The Astros are the only team currently looking for a manager, but within a few weeks there’s a good chance other MLB teams will be in the market for managers of their own. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports lists those who could be managing for their jobs between now and the end of the regular season. Here are the highlights…
- Joe Girardi of the Yankees is a good manager who doesn’t deserve to be fired, Rosenthal writes. However, Girardi’s job security will be in question if the Yankees don’t win the AL East.
- It’d be reasonable to ask if Jim Leyland got enough out of the Tigers roster if Detroit misses the postseason. The Tigers could decide it’s time for a change after seven seasons under Leyland, Rosenthal writes.
- Though Mike Scioscia is under contract through 2018, Angels owner Arte Moreno would be disappointed to miss the playoffs after an offseason of aggressive moves.
- The Dodgers will likely pursue a contract extension with manager Don Mattingly no matter how their season ends, Rosenthal reports.
- Bobby Valentine won’t be back in Boston. If the Red Sox can’t pry John Farrell away from the Blue Jays, they’ll have to look elsewhere for a replacement.
- Some Marlins people believe their season started deteriorating when Guillen spoke publicly about Fidel Castro in April. However, it appears more likely the Marlins will re-structure their front office than fire Guillen.
- Rosenthal suggests Terry Francona could be a fit in Cleveland if the Indians dismiss Manny Acta following their disappointing second half. Francona will likely have options elsewhere and he might be prohibitively expensive for Cleveland.
- Fredi Gonzalez probably won’t have to worry about his job security as long as the Braves make the playoffs.
It’s not Ozzie’s fault the “talent” did not perform. Hanley has not performed in LA with a better line up around him. Anibal is getting knocked out in Detroit, etc. Get the right talent evaluators.
He was also pressured to keep running Heath Bell and his gas can out in the 9th inning…
He hasn’t ripped the cover off the ball, but he has certainly played better and looks like a different person out there.
for a short spurt, yes. then he went back to not playing well again.
Girardi stays no matter what – but if he misses playoffs or knocked out early next year he is as good as gone. Then he can take the cub job from Sveum. You have to figure that once cubs get close Theo will go for big name in a year or two ( ok maybe 3 or 4)
Girardi was always my first choice for the Cubs gig, but I think Sveum has done a very nice job overall. The players are prepared, especially on defense, more than I have seen them for ages. He seems like a good manager for a young team that is going to be learning on the job. My only issue with him thus far is his constantly playing Luis Valbuena at third instead of Vitters. Vitters is, admittedly, playing awfully — but Luis Valbuena is not going to be a big part of anybody’s future and we need to see if there is anything to salvage with Vitters.
Considering how well he did with the young talent in Florida, Girardi might be just what the Cubs are looking for.
Definitely. However, his style doesn’t really fit with Cashman’s.
Uh, sure it does. All Cashman really wanted out of his manager is someone who wouldn’t blow out his bullpen every year. Girardi did him one better, creating solid-to-great bullpen arms out of scrap-heap pickups year after year.
I agree, that was one of the reasons I wanted him so much: He proved he can succeed with young guys in Florida and with veterans in New York. That’s perfect for a team taking a long-term view.
Sveum is good because Theo Epstein tells him what to do.
How about this: Girardi with the Cubs, Sveum goes to Boston (he was alledgedly a front-runner before Valentine came into the pic), Francona to the Yankees, Manny Acta to the Marlins.
i’d rather keep ozzie.
I really like that idea.
Terry Francona. Next manager of Yanks.
People who know baseball know that Francona, is at best, a mediocre manager. His successes in Boston was directly the result of him being a “yes” guy for the front office, in particular, for Theo Epstein, who ran the GM’s office. Very little happened in the BoSox clubhouse that didn’t have Theo’s prior approval. If Theo wasn’t in the stands watching he was in the home clubhouse throughout the entire season. Ben Cherington attempted to follow the Epstein model by hiring Dale Sveum, a “yes” guy, prior to spring training but his attempts to be Theo II were rebuffed by team president, Larry Lucchino. Lucchino hired Bobby Valentine because the team needed a leader and a disciplinarian in the club house. Cherington stayed in his office during most of 2012. Certainly, the Yanks Brian Cashman knows this. Cashman also knows the the Yanks are a very old team, hanging on, with a roster of journeymen and aging stars, hoping to outlast the surge of Baltimore’s Orioles. Unless they collapse, totally, the Yankees will make the playoffs, and Girardi will stay on as their manager in 2013.
worked out well
John Farrell has done poorly in Toronto. His 2012 team may lose 10 games more than the 81 they lost in 2011. Why would Boston want him? Bobby Valentine has not been given a valid opportunity to manage in Boston. He deserves a fair chance, with coaches of his own choosing, a supportive general manager, and the authority to choose and utilize his roster as he sees fit. I, for one, cannot believe that John Henry will dump Bobby after one season. It just doesn’t seem to me to be the respectable thing to do, despite the grumblings of fans looking for a scapegoat to blame for the team’s poor performance this season.
every pitcher was hurt, c’mon man
Both valentine and farrell cant be blamed for their teams record this year. Both teams were decimated with injuries throughout the entire year. A manager can only be fully and properly evaluated if he has all his players dispensible throughout the majority of the season. They should both be given another chance with a full and healthy roster
Farrell has had the opportunity to pick his own coaches. Plus his general manager has tried to work with him rather than undercut his efforts to manage the team in Toronto. Not so in Boston, where Bobby Valentine has been trying to manage with a knife stuck in his back, and hostile unresponsive coaches, since day one. Farrell would be very helpful to the Red Sox (and Valentine) were he to return to Fenway as the Red sox pitching coach in 2013.
For me, I don’t really think the Indians should can Manny Acta yet. Their starting pitching is still in shambles, their offense is laughable… why not let him manage next year, get rid of Chris Perez and start calling up whatever young talent they have? Then in 2014, get someone better?
The atlanta players seem to like fredi but that may be because he is so laid back. But this is two years in a row that the offense has died off. you would think he could get them fired up. As much as i like chipper he just dont seem like the kinda guy that can light a fire under his team mates. after seeing his all star game pep talk i believe this even more. i think they need somebody that will ride the players. Push them to the limits. I say all this from the comfort of my office. I could very well not have a clue about any of it
“offense has died” well at 4.4 runs per game this season they are tied for 3rd in the NL. “get them fired up” What is this the LLWS?
sound like wren last year pointing out that the braves had the 3rd best record in baseball half way through august. they are not playing like a team that averages 4.4 runs a game. the pitching has showed back up to a certain degree but this is the same ol thing as last year. and yes when the offense plays as poorly as they do then yeah they need fired up. most teams that have that leader to step up and get on the players to pick it up a notch
I say let Smoltzie or Glavine or even Murph take a turn at it.
I would like to see greg maddux get a chance to be pitching coach then if that goes well let him take over the club
The Braves need a manager who has been in a playoff situation before. Freddi Gonzales was picked by Bobby Cox and he doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing. Maybe Joe Girardi needs to go to Atlanta let Ryne Sandberg have his chance in Chicago and Bobby Valentine can go back to Japan.
Full of gems
Why isn’t Jim Tracy on the list? He has done a terrible job for the Rockies and they need to replace him.
Terry Francona will never be the manager of the Cleveland Indians. Why would he take that job when there would be other positions available? The Indians are a mess from the top down, and taking the job would be career suicide for him.
After watching the Tigers firsthand for many years without any homer glasses on, I for one can’t believe Leyland still has a job. With all the talent that team has, and with how pathetic the A.L. Central is the Tigers should be cleaning up.
After watching Leyland and the Tigers for many years without any homer glasses on, I for one can’t believe the man still has a job. With the amount of talent and money the Tigers have, in combination with the pathetically weak AL Central the Tigers should be playoff bound every year,