Ex-Nationals manager Riggleman strikes a blow for freedom

On Thursday, the same day the Flyers traded Mike Richards to Los Angeles and Jeff Carter to Columbus - while the team's fans swapped their calcified loyalty for shock and, in some cases, open anger - a different and even more compelling drama was developing south of Philadelphia. How fitting that the saga unfolded in our nation's capital. There, in Washington, on a soupy summer day, an American hero was born.

Until recently, Jim Riggleman was merely the manager of the Washington Nationals. Today, he's so much more - he's a symbol to the mistreated masses, a national inspiration who stood up for himself and refused to be pushed around and taken for granted any longer.

If he ran for office, I'd vote for him. If his visage flew atop a flag pole, I'd salute.

Riggleman had the Nationals playing pretty well of late. On the fateful day in question, his club beat the Mariners, 1-0. It was Washington's 11th victory in 12 games, and it moved the Nationals - surprising owners of the best record in the National League to that point in June - above .500 for the first time in six seasons.

After the victory, Riggleman did what so many Americans have fantasized about after a difficult stretch at work: He marched into his boss' office and quit. If July 4 is a national holiday, June 23 should be as well. Riggleman's Individual Independence Day doubled as a blow landed on behalf of everyone who never had the guts to take that sort of bold swing.

Riggleman told reporters that, before the game, he asked general manager Mike Rizzo to "just have a conversation" about the manager's contract. Riggleman was working on a meager one-year deal worth $650,000 this season, with a club option worth $700,000 for 2012. Riggleman said Rizzo refused the request, at which point the manager felt he wasn't "the guy they want to go down the road with." And so he quit.

"It's been brewing for a while," Riggleman told an assembly of stunned reporters. "I know I'm not Casey Stengel, but I do feel like I know what I'm doing. It's not a situation where I felt like I should continue on such a short leash.

"To do this job, you have to feel there's a commitment to you. I didn't feel that. I just wanted to have a meeting in Chicago [on Friday]. They wouldn't do that."