Though it is unclear if Washington’s new ownership made the following hire with any intent of pissing off Peter Angelos, such considerations couldn’t have possibly hurt former Mets skipper Davey Johnson’s chances. From the Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga.
In a move that will further prepare the Washington Nationals for what could be a flurry of deals before the July 31 trade deadline, General Manager Jim Bowden yesterday hired former major league manager Davey Johnson (above) as a special consultant who will scout players both inside and outside the Nationals’ system.
“Our scouting department’s thin,” Bowden said. “We needed some more experienced eyes, a wise baseball guy with good judgment to help us on some of these deals.”
While specifically addressing the trade market, the move to hire Johnson, even for the short-term, could immediately lead to speculation on several fronts. It could suggest that Bowden, whose contract expires at the end of this season, is secure in his job even as ownership of the franchise shifts from Major League Baseball to a group headed by real estate mogul Theodore N. Lerner.
Stan Kasten, the incoming president of the team, said the hiring of Johnson indicates no such thing. He wouldn’t address Bowden’s status.
“I am simply not talking about that subject,” Kasten said. “This was Jim’s decision. I knew about it, and I approve of it.”