10:49pm: Frisaro tweets that there are rumors within the industry that the Marlins could hire former star catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Rodriguez, a hero for the Marlins’ 2003 World Series team, retired as a player in 2012.
10:10pm: The Marlins’ next manager will be someone currently in the organization, Frisaro tweets. It doesn’t appear it will be Butler or Conine, and a source tells Frisaro he’ll be “shocked” when he hears who it is. Frisaro speculates that it could be Andre Dawson or Tony Perez, both of whom are special assistants to president David Samson. Heyman adds (via Twitter) that the new hire will be someone “outside the box” who hasn’t been widely discussed tonight.
8:43pm: It also isn’t Ron Washington, tweets Heyman, who also tweets that it won’t be Bobby Valentine or Bo Porter.
6:24pm: Butler will not be the Marlins’ next manager, sources tell Frisaro (via Twitter).
6:20pm: The Marlins have not been in touch with former Giants and Reds skipper Dusty Baker, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets.
5:05pm: Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald reports the Marlins are eyeing candidates with previous MLB managerial experience and names former Astros manager and current Braves third base coach Bo Porter and Ron Roenicke, who was dismissed by the Brewers two weeks ago, as possibilities who fit the bill.
2:44pm: The Marlins have announced on Twitter they have fired manager Mike Redmond. Bench coach Rob Leary was also relieved of his duties. Redmond was in his third season and had a record of 155-207. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets a new manager will be named tomorow at a 10am CT news conference and third base coach Brett Butler is the leading internal candidate to replace Redmond, at least on an interim basis. The new manager will be the seventh for the franchise since 2009.
“Hopefully a new voice will spark and motivate our guys to play as capable as we know they are of playing,” said Marlins President of Baseball Operations Michael Hill (per the team’s official Twitter account).
The Marlins invested heavily this offseason by extending the face of the franchise Giancarlo Stanton and fellow outfielder Christian Yelich. Miami also acquired Dee Gordon (the MLB leader in batting average), Mat Latos, Dan Haren, Mike Morse, Martin Prado, and Ichiro Suzuki giving rise to playoff aspirations.
The firings came literally minutes after the Marlins were swept by the Braves at home and were nearly no-hit in doing so (Justin Bour ended Shelby Miller’s bid with two outs in the bottom of the ninth). Nearly one month ago, rumors began circulating Redmond was on the hot seat after the team struggled to a 3-11 start.
In those reports, Mets’ Triple-A manager Wally Backman was named as one of the possible replacements. Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets the Marlins have not requested permission from the Mets to speak with Backman. The New York Post’s Mike Puma tweets the Marlins had informal talks with Backman last month through a third party.
The Marlins also have not contacted former Twins manager Ron Gardenshire, tweets Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. In separate tweets, Berardino floats the name of ex-Rangers skipper Ron Washington, who interviewed for the Marlins job a decade ago and lives in New Orleans which is ironically also home to the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal notes on Twitter owner Jeffrey Loria is now paying two managers not to manage: Redmond (who signed an extension through 2017 last September) and Ozzie Guillen (in the final year of a four-year, $10MM deal).
The Marlins, losers of ten of their last 14, are in fourth place in the NL East, six games behind the Mets. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets Loria may be hoping history repeats itself. The last time the Marlins fired a manager when the club’s record stood at 16-22 was 2003 when Jack McKeon (now 84 and serving as a special assistant to Loria) replaced Jeff Torborg and guided the team to a World Series title. The Marlins haven’t returned to the playoffs since.
baines03
Fire the guy that hired him in the first place.
HoopDreams
Well, damn
RippinNTearinAB
Shelby Miller how dare you almost no hit the Marlins and consequently, cost their manager his job? This guy comes to Atlanta, walking the walk, dominants, makes all the casual Braves fans look bad for hating the Heyward trade, and now this?! SMH!
canikickit
I understand they nearly got no hit, but overreaction much?
Once again, this is why you shouldn’t trust Loria’s “vote of confidence”. .
stl_cards16
I’m sure the decision was made before today.
Lance
Overreaction? Marlins were 155-207 under Redmond. They’re five games under .500 already.
andrewf
Considering that the first year redmond was manager, the marlins were 62-100 with only giancarlo stanton and fernandez as bright spots, I’d say miami was a little impatient with their firing of mike redmond.
Lance
I have no idea what was going on in the clubhouse but I do know they weren’t winning and the M’s had spent a lot of money this year. They expected to be in the running and were losing. Something had to change and firing one manager is easier than getting rid of 25 players.
connfyoozed .
I’m sure they were considering it for quite some time, but maybe today’s listless showing was the last straw.
canikickit
I know. Loria was asking around about Backman when they came for the 4 game series.
Smrtbusnisman04
It’s business as usual in Miami (aka Loria’s Wild Kingdom).
Edit: maybe Loria can bring Jack McKeon out of retirement…. Again!!!
citizen 2
Braves got him fired
roberty
If anyone should be fired it’s Jeffrey Loria.
Zoidbergman
Who’s the next manager to go?
RippinNTearinAB
Hopefully, Fredi Gonzalez.
Aspec
+1
R.D.
The only area he’s really done poorly in this season is bullpen management. The bench has been great, the lineups have been great, I’m not that upset right now. If he’d just stop destroying Cody Martin.
canikickit
Collins, although this series may have saved him for the moment.
Jaysfan1994 2
Firing a manager of a 1st place team? The things you hear fans say when a team loses a few games.
canikickit
If you saw the way he manages his pen and his lineups, you’d understand where I’m coming from. Don’t let the 1st place thing fool you.
Tom 22
Congratulations, you completely judged our manager by one of the least important aspects of being a manager.
canikickit
Yes, being a terrible in game strategist is an aspect worth looking the other way. There’s more to judge on, but congrats to you for believing that there isn’t.
Jaysfan1994 2
Kansas City made it to a World Series with a unconventional manager.
canikickit
Please don’t compare Collins to Yost.
stl_cards16
Yost is one of the worst managers in baseball. You don’t like the guy defending Collins because the Mets are in First, but you’re defending Yost because of one post-season run. The Royals bullpen was so good he couldn’t mess it up.
canikickit
I’m not defending Yost at all. I still remember Pedro Martinez ripping him into shreds last October.
Jaysfan1994 2
John Gibbons. Although it’s not his fault his GM assessed that the team was fine with the starting pitchers they had and that the bullpen was fine after saying it wasn’t last year.
Zoidbergman
Yeah, this team’s problems are much more on AA. Like the marlins, this isn’t a manager problem
Jaysfan1994 2
I agree.
NickinIthaca
Whomever replaces Redmond
Derek Rosario
Five games back and as usual Loria panicked with another knee jerk reaction. Who wants to manage a team by Loria?
Zoidbergman
People who want a job? It’s one of 30 big league jobs
Blunt Force Karma
Yeah: they are hired to be fired anyway, right?
Zoidbergman
pretty much. I’d assume a first time to be manager would take the job
strikethree
Yeah, but if you’re thinking about a long term managerial gig then taking this job will likely mean you’ll get fired anyway and have a bad record under your belt. (which probably will hurt you get another managerial role with another organisation) No matter what decisions you make, your record will still be a product of who you manage.
Sleeper
I wonder if there’s more to the story, I.E manager/player problems creating friction in the clubhouse or something that we don’t know about at the moment. If not, this seems pretty strongly impulse driven.
Boswa73
Brett Butler?
blake
Butler would be a great manager.
Brixton G.
I’d love to see Charlie Manuel work with Giancarlo Stanton. Manuel built Jim Thome, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and so many more sluggers.
elscorchot
not a bad person to think of. he was kinda vilified towards the end of his managing, but it’s clear now, the team wasn’t as good as many thought it was.
mstrchef13
Stanton doesn’t need to be built up, though.
David Coonce
Exactly what I was thinking. What is there to fix about Stanton?
elscorchot
i wouldn’t mind ron washington becoming the manager, at all. it’s an interesting name.
Leon Barry
I’m rooting for this just because of the comedy factor
David Coonce
Washington won’t ever manage again. The drug and sex harrassment stuff probably ensures that.
iliekcereal
What about Rick Renteria? I thought he did a pretty nice job with the Cubs last year.
DippityDoo
First name that popped into my mind.
David Coonce
Renteria would be an interesting choice – he didn’t really get a shot with the Cubs because Maddon became available, but he didn’t seem to do a terrible job managing a very young roster last season.
SteveS11
The manager is only as good as the players he has to work with. But as the saying goes, you can’t fire 25 players so you have to fire the manager if you need a scapegoat.
Big Giant Head
“The new manager will be the seventh for the franchise since 2009.” Uhhhhh. Maybe they have designs on number 8 also….
petrie000
Part of me would like to see Rick Renteria get another chance to manage… but the part of me that likes Renteria also wouldn’t wish working for Jeff Loria on his enemies…
stroh
Besides Dee Gordon, the rest of the acquisitons are basically two 5th starters, a 4th outfielder (on a good team), an ok infielder and a beyond his prime outfielder. They gave Stanton, who was already on the team, a huge contact, and somehow just because of that they were supposed to win?? I don’t get it.
David Coonce
Prado is still a good player. The outfield is one of the best in baseball. The pitching staff looked like it would hold on until Fernandez is healthy. I don’t think anybody anticipated how bad Latos would be. They could fix first base by just platooning Bour and Morse. Gordon has started well, but he did last season, too. Not a big believer, and his caught stealings are becoming a real problem.
The Resident
But isn’t Bo Porter the Braves 3rd base coach? It would be pretty wrong of him to quit mid-season
DippityDoo
He would be getting a promotion, the Braves would congratulate him.. Most org’s want guys to succeed.
The Resident
Yes but in the offseason not in the middle of the season. It’s like quiting your job during your shift
Draven Moss
They still more than likely would allow him to get the chance. The Indians allowed the Red Sox to talk to their AAA affiliate’s pitching coach, so it is a very similar scenario.
DippityDoo
If he walked off the field in the middle of the game, that would be like quitting during your shift… He’s under contract, in the hypothetical situation that is moot now since Mr Jennings took over, Marlins would ask permission to speak to said coach for the reason of hiring him as their manager, at that point the Braves either say “no, he’s under contract” or “sure, this sounds like a great opportunity for a great guy, we’d hate to see him go but know how rare these things come up.” From the top down so its not like he’s the only cashier at McDonalds who knows how to work the frosty machine, and walks out to because Burger King just placed a sign looking for assistant mangers.
Billy Branch
When a team is winning, it’s because the players are really talented. When they’re losing, it’s because the manager isn’t worth a flip.
rwdavis22461
Have balls hire Wally Backman
Jordan Downey
I can’t help but to think that the rest of the league now looks at being fired as the manager by the marlins as just a right of passage and no longer a black mark on his resume
Martin H.
I hope the Padres go to this direction too. Black just can’t manage and bad calls today vs. the Nats too.
David Coonce
Really? People in the game really like Black’s ability to manage. Hes universally considered very good. It’s not his fault that he was given a completely inflexible roster with terrible outfield defense that is actually costing the team runs. And I don’t think the bullpen’s inability to get anybody out can be pinned on him, either.
Martin H.
His plays have been pissing me off lately. I agreed that he never got good roster, but I’m not blaming him for that. The way he manages is something I sometimes don’t like. It got to a point where I thought the Pads need a change. The play that got me tired of him: Runners at the corners with 2 outs, and the 8th batter is up. He decides to challenge the guy instead of pitcher around when the pitcher (STRASBURG) is on deck. When they challenged the 8th batter he hits a HR! A 3-run shot. Possibly caused the game. After that Strasburg hits a weak groundout. Even the commentator, Clay Hensley (ex-Pro), said its a play where you have to pitch around because you have a pitcher on deck. If they walked him it’s bases loaded but no biggie as you have a pitcher on deck.
It’s not that he doesn’t have a roster with little flaws or him that I’m blaming for pitching failure. It’s his managing, he sometimes doesn’t handle situations correctly. But yesterday’s game vs. the Cubs was good the way he managed. I guess what I’m saying is that he’s not a consistent manager that handles game situations correctly.
David Coonce
That’s one play; Danny Espinoza has been one of the worst hitters in baseball the last couple seasons. isn’t expected to hit a 3-run homer. Plus, if the bases were loaded Stras probably wouldn’t bat – and there’s almost no baseball strategy that suggests loading the bases is a good idea. Padres lost by 5 runs in that game so the 3-run homer didn’t mean much. ANd Kennedy has been just awful this season, because he’s obviously not healthy.
Look at it this way; people within the game think he’s a good manager. He’s saddled with a really inflexible roster – all right-handed, no shortstop, currently no first baseman. Almost no way to fix it internally, either. And what is Black supposed to tell Craig Kimbrel: “don’t be terrible?”
Martin H.
yea didn’t expect more than 87 wins from the Padres. and who knows if that HR never happened, it could of changed the whole game. Espinosa is doing better too in this season. Kennedy was everywhere with his pitches in that game tho. By the way Stras was pitching, I doubt Nats would punch hit as they have a reliable lineup (especially Harper!) and it was early.
And for that fielding, I agree. I did notice some bad routes off of Myers in the beginning of the season. Also, for Kemp, he still can’t read the damn ball off the bat. He cant figure out how the fly balls will curve off to the right vs righties. The only thing that has impressed me is his arm but someone’s not point :/.Honestly, I can field better than Kemp xD.
Very good points and facts man! Very true!
Dogham
How does Mike Redmond get fired while Lloyd McClendon is getting a pass in Seattle with over paid roster non-producing and 17-20 record, 7.5 games out of first place?
Robert_Risteen
1/3 of the Mariners line up is almost a guarantee out, Kuma has been hurt most of the year, Cano and Seager are off to slow starts. If anyone is to blame for the slow start its Jack not Llyod.
bradley
it’s Jon Hamm.
formerdraftpick 2
I bet it will be Felix Fermin who will replace Redmond. That would be thinking out of the box!
Percussion32
Plot twist, new manager will either be Stanton or the Marlins Owner.
8791Slegna
Pudge seems too exciting of a choice. A more flaccid choice that’ll make us wonder why they fired Redmond in the first place seems more likely.
Travis J. Liles
Appears its going to be GM Dan Jennings.
NoahYingling
It’s amazing to me how stupid Loria is and for Jon Heyman and many other baseball writers guessing who it might be. I really hope, for Miami’s sake, it isn’t Jennings. If so, move the team to Montreal next year is what I say.
Rays_Fan_Engima
I find their logic flawed