3 MLB managers that should be fired and one that should stay

Mike Matheny

The Kansas City Royals have already begun cleaning house ahead of the offseason.

Long time executive Dayton Moore was fired with JJ Picollo taking over. Owner John Sherman sent a message to the organization with that move as he said he was not only tired of losing, but he was tired of selecting at the top of the draft. Even then, those draft picks have not amounted to much, especially on the pitching side, as Brady Singer has been the only major league caliber arm out of that group thus far.

Those changes should begin with the coaching staff. Mike Matheny was Moore’s hand-picked successor to Ned Yost as he was considered to be of a similar mold. The thought was that a similar approach, albeit from a younger option. Instead, the Royals have not only struggled, but they have regressed mightily during a year that they felt they would contend.

Even more damning has been the lack of development in the majors. Brad Keller, Kris Bubic, and Daniel Lynch all have ERAs over 5.00. Jackson Kowar has been a disaster. Matheny has insisted on playing Hunter Dozier nearly every day despite the fact that he should not be starting for any MLB team. Ryan O’Hearn is just taking up a roster spot. But somehow, Matheny seems to feel that those players are worth keeping.

The Kansas City Royals are looking at making numerous changes during the offseason. Those changes should start with Mike Matheny.

Dave Martinez

Dave Martinez had long been regarded as an MLB manager in waiting. He finally got his chance in 2018 as he took over for Dusty Baker.

Since then, the Nationals have had two winning seasons, finishing two games over .500 in his first season at the helm. They did taste success, winning the only championship in franchise history during a thrilling seven game series against the Astros in 2019. At that point, Martinez appeared well on his way to establishing himself as one of the top managers in the game.

Then it has all fallen apart. While the 2020 season can be thrown out due to the pandemic, the Nationals completely collapsed. Their fire sale began last year when they were plummeting to the NL East basement and are on the cusp of losing 100 games in a year for the first time since 2009.

At this point, the Nationals have thoroughly embraced the rebuilding process. Virtually anyone that they could have moved on from is gone with a focus on building up a future core. While wins and losses may not matter so much right now, it is fair to wonder if Martinez is the right person to develop those players, especially after the team faltered with the same core as what they had when winning the World Series.

It is time for a new voice on the Washington Nationals. Dave Martinez should be let go after this season.

David Bell

The fact that David Bell is still the Cincinnati Reds manager is astonishing.

The Reds got off to one of the worst starts in MLB history this season as they were 3-22 after 25 games. This also included a stretch where the Reds lost 21 out of 22 games, a period of time that would have even embarrassed teams such as the 1899 Cleveland Spiders.

And yet, Bell remained on the bench through it all. He has had some success, reaching the postseason in 2020 as the playoffs expanded and finished four games over .500 last year. However, as the Reds were loading up for a chance at the postseason both years, those showings were still a disappointment.

It is possible that the Reds could look to keep Bell. They are firmly in a rebuilding process and would want someone that can help develop those younger players. The likes of Tyler Stephenson, Jonathan India, Alexis Diaz, Hunter Greene, and Nick Lodolo are showing promise. It is, however, fair to wonder if Bell can get those players to take the next step forward in their development and if he can be a viable manager for a team looking to compete.

It is a surprise that David Bell is still with the Reds. That may not be the case for long.