Nationals’ staff includes former Hargrove assistant

By David Driver
Posted: November 20, 2009

The Washington Nationals announced their coaching staff Friday, eight days after Rockville native and Frostburg State graduate Jim Riggleman was named manager for the 2010 season. Rick Eckstein (hitting coach), Steve McCatty (pitching) and Pat Listach (third base) will return while John McLaren was named bench coach, Jim Lett was named bullpen coach and Dan Radison was named first base coach.

McLaren replaced Mike Hargrove, the former Orioles’ skipper, as Seattle manager on July 2, 2007. McLaren hired Riggleman to be his bench coach in Seattle in 2008, and Riggleman finished the season as manager after McLaren was let go. McLaren has worked for Hargrove, Lou Pinella, Cito Gaston and Jimy Williams. He was a special assignment scout for Tampa Bay in 2009.

Radison might be familiar to fans of the Orioles’ minor league system. He managed against Bowie in the Eastern League as the manager of the Yankees’ affiliate from 1990-92 and again in 2000 with Norwich. Radison replaced Rick Down on June 6, 1990 as manager of Albany-Colonie in the Eastern League when Down was promoted to Triple-A Columbus to take the spot of Stump Merrill. Down was the hitting coach for the Orioles from 1996-98. Radison worked under Riggleman with the San Diego Padres and Chicago Cubs and spent the past three years in the minor league system of the Cardinals. Radison was an assistant coach at Old Dominon University in Norfolk, Va., from 1982-83. ODU is now, along with Towson, a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.

Riggleman was the interim manager for the Nationals for the last 75 games of the 2009 season. He replaced the fired Manny Acta, who will be the Cleveland manager in 2010.

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