Nats Make Additions to Front Office; Managerial Decision Is on Hold
Jim Riggleman, above, has "got as good a chance as anybody" to land the managerial job, said Mike Rizzo.
(By Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)
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Friday, October 16, 2009
The Washington Nationals on Thursday made official a series of front-office additions, and though General Manager Mike Rizzo isn't necessarily finished with high-level organizational changes, he now feels comfortable turning his attention to the team's managerial opening.
"The [managerial] search is going to begin a little more seriously in the very near future," Rizzo said, "but I wanted to make sure we got these vital hirings in the front office [first]."
In the last few days, the Nationals have added three members to their front office. Roy Clark, the longtime Atlanta Braves scouting director, will serve as vice president of player personnel. (He'll be Rizzo's de facto right-hand man, helping with the 2010 draft, scouting potential free agents, and evaluating the team's own talent.) Johnny DiPuglia, formerly the Red Sox international scouting coordinator, will take a job as Washington's director of Latin American operations. Lastly, Doug Harris, previously an advance scout with the Cleveland Indians, will serve as Washington's director of player development.
In addition, Kris Kline was promoted to scouting director after Dana Brown left for Toronto.
Rizzo acknowledged that the front office changes were his "first concern," and the time needed for those moves could delay a decision on the team's next manager until after the postseason.
Speaking about the managerial search, Rizzo said, "We're in the midst of making phone calls and whittling down a longer list to a more manageable list. . . . We've got a terrific in-house candidate in Jim Riggleman who's got as good a chance as anybody." Rizzo hinted that the process might also be delayed by the club's interest in speaking with candidates whose teams are still in the postseason.
Clark -- who has been credited with helping the Braves land Yunel Escobar, Tommy Hanson, Brian McCann and Adam Wainwright -- had been with the Braves for exactly 20 years, starting as an area scout. Why did he make the jump? "Well, first of all, I was very, very happy in Atlanta, where I've been for a long time," he said. "But [Washington] kind of reminds me of the situation in Atlanta, back when I came to work there in October of '89."
