News item: Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned Thursday with the team on an 11-1 roll that had pushed it above .500 at the latest point in any season since 2005. He quit after an unsuccessful attempt to convince the team to pick up his contract option for next season.
My take: Riggleman was looking at the writing on the clubhouse wall, and it told him that the Nats aren't going to the World Series and he would never have this kind of leverage again, but this play was a five-base error. It makes Riggleman look like a me-first guy (which he isn't) and it will make it very hard for him to get another managerial job.
News item: Former Orioles manager Davey Johnson reportedly will be named the new manager of the Washington Nationals.
My take: And isn't this an interesting and ironic twist, considering that the Nationals broadcast their games on a sports network largely owned by Peter Angelos, who lost patience with Johnson's independent nature and happily accepted his resignation after the Orioles went wire-to-wire to win the AL East title in 1997.
News item: The Orioles lost two of three to the Nationals last weekend and followed that up with a series loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park.
My take: Don't want to make too much of this, but losing consecutive series to two of last year's National League cellar dwellers isn't exactly a signal to your fans that you've taken a giant leap toward respectability in 2011.
News item: The Florida Marlins have hired 80-year-old Jack McKeon to be their interim manager, making him the second-oldest man ever to manage a major league team.
My take: If I thought he was too old to rock and roll, I quickly changed my mind when he told difficult young superstar Hanley Ramirez to get off his lawn during his first day on the job.
News item: Los Angeles Lakers forward Ron Artest has filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to change his name to Metta World Peace.
My take: Chad Ochocinco can grab some pine. This is the best new sports name since World B. Free. I wonder if they're related.
News item: The Ravens have cancelled all plans to hold training camp in Westminster because of labor uncertainty and will train at their Owings Mills headquarters instead, which means that fans will have far fewer opportunities to view preseason practices — if there are any.
My take: It's also a sobering reminder that the labor war won't be over until it's over. Ravens president Dick Cass knows what's going on behind the curtains, so this decision ought to tell you something about the true state of the negotiations and the likely timetable for a return to normal operations.
Bonus take: I'm sticking with my Aug. 10 prediction.
News item: Ravens safety Ed Reed stirred the pot this week when he told ESPN's Ed Werder that a lot of Ravens wanted Rex Ryan to be the head coach instead of John Harbaugh.
My take: This is a surprise? It was pretty well-known at the time that Rex would have gotten the job if the players had been allowed to vote on who they wanted as their next head coach. That should be no reflection on Harbaugh, since they didn't have any basis for comparison at the time, but Reed made it pretty clear he thinks that Ryan has turned out to be the better head coach.
News item: Ravens tackle Haloti Ngata told Sun football columnist Mike Preston that he has intensified his training during the lockout and lost 25 pounds.
My take: Please, please tell me he's not working out with Jared Gaither.
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