Stan Kasten leaving the Nationals Nationals Team President Stan Kasten, the chief executive who helped the Lerner family take ownership of the Nationals, oversaw the building of Nationals Park and guided the Nationals for parts of five seasons, announced his resignation, effective at the end of the season, this afternoon. Kasten reached his decision at the end of the 2009 season and informed Principal Owner Ted Lerner. Kasten is not retiring, but he chose to leaves the Nationals, he said, for reasons pertaining only to his best interests and not any fracture or disagreement with ownership. "I know the stories and speculation," Kasten said. "Let me assure you, this is just about me. This has nothing to do with anybody else or anything else. This is just about me, what's good for me, for my family and my own personal expectations, goals, aspirations, purely that and nothing else. Leaving here, will I miss things? You bet. There's going to be so much that I miss." The Nationals have not announced their plan to replace Kasten, or even if they will replace him with someone in a similar role. In January, at which point the Nationals knew Kasten would be leaving, they hired Andrew Feffer as chief operating officer. Rather than hiring another president, the Nationals could place Feffer in charge of Kasten's non-baseball duties and General Manager Mike Rizzo -- the first person Kasten hired -- in charge of the franchise's baseball operations. "He was much more involved than most of the team presidents I've worked with," Rizzo said. "Because he knows the game inside and out. He knows players. He knows personality. And he knows talent. He was very active in our offices. We're going to have to fill a void. I'm going to have to employ the things he taught me to take over and to take on the responsibility. I think that I've been well-trained for it." Kasten's experience and expertise will be missed. He helped build the Atlanta Braves dynasty in the 1990s and with the Nationals often advised Nationals ownership toward a less frugal approach, advice not always taken. Publicly, Kasten was an ever-vigilant guard dog for the Lerner family, defending and advocating for them at every turn. "Over his tenure he has positioned the Nationals to become one of the most exciting franchises in baseball and we thank him for all that he has accomplished," Lerner said in a statement. "We certainly respect his decision to pursue other interests at the end of the regular season, but will continue to call upon him for his vast knowledge of the game, the league and the franchise." Kasten declined to elaborate on his future but said, "I want to do something." His broad experience -- he has also run NBA and NHL teams -- gives him near-limitless possibilities. His name will likely surface as a candidate to replace MLB commissioner Bud Selig, who is leaving his post after the 2012 season. Today, Kasten met with the Nationals player in the clubhouse and tears welled in his eyes as he spoke. In an 18-minute meeting with the media, Kasten wore sunglasses to conceal any tears and became most emotional when he speaking about Washington and the bond he has created with the city. He will maintain his home in the area and visit frequently, he said. "Anything I could to continue to play a role in doing good things for the city," Kasten said, voice cracking, "I'd be thrilled to." Kasten's last day of work will be next Wednesday, the final home game of the season. Rizzo said he has worked with him every single day of his tenure with the Nationals. "Never a dull moment," he said --

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