Matt Williams responds to critical fan reaction

Nationals manager Matt Williams walked into the press conference room at Nationals Park earlier today, the same room he was booed out of after finishing his postgame remarks following last night's unfathomable 8-7 loss to the Mets.

Last night, fans inside the Presidents Club pressed up against the window watching Williams attempt to explain how his team managed to blow a six-run lead in a must-win game. As Williams left the stage, angry patrons voiced their displeasure with the skipper.

"Well, it's never any fun," Williams said today about the fan reaction last night. "I can tell you that. But If I know anything about our group, or if I know anything about myself personally, when times are difficult, you put your head down and you go. You don't have a choice in this game, other than to be prepared for today and let 'er fly. That's what we do.

"Again, our fan base is fantastic. They're passionate about this team. They want us to win desperately, as we do. And we want provide that for them. We want to provide a quality team that they can come and enjoy watch play and they can get behind. Hopefully that starts today, and we can put on this race and make a race of it."

Williams was one of the game's best players during his 17-year career in the majors, bashing 378 homers while driving in 1,218 runs. In his first year as a big league skipper in 2014, Williams was named the National League Manager of the Year. But beginning with some questionable moves in last year's National League Division Series loss to the Giants and carrying over into this season filled with disappointments, many have been left doubting Williams.

"It's part of the job," Williams said. "I know that we're all, to a man in that clubhouse over there, doing everything we can to win a game. We stand by each other. I support our guys. I support our coaches. And we're in this together. So we'll do everything we can to win tonight and beyond."

Williams was asked whether it's harder to deal with a crushing loss like last night's as a manager or a player.

"I would imagine it's probably tougher as a manager," Williams said. "Because when you're playing, you just get into the routine of simply playing again the next day. But it is what it is. There's nothing we can do now, except go today and try to beat the Mets today."

It's easy to believe the Nats won't be able to rebound from the mental anguish of letting a six-run lead slip away. Yet Williams indicated that nothing needed to be said to his team to make sure their motivation and focus was intact.

"They know," Williams assured. "Everybody showed up today. We had the team picture today, and everybody showed up with a good attitude. They're ready. They're prepared."