Fire Matt Williams! (2015) - Standard Decision.

[madj55]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/manager-matt-williams-lost-the-clubhouse-will-he-lose-his-job/2015/09/26/5244beca-647b-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html

[Mathguy]

Thanks for posting

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/manager-matt-williams-lost-the-clubhouse-will-he-lose-his-job/2015/09/26/5244beca-647b-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html

[welch]

He's gone. Don't know who will replace him, but Williams will be out as soon as it's possible. Day after the season ends?

Rizzo will rebuild the bullpen. He must have learned. Need an OF like Heyward. Taylor hits like Ian Desmond, unfortunately. Taylor becomes 4th OF, shares job with Werth.

Nats will win NL East in 2016.

Mets return to the days of Temo Perez:

[Mr Clean]

He's gone. Don't know who will replace him, but Williams will be out as soon as it's possible. Day after the season ends?

Rizzo will rebuild the bullpen. He must have learned. Need an OF like Heyward. Taylor hits like Ian Desmond, unfortunately. Taylor becomes 4th OF, shares job with Werth.

Nats will win NL East in 2016.

Mets return to the days of Temo Perez:

Will Wieters wind up here?

[Slateman]

Fire him and make Papelbon the manager

[tswphoto]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/manager-matt-williams-lost-the-clubhouse-will-he-lose-his-job/2015/09/26/5244beca-647b-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html

Pretty thin gruel, that column.  There had better be a lot more to share later, stuff that Barry isn't quite comfortable sharing now, because there isn't much here but vague complaints about the same manager who led/presided over a 96-win season last year. 

[PowerBoater69]

He's gone. Don't know who will replace him, but Williams will be out as soon as it's possible. Day after the season ends?

Rizzo will rebuild the bullpen. He must have learned. Need an OF like Heyward. Taylor hits like Ian Desmond, unfortunately. Taylor becomes 4th OF, shares job with Werth.

Nats will win NL East in 2016.

Mets return to the days of Temo Perez:

I don't think that Rizzo has learned a thing, he blames the season on injuries and bad luck, left with full baseball operation decision making authority we'd have Williams back along with the core team and a few replacements, another team of good starting players with no depth behind them. Thing is that the Lerners aren't likely to let this happen, they'll force the firing of Williams and meddle in roster decisions, which is even worse than Rizzo calling all the shots.

[Natsinpwc]

I don't think that Rizzo has learned a thing, he blames the season on injuries and bad luck, left with full baseball operation decision making authority we'd have Williams back along with the core team and a few replacements, another team of good starting players with no depth behind them. Thing is that the Lerners aren't likely to let this happen, they'll force the firing of Williams and meddle in roster decisions, which is even worse than Rizzo calling all the shots.

It's hard to say.  You can't go by just his public statements.  He is not gong to tell the media he screwed up bad. We will see what he does.

[Upper Level Dad]

Will Wieters wind up here?

Maybe O'Day for the bullpen.

His wife works at Fox News in DC so he may want to stay in the area.

[welch]

It's hard to say.  You can't go by just his public statements.  He is not gong to tell the media he screwed up bad. We will see what he does.

+1

Rizzo does not say much in public. He has mentioned the bullpen problem. He supports Williams until the end of the year, which suggests that Williams goes soon after the season ends.

[mitlen]

Is there some stat that measures "low energy" or "lack of urgency"?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/nats-hopes-end-despite-win-over-phils-on-harper-hit-in-12th/2015/09/26/d824cda6-64ac-11e5-8475-781cc9851652_story.html

[Slateman]

Terry Collins' contract is up at the end of the  year. Just saying.

[varoadking]

Terry Collins' contract is up at the end of the  year. Just saying.

He's not going anywhere.  If Ausmus is staying in Detroit because the GM said injuries plagued their 2015, then Rizzo has all he needs to justify keeping Williams.  Besides, like the 100 reasons Williams had for pulling JZ in Game 2, he'll have another 100 why he should stay.

[Kevrock]

Lol at Williams staying

[UMDNats]

Mike Rizzo is going to fire Matt Williams and hire Kirk Gibson.

[Slateman]

Mike Rizzo is going to fire Matt Williams and hire Kirk Gibson.

Would that be an improvement?

[Slateman]

Could Randy Knorr stay on as the manager if the rest of the assistant coaches were cleaned out?

[Jordanz Meatballz]

McCatty needs to go as well. I like both he and Williams, but they are too uptight and not master motivators that get the best out of their players.

[tomterp]

Pretty thin gruel, that column.  There had better be a lot more to share later, stuff that Barry isn't quite comfortable sharing now, because there isn't much here but vague complaints about the same manager who led/presided over a 96-win season last year.

Those players would never share their thoughts if there names were made public.  Svrluga is plenty credible with me, though.  If he says he talked to players and this is a fair representation of their thoughts, I accept the story.

What impact do a manager and his attitude have on a clubhouse, even an established clubhouse such as Washington’s?

“A couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have thought it made any difference,” one player said this past week. “But after what we’ve been through for two years? It’s huge. Huge.”

The manager, of course, is easy pickings when seasons go awry. The Nationals knew when they hired Williams that they would need to be patient, that they would need to give him room and opportunity to grow because — other than a stint in the Arizona Fall League and five weeks as a replacement in Class AA in 2007 — he had never managed.

Now, several Nationals players believe Williams won’t be able to grow even if the club brings him back for 2016. And this isn’t just one or two malcontents. These opinions span positions and experience. “It’s a terrible environment,” one player said. “And the amazing part is everybody feels that way.”

[BrandonK]

Would that be an improvement?

Hell no. Standard decision for RZO, though. #BEEF

[BrandonK]

No Turner? Why? Dumbass

[Mattionals]

No Turner? Why? Dumbass

Probably going to let Desmond play the last two home games so he can have a "sendoff" on Monday playing his last home game as a Nat. If Turner doesn't start on Tuesday, everyone should be fired.

[Slateman]

Probably going to let Desmond play the last two home games so he can have a "sendoff" on Monday playing his last home game as a Nat. If Turner doesn't start on Tuesday, everyone should be fired.

So start him at second base

[Baseball is Life]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/manager-matt-williams-lost-the-clubhouse-will-he-lose-his-job/2015/09/26/5244beca-647b-11e5-9757-e49273f05f65_story.html

What a hit job by Svrulga. I'm not a supporter of Williams but a balanced piece would have mentioned that some players support Williams (Harper has gone on record as doing so) and these are the same guys didn't get it done in for another manager in 2013. And, just maybe, he could have mentioned that some of the players need to own up to their own failures.

And regarding giving the proper send off to JZimm and Desmond, a nice ovation when they're introduced for their final home game is all that's needed. These are not guys who are retiring after a long and distinguished career with the team. They've had a nice run and should be appreciated but let's not make them out to be Cal Ripken or Derek Jeter.

[tswphoto]

Those players would never share their thoughts if there names were made public.  Svrluga is plenty credible with me, though.  If he says he talked to players and this is a fair representation of their thoughts, I accept the story.

I understand, and agree.  But the quotes in the story are just vague complaints and inferences, nothing of substance.  I suspect it's a "where's there's smoke there's fire" situation, but it doesn't go anywhere near explaining why the same core team/manager combo that won 96 games last year is a toxic mess this year.  My point being: Williams might be lacking, but a number of those players had damn well better be doing some serious thinking about their own performances this year.