Hired To Be Fired

Although my Cleveland Indians were eliminated too early from the postseason, I have continued to enjoy the baseball playoffs.  The Dodgers and Astros are all even at two games each in the World Series.

But to my amazement, three playoff teams have fired their managers.  All three had successful track records, but fell victim to unreasonably high expectations:  win it all, or else!

John Farrell of Boston has seven years as a big-league manager, with a .517 winning percentage.  In his five years with the Red Sox, they were in the postseason three times.  They were World Series Champs in 2013.  This year, the Sox were AL East Division Champs.  They lost to the Astros in the ALDS.




Joe Girardi of the Yankees has a .554 record in eleven years, ten of them with New York.  He took the Yanks to the postseason six times and won the World Series in 2009.  This season, the Yankees were a Wild Card, beat the Indians in the ALDS, but lost to the Astros in the ALCS.



Dusty Baker of Washington has a .532 record in 22 years as a manager, the last two with the Nationals.  He's a three-time NL Manager of the Year, and has managed seven Division Champs.  He led his team to the postseason nine times, and just missed it twice more.  He took the SF Giants to the World Series in 2002.  This year the Nats were NL East Division Champs, but lost to the Cubs in the NLDS.

Yes, they are all hired to be fired, but this is getting ridiculous.  There are 30 teams in MLB, and every season only one can be the ultimate winner.  If the current impatient trend continues, we may soon see 29 firings every year.

I'm glad the Indians have wisely chosen to not fire Terry Francona.