This may be the beginning of Jim Riggleman’s final week as Nats’ manager.
Or maybe not.
I hope it’s not. Riggleman has the clear support of his players and as a longtime big league scout told me recently, “Riggs is really the total package for a baseball man. He’s got the smarts, the drive, and the make-up to be successful if he’s given some guys who can play the game.”
If a change is made, I’d expect it to come by the end of the World Series. A new guy would need a little time to assemble a coaching staff and acquaint himself with the personnel before the winter meetings (December 7-10 in Indianapolis).
Some of the rumored candidates sound interesting, but not without flaws. Bobby Valentine, who’s leaving his gig in Japan to return stateside, has had some success in the past. But he’s going to be remarkably expensive, and really, why would you want to devote so much payroll to your field boss when you clearly don’t yet have the players to contend?
Ex-Yankee/Diamondback/Ranger skipper Buck Showalter’s name has come up, and while he has some semi-local ties — his dad grew up in Radford, Va. — his resume has a few spots on it as well, mainly his reputation for micromanaging and less-than-stellar communication skills.
Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg would love a shot at managing a big league club. He’s ridden the buses as a minor league manager in A and AA ball the last few years, when he could’ve likely made more money just signing autographs at memorabilia shows. He’s not remotely comparable to the Senators’ hiring Ted Williams in 1969; Ted was a genuine icon. But Sandberg’s desire to stay connected to the game is admirable.
In case you’re interested, Riggleman’s predecessor, Manny Acta, is considered a strong candidate for the vacant Houston Astros managerial slot. Acta, at home recovering from shoulder surgery, has a strong affinity for Houston, telling me “I spent my first 16 years in baseball with Houston, and I owe to them who I’m today.” Houston Chronicle columnist Richard Justice wrote recently that if former Astro slugger Jeff Bagwell really doesn’t want to manage, “our search for a new guy will begin and end with Acta [and interim manager Dave Clark].”
Hiring a manager isn’t easy. You can never please everybody, and there’s really no set criteria as to qualifications. Sometimes it’s as simple as coming up with the right response to a question during the interview process. Riggleman’s record since taking over the Nats on July 16 is under .500, but still better than several other big league skippers over the same time period. Will it be enough?
We’ll know pretty quick.
Phil Wood is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at [email protected].
