Evaluator: ‘Shocked’ if Matt Williams doesn’t get Washington Nationals’ managerial job
Oct 21, 2013, 8:15 PM | Updated: 8:15 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ coaching staff has found itself in the news early and often during the early portion of the offseason.
The team parted ways with pitching coach Charles Nagy and first base coach Steve Sax on Oct. 7. Hitting coach Don Baylor left the organization to pursue the same job with the Los Angeles Angels on Oct. 16.
Kirk Gibson was rumored to be a candidate for the Detroit Tigers’ managerial opening Monday.
And then there’s third base coach Matt Williams.
Williams interviewed with the Washington Nationals last week regarding their managerial vacancy left after Davey Johnson’s retirement, and according to ESPN.com’s MLB insider Buster Olney, the 47-year-old must have made quite an impression.
Just one opinion: An evaluator with knowledge of the Nationals' managerial search says he'd be shocked if Matt Williams doesn't get the job.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 18, 2013
Williams, who won a World Series with the D-backs in 2001, was hired by the organization back in Nov. 2009. In 2010, he served as the team’s first base coach before moving over to the third base side in 2011 — a post he’s held for the past three seasons.
The five-time All-Star’s fit in Washington seems to make a lot of sense, considering the team’s general manager, Mike Rizzo, served as the D-backs’ Director of Scouting from 2000-06.
