BASEBALL

Nationals fire Acta

07-14-2009 | AP

Panama Star WASHINGTON. So much for the plan to have Manny Acta's patient optimism lead the Washington Nationals out of the doldrums. The abysmal won-loss record became too much to stomach, costing him his job at the All-Star break and adding another layer of instability to the worst team in baseball.

Acta was fired Sunday night after the team reached the unofficial halfway mark of the season with a 26-61 record, on pace to clear the 100-loss mark for the second consecutive year. Acting general manager Mike Rizzo — himself an interim placeholder — confirmed Acta's dismissal Monday morning in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

"I thank the Nationals for giving me this opportunity and I'm sorry that things didn't work out as expected," Acta told ESPNdeportes.com. "It's normal for the manager to pay the price when the team is not doing well."

The Nationals made the announcement Monday morning, confirming what took place Sunday night after the team returned from the All-Star break. Acta was fired with a 26-61 record, the worst in the baseball, and bench coach Jim Riggleman was chosen the interim replacement.

Riggleman has managed the Padres, Cubs and Mariners, compiling a 522-652 record over nine seasons.

Acta joins Colorado's Clint Hurdle and Arizona's Bob Melvin as major league managers who have been fired this season.

Acta was 158-252 over 2 1/2 seasons in his first managerial job, and the team's winning percentage dropped progressively from Year 1 until now, although his record had much to do with the talent — or lack thereof — assembled for him by the front office. The Nationals opened this season without anything close to a reliable bullpen and fielded a lineup with numerous defensive liabilities. For a while, the starting pitching rotation consisted of four rookies and one second-year player.

Not surprisingly, the Nationals' 5.21 ERA is by far the worst in the National League, and their 82 errors are the most in baseball. The team's only All-Star, third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, already has 12 errors, and the strain of endless losing began to show among many in the players in the form of fundamental mistakes in the field and at the plate.

Acta, however, remained upbeat, always preaching patience and emphasizing the importance of keeping an even keel — so much so that some wondered whether he needed to show more fire and perhaps be more critical publicly when his players made mistakes.

Acta had managed eight seasons in the minors and five in the Dominican Winter League, and he led the Dominican Republic to the semifinals at the 2006 World Baseball Classic.