Atlanta Braves: The Search for the Next Manager
Atlanta Braves Manager: Joe Girardi
Because I want to throw one big curveball here, I did a bit of research here, and when you start considering other managers who may lose their job this season, and while Brad Ausmus would still rank well ahead of him on my personal “hot seat” rankings, Girardi is very possibly second. My first thought after looking that up was that there’s no way they could fire him because of contract, but then I looked up and his most recent contract runs out after the 2017 season, so firing him this year doesn’t really cost the Yankees THAT much money (as if money would really sway such a decision for them).
Girardi had some flirtations with leaving New York when his last contract was up, and those contract negotiations did not go smoothly, so it is feasible that he could even choose to walk away from the Yankees after 2017 if he does stay.
If he were to leave the Yankees, he would immediately shoot to the top of probable candidates, and he’s the type of guy that I could see the purse strings being opened in Atlanta to hire. Girardi and GM John Coppolella of the Braves know each other fairly well from Coppy’s days working with the Yankees front office before being hired by the Braves.
The other consideration is possibly hiring a guy like Pendleton or Perez for 2017 with the knowledge that they could pursue Girardi after 2017 if he fulfills his contract and likely keep those guys in the fold due to their long-time loyalty to the team.
It could be a very, very interesting situation as it unfolds this offseason.