Wire Taps: Washington Nationals better get started on manager search; Nats need new skipper again...

[ed. note - The photo included above is one of the white seats in the outfield in RFK Stadium, which were painted white to memorialize some of Washington Senators’ great Frank Howard’s longest home runs.]

Will Washington be able to name a new manager before tomorrow? It doesn’t seem likely that the Nationals can find their seventh full-time skipper before the start of the World Series, and as one of the writers linked to below mentions, MLB prefers that teams that are not still playing keep the big announcements quiet while the World Series is being played. Seems more likely that the Nationals will announce their next manager once the Houston Astros and New York Yankees are done playing for the 113th World Series championship. But you never know... as you’ll see, a couple of the managers out there this winter have already found jobs, though those two teams had an extra week or so to start their searches...

NATS BEAT:

Alex Cora reportedly out of the mix for Nationals job
"Major League Baseball discourages clubs from making major news during the World Series, so the Nationals either would have to pull this off before Game 1 at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday or else wait until the Fall Classic ends."

Dusty Baker learns Nationals can't be trusted
"It turns out that Jim Riggleman was right."

Options for Washington Nationals next manager
"Not bringing back Baker makes the Nationals one of four teams with an open manager’s position."

Dusty Baker Will Not Return In 2018
"The easy move would have been giving the 68-year-old Baker an extension, likely for another two seasons to take him to his 70th birthday..."

Dusty Baker Just Wasn’t Good Enough
"In letting Dusty Baker walk, the Nats are doing what they should have done after 2014: ignoring the optics."

So, Now What?
"Baker was somewhat of a polarizing manager. He is lauded for his handling [of] players and the clubhouse—a dimension this team sorely needed after Matt Williams’ ham-handed approach."

Daniel Johnson on being cut in college
Nationals’ prospect Daniel Johnson talks about being cut, going to JUCO for a semester and then going back to New Mexico State

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Olney: Verlander regains his fastball, his dominance and his destiny
"As the Nationals look for their next manager, they need someone who has experience with veteran players (someone like Baker, by the way); someone who will work under the expectation of a world championship; and someone willing to work on the cheap..."

Rumors And Rumblings | Nationals Manager Expectations Unrealistic
“'The Lerners have a lot of money, so maybe they can find a way to raise John McGraw from the dead and hire him as manager,' said an executive from an NL team, referring to the family that owns the Nationals."

Cards narrow focus on potential pitching coach hires
The Washington Nationals dismissed manager Dusty Baker and his coaching staff this past week, putting pitching coach Mike Maddux on the market, though he hasn’t drawn the Cardinals’ interest in the past...”