A lack of confidence and trust within the Washington Nationals is a key reason they cannot get over the proverbial hump. A lesson they must address now.
The Washington Nationals are heavily invested to win a third National Least East crown in 2018. The team will spend north of $170 million on payroll and will likely exceed the competitive balance tax a second straight year by the time the season ends.
Money may get you into the playoffs, but it cannot buy you a championship. Leadership, however, can take you anywhere.
If there is an early lesson on display at the dawn of the Nats long winter, it is the team lacks the leadership to get to where they want to go. When ownership rejects what the baseball side wants to do and the players refuse to step up when it counts, you have a problem.
More from District on Deck
- Latest DraftKings Sportsbook Promo Code in Maryland: Bet $5, Win $200 Guaranteed
- Nationals Claim Jeter Downs Off Waivers
- Washington Nationals Minor League Spotlight: Robert Hassell III
- Washington Nationals Tuesday Q&A
- 3 Free Agents the Nationals Should Gamble On
Although every team has a budget, the conventional wisdom is the Lerner family hands general manager a block grant of money and expects a winner. Rizzo has built a franchise that should be the envy of the sport. Homegrown talent mixed with shrewd free agents make Washington contenders annually.
But, there is more to investment than cash.
Case in point, signs point to Rizzo wanting Dusty Baker’s return to the dugout for another year. In the regular season, there are few better. The Lerner family waited 10 days after the NL Divisional Series ended to say no. It is their investment, but they waited so long to start that Boston and Detroit had managers under a handshake contract before Washington started their process.
Asking the Houston Astros permission to speak with Alex Cora after he had a deal in place with the Boston Red Sox is tone deaf. Failing to offer any coach a contract is a problem. There were hold-overs from the Matt Williams era when Baker came on board. A 97-win season suggests they did their jobs.
Now in search of their fourth manager in seven years suggests the Nats are a bad team. A squad favored for a fifth playoff spot in seven seasons is anything but. Again, a lack of steady leadership is an issue.
What the Lerner family misses is handing over a check is not the end of their role. If they will spend close to $200 million to put a contender together, they must provide the players and front office every tool available to win. If that means keeping Mike Maddux as the pitching coach, do it.
Oops, too late. Maddux is in St. Louis.
As the Nats wind down their managerial search, will the hire a guy because it fits their budget, or take who they feel is the most qualified person out there regardless of price? That is how they lost Bud Black before. Another short duration deal suggests money, not skill, topped the agenda.
With money, there must be trust. The confidence the right people are in the right places. If you look at how Theo Epstein performed magic for Boston and the Chicago Cubs, trust and confidence played equal parts to cash.
Somewhere lies that magic formula. For the Nats to continue ignoring it prevents better things from happening.