Nationals Notebook: Players Know Acta's Future Is Up to Them

NEW YORK, June 16 -- The Washington Nationals, so long as they keep playing like the Washington Nationals, have no right to expect much stability or certainty. Those in the clubhouse -- and even those in the front office -- know this. They know that wins, and only wins, will afford their manager a sliver of job security.

Washington's players insisted on Tuesday that recent speculation about Manny Acta's impending firing have not disrupted the ballclub, or undermined Acta's ability to manage. Players described Acta's tenuous job security as a simple and understandable fact -- unfortunate, and up to them to change. Even a public statement of support would do little good, some players said, without an upswing in performance.

"I've been in this league before, and you see it the other way, too," catcher Josh Bard said. "I've had times when management says about the manager, 'Hey, we couldn't be happier with him.' And then two days later he's fired. So you never know. Obviously you don't want to see anybody lose their job, but we have to go out and play. Rumors won't change our preparation. We have to play better. I think sometimes you forget in this league that everybody's job is on the line all the time."

"We've been through that stuff all year," Ryan Zimmerman said. "If we keep playing the game the right way like we have been doing, hopefully things will turn around for us. But do I rush here every day and read the paper to see what's going on [with Acta]? Absolutely not."

When a Fox Sports report on Saturday suggested that Acta's firing was imminent -- and already decided -- Acta spoke immediately thereafter with acting general manager Mike Rizzo and President Stan Kasten, who assured him that the report was inaccurate. But even that assurance does not solidify Acta's job, which now survives on a series-by-series basis.

"It's certainly uncomfortable with the speculation," Rizzo said. "Names are being bandied about of replacements and we haven't even discussed it with the current manager. He's still our manager. We support him. And all the reports that happened over the weekend, I don't know where those reports come from."

But, since the reports surfaced, neither Acta nor members of the team's front office have addressed the matter with the players. Asked if he thought the rumors would disrupt the clubhouse, Acta said, simply, "It hasn't yet."