District Daily: Matt Williams worthy of NL Manager of the Year Award
By Pablo Roa
Oct 7, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Washington Nationals manager Matt Williams (9) during batting practice before game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Good morning DoD readers! Start off your day with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web in our District Daily:
Williams worthy of NL Manager of the Year Award
WASHINGTON — In his first year as manager, Matt Williams guided the Nationals to the best record in the National League. And for this accomplishment, he was named a finalist for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Manager the Year Award in the Senior Circuit.
The winners will be announced Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET on MLB Network. Williams was modest after learning that he was finalist along with Giants skipper Bruce Bochy and the Pirates’ Clint Hurdle. But there is no doubt in general manager Mike Rizzo’s mind that Williams should win the award.
“He had a remarkable year,” Rizzo said recently. “He is a guy that deserves to be Manager of the Year in the National League. He had the best record in the National League with a lot of trials and tribulations. … He kept a steady hand and did a magnificent job.” Read full article here.
Why Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper Has Not Turned Into A Star At The Plate
Ever since he was 16 years old, Bryce Harper seemed destined to become a star. He dropped out of high school after just his sophomore year, attended junior college for a year and then entered the draft in 2010, where he was chosen first overall by the Washington Nationals.
Harper made his big league debut at just 19 years old, and it seemed he was making good on his all-world potential. Over his first 1094 big league plate appearances spanning his first two years, Harper hit .272/.353/.481. In 2012, he had a solid 121 wRC+ and .352 wOBA, and he followed that up with a 137 wRC+ and .371 wOBA in 2013.
However, Harper regressed in 2014, and all of a sudden his stock has been put into question. Read full article here.