Hometowns: Jim Riggleman Comes Home

November 15, 2008

By AllStarsPlus

After the Nationals parted ways with Frank Robinson after the 2006 season, I personally called Stan Kasten to throw out a name that may not have been on his list—Jim Riggleman. Stan said that Jim was already on his short list, but as we know the Nationals got Manny Acta so it was great to hear last month that Jim was tabbed as Manny’s Bench Coach. My first call was to Jim’s family to extend my “Congrats”, but Jim’s brother said it wasn’t a done deal as the Seattle manager’s job, if offered, would keep Jim in Seattle. Yesterday, the Mariners said Jim would not return to Seattle so now it’s official, Jim Riggleman will now be the Bench Coach for the Washington Nationals! For the first time in Jim’s pro career he will be back in his hometown.

Flashback to 1998 when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire smashed more Home Runs combined (136) than the entire Nationals team did in 2008 (117). Okay, maybe Andro and some other powerful vitamins and supplements (sarcastic) played a part, but the man leading the Cubs to the playoffs that year was Rockville, Maryland’s own Jim Riggleman. The man knows baseball.

You know the old saying it isn’t what you know, but who you know? Jim’s little brother Jody worked for me back then so we had the “family and friends” route to travel with the Cubs and hang out in Wrigley and sleep in Jim’s Chicago apartment and have a post-game brew with Jim. The highlight was sitting in the Cubs dugout and walking on the field and talking with Sammy Sosa. You talk about fun! We would jump on Southwest Airlines in the morning and catch an afternoon game and then fly back the next game.

Now Jim’s family and friends only have to travel down I270 to the Shady Grove Metro to watch Jim in the dugout.

Jim knows fundamental baseball, and most of his career he has been associated with teams far less talented than our Washington Nationals so he will be a great advisor from the bench to Manny. Jim also knows discipline in the old school sense even if the player is your STAR and Jim has also been the “fall guy” in the 1999 season that had key injuries like the Nats. Read this from Billy Williams book:

“More Tales from the Cubs Dugout“

Jim, Welcome Home!

Posted in Baseball - General, Front Office, MLB, Washington Nationals