According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com, citing baseball sources, the Nationals are set to fire manager Manny Acta. The ax could come as soon as an off-day on Monday, with the team preparing to start a series against the Yankees. According to the report, Acta would be replaced by bench coach Jim Riggleman.
The 40-year-old Acta has compiled a 147-231 record in two and a half seasons as manager and has led the club to a league-worst 15-43 mark this season. It’s a real shame because Acta never had much talent to work with and guided a far-worse team to a 73-89 record in 2007. But after the firing of pitching coach Randy St. Claire earlier this month, and the selection of Stephen Strasburg this week, the organization seems desperate to carve out a new image. Acta is but a fall guy in a pretty misguided narrative.
The thing I don’t understand is that if this story already leaked, why not just show the man some respect and let him go today instead of waiting until Monday? It’s akin to firing Willie Randolph after letting him fly out and manage the first game of a West Coast trip. It’s not like Riggleman doesn’t know the players. He’s the bench coach. Let him go already.
