Mike Rizzo speaks after firing Matt Williams: "A tough day for our entire organization"

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo addressed the media after firing Matt Williams a short time ago. Here are Rizzo's opening comments from a conference call:

"Really a tough day here at Nationals Park. A tough day for me personally. A tough day for our entire organization. But these are the first of the decisions we thought we needed to make as we meticulously evaluate why the 2015 season didn't go the way we had hoped. As I've said, this entire season was a disappointment not only to myself but to ownership and the fan base of Washington, D.C.

"It was not our best year. It wasn't Matt's best year. It wasn't my best year. As an organization, it wasn't our best year. All of us together feel that, the disappointment, throughout the 2015 season. We felt that it was right for us to look at every aspect of the organization and figure out ways that it could work better to getting us back on track to reach our ultimate goal of bringing a World Series championship back to D.C., and its fan base.

"This is not an easy thing. This is a business and such requires some tough difficult choices and this certainly was one of them. On a personal note, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank Matt Williams for the work he has done here. He worked extremely hard diligently to try and bring a championship here to Washington, D.C. I share greatly in his disappointment that his tenure here did not end the way that we wanted it to. I do know that the experience that Matt had here will serve him well as his career continues. And on a larger scale and on a personal scale, because of his commitment to it, our community is richer for having him here and for his family members over the last two years.

"Once hired, our new manager will work closely with our front office to put together a first-class coaching staff as we begin a new chapter with the Washington Nationals as we look to 2016 and beyond."

Plenty more to follow from Rizzo on his search for the next manager of the Nationals.