OT - Matt Williams FIRED from Nationals

[Dback Jon]

Lost the clubhouse, team underperformed

 

[Matt L]

They have a lot of talent in Washington. Someone's going to inherit a pretty good roster...

 

[Ronin]

Dang that was quick.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

They should name Papelbon the replacement manager.

 

[don7031]

The time is now for Washington and it didn't happen. Firing the manager is the knee jerk reaction to things not going as planned.

 

[GatorAZ]

I knew he'd never make it in today's game. He should be in the minors where he can get away with his archaic personality.

 

[Iceman]

Williams was the scape goat for the par season

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

He got Harper'd...

 

[Chris_Sanders]

He got Harper'd...

Correct.

Harper is another Upton.

 

[AZ Native]

I knew he'd never make it in today's game. He should be in the minors where he can get away with his archaic personality.

Yeah, how would Vince Lombardi work out in today's world?

 

[GatorAZ]

Yeah, how would Vince Lombardi work out in today's world?

Im not talking about schemes translating into different eras. Vince Lombardi seemed very likeable based on old film and player stories.

 

[Phrazbit]

I dont think anyone "got" him. He got himself fired. He was a lousy third base coach, not surprised he made a lousy manager. That roster is stacked and he brought next to nothing to the table.

 

[AZ Native]

Im not talking about schemes translating into different eras. Vince Lombardi seemed very likeable based on old film and player stories.

Not at all how I remember him.

 

[GatorAZ]

I dont think anyone "got" him. He got himself fired. He was a lousy third base coach, not surprised he made a lousy manager. That roster is stacked and he brought next to nothing to the table.

When Matt Williams was the 3rd base coach here his knickname was "The Windmill of Death".

 

[BC867]

Matt Williams' lack of skill as a 3B Coach had very little to do with his shortcomings as a Major League manager.

His bland personality as a color commentator gave more insight into his inevitable failure as manager.

Just as with Kirk Gibson, his strengths as a former ballplayer (and Marine) did not translate to motivating a bunch of instant millionaires.

If he had more than a short stint with low level experience in the Minors, it would have shown.

I am just a fan, but I had no doubt that he would fail and I've posted it before. It seemed that obvious.

I watched him at Muni decades ago when the Giants demoted him. The sour look on his face throughout games did not leave a good impression.

The Nationals didn't do their homework. They are just as much to blame as Williams' lack of character.

 

[Zeno]

Matt Williams' lack of skill as a 3B Coach had very little to do with his shortcomings as a Major League manager.

His bland personality as a color commentator gave more insight into his inevitable failure as manager.

Just as with Kirk Gibson, his strengths as a former ballplayer (and Marine) did not translate to motivating a bunch of instant millionaires.

If he had more than a short stint with low level experience in the Minors, it would have shown.

I am just a fan, but I had no doubt that he would fail and I've posted it before. It seemed that obvious.

I watched him at Muni decades ago when the Giants demoted him. The sour look on his face throughout games did not leave a good impression.

The Nationals didn't do their homework. They are just as much to blame as Williams' lack of character.

Matt Williams was not a Marine. He went from HS to college to the Giants.

I always hated that nickname, Marine is a title earned not given.

 

[Dback Jon]

Matt Williams was not a Marine. He went from HS to college to the Giants.

I always hated that nickname, Marine is a title earned not given.

Agreed

 

[BC867]

Matt Williams was not a Marine. He went from HS to college to the Giants.

I always hated that nickname, Marine is a title earned not given.

Thanks for the correction. You are absolutely right!

 

[crisper57]

Nationals hire Bud Black to replace Williams...

Oh wait, a week later, they actually hired Dusty Baker.

What happened?

"We have had a year where our numbers are down in terms of the diversity that we have in some of our key positions," Rob Manfred said Monday, a day ahead of the start of the first World Series since he became baseball commissioner. "I think it's incumbent upon us to come up with additional programs and ways to make sure that our numbers look better over the long haul."

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/782b...manfred-says-mlb-must-improve-minority-hiring

I had a conversation with a person who has intimate knowledge of the MLB. He is speculating (albeit informed speculation) that this is what went down.

1. Manfred is very, very into diversity hiring. In fact, AZ will host a diversity outreach program during spring training next year in which minority candidates are given opportunities to hone their skills. Details are sparse, but this will impact every facet of MLB from the front office staff to the umpires.

2. Manfred handed DC the All-Star game in 2018. This was considered a fairly early award (a full 3 years in advance).

3. The Nationals hire Bud Black. In doing so, it would be the first time since 1987 that 0 managers would be black.

4. Manfred calls in the All-Star chit and says, "Do the right thing". Nationals rescind their offer to Black and hire Baker instead.

5. The media assumes they just jumped the gun on naming Black the manager when the search really wasn't over. Everyone just assumes DC botched the process again.

Again, this is pure speculation, but considering the source, I bet this is incredibly close to the truth.

 

[unseenaz]

Nationals hire Bud Black to replace Williams...

Oh wait, a week later, they actually hired Dusty Baker.

What happened?



http://bigstory.ap.org/article/782b...manfred-says-mlb-must-improve-minority-hiring

I had a conversation with a person who has intimate knowledge of the MLB. He is speculating (albeit informed speculation) that this is what went down.

1. Manfred is very, very into diversity hiring. In fact, AZ will host a diversity outreach program during spring training next year in which minority candidates are given opportunities to hone their skills. Details are sparse, but this will impact every facet of MLB from the front office staff to the umpires.

2. Manfred handed DC the All-Star game in 2018. This was considered a fairly early award (a full 3 years in advance).

3. The Nationals hire Bud Black. In doing so, it would be the first time since 1987 that 0 managers would be black.

4. Manfred calls in the All-Star chit and says, "Do the right thing". Nationals rescind their offer to Black and hire Baker instead.

5. The media assumes they just jumped the gun on naming Black the manager when the search really wasn't over. Everyone just assumes DC botched the process again.

Again, this is pure speculation, but considering the source, I bet this is incredibly close to the truth.

I have a hard time believing that.

But I also have a hard time believing they would only offer Black a 1 year contract. Strange situation as a whole.

 

[BC867]

On the lighter side, maybe the Nationals thought Manfred said, "Hire a Black as Manager." So they did! "Oh, you meant . . ."

Anyway, I am glad that Manfred is trying to be an instrument of balance.