Memorial Day is in the rear-view mirror. That must mean a baseball manager is about to be fired.
No, not Clint Hurdle. He may be in trouble, but not yet. Not after taking the Rockies to the World Series in 2007. Not after all these injuries and all those young pitchers who have let him down.
Whiles Hurdle has some time on his side, others might as well start packing now. Willie Randolph for one, unless the Mets turn things around in the next few weeks.
For some reason, though, I’m thinking Randolph might defy the odds and survive the season. He’s No. 3 on my unofficial endangered species list among big league managers.
No. 1 on the list? It’s gotta be Seattle’s John McLaren. The Mariners, a team that figured to contend in the A.L. West, are 16 games under .500 and 7-1/2 games behind third-place Texas.
So who’s next on the list? There are any number of candidates, but you’ve got to think Ned Yost is in trouble in Milwaukee. The Brewers have, potentially anyway, the best lineup in the National League, but they’re three games under .500. Another lousy week or two and something has to give.
At least that’s the conventional thinking. But here we are, in late May, and not a single manager has gotten a pink slip. Maybe the trend will continue. Maybe the status quo will prevail across the major league map.
What’s that? Yeah, you’re right. Not gonna happen. A few good men are about to lose their jobs.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily sports commentaries on The Jimmy Page midday during the week. And read his columns on Sundays at .
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
