Candidates Nationals should consider to replace Dusty Baker
— -- The Washington Nationals finished 2017 with a 97-65 record, winning the NL East for the second straight season and the third time in four years. But for the second straight season they also lost in the divisional series, falling in five games to the Chicago Cubs.
With that early playoff exit likely playing a big part, the Nats announced that Dusty Baker wouldn't be returning as manager. Baker's contact expired at the end of the season, so he would have needed a new deal to come back. Baker leaves after compiling a record of 192-132 in two seasons.
The question now turns to who will manage the Nats in 2018??We asked ESPN.com's Brad Doolittle and David Schoenfield and Nationals reporter Eddie Matz to weigh in on what the future holds in D.C.
1. Who are the best fits?
Bradford Doolittle:?The Nationals have as much top-level star power as anyone. They are also coming off a period under Baker, an old-school kind of manager. So I'm looking for a more 21st-century kind of guy. I'm also looking to pluck someone from the Dodgers, who have been able to create an all-for-one mentality on a club with superstars. So I'm looking at Chris Woodward, Gabe Kapler and Bob Geren. As with all of these openings, Kapler is my guy.
David Schoenfield:?Baker was largely absolved from criticism after the Game 5 loss to the Cubs, as the Nationals played such an ugly, error-prone game that Baker's decisions didn't really factor into the defeat. He did, however, make one crucial mistake, batting Jayson Werth second against a right-handed pitcher. So in the ninth inning, it was Werth who got an extra plate appearance instead of Anthony Rendon or Daniel Murphy.
So who is the best fit? A manager who won't hit Werth second. Who is that? Just about anybody else. The Nationals could go with an experienced manager like Brad Ausmus, given you basically want to hire somebody who won't mess things up. The last thing you want to do is hire a rookie manager who ends up the wrong guy -- you know, like Matt Williams.
Eddie Matz:?According to Ken Rosenthal, Washington pitching coach Mike Maddux is a possibility. Maddux makes lots of sense on multiple levels. Current Nats players seem to have plenty of love for him. He knows how to handle a pitching staff, as he was influential in Baker's decision-making. He's also a good communicator, frequently making himself available to the media. Perhaps most importantly for the Nationals, who are known for being thrifty when it comes to managers, Maddux has never been a big league skipper, which would seemingly make his price tag an attractive one. John Farrell's r?sum? features a World Series title, something that would seem to make him attractive to Nats ownership. Bench coaches Joe McEwing (White Sox) and DeMarlo Hale (Blue Jays) could be in the mix, too.
2. Who are some under-the-radar names to keep an eye on?
Doolittle:?I could see recently deposed Brad Ausmus working here. I like Manny Acta, too, and that would give Mike Rizzo a chance to undo a move he never should have made -- firing Acta in 2009.
Schoenfield:??Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez is a guy Joe Maddon keeps saying deserves a gig. One of these years, he'll finally get it. Dodgers coach Bob Geren has managed before so brings experience plus the Dodgers' emphasis on using data. Raul Ibanez is a recently retired player who would be a riskier bet given his lack of coaching experience.
Matz:?Jayson Werth. It would seemingly never happen for three reasons. (1) Werth has said on numerous occasions that he feels as if he still has plenty left in the tank as a player. (2) If and when the tank is empty, Werth, who owns a farm in Illinois, fancies himself the kind of guy who will fall off the grid in no time flat. (3) Much like Matt Williams, who had no prior managerial experience before taking the Nats job in 2014 and then was canned after two seasons, Werth has never done it before. All that said, he's been with the Nats for seven years and is well-respected in the clubhouse, with Baker frequently implying that Werth functioned almost like a deputy manager. Who knows, maybe Werth will become the first player/manager since Pete Rose in 1986? Then again, maybe he won't. (And by maybe, I mean definitely.)
3. Will the Nationals return to the postseason in 2018?
Doolittle:?Yes. The buffer between the Nats and the rest of the NL East is immense. The Mets could quickly get back in the running with a healthy pitching staff, but why should we think that would happen? The Phillies are coming, but not in 2018. The Braves are submerged in chaos. And the Marlins' new owners are just getting started. It would be a shock if Washington doesn't win that division again.
Schoenfield:?Sure. They have basically everybody back -- and don't forget Adam Eaton, who missed most of 2017 -- as they make one final run with Bryce Harper. Given the state of the other four teams in the division, picking the Nats again in the NL East will be the easiest call of 2018.
Matz:?Without a doubt. They won 97 games, and that was without Adam Eaton, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in April. It was also with an awful bullpen for the first half of the season. With closer Sean Doolittle and setup man Ryan Madson under contract for 2018, the relief issues are old news. The rotation is still among the best in baseball. And the lineup is still loaded. So yeah, they'll make the playoffs.
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