It was a surreal scene in the Nationals’ clubhouse on Thursday afternoon. Moments after another dramatic walk-off win, Washington manager Jim Riggleman was trying to explain his decision to resign.
It had to do with his contract status, as these things usually do. But even as Riggleman fielded questions from a pack of reporters in the middle of the clubhouse — there were too many people to fit in his office — the players themselves quietly went about their business packing for a trip to Chicago. It was a perfect metaphor for the sport. The manager makes dozens of decisions big and small during a baseball game and thousands during a season. But it is the players who affect the outcome of those contests, and they don’t have time to mourn when their leader is fired or quits. The Nats, quite literally, had a plane to catch. They hadn’t even met with Riggleman for an explanation. But his reasoning — a contract option that the team refused to pick up at this point in the year — didn’t garner much sympathy.
“You could say that for hundreds of players throughout baseball who have options on their contracts,” pitcher Jason Marquis said. “Whether [a manager or player] deserves it or not, that’s not our decision. We go out there and play baseball. We make pitches. Jim makes moves. That’s all we can do.”
Outfielder Jayson Werth said that a manager’s contract status doesn’t matter to big league players anyway.
“I’ve never been a manager,” Werth said. “I know that up until this year I’ve been on a one-year deal for the most part. Lot of guys in here are on one-year deals. But I’ve never been a manager. That’s not up to me.”
But Riggleman’s resignation was still a shock. As players donned suits and ties for the trip to Chicago, the clubhouse was virtually silent. No loud music. No celebrating. They had won. But they had lost, too.
“I’ve got all the respect in the world for [Riggleman],” shortstop Ian Desmond said. “He gave me every opportunity to succeed. Maybe we’ll go out and play hard and know that he laid the ground work for what’s happening here. It’s unfortunate that he had to go.”
