WASHINGTON 鈥� The Washington Nationals are set to name Bud Black as their new manager, according to multiple sources. The development was first reported by .
An official announcement will likely not come until after the World Series.
Black parted ways with the San Diego Padres in June after managing the team for parts of nine seasons. He was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2010. Black also won a World Series as a player for Kansas City in 1985, and as a coach in 2002 in Anaheim.
The Nationals have been searching for a replacement manager after earlier this month following two seasons with the club. Members of Williams鈥� coaching staff were also let go.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to bring in a group of people with diverse backgrounds, diverse experiences and diverse skill sets. And I think that鈥檚 something we did not do last time,鈥澛燦ationals GM Mike Rizzo said at the time. 鈥淟ast time we brought in managing candidates with little or no managerial experience.鈥�
Black has a reputation for being able to communicate well with players, and he will be tasked with bringing the Nationals together after a disappointing 83-79 season.
Chelsea Janes, of The Washington Post, says that Black鈥檚 communication skills, experience and attitude make it likely that he鈥檒l 鈥渇it in sooner than later.鈥�
Black鈥檚 Padres only had two winning seasons, and no playoff runs, with the Padres, but Janes tells 草莓传媒 that other factors were at work.
鈥淪hort of this year, when the Padres reloaded, Black was dealing with basically one of the lowest payrolls in baseball, one of the smallest talent pools in baseball, every year, and really built them into a team that wasn鈥檛 going to be beat down,” she says.
She claims that his teams, which finished third in each of his last two full seasons, outperformed expectations.
鈥淭hey fight, no matter what kind of talent level they have.鈥�
Janes thinks Black 鈥渂rings all the things they were looking for in terms of experience and communication 鈥� some of the things that maybe they saw lacking over the last year.鈥�
Black is likely to interact more closely with the players, Janes says, and as a former pitcher, he鈥檒l have a different approach to the bullpen. As for the hitters, that鈥檚 not Black鈥檚 forte, Janes says, but Black鈥檚 been around long enough.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got a lot of friends in the game, a lot of connections, and I鈥檓 sure he鈥檒l bring in a really proven guy to work with those guys,鈥� she says.
Fans will also notice 鈥渁 little bit more personality鈥� in pre- and postgame news conferences, Janes says 鈥� Black will be 鈥渕aybe a little bit looser … That鈥檚 part of why people think he鈥檚 such a good manager 鈥� just the vibe he brings, and the positivity and the confidence.鈥�
After speaking with some of Black鈥檚 former players, Janes says they told her, that “he鈥檚 just a communicator.
“He鈥檚 really good with veterans about saying 鈥楬ey, if you can鈥檛 go today, we need you the full season. Take a rest today; we鈥檒l get you back in there.鈥� Just kind of feeling them out and understanding where they are health-wise.鈥�
That鈥檚 important after an injury-riddled season such as the Nats just had, she adds.
