge amount of potential. If he can jump to the big league level in 2010, that may give Washington a fighting chance — to both win games and keep the fans excited.

Jim Riggleman - Washington Nationals (Image: Zuma Press)