Former Nationals GM Mike Rizzo Buys Round for Fans at Local Bars

The timing of the firing of Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo recently took some fans by surprise.

It came a week before the MLB draft, a process that Rizzo usually runs. The reins for the draft were passed to his interim replacement, Mike DeBartolo. The Nats selected prep infielder Eli Willits with the No. 1 overall pick on Sunday.

Rizzo wasn’t in the draft room for the first time since 2006, when he was an assistant general manager for the franchise.

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On Monday, he showed his appreciation for Nationals fans by buying them a round of drinks.

WTOP News reported that patrons at both Penn Quarter Sports Tavern and Walters Sports bar had their first drink picked up by Rizzo between 5-7 p.m. at fans filtered into both establishments to watch the MLB Home Run derby, where Nats star James Wood was a participant.

It was called “Round on Rizz,” and he told news outlets that he wanted to show his appreciation for 19 years with the organization.

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Rizzo joined the Nats as an assistant GM, fresh off seven years as the scouting director for the Arizona Diamondbacks. During that time, he won a World Series as part of the organization in 2001.

Rizzo had hoped to remain in Arizona after the departure of GM Joe Garagiola Jr. But Josh Byrnes got the job and Rizzo moved on to D.C. to work for then-GM Jim Bowden.

Bowden resigned during spring training in 2009, and Rizzo took over on an interim basis. He was made the full-time GM later that season.

In that interim season the Nats won just 59 games. But, afterward, Rizzo helped the franchise start a decade-long climb toward its first World Series title.

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He laid the groundwork in the MLB draft where he and his staff drafted pitcher Stephen Strasburg and slugger Bryce Harper No. 1 overall in successive years.

Starting in 2012, the Nationals won four NL East titles, but couldn’t get out of the NL Division Series, where they lost in five games three times. Along the way Washington made high-priced free-agency additions like Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin.

In 2019, it all game together. Even though the Nats didn’t win the NL East, they made the playoffs, reached the World Series and won the title for the first.

Even with Washington pointed toward its sixth straight losing season, his appreciation for Washington — and Nats fans’ appreciation for him — remains strong.  

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