The End of Many Errors

Hmm, who was the most incompetent coach/manager fired today? Well, we can start with Matt Williams. I’m very disappointed. I was looking forward to the inevitable incident next year in which Williams asked Bryce Harper to bunt a runner from second to third with one out on a 3-0 count, popped it up, was stabbed three times in the dugout by Jon Papelbon for NOT PLAYING THE GAME THE RIGHT WAY, Papelbon was arrested after being sent in to pitch the next inning, and Lee Judge argues that while of course Harper deserved the stabbing it should have been done in the clubhouse by Ryan Zimmerman.

The Nationals were probably right to keep Rizzo, although his decision to hire Williams in the first place was foolish.* Meanwhile, enjoy this article about the Nationals unraveling, and this recounting some of Williams’s greatest hits.

But how about we also give it up for Mr. Joe Philbin? (I also urge Ryan Tannehill to record “ENJOY YOUR PRACTICE SQUAD PAYCHECK!” as a ringtone.) With the Rams yesterday assisting in making my assessment of the NFC West look a little less stupid, I should acknowledge that my picking the Dolphins second in the division was really dumb at the time. I of all people should have realized that the team was not going to realize its potential with a coach inexplicably kept after two straight years of underachievement. And while Philbin didn’t deserve to keep his job, if you aren’t committed enough to a coach to keep him after a bad 4-game start you shouldn’t have let him start the year.

While we’re discussing AFC East coaching, it really looks like the Jets made a good hire with Bowles. Getting Rex Ryan’s defensive mind without the ludicrous number of stupid penalties is a coup.

*I’m sure that, say, Willie Randolph and Dusty Baker would be thrilled to read about the “process” that led to the hiring of a completely unqualified candidate. “Well, I knew him in Arizona and he seemed very gritty and hardnosed.”