Four managers in April? (plus Kerrigan in Spring Training)
And it was just two years ago that no manager got fired during the regular season (although Terry Francona was fired after game # 162 that year).
What's even more disturbing is that all (except Kerrigan, which was a new owner thing) have been "small/medium" market teams (Milwaukee, Colorado, KC, Detroit). As if those teams, except probably Colorado, have no real chance of competiting financially with the super teams.
Of course, all of those franchises have been horribly run too.
As Bill Goldberg would say, WHO'S NEXT?
a. Jerry Naron in Texas,
b. Larry Bowa in Philly or hopefully
c. Bobby Valentine in New York
Then I can write a washing bill in Babylonic cuneiform, And tell you every detail of Caractacus's uniform; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
Bah.. its all scape-goating. These clubs have all had bad decisions made at the higher levels and the fans have lost faith in the teams, this is a pitiful attempt to show that the owners are trying to revamp the teams and "turn things around" so that maybe people will buy season tickets next year or at least bother going to a couple games. I think all of these teams have given up this year as a wash...
I'm just here for the sweaty mens... pay no attention.
b. Larry Bowa in Philly or hopefully c. Bobby Valentine in New York
The Mets were tied for 1st place, last time I checked, so it won`t be Valentine.
My Phils are getting really ugly really fast.
Hey it`s P-Funk of pfft.com fame! I`ve seen your online comic, but I didn`t remember where I first found it. I guess it was linked on here (or probably the old message board last year).
(edited by Spiraling_Shape on 30.4.02 1917)
"Why don't you say 'what' if you like to sleep with your own sister." - The Undertaker
I think rumors of my fame have been greatly exaggerated. It's pffft.net btw... pffft.com doesn't exist yet.
My bet for next manager to feel the axe would be Frank Robinson of Montreal, Expos might be on top... but as soon as they slip down the standings this year, heads are going to roll. Worst attendance in baseball is going to have concequences somewhere in the chain of command.
I'm just here for the sweaty mens... pay no attention.
I don`t think Robinson`s going anywhere. The worst attendance in baseball is leading to the entire franchise going bye-bye, either via contraction or moving outta Montreal.
"Why don't you say 'what' if you like to sleep with your own sister." - The Undertaker
Well the owner is going to have to sell or do something drastic soon... I dunno about canada but you can only lose money on a business and still write it off on your taxes for so many years in a row in the US.
I'm just here for the sweaty mens... pay no attention.
As a 'Spos fan, I'm enjoying this swan song while it lasts. They ARE losing mad money, and the league is goign to cut'm lose after this season, no doubts about it.
Although I find it funny how Bud's Brewers are doing aweful compared to the Expos. 16-10, 8 wins in 9 games.
And sadly, STILL no one goes to the games....mind you, everyone in Montreal is like me, and are either at the Molson Centre or at home in front of the TV cheering on The Canadiens. GO HABS GO!
I'm Catholic plus I'm a redneck. I ain't afraid to admit it, and I ain't going to hide it.
Baseball doesn't seem to be a very Canadian sport. You can't really have outdoor stadiums, race for the Stanley Cup coincides with the first half of the season. Plus all the teenage girls are probably trolling for hockey players instead of baseball players. I dunno, I never saw the allure of the hockey player, I prefer boys with all their original teeth, and you can't exactly oogle hockey player rear.
What? Why on earth did you think there are so many women at baseball games? Sheesh...
I'm just here for the sweaty mens... pay no attention.
Robinson was appointed by MLB to run the team, so I doubt he's going anywhere...
Next in line if things keep up will be Buck Martinez here in Toronto.
---------- Whatcha Gonna Do??? ---------- "Thank you - thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your irrelevant opinion..." ---------- And the real wonder of the world is that we don't jump too ---------- So there's no simple explanation for anything important any of us do and yea the human tragedy consists in the necessity of living with the consequences under pressure, under pressure. ----------
Originally posted by hazRobinson was appointed by MLB to run the team, so I doubt he's going anywhere...
Next in line if things keep up will be Buck Martinez here in Toronto.
Agreed on both counts. Les Expos are going to be on cruise control this year with Robinson and their GM in charge until whatever end becomes of the team - I assume a sale and move to DC rather than contraction, actually. The players won't allow contraction to happen.
As for Buck, I don't assume he'll make it past the All Star break. Riccardi is too smart to go for the lame firing in the first month deal and Buck can hardly be blamed for the disaster of a pitching staff they have. But I don't think Buck is the man Riccardi wants anyway. The All Star break is generally the best point for firing a manager.
As for others - I'm hearing things about Charley Manuel in Cleveland being under fire. And Cubs fans have a Baylor dead pool going so I wouldn't be too surprised there. Bowa in Philly is probably always a canidate and/or guy mostly likely to have his team mutiny.
Here, have another cup and forget about the dime Keep it as a souvenir, from Big Joe and Phantom 309!
Robinson was appointed by MLB. And MLB own the expos now. So i dont see any heads rolling at all this year. They are going to make it through this year and probably move after.
I am the JOBBER TO THE STARS. You better remember that.
Cardinals 12W 13L (as of 4-28) If we didn't have a Jason for a closer where would we be?
Larry Bowa's only other major league job was in San Diego in the late 80s. He didn't make it through the second season that time. His "aggressive" approach is effective for only an extremely limited time before it just wears thin on the players and becomes a hindrance, not an asset.
Also, notice the teams for which the 4 guys got the gate? I think you could classify at least 3 of them as being in the last quarter of quality-run franchises in the league. I'll give the benefit of the doubt to O'Dowd in Denver though, as Bell's managing really was terrible. Performance under Pythagoras and all that.
Well, has anyone really figured out how to win consistently in that park? Only idea I've got is the Earl Weaver approach, or at least load up on groundball pitchers. I'm sure someone's tried that last one, though.
I'm guessing that announcement came at a time that football news was still taking up the majority of Sports Center. I have a bad habit of flipping over to Croc Hunter when they were talking about football.
I dunno if the Expos did go to DC don't you think that would hurt turn out at Baltimore?
I'm just here for the sweaty mens... pay no attention.
That's what Peter Angelos is alleging - that a team in DC would hurt the Orioles at the gate. He's claiming that DC is exclusive territory of the Orioles. In all honesty, I don't think it would hurt that much. Sure, fewer fans would make the trek, but maybe this would force the Orioles to put a good product on the field or something.
This is why he's turned hardline in FAVOR of management as opposed to in the past when he was mostly on the side of Labor. Remember, he was the only owner in 1995 not to field a team of replacement players that they were planning to beign the year with. Now, he's joined the fight for contraction in a very visible place.
This is sort of similar, but in a different manner, to the San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland situations. Apparently, because at one point the Giants gained approval to investigate the policy of a new stadium in San Jose, they claim that San Jose is their exclusive right, so that if Oakland wishes to build a stadium there (or, more likely, have one built for them), they cannot. I'm not 100% sure that this is how it went down, but I'm confident the story goes something like that. Someone else, perhaps from the Bay Area, would be better served to clarify this.
Hmm.. Well there has to be some sort of major city in the that needs a ballpark more than DC anyway, right?
I mean picking a city in the Oklahoma, Tennesse, Missisippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama area might be a plan... there's a huge lack of baseball in that part of the country.
I'm just here for the sweaty mens... pay no attention.
Originally posted by P_FunkHmm.. Well there has to be some sort of major city in the that needs a ballpark more than DC anyway, right?
I mean picking a city in the Oklahoma, Tennesse, Missisippi, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama area might be a plan... there's a huge lack of baseball in that part of the country.
I highly doubt you'll see the deep south get a major league baseball team due to economics. College football is king there anyway, with minor league baseball doing OK-ish until college football starts.
I keep hearing that the next areas to get baseball when/if DC is explored would be Portland, OR and Sacramento, CA.
I fully expect DC to get the next team - whether it's the Expos or not.
My name is Sue! How do you do?? Now you gonna die!!