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Alright, that didn’t take long. Nobody was going to look like an obvious upgrade over Dusty Baker, but who knows, if anyone could defy the odds, I like Dave Martinez’s chance.
Here’s the news from Nats Park.
Dave Martinez to join Nationals as manager
Jon Heyman had it first, so we'll put him first.
Nats agree to three-year deal with Dave Martinez for manager
Martinez has followed Joe Maddon from Tampa Bay to Chicago, and has tasted the NLCS and the World Series, as well as a parade. He's younger than Dusty Baker or Davey Johnson, more relaxed than Matt Williams, and more well-versed in analytics than the three combined. And, he's here for three years, and potentially a fourth.
Source: Nats have three-year deal with Dave Martinez
The standard story! But from MASN! HECK YEAH!
Choosing Martinez shows that the Nats have learned a lesson
The Nats added a new manager, and, more importantly, they gave him an industry-standard length deal. Yes, he's never managed anywhere -- but ten years under Joe Maddon isn't the worst way to prepare.
Martinez finally gets a managerial job, but is it the right one?
Dave Martinez has interviewed for quite a few jobs in the past, and the Nats are finally giving him a chance. But should such a veteran team be trusting a first-time manager? And why did it take Martinez so many times through to get a job? And where was Joe Girardi?
Why in the world are teams firing extremely successful managers?
"If these front offices ran NASA, they would've fired Neil Armstrong in 1969 when he walked on the moon because he hadn't walked on Mars yet."
Given opportunity, Difo stepped up in 2017
Wilmer Difo got to play every day for the first time this season, and he found legitimate success, hitting .271 and proving to be a legitimately useful part of the team.