Miami Marlins: History says Don Mattingly’s seat is getting hot

Why The Miami Marlins Will Fire Don Mattingly

First off, there’s the Marlins record. We are well on our way to 16-22 territory again. In fact, the 3-3 record needed to get us there over the next six games would be a refreshing change of pace. Every in season firing has been made before the All-Star Break, and two during this same stretch of time.

Nothing is clicking right now. The lineup is changing frequently. One day the starting pitching is terrible, the next the bullpen blows it. Fans are starting to openly question some of the ways in which that bullpen is utilized. Mattingly himself is starting to lose patience as well, having been ejected from two straight games. All warning signs, particularly so for a Marlins skipper.

But lets take a step back for a minute from the on-the-field results, and think big picture: one year from now, by all reports, Jeffrey Loria is no longer going to own a baseball team.

Which means two things:

Why It’s Not Just About The 2017 Miami Marlins

For one, this is his last chance at a winner. Nothing is going to stand in his way of doing that, even money. If he thinks for a moment that firing Mattingly brings the 2017 Miami Marlins closer to the playoffs, he is going to pull the trigger. The Marlins already even have the logical replacement in the dugout, and ironically enough, it’s someone who they’ve already fired before. Fredi Gonzalez was the last manager to lead Miami to a winning record, and then did so repeatedly with the Atlanta Braves. There’s a symmetry to it, really, and one that I think a lot of us probably thought about this winter.

Secondly, who says the new ownership wants to inherit a manager? Maybe they want to start with an entirely clean slate. This might even be something that Loria and the rest of the front office already know. So if it’s a choice of firing Mattingly in October, or firing him this month, Loria might decide to gamble on getting something out of it. Maybe the new ownership wants these kind of moves made before they take over operations. Maybe Loria even figures he’s doing Mattingly a favor, letting him know as soon as possible he should start looking for work.

If this does happen, I have to believe it will be new ownership related.