Phil Wood: It's time for the Nationals to take the interim tag off Riggleman
By: Phil Wood
Examiner Sports Columnist
November 8, 2009
OK, OK. The Nationals' new front office brain trust seems to be in place. Mike Rizzo has his own team of faces ready to create a championship-caliber roster.
Why waste any more time before removing the interim tag from Jim Riggleman?
C'mon now, the winter meetings get underway in Indianapolis on Dec. 7. It makes no sense to fritter any more time away on what ifs and howzabouts. Do the right thing.
Manny Acta finished 35 games under .500 during his time as Nats' skipper is 2009 -- and could've had either of the other two open jobs, opting to accept a 3-year deal with Cleveland, one more than he got when he took the job here. Riggleman finished 9 games under after he got the gig following the All-Star break, albeit with a much better bullpen than Manny had at his disposal.
Does anyone doubt they might've done much better than that had Nyjer Morgan not been injured?
There are some things that just seem right, and when I heard a year ago that Jim had accepted the bench coach position with the Nationals, I thought that providence was at work. A Montgomery County kid who grew up a fan of the expansion Senators -- a real character-builder, take my word for it -- and went into pro ball and became a big league manager while his hometown was still teamless. Now he finally ends up with a curly "W" on his own cap. Movies are made from lesser situations.
The Nationals indicated that a decision would be forthcoming after the World Series, that there were some individuals who would not be available for an interview until the postseason was over.
Once the Dodgers were eliminated, hitting coach Don Mattingly would be available, but he took his name out of consideration, preferring to wait for Joe Torre's retirement in Los Angeles (though he has to wonder if the McCourt divorce case might not play out in his favor). I don't see anyone on either the Yankees' or Phillies' coaching staffs who might be a candidate. Tony Pena? He's managed before, but I don't see it here. Davey Lopes? He coached first base for the Nats a few years back, but his name rarely surfaces in managerial speculations these days. Riggleman's got to be the guy.
Jim Riggleman has been through the "interim" uncertainty before, just last year. He was a finalist for the Mariners' job after serving as their interim manager through their final 90 games of the 2008 season. He's managed poor teams before, and has a reputation for getting more out of his rosters than the player's individual stats would seem to indicate. His 1998 Cubs, who captured the NL wild card slot that year, were decent, but not projected as a 90-win team;, though Sammy Sosa's 66 homers and 158 RBI had a lot to do with that.
An experienced, local guy like Riggleman managing the Nats. It's too good of a story to end now.
Phil Wood is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at philwood@washingtonexaminer.com.
More from Phil Wood
- Phil Wood: Expect the Nationals to improve, not perform miracles, in 2010
- Phil Wood: It's time for the Nationals to take the interim tag off Riggleman
- Phil Wood: Late postseason broadcasts alienate younger fans
- Phil Wood: A postseason full of mistakes screams for baseball to expand replay
- Phil Wood » Nats GM Mike Rizzo determined to put his own stamp on the team
