5 MLB Managers Who Could be on the Hot Seat with a Slow Start in 2013

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MLB managers find themselves on the hot seat all the time. Since an entire 25-man roster can’t be fired for poor play, it falls on the manager who was unable to inspire better play from his team.

It is fair? Of course not, but managers are well aware of that risk.

Here are five MLB managers who will be on that hot seat if their teams get off to slow starts in the 2013 season.

1. Don Mattingly: Los Angeles Dodgers

After acquiring several major stars during the season last year (Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett), the Dodgers were still unable to reach the postseason.

Now, with a roster loaded with even more impact players (Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Carl Crawford) a full season with Gonzalez, Ramirez and Beckett and a healthy Matt Kemp, the Dodgers are considered playoff contenders. Any kind of a slow start means that manager Don Mattingly could be facing unemployment.

2. Ned Yost: Kansas City Royals

With a revamped starting rotation and a solid core of young position players, the Kansas City Royals are widely expected to give their opponents fits in the AL Central Division.

Manager Ned Yost has just a .439 winning percentage since taking over mid-season in 2010. If the Royals get off to a start similar to last season (6-15 in April), the Royals won’t hesitate to make a change at the top.

3. Clint Hurdle: Pittsburgh Pirates

After 20 consecutive losing seasons, the Pittsburgh Pirates might finally have the pieces in place to end that dubious run of mediocrity.

Manager Clint Hurdle has been at the helm for the past two seasons when the Pirates faded badly down the stretch each season to post sub-.500 records once again. Another similar performance in 2013 could seal Hurdle’s fate.

4. Ron Gardenhire: Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins have finished in the cellar of the AL Central Division for the past two consecutive seasons. Manager Ron Gardenhire successfully guided his teams to the playoffs throughout the mid-to-late 2000s, but has been unable to inspire a roster not loaded with star players in recent years.

It’s unfair to consider Gardenhire as a manager who’s on the hot seat, especially considering that the Twins lost two young outfielders and made low-impact improvements to a battered starting rotation.

But another cellar-dwelling season could mean the end to Gardenhire’s employment in Minnesota.

5. Mike Scioscia: Los Angeles Angels

Without question Mike Scioscia is considered a top manager in baseball. However, after owner Arte Moreno spent over $300 million last season with the acquisitions of first baseman Albert Pujols and starting pitcher C.J. Wilson, a third-place in the American League West division was indeed disappointing.

Now, the Angels will have a full year with Rookie of the Year Award winner Mike Trout. They’ll also have slugging outfielder Josh Hamilton in the mix.

If the Angels get off to a start similar to last season (6-14 in April), general manager Jerry Dipoto could decide to end the Scioscia regime in Anaheim.

This is a guest post submitted by Ally Silva. Ally played all kinds of sports growing up and adamantly follows everything sports now, particularly Chicago sports. She works with Phoenix Bats, a company that creates world-class wood bats for amateur and professional ball players around the world. Ally loves writing on different sports topics and is very grateful to be able to contribute here.