Bo Porter's hiring as Nationals new 3B coach obliterates the early 2011 World Series odds

(Bo Porter appears to be a capable addition to Jim Riggleman's coaching staff, judging by this photo. Photo via Newscom.)

"I had a very long conversation with Bo yesterday. Before that, Mike's conversations with him were some philosophical, some contractual, Bo is clearly the choice for both of us."
(Jim Riggleman, via Ben Goessling/MASNSports.com, 11/2/2010)

And so the Nationals have hired a replacement for former third-base coach Pat Listach: Bo Porter.

Now, maybe Nationals Enquirer staff knows nothing about Porter, but the rest of Jim Riggleman's 2010 coaching staff returns intact: John McLaren (bench coach), Steve McCatty (pitching coach), Jim Lett (bullpen coach), Rick Eckstein (hitting coach), and Dan Radison (first base).

Meanwhile, via Hardball Talk: online gambling site BoDog.com has released its earlybird odds for the 2011 World Series; with the Nationals sitting at 80/1 odds to win it all. Unfortunately for BoDog, the news of Porter's hiring by the Nationals came after the odds were set, obliterating the early odds: bet the house on it, NatsTown!

After the jump, the complete text of the press release from the Nationals earlier this afternoon, announcing the Porter hiring and the return of Riggleman's Listachless 2011 coaching staff:

 
NATIONALS ANNOUNCE 2011 COACHING STAFF
Bo Porter joins Jim Riggleman’s staff as third base coach 

The Washington Nationals today announced that bench coach John McLaren, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Eckstein, first base coach Dan Radison and bullpen coach Jim Lett will return next season. The Nationals also announced Bo Porter will join field manager Jim Riggleman’s staff as third base coach. Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.
 
Eckstein and McCatty return for their third seasons on the Nationals coaching staff, while McLaren, Radison and Lett will be entering their second campaigns in Washington.
 
Porter joins the Nationals after spending the 2010 campaign on Arizona’s coaching staff, first as third base coach before being elevated to bench coach upon Kirk Gibson being named Diamondbacks manager on July 3. Porter returns to the NL East, where he served as the Marlins’ third base coach and outfield/base running instructor from 2007-09. While in Florida, Porter worked extensively with current Nationals left fielder Josh Willingham. Porter played portions of three big league season with Chicago (NL), Oakland and Texas from 1999-2001.
 
Last month, the Nationals announced that Riggleman would return in 2011 for a third season as Nationals field manager.
 

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Comments

[Dwight]

I have no idea what "Bo Porter's hiring as Nationals new 3B coach obliterates the early 2011 World Series odds" means. Is it serious? joking? either way, does it mean the odds improved with his hiring or diminished? Not at all clear to this reader.

[The Nationals Enquirer]

Dwight: Good questions. The title of the post was meant to suggest somewhat lightheartedly that the hiring of Bo Porter as Nationals 3rd base coach would throw the early World Series odds (released yesterday on an online gambling website) into disarray, that somehow the Nationals odds of winning the 2011 WS had suddenly improved so greatly that it blew up the aforementioned early odds, perhaps vaulting the Nationals to 2/1 favorites or something. In hindsight, the title of the post is both misleading and admittedly not very funny.