Two seasons ago, when the Washington Nationals hired Manny Acta, DC GM Jim Bowden told MLB.com's Bill Ladson, as quoted in Mr. Ladson's article entitled, "Nationals turn to Acta, naturally", that after interviewing the former Mets' third base coach:
"'It was evident to me that Manny has a tremendous blend of intellect, motivational skills and discipline. The wisdom that he has drawn from his whole career is amazing...He really understands teaching, developing, building a young club...'"
Fast forward two years, and New York Newsday sports writer Ken Davidoff, in his article, "Nats interested in Randolph", is writing, (without, you'll notice, citing sources), that the Nationals are interested in bringing Willie Randolph on as Manny Acta's bench coach, with designs on eventually replacing Acta with Randolph when Acta's contract expires, since:
"The Nationals posted a 59-102 record in '08, and the organization is clearly less enamored with Acta than it was just a year ago..."
...And so with a quick jump of logic and a few more unnamed sources, Mr. Davidoff concludes that the Nationals' Manager Manny Acta will be fine with DC bringing Randolph aboard, not because of his past relationship with Randolph when both were with the Mets, quite the contrary, as Mr. Davidoff describes it:
"As for Acta, friends of his believe he'd be fine with Randolph joining his staff, because Acta has his eyes set on the Mets' job, anyway. And it's clearly a mutual affection."
Mr. Acta should really stop entrusting secrets about his career ambitions to these loose-lipped friends of his, unless of course the DC Manager is campaigning by proxy for the Mets' job should Jerry Manuel fail (again) in '09, or not re-sign in two years when the contract he recently signed expires...
MLB.com's Bill Ladson checked in last night with the news that the Nationals were interested in bringing Willie Randolph aboard as Bench Coach in his article entitled, "Sources: Nats interested in Randolph", which cited Mr. Davidoff's article as the source of its revelations, without, you'll notice, once mentioning that the Nationals might view Randolph as a potentional replacement for Manny Acta, though Mr. Ladson does point out, as Mr. Davidoff did, that DC GM Jim Bowden had once interviewed Randolph for the Cincinnati Reds' Manager position and, "...offered Randolph the Reds managerial job after the 2000 season," an offer which Randolph declined.
The other two names which surface? MLB.com's Bill Ladson mentions Don Baylor, while Mr. Davidoff writes:
"With Acta clearly in trouble, and five jobs available on the Nats' coaching staff, Bowden will get to pick a manager-in-waiting or two. In addition to Randolph, former Dodgers and Pirates manager Jim Tracy is on Washington's radar."
At least we know the Nationals are taking the search for their coaches seriously if these are the kind of names that are being tossed around...Willie Randolph, Don Baylor, Jim Tracy...Wait? Those are all Managers?...or is everyone willing to take a step back in their careers just to get involved with what's going on in DC? What's going on in DC again?
AFL UPDATE...
The Nationals' prospect-laden roster of the Arizona Fall League's Peoria Saguaros suffered its first loss of the Fall season when the Surprise Rafters beat Peoria 8-6 on Tuesday night dropping the Saguaros' record to 6-1 so far. DC prospect Bill Rhinehart was 1 for 4 with a run scored...Ian Desmond, 1 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Zech Zinicola, the Nationals' pitching prospect, threw two scoreless innings of relief against the Rafters, striking out 2 and lowering his Fall League ERA to 1.93 in 3 games and 4.2 IP.
Last night, Wedneday, 10/15, the Saguaros got back on the winning track with a 3-2 win over the Phoenix Desert Dogs, who lead 2-1 until the seventh inning, when Peoria scored two runs to take a 3-2 lead...DC prospect Leonard Davis walked to start the frame and scored from first on an RBI single in the next at bat by Cardinals' infield prospect Tyler Greene, who scored on a sac fly to put the Saguaros ahead for good.
Saguaros now 7-1, 3.0 games up in the AFL American League...
Nationals' Prospects' Fall League #'s...
Hitters...
Leonard Davis - 6 G, 8 for 23, .348 AVG, 1 2B, 1 3B, 6 RBI's.
Ian Desmond - 5 G, 4 for 16, .250 AVG, 2 RBI's, 1 SB.
Bill Rhinehart - 5 G, 3 for 14, .214 AVG, 1 RBI.
Pitchers...
Zechry Zinicola - (0-0), 1.93 ERA, 4.2 IP, 4 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K's.
Ross Detwiler - (0-0), 0.00 ERA, 4.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 BB, 1 K.
Cory VanAllen - (0-0), .11.25 ERA, 4.0 IP, 8 hits, 6 runs, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K.
Adam Carr - (0-0), 2.70 ERA, 3.1 IP, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's.