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When last seen in the press box at Nationals Park - roughly six to seven weeks ago I reckon - Davey Johnson sat down and talked about how much Jim Riggleman's style of managing reflected his own. That's a good thing, since it will make the transition all the more seamless.
Johnson hasn't managed a big league club since the Dodgers in 2000, but that's of little import. He's been around the Nationals quite a bit, so there won't be anyone he doesn't already know on the roster. I'll be interested in seeing what number he wears. He wore No. 5 with the Mets, but that digit wasn't available with the Orioles or Reds. His playing numbers were 6, 15 and 31, and they're all taken by current Nats players, but obviously, No. 5 is available.
What should fans expect from Johnson in the dugout? A few years ago a baseball researcher named Chris Jaffe wrote a book called "Evaluating Baseball Managers" (McFarland, 2009) that lays out some trends. In Johnson's case, it appears he's less likely to issue intentional walks, and likes to put runners in motion, though not necessarily a proponent of the stolen base. He's also not afraid to sacrifice defense for offense, but keep in mind Jaffe's conclusions tend to be hard and fast. I suspect Johnson's moves are option-based, depending upon what players he has at his disposal.
A new era of Nats baseball starts tonight on the left coast, but don't expect a lot you haven't seen before this season.
