On the same day that Matt Williams and staff was released, we are being told that the members of the training staff like John Philbin who was not under contract for 2016 was also sent away with no answer on his future along with head trainer Lee Kuntz who had been with the Nats since 2007 and Steve Gober the assistant trainer who has been with the organization since the start and actually came from the Expos. We are being told they will all not be back with the team. There is still no resolution with contracted team doctors like Wiemi Douoguih who is an Orthopaedic Surgeon and appears he will be replaced for next season with a new medical team.
As we look around it might only be Mike “Wally” Wallace who runs the clubhouse and his likeable clubhouse assistants who might be returning with the players.
Our source said that the WaPo article that came out last weekend about the training staff only tells part of the story, and a major issue goes back to last year with Jayson Werth’s shoulder that was bothering him near the end of the 2014 season and through the playoffs when Jayson only went 1-17 while playing with the hurt shoulder. Jayson worked on rehabbing the shoulder after the playoffs and when that didn’t work he opted for the surgery which did not happen until January 2015 and our sources tell us his discontent for the training staff started there on his rehab and “rushing” him back too soon from the surgery. Whether you can tie the training staff not returning to Jayson’s rehab could just be a coincidence as this training staff has been criticized before for misdiagnosis and too many core muscle injuries and the preventative types of injuries to hamstring pulls. Our source tells us to expect a new training staff and a new medical group with much input from Jayson Werth.
From the weekend: Nats dismiss athletic training staff http://t.co/Y0MSvZjNod
— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) October 19, 2015
Injuries happen but the Nats injuries were devastating missing 2/3rds of the starting outfield (Werth and Span) on Opening Day and MVP candidate Anthony Rendon. Ryan Zimmerman it was later revealed had chronic plantar fasciitis and then there were the recurring neck/back issues with Stephen Strasburg. Stammen was lost to a flexor tendon injury that required surgery, and the list goes on and on.
On the managerial search front we have been told by another source that Dusty Baker was impressive in his interview and is considered a finalist as we reported earlier. Somewhat surprising news and Baker joins Bud Black as a finalist. The Nats were impressed with Wotus, Gardenhire, and other candidates and they still hope to have some conversation with Mattingly and Dave Martinez and possibly one or two more but no plans to meet with anyone new in person. There have been other candidates who have been interviewed in the process that were somewhat surprising like Andy Green who Rizzo scouted and drafted as a player with the Arizona Diamondbacks and former Expo, Tim Wallach.
On MASN news, Bob Carpenter’s contract which was set to expire on October 31, 2015 has been renewed for another year. His new boss at MASN did not wait past Carp’s contract expiration like her predecessor had done. FP and Kolko set for their new contracts shortly.
