Nats Management Prefer to Keep a Monopoly on Embarrassment

↵Fresh off the debut of its alternate “Natinals” jersey on Friday, D.C.‘s Major League ball club continues to rebuild its reputation as a respectable organization. Via the excellent Big League Stew, Chico Harlan of the Washington Post reports that boss Manny Acta benched and fined Elijah Dukes for showing up five minutes late one day this week. What kept Dukes? Charity work with a local Little League program.↵↵⇥“He was late for work, he broke a team rule, and we are going to change the culture here -- regardless of how well a guy is playing,” Acta said. “And it was a bizarre situation, because he was doing something that we encourage our players to do: He was out in the community doing something for some Little League program and just showed up late to work. He was very remorseful about it. He felt bad, but we have to lay the law on whoever.”↵↵I’m sure this comes from a leadership book Acta read over the summer. “Rule No. 257 to Changing the Culture of Your Organization: Punctuality is more important than humanity. Motive and apology mean nothing when the sanctity of discipline is at risk.”↵