More MLB: Scoreboard | Standings | Probable Pitchers | Sortable Stats | Odds
It's been both anticipated and expressly stated that this is Davey Johnson's final season as manager of the Nationals. However, the Nats' thoroughly disappointing 2013 to date has led some to speculate Johnson may be let go during the season. Now, GM Mike Rizzo is here to shoot down those rumors. According to the Associated Press, Rizzo says there's "no chance that he won't be the manager until the end of the season."
It's reasonable to be suspicious of such votes of confidence, especially after the team fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein this week. Still, Rizzo sounds pretty emphatic, double-negative notwithstanding.
Johnson is without question one of the great managers of his era, but the reality is that the Nats opened play Saturday four games below .500 at 50-54 and 8 1/2-games out of playoff position. For a team that was a heavy pennant favorite coming into the season, that's very disappointing.
For what it's worth, CoolStandings.com presently gives Johnson's Nationals a 3.6-percent chance of making the playoffs.
