Washington Nationals News: Nats reportedly fire two in front office, Matt Williams soon to follow
By Pablo Roa
Good evening DoD readers, and welcome to today’s District Daily. Get caught up on the latest Nats news and opinions with some great Washington Nationals articles from around the web below.
In today’s Daily, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports that the Nationals are likely to fire manager Matt Williams at the end of the season.
Williams, who led the team to a division title and was the NL Manager of the Year in 2014, has struggled mightily in his second season at the helm. Williams has made numerous strategic mistakes that have almost single-handedly cost the Nationals several losses, and he has had problems communicating with his clubhouse, as shown with last Sunday’s debacle involving Jonathan Papelbon and Bryce Harper.
Even without his personal mistakes this season, Williams would still likely lose his job because of the Nationals’ overwhelmingly disappointing 2015 campaign. The team entered the season as favorites to win the NL East and contend for a World Series championship. Instead, the Nationals will miss the playoffs altogether.
More from Nationals News
- Latest DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code in Maryland: Bet $5, Win $200 Guaranteed
- Nationals Claim Jeter Downs Off Waivers
- Washington Nationals Tuesday Q&A
- A Washington Nationals Christmas Wishlist
- Robots in Baseball? The Possibility of an Automated Ball/Strike System in the MLB
Also in today’s Daily, MLB.com’s Bill Ladson reports on two additional personnel decisions the Nationals have made. As Ladson writes, the team reportedly dismissed Bill Singer, director of international scouting and special assistant to general manager Mike Rizzo, as well as advanced scout Bob Johnson.
As the regular season draws to a close and the Nationals head into what promises to be a busy offseason, there’s no doubt that the team will make more moves in the near future.
Be sure to check out both articles below, they’re definitely worth a read. And as always, stay tuned to DoD for all your Washington Nationals needs.
Inside Baseball: Nationals to let Williams go, and more MLB moves
Embattled Nationals manager Matt Williams’ firing was a certainty even before he missed, then mishandled a dugout choking incident that became national news. He’s a nice man and he tried hard, but he probably was miscast as a first-time manager with a team toting huge expectations.
Meanwhile, the team’s general manager Mike Rizzo, who assembled an impressive array of talent, though apparently not a great team, “isn’t going anywhere,” according to someone familiar with the situation. That’s surely fair, as he assembled an impressive group, won a lot of games over the last decade and oversees a fertile farm system. However, his decision to bring in explosive reliever Jonathan Papelbon will go down as a bad trade deadline gamble, and now he will be charged with figuring out how to undo that big gamble that didn’t work. Read full article here.
Source: Nats dismiss two in front office
WASHINGTON — The Nationals have begun making changes in their front office, according to a baseball source. The team has dismissed Bill Singer, who was the director of international scouting and a special assistant to general manager Mike Rizzo, and advanced scout Bob Johnson.
The Nationals did not confirm the report. Read full article here.