The Washington Nationals are taking aim against the New York Mets and general manager Mike Rizzo wants everyone to know it. “We’re trying to knock them off,’’ Rizzo told Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
“They knocked us off the mountain. We were the champs two of the last four years, they’re the champs right now. We feel we match up with them very well. Since 2012 I think we are 49 and 26 against them, so we know we’ve done well against them.”
“I like where we are at. When healthy we can compete against anybody. We feel good about ourselves.’’
New manager Dusty Baker told Kernan he loves the Nationals’ new second baseman Daniel Murphy, calling him a “bat that could neutralize the pitching of the Mets.”
Baker also acknowledged the Mets have a great young staff, but said he wonders how long they’ll remain together as they become more expensive over the next few years.
“Sooner or later they are going to have to decide who they are going to pay and not pay, that’s where the dilemma comes in, unless they have some other great arms coming,’’ Baker said.
The Mets were a combined 11-27 against the Nationals during the 2013 and 2014 seasons before turning it around and going 11-8 against them last season.
