FWIW Ken Davidoff today says that the Nationals are interested in Randolph as either their bench coach or third base coach. ] Here's a duo of National League East events that could happen -- without dramatically stretching reality -- in the next year: 1. The Nationals get off to a poor start in 2009 and fire manager Manny Acta, replacing him with their third-base coach Willie Randolph. 2. The Mets miss the 2009 playoffs and fire manager Jerry Manuel, replacing him with Acta. Midweek Insider has learned that the Nationals, who fired five coaches upon the conclusion of the 2008 season, are interested in hiring Randolph as either Acta's bench coach or third-base coach. Randolph is due $2.25 million from the Mets in 2009, but friends say he is anxious to get back to work, as he very much wants to manage again. He'll probably wait out the Seattle and Milwaukee situations, to make sure he doesn't miss an opportunity to interview for a managerial opening. Randolph has interviewed with the Brewers twice and enjoys a strong relationship with Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin. If those teams choose other managers, Randolph might very well join the Nationals. And that would be a situation fraught with irony. For during Randolph's three-plus years leading the Mets, it was Acta who served as his greatest threat. Acta coached third base under Randolph in 2005 and 2006, and everyone knew Acta was Omar Minaya's hire, rather than Randolph's. When Acta left the Mets to manage Washington, he maintained such a good relationship with the Mets that team officials have often lined up to hug him prior to Mets-Nationals games