According to ESPN, the Washington Nationals have decided to fire special assistant Jose Rijo and will shut down the team’s academy in the Dominican Republic as part of a restructuring of the team’s operations in Latin American in the wake of an age-changing scandal involving one of the team’s top prospects — Esmailyn Gonzalez, who is also known as Carlos Daniel Alvarez Lugo and given a $1.4 million signing bonus.
He was given a leave of absence earlier this week, but word came out about the termination this evening. Whether or not Rijo is guilty or innocent, this move shows that the team is trying to close the door on an embarrassing episode..
Next on the docket could be general manager and vice president Jim Bowden.
Meanwhile, the Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga has an interview with Esmailyn Gonzalez aka Carlos Daniel Alvarez Lugo on their website, and basically the Nationals prospect says he’s sorry — very sorry.
