Nationals Manager Riggleman resigns because of contract

[Dipper9]

I mean, I guess, in our world....we hold these people up to such a high standard. If you're involved in baseball we treat you like a saint, we make these lofty standards..compare it to a regular job and see if you can make the same assessment. I understand the commitment, he signed a year long contract to be a Manager, but from the sounds of it, he doesn't seem to have a whole lot of control over what players are on his team...and even if he did, hes looking for a certain contract. The franchise said to him that he wasn't worth an extension and he responded by saying he will no longer be the manager...I think its pretty fair.

We can hold them all up on some pedestal, but at the end of the day this is their job.

You're wrong. The difference between them and us is they sign contracts. Riggleman SIGNED that contract knowing full well he was signed through 2011 with an option after that. If he didn't like that contract, then don't sign it. But once you DO sign it, you committ to it. Peons like us can come and go to whatever job we want (though I've been at the same company for over 15 years). But these guys aren't us. They signed a legal document saying they agreed to work for said amount, and he has non honored that committment. Regardless of the reason, he turned his back on his team, and he's nothing but a quitter!

[twoBshorty]

What a silly argument by Boswell. The Nats gave Rizzo a five-year deal, sure, only after they tried to give his job away to Jerry DiPoto and were turned down. He was always untrusted and second-best and they let him know it. So because Nats ownership treated Rizzo like crap, Riggleman should be fine with Rizzo doing the same to him? All that tells me is that the Nationals organization makes a habit of treating employees badly and leaving them twisting in the wind.

[allstar1579]

What a silly argument by Boswell. The Nats gave Rizzo a five-year deal, sure, only after they tried to give his job away to Jerry DiPoto and were turned down. He was always untrusted and second-best and they let him know it. So because Nats ownership treated Rizzo like crap, Riggleman should be fine with Rizzo doing the same to him? All that tells me is that the Nationals organization makes a habit of treating employees badly and leaving them twisting in the wind.

He had to force the issue because he had a hot date at Caddies to drink with some 21 year olds last night. If he had a job for next season he wasn't going to go, but if he was out this year anyway he wasn't going to let someone ruin his hot night out.

Yes I'm kidding about some of it, but he did go out and drink at Caddies last night. Kinda funny.

[Dipper9]

He had to force the issue because he had a hot date at Caddies to drink with some 21 year olds last night. If he had a job for next season he wasn't going to go, but if he was out this year anyway he wasn't going to let someone ruin his hot night out.

Yes I'm kidding about some of it, but he did go out and drink at Caddies last night. Kinda funny.

The blond in the picture is pretty hot too!

[Dr. FLK]

The decision saddened Riggleman, but he believed it was the right thing to do, that a major league manager, especially one with more than 11 years of experience, should not operate on a one-year contract. He knew if his decision reached the highest level of the Nationals organization, owner Ted Lerner, there would be no going back.

“You don’t back him into a corner,” Riggleman said. “But I’m from Rockville, too.”

What does this mean? "I'm from Rockville too?" Is he suggesting that it's a tough neighborhood? Ha.

Source.

[mcgraw238]

Easy now! I went to FSU!

So did I and so did Riggleman.

[Tony-OH]

Boswell's column:

Great stuff by Boswell here. I actually respect Rizzo a lot.

[Blizzard1090]

He quit on his team, that's all there is to it IMO.

[JDubs]

He quit on his team, that's all there is to it IMO.

Yeah, this is what matters. Contracts get breached and repudiated all the time. People in here are acting like contracts are sacred pacts between men of honor. They aren't.

They ARE agreements that guarantee that the wronged person will be made right if the parties stop agreeing. Some people in here are confusing that with 'giving your word.' Your word should be your bond. We don't really know what the 'bond' was here, except that Rigs quit on his players. It also looks like Rizzo wasn't fairly working with Riggleman to resolve his concerns about his ability to manage with all the job uncertainty.

So they split and it ended up being lose-lose for both parties.

Well, unless you count Riggleman's drinking partners in the win column.

[crissfan172]

The blond in the picture is pretty hot too!

Have you been drinking? Look at her arm.

[HokieOs]

Boy... that sure was a quick hire with Davey Johnson... almost like this was planned.

I wonder if Riggleman is still getting paid from the Nats.... I wonder if Riggleman had essentially been told that no matter what he did, he wasn't coming back. I know he signed the contract, but if he's being told that no matter what he does, Johnson is the man in 2012, I can't fault him too much for doing what he did.... it's a chicken poo move by the Nats.... but they have a crap organization to begin with. They have a lot of promise with some players and what not.... and I fully expect them to screw it up.

[NewMarketSean]

Boy... that sure was a quick hire with Davey Johnson... almost like this was planned.

I wonder if Riggleman is still getting paid from the Nats.... I wonder if Riggleman had essentially been told that no matter what he did, he wasn't coming back. I know he signed the contract, but if he's being told that no matter what he does, Johnson is the man in 2012, I can't fault him too much for doing what he did.... it's a chicken poo move by the Nats.... but they have a crap organization to begin with. They have a lot of promise with some players and what not.... and I fully expect them to screw it up.

That's funny because I would trade the Nats org for the Orioles right now. In a flash, actually.

[SammyBirdland]

As of 7/28/2011:

Natinal's 2011 record with Riggleman:

38-37

Natinal's 2011 record without Riggleman:

11-18

Currently in a 5 game losing streak.

[DrungoHazewood]

As of 7/28/2011:

Natinal's 2011 record with Riggleman:

38-37

Natinal's 2011 record without Riggleman:

11-18

Currently in a 5 game losing streak.

The Davey Johnson as messiah postings have become almost as infrequent as the "Buck makes this a 90-win team" postings.