In the fast-moving ever-evolving world of Major League Baseball, the employment of an MLB Manager is thankless and often criticized job. And when the results don’t meet the crossroads of expectations, then something has to be done. And more often than not, MLB Managers take the blame. Thus this piece was born.
Most Likely Candidate: Gabe Kapler- Philadelphia Phillies
We begin with sadly the most likely candidate to be fired, Gabe Kapler. Gabe Kapler has had a controversial run as the Philadelphia Phillies. But not everything that has gone down can be blamed on Kapler. Kapler will likely never be known as a master at bullpen management. However, when the players called upon based on the numbers do not have a successful outing, the manager often takes the blame. After an off-season where a lot of money was spent, the Phils were expected to compete. At this point, the Phillies are likely to end up just over .500 and miss out on the postseason. So in a place like Philadelphia, that means changes have to be made. So likely gone at the end of the season is Gabe Kapler.
Maybe Not For A Rebuild: Bud Black- Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies have been spenders over the last two off-seasons. Two years ago, the Rox spent a lot on revamping the bullpen. Then this past off-season, they decided to reinvestment in their All-Star Third Baseman, Nolan Arenado. However, when the Rockies made those decisions, this was not the season they envisioned. Ken Rosenthal wrote an article in the Athletic (subscription required), dove into the idea of the Rockies trading away their star third baseman. If the Rockies trade away Arenado, a rebuild will be necessary. And current manager Bud Black may not be the man for the job.
Miss The Playoffs; Don’t Come Back: Joe Madden- Chicago Cubs
The 2016 curse-breaking World Series-winning Chicago Cubs were expected to become the next dynasty in Major League Baseball. They were the team that was going to replace the ’98-2000 New York Yankees as the last dynasty in MLB. But things haven’t gone so smoothly since. For much of the 2019 season, the Cubs battled the Cardinals for the top of NL Central. But as the season nears its end, the Cubs are slipping out of contention. Which could slide Joe Madden to the unemployment line.
