After several days of unchecked speculation, someone from the Nationals has finally said something about Manny Acta:
Rizzo spoke publicly about the reports for the first time before Tuesday’s game with the Yankees, and while he offered nothing resembling a definitive statement on Acta’s status, he said the front office hasn’t discussed the issue with him.
“It’s certainly uncomfortable with the speculation,” Rizzo said. “Names are being bandied about of replacements, and we haven’t even discussed it with the current manager. He’s still our manager. We support him. And all the reports that happened over the weekend, I don’t know where those reports come from. And there’s not much to comment on reports that there’s no basis to.”
Which is strange, because the current manager says that it was discussed with the current manager: “I spoke to them the same day it came out. It’s a rumor,” Acta said. One wonders why it took so long for Rizzo to give Acta this vote of confidence.
Not that it’s really a vote of confidence. Indeed, perhaps the most notable thing about all of this is that Rizzo calls Acta “the current manager” in the first place. Strange choice of title for a guy you’re supposedly not firing. Would you feel comfortable if your boss called you the “current” accounts receivable clerk or the “current” assistant to the comptroller? I sure wouldn’t.