Nats hire Leeds United's Sharman as part of medical revamp
WASHINGTON (AP) The Washington Nationals have hired British soccer club Leeds United's Harvey Sharman as executive director of medical services, part of a revamping of the way the baseball team addresses player health issues.
Sharman, a physiotherapist, was Leeds United's director of sports medicine/science the past eight years.
The Nationals also announced Tuesday they are forming a medical services advisory board as part of their efforts to use analytics to try to ''thwart potential injurious situations,'' the team said in a news release.
That board will include Robin West, the Nationals' new lead team physician; board chairman Keith Pyne; and assistant general manager Bob Miller.
Among the staff changes: Paul Lessard was hired as director of athletic training after six seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, where he worked with new Nationals manager Dusty Baker, and Dale Gilbert was hired as an athletic trainer after five seasons with the Texas Rangers.
