Riggleman Tells Nats To Take Their Option And Shove It

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Interesting. I thought he'd gone the way of Corey Haim.

He gave up managing in MLB in 2000 I believe, but he's been managing some US baseball since.

I'm impressed with a lot of what the Nats have done since Kasten took over the team - smart drafting, building a sound foundation (except the Werth deal... still don't like that one) but fleecing Ramos from the Twins for Capps was grand larceny.

[JMU DJ]

He gave up managing in MLB in 2000 I believe, but he's been managing some US baseball since.

I'm impressed with a lot of what the Nats have done since Kasten took over the team - smart drafting, building a sound foundation (except the Werth deal... still don't like that one) but fleecing Ramos from the Twins for Capps was grand larceny.

Natinals are building a pretty sick roster.... if everyone is healthy next year/Bryce Harper isn't a flop/Jayson Werth plays to his potential, the top of their batting order will be sick. Their pitching isn't half bad either, we'll have to see how Strasburg recovers though.

[GannonFan]

He gave up managing in MLB in 2000 I believe, but he's been managing some US baseball since.

I'm impressed with a lot of what the Nats have done since Kasten took over the team - smart drafting, building a sound foundation (except the Werth deal... still don't like that one) but fleecing Ramos from the Twins for Capps was grand larceny.

I agree, the Nats will be a real decent team in about 3-4 years, and should be nicely positioned when the Phillies age finally does catch up to them (assuming the Phils aren't able to restock, especially once the 3 aces start to diminish). Plus, the Nats have shown that they are willing to spend money when they have to. The Werth contract was just flat out stupid - I'm not sure Werth is anything other than a one year wonder, and he's going to be 33 next year so he's not a spring chicken either - but if you have enough money you can get around a bad decision or two or three like the Yanks do a lot. The NL East could even be even more competitive than the AL East has been with their top 3 teams (yes, I am excluding the Orioles).

[bandl]

He gave up managing in MLB in 2000 I believe, but he's been managing some US baseball since.

I'm impressed with a lot of what the Nats have done since Kasten took over the team - smart drafting, building a sound foundation (except the Werth deal... still don't like that one) but fleecing Ramos from the Twins for Capps was grand larceny.

That Ramos fleecing is going to be paying dividends to the Nat's for years to come. And having a vet like Pudge there to teach him and show him the ropes certainly doesn't hurt his development.

[eagleskins]

The Nats farm is loaded with pitchers. Jason Marquis could bring a gold mine in at the deadline without hurting the team much. Strasburg is ahead of schedule and Brad Peacock is tearing up AA. He could slide right into Marquis' spot.

[ODUalum11]

CHICAGO -- The Washington Nationals will name Davey Johnson as their new manager, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Johnson, 68, will manage the team for the rest of the season and next season, subject to league approval.

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[89Hen]

Lifetime .445 manager. No, not a good manager so far.

Actually, after some introspection, I agree with bandl completely. Disregard my post yesterday regarding the Nationals fucking up a wet dream. I thought Riggleman was a better manager than .445....

You're going to take bandl's stat at face value? Riggleman three times was promoted mid-season to take over a losing team. What kind of winning percentage would you expect him to have? He's had crappy teams. He took the Cubs to the post season for the first time in 9 years in 1998.

Was he destined for the HOF? No, but he did a lot with what he had here in DC. Strasburg - injured. Zimmerman - injured. LaRoche - injured.

Man, I'd hate to have either of you guys for a GM.

[Rob Iola]

I don't care how good you are, or how good the team's doing - you don't ever give a mid-season ultimatum to mgmt - a manager's by far the easiest part of a team to replace. And with Davey Johnson waiting in the wings, that just might've been the easiest call (or rather non-call) that Rizzo's ever made...

[89Hen]

I don't care how good you are, or how good the team's doing - you don't ever give a mid-season ultimatum to mgmt - a manager's by far the easiest part of a team to replace. And with Davey Johnson waiting in the wings, that just might've been the easiest call (or rather non-call) that Rizzo's ever made...

Riggleman realized there was no way he was going to be the coach next year. Why stay?

[AZGrizFan]

Lifetime .445 manager. No, not a good manager so far.

Actually, after some introspection, I agree with bandl completely. Disregard my post yesterday regarding the Nationals fucking up a wet dream. I thought Riggleman was a better manager than .445....

You're going to take bandl's stat at face value? Riggleman three times was promoted mid-season to take over a losing team. What kind of winning percentage would you expect him to have? He's had crappy teams. He took the Cubs to the post season for the first time in 9 years in 1998.

Was he destined for the HOF? No, but he did a lot with what he had here in DC. Strasburg - injured. Zimmerman - injured. LaRoche - injured.

Man, I'd hate to have either of you guys for a GM.

Actually, my position is anybody stupid enough to hold a gun to their bosses head and DEMAND a contract extension gets exactly what they deserve....there's a time and a place for that discussion. In the lobby before boarding the bus for the game ain't it. I don't blame Rizzo one bit for not caving in...Riggleman painted himself into a corner and got his bluff called. Stupid move on his part.

[Rob Iola]

I don't care how good you are, or how good the team's doing - you don't ever give a mid-season ultimatum to mgmt - a manager's by far the easiest part of a team to replace. And with Davey Johnson waiting in the wings, that just might've been the easiest call (or rather non-call) that Rizzo's ever made...

Riggleman realized there was no way he was going to be the coach next year. Why stay?

For a paycheck?

[TwinTownBisonFan]

I don't care how good you are, or how good the team's doing - you don't ever give a mid-season ultimatum to mgmt - a manager's by far the easiest part of a team to replace. And with Davey Johnson waiting in the wings, that just might've been the easiest call (or rather non-call) that Rizzo's ever made...

Riggleman realized there was no way he was going to be the coach next year. Why stay?

Finish better than expected, line yourself up for a gig with another team based a good year in DC...

Instead he went in when his team was riding a hot streak and tried to extort a new deal... it was unseemly - and if I were in Rizzo's shoes, I'd have done EXACTLY what he did.

[citdog]

Riggleman realized there was no way he was going to be the coach next year. Why stay?

Finish better than expected, line yourself up for a gig with another team based a good year in DC...

Instead he went in when his team was riding a hot streak and tried to extort a new deal... it was unseemly - and if I were in Rizzo's shoes, I'd have done EXACTLY what he did.

not if there was a manager's union you wouldn't have. you'd have been performing fellatio on mr. riggleman if there was.

[UNHWildCats]

You're going to take bandl's stat at face value? Riggleman three times was promoted mid-season to take over a losing team. What kind of winning percentage would you expect him to have? He's had crappy teams. He took the Cubs to the post season for the first time in 9 years in 1998.

Was he destined for the HOF? No, but he did a lot with what he had here in DC. Strasburg - injured. Zimmerman - injured. LaRoche - injured.

Man, I'd hate to have either of you guys for a GM.

Actually, my position is anybody stupid enough to hold a gun to their bosses head and DEMAND a contract extension gets exactly what they deserve....there's a time and a place for that discussion. In the lobby before boarding the bus for the game ain't it. I don't blame Rizzo one bit for not caving in...Riggleman painted himself into a corner and got his bluff called. Stupid move on his part.

Riggleman had been trying to get a meeting for a few weeks, the ultimatum in the lobby was the time and place since management has been ignoring his requests.

[Rob Iola]

Actually, my position is anybody stupid enough to hold a gun to their bosses head and DEMAND a contract extension gets exactly what they deserve....there's a time and a place for that discussion. In the lobby before boarding the bus for the game ain't it. I don't blame Rizzo one bit for not caving in...Riggleman painted himself into a corner and got his bluff called. Stupid move on his part.

Riggleman had been trying to get a meeting for a few weeks, the ultimatum in the lobby was the time and place since management has been ignoring his requests.

And mgmt wasn't interested in having the meeting, that simple. So he left, Davey Johnson's taken over, and combined with the hot streak the Nats are the lead item in the WashPost sports section each day (though to be honest what else are they gonna go with - the women's world cup?) - Riggleman's pretty much been forgotten...

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Actually, my position is anybody stupid enough to hold a gun to their bosses head and DEMAND a contract extension gets exactly what they deserve....there's a time and a place for that discussion. In the lobby before boarding the bus for the game ain't it. I don't blame Rizzo one bit for not caving in...Riggleman painted himself into a corner and got his bluff called. Stupid move on his part.

Riggleman had been trying to get a meeting for a few weeks, the ultimatum in the lobby was the time and place since management has been ignoring his requests.

Riggleman knew the score at the start of the season - he was never in the Nats long-term plans, he took the gig, and the nice payday anyway. What he tried to do was just this side of extortion - so the Nats did what any organization in their position would - called his bluff... he jumped... oh well...

[AZGrizFan]

Actually, my position is anybody stupid enough to hold a gun to their bosses head and DEMAND a contract extension gets exactly what they deserve....there's a time and a place for that discussion. In the lobby before boarding the bus for the game ain't it. I don't blame Rizzo one bit for not caving in...Riggleman painted himself into a corner and got his bluff called. Stupid move on his part.

Riggleman had been trying to get a meeting for a few weeks, the ultimatum in the lobby was the time and place since management has been ignoring his requests.

That's management's perogative...he was under contract, yet he chose to walk away from that contract....that's HIS perogative, but I don't feel one bit sorry for him. Had he finished the year strong and they NOT offered him an extension he'd have set himself up for a big payday somewhere else. As it stands now, he may never get offered a managerial job again.

[89Hen]

What he tried to do was just this side of extortion

Surely this is hyperbole.

[AZGrizFan]

Man, I'd hate to have either of you guys for a GM.

Hen, at least 5 times in my career, I've had employees come up to me and demand a raise or they were walking out. Three backed down (and eventually left, within 120 days) and 2 were escorted out of the building.

Holding a gun to your bosses' head and demanding a contract is NOT an effective negotiating tool.

[UNHWildCats]

Riggleman had been trying to get a meeting for a few weeks, the ultimatum in the lobby was the time and place since management has been ignoring his requests.

And mgmt wasn't interested in having the meeting, that simple. So he left, Davey Johnson's taken over, and combined with the hot streak the Nats are the lead item in the WashPost sports section each day (though to be honest what else are they gonna go with - the women's world cup?) - Riggleman's pretty much been forgotten...

They shoulda had the meeting, let Riggleman make his case, then nicely told him the team preferred to wait til the season ended before making a decision... simply refusing to meet with him was a wrong decision.

[89Hen]

Man, I'd hate to have either of you guys for a GM.

Hen, at least 5 times in my career, I've had employees come up to me and demand a raise or they were walking out. Three backed down (and eventually left, within 120 days) and 2 were escorted out of the building.

Holding a gun to your bosses' head and demanding a contract is NOT an effective negotiating tool.

I was talking about what you consider a "good manager".

[Rob Iola]

And mgmt wasn't interested in having the meeting, that simple. So he left, Davey Johnson's taken over, and combined with the hot streak the Nats are the lead item in the WashPost sports section each day (though to be honest what else are they gonna go with - the women's world cup?) - Riggleman's pretty much been forgotten...

They shoulda had the meeting, let Riggleman make his case, then nicely told him the team preferred to wait til the season ended before making a decision... simply refusing to meet with him was a wrong decision.

How is it wrong? The Nats were arguably looking to have Johnson take over next season (who was already on the payroll), and simply moved up the timetable - now they don't have to pay Riggleman's salary for the rest of the season.

Or is your concern here that they were being big meanies?

[AZGrizFan]

Hen, at least 5 times in my career, I've had employees come up to me and demand a raise or they were walking out. Three backed down (and eventually left, within 120 days) and 2 were escorted out of the building.

Holding a gun to your bosses' head and demanding a contract is NOT an effective negotiating tool.

I was talking about what you consider a "good manager".

I don't care who it is. My employees do not, under any circumstances, get to decide when they get a raise, or how much that raise will be (that's about all I can equate it to, since we don't operate on a "contract" basis, per-se). If one DOES try, they're unceremoniously shown the door.

[TwinTownBisonFan]

I was talking about what you consider a "good manager".

I don't care who it is. My employees do not, under any circumstances, get to decide when they get a raise, or how much that raise will be (that's about all I can equate it to, since we don't operate on a "contract" basis, per-se). If one DOES try, they're unceremoniously shown the door.

Happens on campaigns occasionally as well... someone will come in and demand a raise... (campaign staff don't make shit, so it's not unusual for this to happen)

In my case it's about tone and appropriateness... In most cases the answer is "no - there's no budget for that" and that's that... they're disappointed but no biggie...

In other cases I've had organizers "demand" a raise or a promotion... get told no... and then quit, like a petulant child when they didn't get their way. I wouldn't fire them... not for that... unless they started fomenting discontent within the staff about it. Then they'd be unceremoniously shown the door.

[AZGrizFan]

I don't care who it is. My employees do not, under any circumstances, get to decide when they get a raise, or how much that raise will be (that's about all I can equate it to, since we don't operate on a "contract" basis, per-se). If one DOES try, they're unceremoniously shown the door.

Happens on campaigns occasionally as well... someone will come in and demand a raise... (campaign staff don't make shit, so it's not unusual for this to happen)

In my case it's about tone and appropriateness... In most cases the answer is "no - there's no budget for that" and that's that... they're disappointed but no biggie...

In other cases I've had organizers "demand" a raise or a promotion... get told no... and then quit, like a petulant child when they didn't get their way. I wouldn't fire them... not for that... unless they started fomenting discontent within the staff about it. Then they'd be unceremoniously shown the door.

Which is almost guaranteed to happen...