We know that the Washington Nationals are going to fire Manny Acta, probably sooner rather than later. And we also know that the Nationals are done. Finished. Cooked. Kaput.
The only thing they have left to play for is a second straight shot to draft a young, talented Scott Boras client No. 1 in the draft.
So who will lead this plucky band of players? How about Bobby Valentine?
According to SI’s Jon Heyman the Nats are considering Valentine in their early discussions.
Valentine, who took the Mets to the World Series in 2000, is known for his high-energy, attention-grabbing style, which seems to have turned off MLB teams. (Remember this?) But he is loved in Japan, where he has coached the Chiba Lotte Marines for seven seasons. And as Heyman writes, Valentine ...
... is known for turning losers into winners. He has always liked a challenge. This definitely is a challenge. The Nationals are 29 games under .500 at a time no other team is more than 10 games under .500.
Stay tuned ...