ESPN is confirming today that Willie Randolph – the former manager of the New York Mets, and a strong contender for the open managerial position in Milwaukee – has turned down an offer to become the Nationals’ third base coach for the upcoming season. Newsday writer Ken Davidoff believed that the move was more of a Plan B for 2009, for a scenario in which the Nats start slow and current manager Manny Acta gets fired. According to the ESPN report, Randolph is holding out for the Brewers job; if he doesn’t get the gig, though, he won’t be too upset – if he doesn’t get another job this season, the Mets will be forced to pay him more than $2 million. The Nats did hire five new coaches after Randolph turned them down.