San Francisco Giants: Top 7 candidates to replace Bruce Bochy

4. Matt Williams

The San Francisco front office could always look toward an option that has plenty of history with the Giants. If they opt to go that route, Matt Williams might be a top choice.

Williams spent the majority of his seventeen-year playing career with the San Francisco Giants. He’s a five-time all-star, a four-time gold glover, and a four-time silver slugger. Plus, he snagged himself a World Series ring with the Diamondbacks in 2001.

He had his best years with the Giants, combining elite defense with pop that landed him in the MVP discussion in several different years.

In 2014, he was offered a position as manager with the Washington Nationals and quickly found success, leading the team to a 96-win season. The team would ultimately fall to the Giants in the NLDS.

Williams would win the National League Manager of the Year.

In his second season, the Nationals were a heavy World Series favorite, but ended up missing the playoffs entirely. As a result, Williams got the axe. He’d finish a brief stint as manager after just two full seasons.

Now a third base coach with the A’s, Williams still has his name tossed around as a possible manager option.

He’d surely fit right into the culture of the San Francisco Giants, and he’d be happily embraced by fans who want to preserve some level of nostalgia.

But there might be some limitations on what Williams could offer the team if he’s in charge. He may be best slated as a first or third base coach, and he’s demonstrated — in a very brief sample size — that he hasn’t been able to handle pressure especially well.

Several players anonymously spoke about Matt Williams’ ability to manage, calling the atmosphere poor — “it’s a terrible atmosphere…everybody feels that way.”

East coast media and the relentless Washington fans didn’t take it easy on Williams as they fell behind in the NL East race against the New York Mets. Williams made some questionable decisions that many felt cost the team.

The shortcomings of the team shouldn’t squarely fall on Williams, but they are worth noting. Poise is a huge aspect of being a leader in the clubhouse. If he lacks that, then maybe his limitations are as a coach.

But if the San Francisco Giants do choose to take a chance on one of their own, Williams would surely get a fresh slate with a much more supportive environment around him.

The situation with the Nationals was doomed from the start; the players were surely restless and frustrated from their inability to take the team to the next level.

In San Francisco, there’d be a bit more patience. Perhaps that’s all Williams would need to flourish.