HOUSTON - Brad Mills is finally getting his chance to run a big-league team. Mills, 52, was hired by Houston after six seasons as Terry Francona’s bench coach in Boston. He’ll manage in the majors for the first time, though he’s managed a total of 11 seasons in the minors, with affiliates for the Chicago Cubs (1987-92), Colorado Rockies (1993-96) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2002).

WASHINGTON - After a series of changes to the front office, Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo is ready to spend more time picking a manager. The Nationals announced several moves Thursday, including hiring Roy Clark as vice president of player personnel, Johnny DiPuglia as director of Latin American operations and Doug Harris as director of player development.

HOUSTON - Former Washington Nationals manager Manny Acta says he’s been contacted by the Houston Astros about their managerial opening. Acta did not say when he would be meeting with club officials. He was fired by the Nationals during the season. TORONTO - New Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos shook up his front office yesterday with a raft of changes.

WASHINGTON—SS Cristian Guzman is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder today. A sore shoulder limited Guzman to pinch-hitting duties late in the season, and he had only eight at-bats over the final 11 games. The Nationals also announced yesterday that minor-league catcher Derek Norris broke the hamate bone in his left hand and will have surgery today.

WASHINGTON - Ian Desmond homered and drove in four runs in his major league debut, Livan Hernandez pitched effectively into the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals held off the Philadelphia Phillies 8-7 last night. Adam Dunn hit his 36th homer for the Nationals, who gave up five runs in the ninth before Ron Villone got Ryan Howard to ground into a game-ending double play with runners at the corners. Moments earlier, Matt Stairs snapped an 0-for-30 skid with a pinch-hit grand slam.

More than 1,500 days had passed since one of the greatest days of my sporting fandom. But as soon as word trickled out early Tuesday morning that the Washington Nationals had managed to sign 2009’s first-overall draft choice, Stephen Strasburg, memories of that day immediately flowed. The day in question? The 2004 NHL draft, held in Raleigh, N.C., home of the Carolina Hurricanes. Since I realize the Greater Richmond area isn’t exactly the hockey hotbed of Toronto (or for that matter any city in Canada or the United States with a hockey team) bear with me a moment. And trust me on this: If you’re a Nats fan, you’ll be thrilled to have this parallel with Washington’s NHL team.

Stephen Strasburg is interviewed after a news conference at Nationals Park. Strasburg signed a record-breaking contract for a draft pick for a guaranteed $15.1 million over four years. WASHINGTON Stephen Strasburg watched the fireworks explode over Nationals Park during his over-the-top welcome to the nation’s capital. Amid the hoopla, he was asked what will happen when he pitches his first shutout at the stadium.

WASHINGTON - Mike Rizzo has taken over as the Washington Nationals’ general manager, 20-plus years after becoming a scout. Rizzo has been serving as Washington’s acting GM since Jim Bowden resigned March 1. Now Rizzo is the team’s full-fledged GM and senior vice president of baseball operations. Rizzo joined the Nationals as assistant GM in July 2006, after seven seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, primarily as director of scouting. He was a minor-league player from 1982-85, and soon thereafter began an 11-year stint as a scout.

After 5½ months of doing the work of Washington’s general manager — including signing No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg to a record deal just a few days ago — Rizzo is getting the big title, too.

In negotiations that went right to the deadline, No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals agreed last night to a record-breaking contract worth about $15 million over four years.

WASHINGTON - Nationals President Stan Kasten acknowledged yesterday there is a “very real possibility” the team will not reach an agreement with No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg despite offering him a record-breaking contract. The Nationals face a deadline of midnight tomorrow to sign Strasburg, a right-handed pitcher from San Diego State whose fastball has been clocked at 102 mph.

ATLANTA - Rookie Tommy Hanson struck out nine in 62/3innings and the surging Atlanta Braves won again, routing the Nationals 8-1 to snap Washington’s eight-game winning streak last night. The Braves have won four straight, six of seven and 16 of 25 since the all-star break, a stretch that has made them a factor in the NL playoff race. Atlanta started the sweltering night 4½ games behind NL East-leading Philadelphia, which visits Turner Field this weekend.

ST. LOUIS - The Cincinnati Reds have put newly acquired third baseman Scott Rolen on the 15-day disabled list because of concussion symptoms. Rolen was hit in the helmet by a pitch from Colorado’s Jason Marquis on Aug. 2, two days after Toronto traded him to Cincinnati. The 34-year-old Rolen had a battery of tests on Monday. This is his third concussion and he’s been bothered by headaches and dizziness.

Bad as could be for long stretches this season, the last-place Washington Nationals suddenly are the best team in baseball. Really? Best in baseball? Well, yes, they are at the moment: The Nationals enter their game at the Atlanta Braves tonight with eight consecutive victories, the longest active streak in the majors. And the recent run of success stretches back further than that.

WASHINGTON—The Nationals are starting to make come-from-behind victories a habit. Former U.Va. standout Ryan Zimmerman finished a double short of the cycle, and Ronnie Belliard’s tiebreaking single in the eighth inning helped Washington rally from a six-run deficit to beat the Florida Marlins 12-8 yesterday afternoon. The Nationals broke an 8-all tie with four runs in the eighth, completing a series sweep and winning their season-best fifth consecutive game. Jorge Sosa (1-0) got out of an eighth-inning jam and pitched the ninth to earn the win.