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Riggleman to be named Nationals Manager

By Byron Kerr on November 11, 2009 7:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

NOTE: Click here to read the Nationals press release naming Jim Riggleman as manager.

Click here to see video from today's press conference.

MASNsports.com has learned that the Nationals will name Jim Riggleman as their manager. Riggleman was 33-42 in 75 games for the Nats in 2009. He replaced Manny Acta as the Nationals Manager in mid-July.

Riggleman grew up in Rockville, Maryland, attended Richard Montgomery High School and graduated from Frostburg State University. He has managed the Padres, Cubs, Mariners and Nationals.

A source close to the situation also indicated that Riggleman is expected to replace some of his coaching staff for the 2010 season and that Bobby Valentine was not seriously considered for the Nationals managerial position.

Last week I spoke to Jim about the offense and what he thinks of their future potential.

"This offense has produced pretty well. We think there is a lot there that has been left untapped. I know Rick Eckstein feels that way, I feel that way."

"It's a good offense and its potentially a lot better. When we get all the pieces there together and tweak it a little bit we think it could be even more productive."

"The bottom line is to score runs and I think with as much talent as there was there and with as many guys had pretty good years offensively I think we should score more runs."

I also asked him last week about what he would like to do in spring training:

"Just like everybody else, we are not going to re-invent the game. We will try to implement a good work ethic. We felt like we did that last year in spring training. For whatever reason we did not get out of the blocks well."

"We will keep emphasizing that it is a long season. Every day counts from day one of spring training. We have a goal mind to be the best team we can be. We want to get after it from day one."

"We do not want to take anything for granted: the fundamentals and the work that is put in on the fundamentals is never to be taken lightly. Just push the players. Try to motivate the players. We also want to get a feel of when to back off a little bit."

"With the year we had last year everybody is going to be receptive to anything we try to do to improve the ball club, whether it is in terms of tweeking some things on the field or whether it is tweeking the personnel we put on the field. Everybody has got to be open to any changes that are made and I am sure our guys will be."

More on this breaking story to follow on MASNsports.com.

A GLANCE AT THE NEW NATS SKIPPER

His overall managerial record:
10 years, 1250 games, 555-694, .444.

Riggleman's best finish was 1998 while managing the Cubs (90-73, 2nd place). That season, the Cubs lost to the Braves 3-0 in the NLDS. The Cubs finished above .500 two out of the 5 seasons he managed.

Riggleman managed in the minors for 9 years (7 of them in the St. Louis Cardinals organization).

He was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 4th round of the 1974 amateur draft. He played in the Dodgers organization from 1974 to 1976 and the St. Louis Cardinals farm system from 1976 to 1981.

Has managed or coached the likes of Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Luis Gonzalez, Sammy Sosa, Mark Grace, Ryne Sandberg, Gary Sheffield, Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez and Ichiro Suzuki.

Earned a Bachelors degree in physical education from Frostburg (MD) State, which is located just 140 miles from DC and is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. Still holds FSU single-game records in home runs (3), RBI (8) and total bases (12).