Monday, the Washington Nationals relieved Manager Matt Williams from his duties. Williams was with Washington the last two years. The Nationals didn’t make the playoffs this year. It was time for him to go.
Matt Williams was hired by the Nationals on October 31st, 2013. In his first full year, Washington went 96-66. They won the National League East by 17 games. In the National League Division Series, they faced the San Francisco Giants. It wasn’t a series as the Giants beat the Nationals 3 games to 1 in the best of five. The Giants would go all the way to win the World Series. Williams was voted National League Manager Of The Year for this impressive record.
This offseason, Washington wanted to improve their pitching rotation in hopes of returning to the playoffs and possibly win a World Series. They signed Max Scherzer to a 7-year $210 million contract. Scherzer pitched well going 14-12 with a 2.79 ERA. Washington didn’t come close to competing for a playoff spot. Their record this year was 83-79, seven games behind the New York Mets in the National League East.
Washington decided it was time to go in a different direction. According to ESPN General Manager Mike Rizzo said, “This entire season was a disappointment. “It was not our best year. It wasn’t Matt’s best year. It wasn’t my best year. As an organization, it wasn’t our best year. All of us, together, feel the disappointment.”
ABCnews.com General Manager Mike Rizzo stated, “Experience is always helpful. It always adds a layer of expertise to anybody’s resume. We feel that where we’re at in our timetable of winning a championship, we certainly would lean toward someone that has some type of managerial experience, especially at the major league level.”
There are plenty of candidates to be the Nationals’ manager. These include Dave Martinez, Bud Black, and Ron Gardenhire. Dave Martinez has never managed in Major League Baseball. He played 16 seasons in the Majors as an outfielder and a first baseman. He is familiar with the Nationals, interviewing for the job in 2013. Martinez is the current Cubs Bench Coach.
Bud Black managed the San Diego Padres for nine seasons. His career record is 649-713. The Padres never made the playoffs under Bud Black.
If the Nationals want an experienced manager, they should hire Ron Gardenhire. Gardenhire spent 13 seasons managing the Minnesota Twins. His career record is 1068-1039. The Twins made the playoffs six times. They never made it to a World Series but went to the American League Championship Series in 2002, losing to the Anaheim Angels in five games. Gardenhire took the year off from baseball.
The Washington Nationals will need to start to look for a new manager. Who ever the manager is will take over an experienced ball club. This is a high-quality job. The Nationals on paper can be a contender for years to come.
Who should be the next manager of the Washington Nationals?
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