The book from 2009, “Either You’re In or You’re In The Way“, by the Miller brothers, was a best seller. The quote by Washington Nationals’ general manager Mike Rizzo had a slightly different phrasing when he said it after the trade deadline in 2018. Rizzo’s variation has been painted on the wall between the clubhouse and the dugout in Nationals Park. If you did not know the original meaning, you might take it with a different context. Certainly nicer than saying, “My way or the highway.”

The original Rizzo quote was referring to players who weren’t fully bought into the clubhouse culture at the time and had to go. When the team cut ties with Shawn Kelley over a mound meltdown when he spiked his glove, Kelley’s agent, Mike McCann, told ESPN that he was hoping his manager, Dave Martinez, would have argued on his behalf.

One thing about Martinez is that he doesn’t argue often on any player’s behalf. You might question if the Nats’ manager should more aggressively stand up for his players. We sourced last month one player who wasn’t happy about it. Martinez is not that manager who will get on an umpire unless something really sets him off. A missed strike or ball rarely gets an eyebrow raised by Martinez. The Nats for years have been one of the most victimized teams by umpire mistakes. But some point out that the Nats also have the worst tandem of catchers in regards to framing pitches.

In today’s game, two key strikes were missed on Juan Soto — strikes that were there all game for the Mets pitchers. Let’s face it, Soto gets calls that other batters do not get. Nats fans know that — but maybe if Martinez yelled at homeplate ump Chad Whitson after the first one, pitcher Michael Soroka gets the call in the 3-2 count and the inning would have ended on a strike ’em out/throw ’em out double play.

Because Soto walked, the inning continued, and two batters later, Jeff McNeil hit a 3-run homer. The Nats lost the game 4-3. Again, the outcome might have been different if Whitson called either pitch 1 or pitch 6 as a strike. The irony is in the 9th inning, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza went after Whitson on a low pitch that was below Nathaniel Lowe‘s knees for a 4-pitch walk.

As of today, the Nationals are stuck in a 5-game losing streak. Every time they get close to the .500 mark, they seem to slide backwards.

Besides having the worst catching defense in the Majors, the Nats overall defense is the worst in baseball. Then you throw in the poor umpiring on nearly a daily basis where the Nats never seem to come out on top. But it is also the impact. If you miss a 3-0 pitch and call it a strike, it isn’t the same as a 3-2 strike called a ball and awarded a walk like the Soto situation.

How much of an effect does Martinez’s passive dugout demeanor have on the adrenaline level and the energy of this team? Many teams take on the personality of its leaders. Is this something or nothing to be concerned about?