John McLaren, who served as Jim Riggleman's bench coach, will manage the Nationals in Chicago tomorrow night and perhaps for a few more days, but won't finish out the season in that role.A club source said McLaren will serve as "short-term" manager for the immediate future until an interim skipper can be named for the remainder of the season.
McLaren, 59, has managerial experience, ironically taking over on an interim basis in Seattle in 2007 when Mike Hargrove abruptly resigned in midseason with the Mariners on a seven-game winning streak. He went 43-41 the rest of that season and was retained for 2008, only to be fired after 72 games and replaced by Riggleman, who was serving as his bench coach at the time.
McLaren's temporary promotion is likely a product more of convenience and stability than anything. He's been with the club the last two seasons, knows the personnel and had filled in for one game last month when Riggleman was serving a suspension.
It also suggests Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo intends to name someone outside the current coaching staff as his interim skipper for the rest of this season. That could include people who currently work for the organization but aren't with the team on a daily basis, such as special assistant Davey Johnson, or perhaps an outside candidate from another club.
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Would Bo Porter have a shot at the job, as he was much talked about for the Mariners position?
I know Davey Johnson has stated that he doesn't want to manage again but I think maybe Jack McKeon could shame him into finishing out the year.
Has anybody heard from Tim Foli lately? Is he still with the organization? I remember when there was talk of him being a long term solution...
Ok, a temporary manager while we look for an interim manager? Who manages while we decide about a permanent manager? Who is permanent until he is fired or resigns? Aren't we overthinking this? If its Davey, just say it is him but he'll get there over the weekend.
Is it me, or does this team make it hard to root for them?
I would think it would have to be someone VERY familiar with our personnel, especially since McLaren won't be retained after his short stint (at least that's the implication).
As I said in the previous thread, I think the candidates are #1 Tim Foli, #2 Davey Johnson, or #3 Bob Boone. For an INTERIM manager, to bring in someone outside the organization, who doesn't know our players, their abilities to bunt, move men over, their ability to pinch hit or not (see Matt Stairs), etc., would be a wrong move and hurt us in 2011.
It might also hurt us in hiring a permanent replacement if we downwardly spiral after this debacle. I hope not.
What a downer... after an epic two week stretch!
Tim Foli, age 60, is out of baseball and suffers from ill health.
@ phil dunn
Thanks for the update. That is sad news
In case of emergency, use Stairs.
If Bo Porter was going to be the interim, I would think he would have been named now, rather than McLaren for a couple of days,and then Porter. But then again, it would have made sense to extend a manager who improved the team by 10 games last year and had won 11 of his last 12 at $150,000 per season, rather than let him get so frustrated he resigns.
I didn't realize that Foli had left the organization late last year. Hmmm... Now if we looks inside the organization, who are the choices? Davey, Bob Boone, and who else? Who else has managerial experience?
Thanks Dryw about resigned word
It also suggests Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo intends to name someone outside the current coaching staff as his interim skipper for the rest of this season. That could include people who currently work for the organization but aren't with the team on a daily basis, such as special assistant Davey Johnson, or perhaps an outside candidate from another club.
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Didn't Rizzo explicitly state it was going to be someone from within the organization on his MASN interview with Debbie Taylor?
That would seem to make the most sense for reasons listed above. Debbie then asked if it was someone on the current coaching staff or elsewhere in the organization and he wouldn't specify. I think if they can convince Davey Johnson to do it, that would be their first choice. McLaren is there to give Davey a couple days to think about it.
I hope that's the case Grandstander... Davey Johnson for 2011 NL Manager of the Year as the Nats win the Wild Card and finish 92-70.
BTW - I am a Riggs fan... sorry to see him go.
NatsJack.....haven't heard your personal opinion of all this. Personally, I think Riggs acted liked an ass. Every manager that walks that top step knows its a dog eat dog job. Its simple....win or get fired. Riggs had one of the worst win/lost percentages of any active manager out their. We aren't talkin bout Earl Weaver here. He knew that he was hired as a stop gap. Why didn't he pull this stunt when we were 10 games under .500 and getting thumped every night? You threw your team under the bus Sad Man. I never thought you were a good manager, but I always respected you. No more
Tim Foli?......oh lord no!
Wait a second...I knew that Riggleman was McLaren's bench coach who got moved into the Seattle interim job when McLaren was canned.
I did NOT know that McLaren came in as Seattle interim when Mike Hargrove resigned in the middle of a Mariners winning streak.
How fricking screwy can this whole thing get? I feel like I'm in the twilight zone since the end of the game today.
I won't miss the umpires urine splashing all over Riggs back as he pathetically tried to argue a call. Bring in Davey Johnson and we will get a little respect
Davey Johnson temporarily is fine---if he wants it until they make a decision. Over time, he was one of the best minds in a dugout.
Somebody who knows the players is the best choice. The team is humming, and no need to fix what isn't broken.
IMHO Rizzo and Co. would be missing a good bet by not also considering Bo Porter for the permanent manager's seat. He knows the players and the organization. I also like the way he comes across in the few interviews that I've read.
Whoever they name, give the dude the respect of a real contract, not the faux contract that Riggleman was given for the better part of 3 seasons.
It further appears that Rizzo has a problem being decisive.
And because I am masochistic enough to want to experience the twilight zone all over again, I'm watching the MASN game replay, just to see what the fans at home were experiencing while I was walking to my car from the ballpark today.
Pudge Rodriguez for manager! Wasn't it just in the paper the other day that he has his eye on the Marlins manager job. Stay here, Pudge!
Randy Knorr or Davey Johnson; those look like the more likely possibilities at this point. Porter hasn't been with the organization long enough. But, he still might get his chance down the road.
Riggles was a goner after Boswell commented on his use of Werth in the batting order.
2 question I asked people and will ask here.
1. Will the new manager dare change the line up before the winning ways are gone. the fact they have a DH the next 6 games delays that and if they cook off the next 6 games the pitcher will bat 9th when they return non DH games.
2. If Pudge were name manager, and was catching how would they count his trips to the mound from behind the dish? My suggestion, if he keeps the mask on the whole time he is going out as the catcher, if he takes mask off he goes as manager. I like the loopholes here.
GYFNG
I think Pudge would make a fantastic player/ manager. I know that it is still legal to have a manager who also plays, and he would be a great Manager. Ramos has clearly proved himself, and Pudge could continue to mentor him, while catching every 5th game or so.
PUDGE RODRIGUEZ FOR NATS MANAGER/ player!!!!!!!
Tom Boswell for manager but let him keep his day . Let us see him criticize himself in print.
I was looking for this information, thanks for put in this easy way, I mean in a easy way to understand it jajaja, well until the next time.
he is a worthy candidate to be our coach! please post an update soon!
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