poll - How do you feel about the Martinez hire?

[shoeshineboy]

Great hire.

[Ray D]

Do you think Maddon would have Matt Williams as his bench coach?

Who really has any idea what role a bench coach played under that egotistical jerk. Who knows if Maddon ever listened to a thing he ever said.

[Smithian]

Honestly I don’t know enough about the guy to have an opinion either way, but I see a lot of non-Cubs, non-Nats baseball fans getting really excited and optimistic, which makes me get optimistic.

Can anyone explain the difference between Cora and Martinez? It sounds like they’re fairly similar.

Martinez has significantly more coaching experience. He's a safer hire than Cora.

[saltydad]

Welch- I also would have loved Joe G, but face it. The club was never going to his money.

[HalfSmokes]

Can anyone explain the difference between Cora and Martinez? It sounds like they’re fairly similar.

best I can come up with is that long ago the media decided that Cora would be a great manager someday, so now it must be so.

[Ray D]

best I can come up with is that long ago the media decided that Cora would be a great manager someday, so now it must be so.

Is that any different than Martinez?

[aspenbubba]

Welch- I also would have loved Joe G, but face it. The club was never going to his money.

I posted this another thread but what is the difference between 2 mil that the Nats paid Dusty and the 4 mil that Giardi would receive. I believe the Lerner's would pay the difference for Giardi's track record. It is also rumored that DMart would receive more than 2 mil.

[LoveAngelos]

He's not Matt Williams.  He has been Maddon's bench coach for many years.  Williams did not have that on his resume.  Do you think Maddon would have Matt Williams as his bench coach?

Would not have Matt Williams for my bench coach nor my manager but that did not keep this team's brain trust from hiring Williams to manage.

Martinez is not a Maddon clone. Who knows what he will be. I wanted someone who had been in the pilot's seat before not another learn as they go, in training coach. Dusty could not get it done and that is why he was fired or so they said.

What makes anyone thing Martinez will get it done his first year and the "window closing year"

[HalfSmokes]

Is that any different than Martinez?

Nope, that narrative is pretty much the same for any ex player the media likes who ends up managing, at least Martinez has a track record of the bench of a guy that a lot of people think is one of the best in the game. I don't think there's anyway to predict how a first time manager will do, so might as well be optimistic about this hire

[Smithian]

Would not have Matt Williams for my bench coach nor my manager but that did not keep this team's brain trust from hiring Williams to manage.

Matt Williams had a successful playing career, a few years of experience as an assistant, and familiarity with the Nats front office staff. Matt Williams was the right hire on paper but didn't work out.

I would be interested to hear how you knew Matt Williams couldn't even have been trusted to be on the staff as bench coach.

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

I mentioned before, but I have a soft spot for Dave Martinez because my late grandfather compared my lefty swing to him when he taught me to switch hit as a kid.  As a manager, I think anybody we hired would easily win the NL East this coming year.  What happens in the postseason?  Well, Dave could make better decisions than previous Nats managers, but it's still up to these same players to make the clutch plays and not choke.  We've had weird, unacceptable mistakes made.  The managers can only do so much.  If they make the plays next time and advance, Dave looks like a genius.

[shoeshineboy]

Matt Williams did take the team to the playoffs. So rookie manager doesn't mean an inability to win with talent. The issues with Williams seemed more like personality. That will be the key for Martinez. Did they delve into that welk enough to avoid the same pitfalls?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Frankly, Cora has some time as an ESPN analyst on Deportes and he sounds knowledgeable. He also has a bit of front office experience too.  Cora has always been spotted as a potential manager, and has been around different coaching / management trees.  I don't think it is an accident that Boston went for him first because he favorably impressed them years ago.  you could see Sam Kennedy and probably John Henry strongly favoring him at the outset.  It's also probably no accident that Martinez is somewhat known here from past interviews.  I'm guessing they are still kicking themselves over Matt Williams rather than Martinez 4 years ago.

[Baseball is Life]

Matt Williams did take the team to the playoffs. So rookie manager doesn't mean an inability to win with talent. The issues with Williams seemed more like personality. That will be the key for Martinez. Did they delve into that welk enough to avoid the same pitfalls?

This. I think it's interpersonal skills that make a good manager nowadays. Assuming they have the basics of how to run the team and make the right game moves (and they're always going to be second guessed there), it's their ability to handle players that makes the difference.

[Natsinpwc]

Frankly, Cora has some time as an ESPN analyst on Deportes and he sounds knowledgeable. He also has a bit of front office experience too.  Cora has always been spotted as a potential manager, and has been around different coaching / management trees.  I don't think it is an accident that Boston went for him first because he favorably impressed them years ago.  you could see Sam Kennedy and probably John Henry strongly favoring him at the outset.  It's also probably no accident that Martinez is somewhat known here from past interviews.  I'm guessing they are still kicking themselves over Matt Williams rather than Martinez 4 years ago.

Yea. One of the reasons Martinez never had a manager job before is that the Nats were hiring Davey, Matt and Dusty. Phillies hired Ryne Sandberg and Pete Mackanin. Some bad choices.

[RobDibblesGhost]

It's official now.

[rbw5t]

It's official now.

Do we know how much money?

[hotshot]

Anyone know if our new Brooklyn-born manager speaks Spanish?

[bluestreak]

Anyone know if our new Brooklyn-born manager speaks Spanish?

Yes. He’s bilingual.  Per multiple sources

[CoryTheFormerExposFan]

I like the emphasis on analytics.  I don't want a manager to need to turn to computers to make all their decisions, but I think there is a middle ground in relying on old school baseball logic and instincts and using advanced statistics.  Dave is the right age to be a good blend.  I also like that he gets along well with players and being able to speak Spanish is a plus.

[hotshot]

Yes. He’s bilingual.  Per multiple sources

Can't hurt. Glad to hear this.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Honestly I don’t know enough about the guy to have an opinion either way, but I see a lot of non-Cubs, non-Nats baseball fans getting really excited and optimistic, which makes me get optimistic.

Can anyone explain the difference between Cora and Martinez? It sounds like they’re fairly similar.

Martinez was a mediocre outfielder.  Cora was a mediocre infielder. 

[hotshot]

Martinez was a mediocre outfielder.  Cora was a mediocre infielder.

Cora helped lead my Miami Hurricanes to the College World Series in 1995 and 1996 so he's aces in my book. Both of Puerto Rican extraction. Alex is 11 years younger at 42.

[slhubic]

"Certainly, Not Overly Impressed"

should be an option.

[LoveAngelos]

Yes. He’s bilingual.  Per multiple sources

Does that mean old man Lerner figured out a way to save money by paying him in pesetas?