Managers are usually one of the first people to go after a team has a down season, and if they are lucky enough to hold on to their jobs they enter next season on the hot seat. That means that if the owner is unhappy with the team play that the manager is going to be the one to pay or it as he will be fired.
There were a good amount of managers that were fired after the 2015 season, but there are plenty that are going to be on the hot set to start the 2016 season.
5. Robin Ventura, Chicago White Sox
Ventura started out his managerial career with a winning record and things were looking bright, but he has finished every season thereafter with a losing record. Ventura has yet to take the White Sox to the playoffs, and was particularly disappointing last season.
Last season the White Six went and invested in some free agent talent in the hopes of making the playoffs but there pitching was atrocious and the lineup never seemed to come around until the end of the year. If the White Sox can’t get back above .500 Ventura can expect to have to look for a new job next season.
4. Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles
Showalter is the first of two manger from the A.L. East that I expect to be on the hot seat in 2016. Showalter has been great for the Orioles but his team took a big step back last year when they went from 96 wins to 81 wins, and failed to make the playoffs.
The Orioles are only 6-7 in the playoffs under Showalter and will need to be better than that as the only way to keep a job is to perform in the playoffs. I think that Showalter’s job is likely safer than most that are on the hot seat, but if he continues to go backwards and his team ow goes below .500, Showalter may find himself looking for a new job.
3. John Farrell, Boston Red Sox
Farrell certainly bought himself some time after winning the World Series in his first year as the Red Sox manager but it has been ugly in the two seasons since. The Sox had a .438 winning percentage in 2014 and only had a .439 win percentage with Farrell in 2015 before he departed from the team after 104 games to battle cancer. The Red Sox have already said Farrell is their guy for the 2016 season but if he can’t get back above .500 or into the playoffs he will find that the leash is very short.
2. Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels
With as much talent and as big a payroll as the Angels have they enter each season expecting to be a World Series contender. The Angels have potentially the best payer in the world in Mike Trout, and they make it a point each season to add talent during the offseason. That is what makes last year such a disappointment as the angels finished in third place and missed the playoffs.
Last year wasn’t the first disappointing season in recent years under Scioscia though. Since 2010 the Angels have only made the playoffs once and they were swept in three games. Scioscia has been the manger for the Angels for 16 seasons, but if he can’t get the team back into the playoffs and at least win the first series I don;t seem him being retained for the 2017 season.
1. Brad Ausmus, Detroit Tigers
Ausmus came close to losing his job last season as the team had a horrific 2015 season winning only 74 games when expectations were that the tema would be World Series contnders.
Instead of firing Ausmus they are giving him another chance and the the Tigers went on a spending spree this offseason to ensure that Ausmus has all the talent that is needed to field a championship team. The Tigers signed Jordan Zimmermann, and Justin Upton in order to bolster their pitching and hitting.
The Tigers are a team that expect to be in the postseason every year ad with their potent lineup it is easy to see why expectations are so high in Detroit. If it turns out that Ausmus is not their guy, the Tigers ownership will not hesitate to find a new manager that can bring a championship to Detroit.