Maddon, Girardi, Showalter

[hotshot]

Rumor mill has Maddon possibly being let go in Chicago, Girardi already interviewed by Reds (and would be favorite for Cubs job if Maddon were out), and Showalter is definitely already fired. How could any GM or owner(s) worth their salt pass on any one of that trio.

[bluestreak]

Maddon back next year.

https://amp.usatoday.com/1512998002

[Slateman]

No thanks. If you bring in another manager, they'll have the same problems Martinez had.

[bluestreak]

I don’t think Showalter is an improvement.

[rileyn]

No thanks. If you bring in another manager, they'll have the same problems Martinez had.

Not true at all.  Come on - you can't compare Davey Martinez to those 3 names.  All 3 of them have credibility and track record.  Martinez didn't even know what he didn't know.  The guy was woefully ill-equipped to step into his role.  I still can't believe we wasted a year on this guy so he can gain experience and improve his performance (remains to be seen).

[Slateman]

Not true at all.  Come on - you can't compare Davey Martinez to those 3 names.  All 3 of them have credibility and track record.  Martinez didn't even know what he didn't know.  The guy was woefully ill-equipped to step into his role.  I still can't believe we wasted a year on this guy so he can gain experience and improve his performance (remains to be seen).

Yea I suppose Giaradi would have somehow gotten Strasburg, Murphy, Zimmerman, Wieters, Doolittle, and Herrera to be healthy, while simultaneously getting Roark and Gonzalez to not pitch like rotted fish for half the season.

[rileyn]

Yea I suppose Giaradi would have somehow gotten Strasburg, Murphy, Zimmerman, Wieters, Doolittle, and Herrera to be healthy, while simultaneously getting Roark and Gonzalez to not pitch like rotted fish for half the season.

Yes, he might have.  Maybe not Murphy, but certainly all of the others are a possibility.  We will never know.  We got camels and pompons.

[Natsinpwc]

Yes, he might have.  Maybe not Murphy, but certainly all of the others are a possibility.  We will never know.  We got camels and pompons.

So if the Nats have fewer injuries in 2019 you will give little d full credit? Just checking. I don’t think he did a good job but to blame him for injuries seems strange.

[hotshot]

No thanks. If you bring in another manager, they'll have the same problems Martinez had.

Difference is those managers can handle them. 

Anyway, as Bluestreak pointed out, Maddon will be back with the Cubs (although wiithout his desired extension). Girardi definitely wants back in, if the price is right. Showalter would be a huge upgrade but, after the O's horror show of a season, he probably wants and needs at least a year off.

[Smithian]

Shouldn't we take it as a caution sign that all these supposedly top managers are available? Maybe proof that no manager is perfect and, in fact, managers don't really matter that much in baseball compared to other sports?

[Slateman]

Yes, he might have.  Maybe not Murphy, but certainly all of the others are a possibility.  We will never know.  We got camels and pompons.

Its laughable that anyone believes that bullcrap. No manager is going to overcome all that.

[PowerBoater69]

Yea I suppose Giaradi would have somehow gotten Strasburg, Murphy, Zimmerman, Wieters, Doolittle, and Herrera to be healthy, while simultaneously getting Roark and Gonzalez to not pitch like rotted fish for half the season.

Injuries is such a bullcrap excuse. The Nats were tenth in run differential, even with the fire sale, the reason this team failed is because Martinez lost close game after close game. He talks about fixing the "little things" with the players but he has no idea how to fix himself.

[UMDNats]

Shouldn't we take it as a caution sign that all these supposedly top managers are available? Maybe proof that no manager is perfect and, in fact, managers don't really matter that much in baseball compared to other sports?

Girardi was fired after losing in Game 7 of the ALCS. And the Yankees brought in a first-time COACH from the broadcast booth and then won 100 games. The roster matters!

[HalfSmokes]

Injuries is such a bullcrap excuse. The Nats were tenth in run differential, even with the fire sale, the reason this team failed is because Martinez lost close game after close game. He talks about fixing the "little things" with the players but he has no idea how to fix himself.

17 game swing between us and atlanta in 1 run game records (ATL was 23-12, Nats were 18-24)

[Mathguy]

I'd like to see statistics in games where the Nats had the lead in 5th inning or later, then lost the game

17 game swing between us and atlanta in 1 run game records (ATL was 23-12, Nats were 18-24)

[Slateman]

Injuries is such a bullcrap excuse. The Nats were tenth in run differential, even with the fire sale, the reason this team failed is because Martinez lost close game after close game. He talks about fixing the "little things" with the players but he has no idea how to fix himself.

I'm sure losing three of your top relievers had nothing to do with losing close games

[JCA-CrystalCity]

17 game swing between us and atlanta in 1 run game records (ATL was 23-12, Nats were 18-24)

The first article in the series in the post on what went wrong pointed out that, at the time Rizzo traded Murphy and Adams (8/21), the 8 every day position players in the Atlanta line up (counting Acuna) had appeared in 855 games while they had appeared in only 655 for the Nats (counting Soto).  Injuries had a huge impact.  There were other reasons, but that was a primary one.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/10/01/whats-blame-nationals-lost-season-part-i-injuries/

[bluestreak]

I'm sure losing three of your top relievers had nothing to do with losing close games

Who knows if Martinez's use of the bullpen made those injuries more likely. We can play this game all day. Anyone who listened to the guy knew he was out of his depth.

The Dodgers had a ton of injuries, including their pen and they still made the playoffs.

[PowerBoater69]

I'm sure losing three of your top relievers had nothing to do with losing close games

We were losing games before we lost our relievers.

[Slateman]

Who knows if Martinez's use of the bullpen made those injuries more likely. We can play this game all day. Anyone who listened to the guy knew he was out of his depth.

The Dodgers had a ton of injuries, including their pen and they still made the playoffs.

The Dodgers injuries were nothing in comparison.

Also, their 3 and 4 starters didnt rock 5+ ERAs while their star pitcher was out

[Slateman]

We were losing games before we lost our relievers.

Yea because we were down 3 .900+ OPS bats from last season. And our number 2 starter.

[bluestreak]

The Dodgers injuries were nothing in comparison.

Also, their 3 and 4 starters didnt rock 5+ ERAs while their star pitcher was out

Players that lost significant time for the Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Hyun-jin Ryu, Corey Seager, Ross Stripling, Kenta Maeda, Julio Urias, Justin Turner

Dodgers had 1694 DL days with 32 million dollars in salary

Nats had 1367 DL days with 28.7 million dollars in salary.

[hotshot]

Look at the Yankees DL this season. Dwarfs the Nats in terms of key losses.

[dcpatti]

I haven't really studied the Yankees but the Dodgers have ridiculous depth (especially in the rotation) and have had that for years.  You can absorb the loss of 2 of your rotation when the next two up are guys like Maeda, who's just waiting in the bullpen for his turn to start.

[UMDNats]

Look at the Yankees DL this season. Dwarfs the Nats in terms of key losses.

The Yankees had a ton of prospects and depth. Andujar, Torres, then they had a ton of young arms to try as rotation pieces that gave them some decent starts. I mean, Chapman-Robertson-Betances-Green-Shreve-Holder-Kanhle (who fell apart) to start the year is way more depth in the 'pen than we had.

They lost Montgomery for the year but had the resources to acquire starters (Happ & Lynn) after trying out their younger guys. When guys went down they had a top prospect ready to replace him. We don't even touch their depth. Not to mention even after losing Montgomery they had Severino, Tanaka, Sabathia & Gray.

Judge missed time and they replaced him with Andrew McCutchen. Their top OF prospect was hurt as was Ellsbury all year and they STILL had Gardner, Stanton & Hicks every night.

Boone did a nice job all year but the Yankees are freaking loaded. We replaced Daniel Murphy with Wilmer Difo and replaced Stephen Strasburg with....Rodriguez?