Team president Stan Kasten will temporarily assume the duties of general manager for the Washington Nationals after the departure of Jim Bowden.
Team president Stan Kasten will temporarily assume the duties of general manager for the Washington Nationals after the departure of Jim Bowden.
He made the announcement yesterday at a staff meeting at the team’s spring-training home, Space Coast Stadium. The timing of Bowden’s departure was awkward, as the team enters spring training with the need to perform and impress fans back home.
In addition, Kasten will need to address some key personnel issues and may use the occasion of Bowden’s departure to clean house. Many in the Nationals front office were hired by Bowden and have a certain loyalty to him. One of Kasten’s major decisions will be whether to make as few waves as possible or use the Bowden departure as a reason to bring in a new GM, who would then bring in their own assistants and scouts.
Wearing multiple hats is second nature to Kasten, who as an employee of Ted Turner was president of the Atlanta Braves and GM of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. At the time Kasten made what was his best decision ever as a front-office exec: he brought in Kansas City’s John Schuerholz as GM. Nats fans are hoping he makes the same kind of decision.
Kasten is expected to address the open GM position later in the week. Assistant GM Mike Rizzo is still expected to be considered at that time.
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