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MLB: Five Managers on the Hot Seat

By Matthew Lively

Jul 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale (3) looks over lineup cards prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale (3) looks over lineup cards prior to the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Most teams are only as good as their coaching, and it’s evident that some need a new manager. Heading into the final stretch of the season, we’ll take a look at some of the MLB managers on the hot seat.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Yes… believe it or not, managing a Major League Baseball club is much harder than submitting your lineup in fantasy baseball. Believe it or not, managers do more than set the lineup, decide when to pull the pitcher, and determine when it’s acceptable to lose his mind on an umpire.

I assume the life of an MLB manager is a fun one, but also extremely stressful and taxing. While some managers can be very good coaches and have good leadership and mentoring skills, it’s not easy to make your team successful.

Most managers play the game, then coach for many years, and if they’re lucky, they get the chance to manage their own major league ball club. Once getting that chance, it’s not a certainty that he’ll get to stick around.

In fact, out of the 30 current MLB managers, 12 of them have worked as managers for other teams and were either fired or let go before coming to their current team. (Note: John Gibbons was fired as as the manager of the Blue Jays in 2008, and rehired in 2013.)

It’s easy to see that not all MLB managers stick around for the long haul, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad coaches. Terry Francona won two World Series in Boston before being fired, and now manages the first-place Cleveland Indians. The same can be said about Bruce Bochy, the manager with the most experience in the league.

There are numerous reasons a manager can begin to wither in their current position. Usual occurrences are that a manager is too comfortable in his role, the roster just isn’t great, or he’s lost control of the clubhouse.

Now that we are officially underway in the final months of the season, we will take a look at some of the managers on the hot seat, and who may be unemployed come October.

Next: Safe for now

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