Nats expected to hire Matt Williams as next manager
Washington Post / 10-25
Faced with the Washington Nationals’ most crucial personnel decision in years, General Manager Mike Rizzo bypassed the familiar for an outsider and eschewed experience for new blood. With their lofty aspirations intact after a disappointing season, Rizzo and the Nationals are betting that Matt Williams, who has never managed in the major leagues, can lead them somewhere they’ve never been: the World Series.
The Nationals plan to hire Williams as their fifth manager since baseball returned to Washington, according to a person close to Williams and familiar with the situation. The Nationals have not confirmed Williams’s planned hiring, as Major League Baseball prohibits teams from making major announcements during the World Series.
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People close to Rizzo believe he had wanted to hire Williams for months. Williams impressed the Lerner family with his commanding presence in an interview, according to a person familiar with the process. Davey Johnson, the man Williams will replace as manager, did not have a role in the choice but still endorsed it.
Williams, 47, played 17 major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians and Diamondbacks. He began his post-playing career as a part owner and ambassador for the Diamondbacks. His only managerial experience is a stint in the Arizona Fall League last season.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/washington-nationals-to-hire-matt-williams-as-next-manager/2013/10/25/4ca262d2-3db4-11e3-b6a9-da62c264f40e_story.html
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