Already a few Nats fans are accusing the Lerners of being cheap, as if Bobby V was instantly going to make Washington winners in 2010 (not with this roster). This franchise is still building, and as much as I would like to have someone with Valentine's personality in D.C., better to use the money it would taken to hire a big-name manager and use it to boost payroll, either through free agents or trades. (And as an RM graduate, it is kind of nice to have a fellow Rocket guiding the Nats.)

better to use the money it would taken to hire a big-name manager and use it to boost payroll, either through free agents or trades

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good one, there!

I better be careful lest I veer off into a cocktail party supposition. Although at this hour, it wouldn't be much of a party: just my sleeping wife, a cat, and some Ben and Jerry's.

I mentioned this in a different thread, but what really pisses me off about this is the stupidity of the team in making the announcement today.

With the franchise player winning a Gold Glove, you'd think they'd focus on that, especially considering how rare it is in D.C. You'd think their PR people would push that to the forefront and milk that for a day or two of good feelings.

Instead, they bigfoot themselves leaking this announcement today, stomping all over the rare positive coverage they'd get with the Zimmerman award.

How farkin clueless are these guys?

The cynical side in me thinks they want to combine the pressers so they don't have to have the lights on at the Stadium unnecessarily long.

Riggleman grew up in Rockville

Repoz, I'm surprised at you.

"Nats go back to Rockville, and waste another year."

Like most decisions, there's a choice involved here. Bobby Valentine potentially might have given the Nationals a higher profile in the local press. That might have paid off in ticket sales. I gather he's fairly media-genic. Riggleman may have been cheaper, but he's there, he appears to be working no worse than Mr Acta, he's a known quantity. Stability is like those league-average pitchers who give you 200 IP per season: It's often undervalued by 'outsiders'.

If I were the Nationals, I'd want a manager like Ralph Houk was during the 1970s Tigers. A good soldier who would manage the transition from a group of veterans to a new generation, in very difficult circumstances, and who would go quietly when the task was accomplished.

If I had a cynical side like Chris, I'd take issue with the 'never seriously considered' line. This fits in with Nationals' standard practice of playing politics in the mephitic air of Your Nation's Capital. Bobby V might have rejected their offer for some reason or another; so they pretend he was never under consideration.

Retaining Riggleman is a essentially an uninspired choice, but I guess the Nats have succeeded in provoking disinterest, rather than frustration, from me with this choice. He's a fine guy to have on hand when you have no aspirations of winning. (To that end, he might've been the better choice than Acta a few years ago.)

(And as an RM graduate, it is kind of nice to have a fellow Rocket guiding the Nats.)

Huh. Another RM grad right here. What year? IB?

better to use the money it would taken to hire a big-name manager and use it to boost payroll, either through free agents or trades

The Nats have a $60 million dollar payroll for 2009. For some reason I can only get the 2007 salaries off of Cots for managers:

Joe Torre, NYY $7.5 million
Lou Piniella, CHC $3.5 million
Bobby Cox, ATL $3 million
Tony La Russa, STL $2.8 million
Mike Scioscia, LAA $2 million
Jim Leyland, DET $2 million
Bruce Bochy, SF $1.75 million
Terry Francona, BOS $1.65 million
Phil Garner, HOU $1.5 million
Willie Randolph, NYM $1.4 million
Mike Hargrove, SEA $1.3 million
Ron Gardenhire, MIN $1.25 million
Ozzie Guillen, CHW $1.1 million
Eric Wedge, CLE $1.025 million
Jim Tracy, PIT $1 million
Bob Melvin, ARI $875,000
Buddy Bell, KC $825,000
Ned Yost, MIL $825,000
Clint Hurdle, COL $800,000
Charlie Manuel, PHI $800,000
Jerry Narron, CIN $600,000
Grady Little, LAD $600,000
Sam Perlozzo, BAL $600,000
Ron Washington, TEX $600,000
Joe Maddon, TAM $550,000
John Gibbons, TOR $500,000
Manny Acta, WAS $500,000
Bob Geren, OAK $500,000

I dunno, Terry Francona and Phil Garner probably qualify as big-name managers, and the difference between them and the minimum is a cool one BILLION dollars! Oh wait. I mean one million dollars. Pump it up a bit to a Scioscia and you've got 1.5 million. Who exactly are you going to get for that 1.5 million that's TRULY going to make a difference?

Am I missing something that would make me calling bulllshitt on this quoted statement incorrect?