Following Don Mattingly’s mutual departure from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday and Scott Servais’ appointment by the Seattle Mariners on Friday, there are four open managerial jobs across the league – Los Angeles, Miami, San Diego, and Washington. None of these jobs guarantee success, and all have both good and bad aspects to them. But which job is the best, and which is the worst? Here’s our best shot.
(for whatever it’s worth – the Mariners job would have ranked third between the Dodgers and Padres)
1. Washington Nationals. Why give the Nationals the nod ahead of the Dodgers? Well, unlike in 2013…or 2014…or 2015…expectations won’t be through the roof for the Nationals in 2016. The Mets are the reigning National League (and NL East) champions. Washington will likely be losing Ian Desmond, Doug Fister, Denard Span, and Jordan Zimmermann in free agency. Wilson Ramos, Stephen Strasburg, and Drew Storen are heading into their final year of arbitration. This is a tantalizing job – the team can compete this year, but if they miss the playoffs, it won’t come as a surprise. This is clearly a talented team, but whoever the new manager is will be given room to breathe – the sword won’t be hanging over his head after one bad year.
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 15: Fans hold of Los Angeles Dodgers flags in the bleachers in game five of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 15, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
The managerial carousel
PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 14: Manager Pat Murphy #24 of the San Diego Padres looks on from the dugout during the fourth inning during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 14, 2015 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
3. San Diego Padres. This is a tough one. The Padres aren’t really an organization that oozes history. They’ve been to the World Series twice and haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006. Since Tony Gwynn’s retirement following the 2001 season, the best player the franchise has had is…Chase Headley? Adrian Gonzalez? Brian Giles? Jake Peavy? AJ Preller and company went nuts last winter and flopped miserably. This winter, they’re facing the prospect of losing Ian Kennedy and Justin Upton, one of their best pitchers and their best hitter. But hey – it’s still San Diego, and the team does bring back the bulk of a solid pitching staff. As long as Preller doesn’t embark upon another insane reorganization of the franchise this winter, the foundation here is decent.
(massive gap)
(no, even bigger than that)
(just a hair larger)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – SEPTEMBER 28: (L to R) Florida Marlins President of Baseball Operations Larry Beinfest , Ozzie Guillen , Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria and Florida Marlins President David P. Samson attend a press conference to announce Guillen as the new manage at Sun Life Stadium on September 28, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
4. Miami Marlins. The best part about the Marlins gig is this – you might only work one or two years and get paid for four. Miami has had six (yes, six) managers at the helm for at least 90 games apiece over the last six seasons. 12 men have managed at least 100 games for the Marlins in their 23-year history, and only Jack McKeon (281-257) has a winning record. Joe Girardi was fired after one season in charge of the team, proceeded to win the NL Manager of the Year award *after* his firing, and won a World Series with the Yankees just three years after his firing. Yes, the team has a solid young core, but there is so much turmoil in this organization with its constantly evolving front office and strategy that any manager that took its managerial job would be in for a long year.
