More On Manny Acta...
SI.com's Jon Heyman's back with "National League sources" and more news on Manny Acta's ouster, and Mr. Heyman's even got replacement manager possibilities, which means either there's a significant leak out of the Nationals' Front Office, or, more likely, the other obvious option...Someone from the Nationals' Front Office is feeding this stuff to reporters in order to further some agenda we're not yet privy too...I don't mean to sound all mysterious, but what are we, as Nationals' fans, supposed to think when we read Mr. Heyman's revelation that after Acta's out, "...respected ex-big league manager Jim Riggleman will be installed as an interim manager." The only hint that this isn't a straight fact is that Mr. Heyman drops an "appears" in the first sentence of the paragraph I'm quoting when he writes, "Manny Acta appears to be on his way out..."
Mr. Heyman goes on to "report"...
(ed. note - "Before continuing: I checked with my own "anonymous source" and asked what he, uh, or she, or she... thought of the idea of Nationals naming Jim Riggleman "Interim" Manager):
"Sure, things will get better with "Interim" Manager Riggleman taking orders from "Acting" GM Rizzo..."
Mr. Heyman goes on to reveal that, "...word is interim GM Mike Rizzo," (who, according to Mr. Heyman's "sources close to the Nationals", "...is expected to get the full-time GM job at some point,")...will take a look at the man currently managing the Chiba Lotte Marines in the Japan's Pacific League, ex-Rangers'-and-Mets' Manager, Bobby Valentine, (who, coincidently, is not expected to return to Chiba Lotte after his contract expires this season), as a possible replacement manager once should Manny Acta be removed from his position. Mr. Heyman describes Valentine at one point in the article as a, "perfect fit for a young, rebuilding team with public relations and attendance issues", though he also cautions that:
"Some teams have shied away from the high-energy, high-profile Valentine, as the trend in baseball is to have more powerful GMs and less powerful managers (the 'Moneyball' formula)."
"Valentine declined comment via e-mail" when asked about the Nationals-job, Mr. Heyman writes, and no one from the Nationals is talking either, on record at least, but Mr. Heyman's out-line has all the finality of a epitaph for Manny Acta's tenure as DC's skipper, as he writes:
"While Acta thought he had time to prove he could do the job, ultimately he proved unable to fulfill an impossible duty."
Nice, well written...of course, the Nationals still haven't fired Manny Acta...It "could come as early as Monday," Mr. Heyman writes...Alright ENOUGH!! it's Tuesday now...I don't know who to believe...
(ed. note - (mumbles) "I never thought I'd agree with Jim Bowden...stupid anonymous sources...")
LINK to Jon Heyman's article -
Nationals could replace Manny Acta with Bobby Valentine - Jon Heyman
Manny Acta appears to be on his way out as Nationals manager, and while respected ex-big league manager Jim Riggleman reportedly will be installed as the interim manager, team higher-ups also have begun internal discussions about permanent candidates. One of those candidates to replace Acta, according to National League sources, is Bobby Valentine, who is currently in his seventh season as manager of the Chiba Lotte Mariners in Japan.