I left for vacation with the Nationals five games behind the Mets with a three game head to head series looming. I came back with the Nationals nine and a half games behind the Mets and once again, in a free fall. A pathetic week from a pathetic team. The pathetic bullpen and pathetic managing was on full display. The Nats actually cut the Mets lead to four games before the three game series began on Monday. Mets fans were then pleasantly reminded that things could be worse than having Terry Collins as their manager. Matt Williams taunted Nats fans with poor bullpen decisions and a confusing bunt call. Mike Rizzo took it all in, watched the Mets sweep the Nationals, and still let Matt Williams board the plane to head to Miami with the rest of the team. The team seemed just as confused as the fans because even after an off day on Thursday, they looked lifeless, losing the first two games in Miami.
Mike Rizzo is making it hard on himself at this point. He assembled one of the worst bullpens in the Major Leagues and now he's hanging onto the manager of a lifeless team because its his buddy. Plain and simple, Matt Williams had no business boarding the plane to Miami after getting swept by the Mets. After letting Drew Storen implode on Tuesday night and throw 22 pitches (just 7 of those were strikes), he trotted him back out there the next night. In a tie game mind you. As you can tell, that ended well for the Nats. He also let Jonathan Papelbon pitch two innings on Tuesday night. Again, he threw him back out there Wednesday night in a game the Nationals were losing. He went from using them zero times in a pivotal series in late July to overworking them this series. It was a slap in the face to a fan base who had been calling for Williams to use Storen and Papelbon earlier in games and to use them in higher leverage situations. Not to mention, in a one run game on Tuesday night in the bottom of the ninth inning, Williams decided to bunt Anthony Rendon, who was two for four on the night, so that he could stay out of a double play. It was the ultimate middle finger to Nats fans. Anyone who says any differently is just delusional unless your argument is that Matt Williams is just that bad of a manager and doesn't understand how awful of a decision that was. I can't watch this team anymore with Williams managing. I actually refuse to, and you should too.
The fact that Williams is still managing this team makes me question what Rizzo is actually watching on a daily basis. It makes me think that he's really considering bringing him back next season. The Nationals schedule over the next two weeks (aside from a three game series against the Orioles) is absolutely atrocious. I'm worried that the Nationals will go 13-3 or something ridiculous over the next two weeks and then Rizzo will say that Williams has done a "masterful" job guiding the Nationals to an 87-75 season. They'll miss the playoffs and Rizzo will tell everyone he could have constructed a better bullpen and injuries played a big role in missing the playoffs. The Nationals will have a much different look to them on the field next year, but the only way they can be competitive is if they also have a much different look to them in the dugout.
Ultimately, I do have faith that Rizzo will let Williams go after the season. The list of candidates for the job should be a pretty short one. At the top of the list should be Bud Black, I don't think I need to go any further as to why. He has the knowledge and the experience it takes to win, that's the bottom line. If you're looking for another candidate with experience, then bringing Dusty Baker in for an interview wouldn't hurt. The final two candidates lack a whole lot of experience but are willing and able to think outside of the box and able to adapt to today's game, which is a huge plus. Dave Martinez, who has been Joe Maddon's right hand man for the past eight years, is going to be a hot name for any team with a managerial opening. Why wouldn't he be? He's been able to learn from one of the best in the game. Maddon is an excellent in game manager, great motivator, and a guy that players want to play for. Going with Martinez could be a huge step forward for a Nationals team that is going to be much younger next year. The last candidate that Rizzo may consider is former third base coach, Bo Porter. Porter got some managerial experience in Houston. Although he didn't win many games, the players liked him, he showed that he's willing to adapt to today's game, and he's not afraid to get fired up and show some personality during and after games. If I had to rank these candidates based on who I'd like to see in the dugout next year, I'd go Bud Black, Dave Martinez, Dusty Baker, then Bo Porter. I'd like to think that Black and Martinez would be far and away the top two candidates though.
It should be an interesting off season, but until then we can enjoy the Nationals going on a nice 13-3 or 14-2 run to finish the year. They'll finish three or four games out of first place, but they have to tease us a little bit and show us what should have been, right?
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