Nationals fire manager Matt Williams, coaching staff
Matt Williams' tumultuous two-year run in Washington came to a close Monday morning, when the Nationals fired the beleaguered manager less than 24 hours after the regular season ended.
Shortly after news of the reported firing emerged, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo confirmed that Williams and the rest of his coaching staff had been relieved of their duties.
"It was not our best year. It wasn't Matt's best year. It wasn't my best year," Rizzo said during a conference call with reporters.
According to James Wagner of the Washington Post, Monday's announcement stemmed from increasing frustration inside the Nationals' front office with Williams' growth as a manager over the last two seasons.
The report detailed examples of how players and club officials complained about Williams' in-game strategy - notably his bullpen management - and lack of communication, believing the issues were reflected in the club's disappointing 83-79 record.
CLEANING HOUSE
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Manager | Matt Williams |
| Bench coach | Randy Knorr |
| Pitching coach | Steve McCatty |
| Hitting coach | Rick Schu |
| 3rd base coach | Bobby Henley |
| 1st base coach | Tony Tarasco |
| Bullpen coach | Matt LeCroy |
| Advance coach | Mark Weidemaier |
Williams, 49, signed a two-year deal with the club in 2013 and had his option for next season exercised during spring training after winning National League Manager of the Year. The former major-league slugger also had a club option for the 2017 season.
The Nationals, who entered the year as consensus World Series favorites, stumbled to a distant second-place finish behind the New York Mets one season after getting knocked out of the NL Division Series in four games by the San Francisco Giants.
In his first year as a major-league manager, Williams guided the Nationals to the best record in the majors in 2014 and sixth-best over his two seasons at the helm.
| Year | Record | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 83-79 | 2nd | - |
| 2014 | 96-66 | 1st | Lost LDS (3-1) |
Williams' club had again occupied first place in the NL East for most of the 2015 campaign before a 35-30 second half eliminated them from playoff contention with one week left in the season.
Washington's season further spiraled out of control last week when closer Jonathan Papelbon grabbed Bryce Harper by the throat during a heated dugout confrontation. Williams, who claims he didn't see the initial fight, was criticized heavily after allowing Papelbon to re-enter the game in the ninth inning.
As reported by Jon Morosi of FOX Sports, the Nationals are expected to consider hiring long-rumored candidate Cal Ripken Jr., the former shortstop revered in nearby Maryland for his Hall of Fame career with the Baltimore Orioles.
Though Rizzo said previous big-league experience wasn't a requirement for the vacant job, he did indicate it would be a significant factor.
"Certainly lean toward somebody who has some type of managerial experience, certainly at the major-league level," he said.