The Washington Nationals fired manager Matt Williams Monday morning.
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Williams, 49, finished 83-79 with the club this season, which was one of the most disappointing campaigns in the Major League Baseball. For the remaining teams it means a winter of golf and putting the disappointment of a failed season behind them.
In addition to Williams, bench coach Randy Knorr, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Schu, third base coach Bobby Henley, first base coach Tony Tarasco, bullpen coach Matt LeCroy and defensive coordinator/advance coach Mark Weidermaier all have been informed their contracts will not be renewed.
In Game 2 of the 2014 National League Division Series, Williams pulled Jordan Zimmermann one out shy of a shutout, allowing the Giants to rally for a win in the longest playoff game ever.
It might be tough to remember, with the sourness of 2015 still around, but Williams was the NL manager of the year in 2014, his first year with the Nats.
This is a developing story.
Before the season began, no one was shy about predicting big things for Washington – not even the Nationals themselves, from Harper’s “Where’s my ring?” line in reference to the free-agent signing of pitcher Max Scherzer to Williams’ clubhouse posting: “The road to the World Series begins today”.
Williams did not see the altercation and did not ask the depth of the scrum, and his lieutenants did not let him know the extent of the fight in the moments before the ninth inning commenced.
The Nationals have fired manager Matt Williams. Neither team made it out of the NL Division Series.
Additionally, experienced managers like Ron Gardenhire, Dusty Baker, and others will likely hear their names called in connection with the Nationals job.
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Which, in many ways, was why Williams was hired in the first place. From a mismanaged bullpen to having key players sacrifice bunt in a close game, Nationals fans and the front office grew tired of Williams and his overmanaging.
