Mike Rizzo confident about injury prone prospects in Minor League of Washington Nationals - MLB
General Manager for Washington Nationals, Mike Rizzo, is not extremely conscious about the possibility that some of the top Minor Leaguer prospects in their farm system are vulnerable to severe injuries.
Lucas Giolito and Anthony Rendon are talented but are injury-prone.
That means, down the line, when they play Major League matches regularly, they can leave the team in the middle of the season, searching for replacements because of being on the disabled lists.
However, the Nationals are accustomed to taking risks, when it comes to making new inductions in the farm system.
They have been able to draw enormous benefits by drafting such players that other organisations did not choose, because they were concerned about their health.
When Stephen Strasburg was incorporated in the system, his medical report was not ideal.
Yet, the Nationals pursued him. The results are conspicuously visible before everyone as Strasburg performed exceptionally well during the 2012 season.
In the same way, the Nationals are hoping that Giolito turns out to be their ace after a couple of years from now, despite signs that he needs Tommy John surgery for recovery are clear.
Rizzo has stated that they were mindful about what can happen with Giolito in the future before they hired him.
"We weighed the risk against the reward. We felt that to get a 6'6'', 220lb right-handed pitcher with a great body and plus velocity and good stuff, great character and great makeup... we just felt that the reward outweighed the risk and we did our homework
and our due diligence on his health and his makeup and decided this is the type of player, the type of stuff and the type of ceiling that we want here in the Washington Nationals' organization," Rizzo said.
The Nationals have clarified that whenever they take decision they do a proper cost and benefit analysis. This is the reason behind their success so far, with regard to signing injury-prone players.
Regardless of how beneficial this strategy has been so far for them, the way Giolito performs ahead will be crucial for determining whether they continue following it or not.
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