1. Fins to the Left, Fins to the Right
There is blood in the water now, so much blood, and there is going to be more. Suddenly, every week is Shark Week for the game's general managers and managers.
Three GMs were fired in August alone: Seattle's Jack Zduriencik, Detroit's Dave Dombrowski and Boston's Ben Cherington (OK, so technically Cherington fired himself after being invited by Dombrowski to stay, but he was effectively neutered the millisecond Boston hired Dombrowski, so call it what you want).
Three clubs are woofing through the dog days of August with interim field managers: San Diego's Pat Murphy, Philadelphia's Pete Mackanin and Miami's Dan Jennings. Several more "permanent" managers are about to be made impermanent.
You need a roster to follow along these days or, at the least, a very thorough guide. Sort of like this, which even comes complete with a Shark Scale! Five fins signal the most danger, one the least:
Brad Ausmus, Tigers: He's been second-guessed so often this summer by fans and media that there may be permanent scorch marks on his back. The Tigers' increasingly sloppy play (especially in Toronto over the weekend) combined with the sacking of the man who hired him, Dombrowski, signals trouble. You wonder if Ausmus even has an appetite for the job anymore, the way this year's gone. ^^^^^ Significant danger.
John Farrell, Red Sox: The griddle was heating up before he took a leave of absence for cancer treatment even though he managed the 2013 Red Sox to a World Series title. Now? With the sudden change to Dombrowski in the front office, Farrell's status is completely up in the air. Dombrowski hasn't addressed it. The right thing to do is to come out and say Farrell has to focus on his cancer treatments right now, and if he feels up to it when he's finished, he is welcome to return to the dugout in 2016. Now, we'll see if Boston does the right thing. ^^^ Stay tuned.
Terry Francona, Indians: Like Joe Maddon in Tampa Bay, Francona's contract in Cleveland includes an opt-out clause if club president Mark Shapiro leaves. Well, guess who was introduced as the new Toronto Blue Jays' president on Monday? With Shapiro speculation mounting last week, Francona said he will not use his Cleveland opt-out, per the Associated Press. Is he a lifer on the shores of Lake Erie? Maybe. ^ Expect Francona back in 2016.
Dan Jennings, Marlins: He's very well-liked as an executive, not so much as an interim manager. It's been a miserable season in Miami, and Jennings is expected either to go back upstairs to his former GM post (increasingly unlikely) or bolt for another team when the manager's seat is taken away. It would be tempting to say he lost the clubhouse long ago, except multiple sources say he never had it in the first place. Bad vibe from day one of this ill-conceived Miami move. ^^^^^ Goner.
Pete Mackanin, Phillies: Of the three interim skippers working today, Mackanin is in the best position to stay if only because the Phillies have gone 26-32 under difficult circumstances since he replaced Ryne Sandberg on June 26 (Sandberg went 26-48 through the season's first 74 games). But first, new Phillies president Andy MacPhail must determine whether he's keeping or firing GM Ruben Amaro Jr. Mackanin currently leads the majors in interim gigs, having previously been interim manager of the Pirates in 2005 (when Lloyd McClendon was axed) and in Cincinnati in 2007 (Jerry Narron). He deserves a chance. ^^^ Caution ahead.
Don Mattingly, Dodgers: When you add a former manager to the coaching staff with just 44 games left, as the Dodgers did with Ron Roenicke, it's like tossing another pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia in front of an ice cream addict (OK, so it's me): Of course it's going to fuel the speculation. What most everybody is taking as gospel: Anything short of a World Series run, the Dodgers likely will change managers. And if that happens, don't be surprised if Donnie Baseball's next managing gig is in Miami, where owner Jeffrey Loria continues to worship all things New York. ^^^ Imminent danger ahead.
Lloyd McClendon, Mariners: The only other clubs that could be more disappointing than Seattle this summer are the Nationals and Dodgers, and that's only if both collapse. Mariners president Kevin Mather told reporters last week after firing Zduriencik that the new GM will have the autonomy to do what he sees fit as far as the field staff goes. ^^^^ Real danger.
Pat Murphy, Padres: Murphy has been in deep over his head from the day he replaced Bud Black in June, and this is easily GM A.J. Preller's worst move (so far). Murphy had never spent a day in the majors as a manager or on staff as a coach, yet, suddenly, with the Padres just one game under .500, he was handed the keys to the car. Immediately, it felt as if the Padres had pulled the plug on the season. ^^^^^ Goner.
Bryan Price, Reds: To many, it's a surprise he made it past the All-Star break. His F-bomb tirade from earlier this season was so out of character for this top-drawer man that it clearly revealed how much stress he's under. It will not be a shock if the Reds wipe the slate clean and replace both Price and GM Walt Jocketty going into 2016. ^^^^ Real danger.
Mike Scioscia, Angels: The Godfather of Anaheim baseball, Scioscia won a power struggle with former GM Jerry Dipoto earlier this summer and continues to plow forward, bulletproof. One industry source suggested to B/R the other day that part of the problem is that there are no more generals left in Anaheim to stand up to Scioscia, be it on his coaching staff or in the executive offices. Even smart guys need folks to tell them when they're wrong, and there hasn't been anybody to do that since Roenicke, Black and Maddon left Scioscia's staff years ago. Being that he's signed through 2018 and owner Arte Moreno allowed Dipoto to walk rather than siphon power away from Scioscia, even Anaheim's current streak of losing 25 of its past 36 games probably won't get the manager. ^ That's not a shark circling Scioscia, it's a happy dolphin.
Robin Ventura, White Sox: Working in Ventura's corner: Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf is exceedingly loyal to ex-Chicago players and sticks with them sometimes to a fault. Working against the manager: A team that won the winter continues to play with the acumen of a deep-dish pizza chef working with no cheese. ^^^ Danger ahead.
Walt Weiss, Rockies: Let's see, Weiss now has the worst winning percentage of any manager in Colorado history and is working for a GM, Jeff Bridich, who inherited him. "Am I in trouble?" he asked Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla earlier this month. Careful—don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to. ^^^^^ Significant danger.
Matt Williams, Nationals: Failure to make the playoffs, a possibility that is growing each day more quickly than Jayson Werth's hair (or beard, if you prefer), would suggest the guillotine for the manager. Those who know GM Mike Rizzo insist that after Williams led the Nats to the NL East title last year, Rizzo will grant him a mulligan for 2015. Let the speculation rage. ^^^ Theme from Jaws playing in the background.
2. The General Managers Rundown
Boston Red Sox: The GM job is vacant while Dombrowski, new president of baseball operations, conducts a search. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported Sunday that while the Sox were allowed by MLB to bypass minority hiring rules when they signed Dombrowski, they must interview minorities for the GM job (and rightfully so). Frank Wren, Atlanta's old GM, is said by multiple industry sources to be the leading candidate. That's no surprise because Dombrowski is familiar with Wren from when the two worked together in Miami in the late 1990s, and the folks who worked with Dombrowski in Detroit have been retained by the Tigers. Cafardo suggests that White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams would be at the top of Dombrowski's list if Williams chose to leave Chicago, and Williams would be an excellent choice. ^^^ Stay tuned.
Cincinnati Reds: Walt Jocketty is signed through 2016, but indications are that the Reds could decide to start fresh in '16 as this year's team continues its luge run to the bottom of the NL Central. The Reds, with an all-rookie rotation, have lost 14 of their past 16 games entering the week. Might owner Bob Castellini move Jocketty into an adviser's role upstairs, a la Melvin and the Brewers and Ned Colletti and the Dodgers? Right now, anything is possible. ^^ The manager appears in more danger than the GM right now.
Miami Marlins: This spot has been vacant since Jennings went downstairs to manage the team. There are those who increasingly believe that Mike Berger, the assistant GM who was promoted to assume Jennings' duties, has positioned himself to become the permanent guy. Being that Berger is close with owner Jeffrey Loria, it's no surprise. ^^^^^ The ultimate shark tank is in Miami.
Los Angeles Angels: Bill Stoneman became the interim GM when Dipoto resigned earlier this summer, and the club continues to do the impossible: Search for a candidate who is more than a doormat yet can co-exist with Scioscia. Sources say the Angels offered the job to Black, the deposed Padres manager who was Scioscia's pitching coach in a different lifetime but that Black rebuffed them. ^^^^^ No American League club runs a more vicious shark tank than the Rally Monkey.
Milwaukee Brewers: Melvin announced earlier this summer that he is stepping away after a two-decade run as GM in Milwaukee and Texas. He will continue as an adviser and make room for, in his words, "the next generation of general managers." Owner Mark Attanasio is talking about hiring someone strong in analytics. Cherington, Boston's former GM, and Dipoto, ex of Anaheim, each would be a perfect fit. ^^ Solid market, few sharks.
Philadelphia Phillies: Storm clouds have been gathering over Amaro's head for two years now. What's different today is that the Phillies have a new president, MacPhail, who is going to have to decide soon whether Amaro is part of the problem or part of the solution. ^^^^ Chomp, chomp.
Seattle Mariners: Perhaps a better question than "What took so long to remove Jack Zduriencik?" is "How in the world does Howard Lincoln remain as Seattle CEO?" One thread runs through the Mariners' failed tenures of Zduriencik and Bill Bavasi over the past 13 seasons, and it's Lincoln. Mather told reporters he wants an "experienced" GM this time. Kevin Towers, Jim Hendry and Dan O'Dowd all fit that description, and Jennings will be a player, sources tell Bleacher Report, if he parts ways with the Marlins. ^^^ The Mariners remain lost at sea.
3. Mr. No-Hitter
Jon Lester was signed last winter to be the Chicago Cubs' ace, but Jake Arrieta seized that role many weeks ago.
Arrieta's sensational no-hitter in Dodger Stadium on Sunday night was only the latest gem for the right-hander with the filthy stuff, who now is 17-6 with a 2.11 ERA. Now in his third season with the Cubs after being acquired along with reliever Pedro Strop from Baltimore on July 2, 2013, Arrieta, 29, is nowhere near the same pitcher he was with the Orioles.
After going 20-25 with a 5.46 ERA over parts of four seasons with Baltimore, Arrieta has blossomed under newfound freedom with the Cubs and pitching coach Chris Bosio.
As the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez pointed out, he's throwing harder now than he did with Baltimore—he hit 96 mph in the ninth inning of Sunday night's no-no.
And, he is throwing his secondary pitches with more frequency and with more confidence.
"I think he was unsure about himself and where he was in his career," Bosio told me Sunday night. "He's relaxed here, and that's been huge. He's not putting so much pressure on himself."
Plus, the Cubs are giving him more freedom than he's had in the past.
"Even if he throws ball one, he can have two or three different options off of the next pitch," Bosio says. "And if he throws strike one, he has maybe three other options off of the next pitch."
How dominant was he Sunday? In the old home of Sandy Koufax, he fanned the side in the ninth inning to become the first pitcher to do that in a no-no, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, since Koufax himself fanned the final six Cubs in his perfect game in 1965.
Since June 21, Arrieta has been tagged with just one loss: on July 25, when Cole Hamels pitched a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Cubs.
4. Team No-No
For the Dodgers, it was the second time they were no-hit in nine days.
Given that the Dodgers' payroll has bulged to the neighborhood of $300 million, the expression "they couldn't buy a hit" factors in right about now.
Houston's Mike Fiers did it to them on Aug. 21 in Houston; Arrieta followed up nine days later. For a team scuffling along while trying to hold onto first place in the NL West, the Dodgers shrugged off the ignominy.
Mattingly and Co. pointed out that they won the series, taking two of three from the Cubs. And the manager shrugged off Arrieta's brilliant effort, saying he was more perturbed when Fiers stuck it to them.
"I thought we got out of the strike zone way too much," Mattingly said of the Fiers game. "It didn't feel like we were really ready to play.
"Tonight, it didn't feel like that at all. I felt like we were in the game all night. Our guys did a good job. I know we're battling. You have to tip your cap."
On the flip side, at least Vin Scully announced last week that he will return in 2016 for an astounding 67th season in the broadcast booth.
5. The Team That No-Hit the Dodgers Wore Onesies
Long before Arrieta made history, Cubs manager Joe Maddon planned to have his players wear "onesies" on the overnight flight home from Los Angeles that was scheduled to arrive in Chicago around 5 a.m. local time.
Anybody who is familiar with the eccentric, creative Maddon knows he has planned theme road trips for years. Not every trip; he picks his spots. Usually, two or three per year.
It's a team-bonding thing, and Maddon loves to mix in fun to remove some of the pressure from the players. And for anybody who thinks it's phony or too much, one look at the Cubs on Sunday and it was easy to see why Maddon's ways work. They loved it:
6. The Pitcher Who No-Hit the Dodgers Did, Too
If you haven't seen this yet, Arrieta absolutely crushed it postgame:
7. Weekly Power Rankings
1. Jake Arrieta: Cubs pitcher making Orioles rue the day they traded him every single fifth day.
2. Mt. McKinley: Wait, they're changing its name to Denali? That's allowed after all of these years? Fabulous, maybe the Seattle Mariners can change their name to the New York Yankees and make disappointing Robinson Cano feel a little more comfortable.
3. Awesomesauce! The Oxford English Dictionary deputizes the word, meaning "extremely good or excellent", by officially adding it to the dictionary. Use it in a sentence? Sure. The St. Louis Cardinals are awesomesauce!
4. Toronto Blue Jays: Mashing more taters than Ore-Ida. The Jays crushed 11 in three games over the weekend against the Tigers, boosting their major league-leading total to 184.
5. Miss Babe Ruth: The Class-A Greensboro Grasshoppers take the "dog days of August" literally and throw a retirement party for their dog mascot.
8. One More from the Dodgers' (No-) Hit Parade
9. This is True?
Would you believe the New York Mets lead the National League in runs scored since the All-Star break with 220 entering Monday?
The Phillies, in another "rub your eyes to make sure it's true" statistic, rank second at 193.
Meantime, in the American League, the fallen Angels rank last since the All-Star break in runs scored (147), hits (318), RBI (136), batting average (.228), on-base percentage (.288) and slugging percentage (.368).
9a. Rock 'n' Roll Lyric of the Week
The way the Cubs are going, let's take a moment this week to remember late songwriter and ardent Cubs fan Steve Goodman, who wrote "Go, Cubs, Go", the song they still sing in Wrigley Field following each victory. But, did you know he wrote this classic, too?
"Riding on the City Of New Orleans
"Illinois Central, Monday morning rail
"Fifteen cars and 15 restless riders
"Three Conductors; 25 sacks of mail
"All along the southbound odyssey, the train pulls out of Kankakee
"And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields
"Passing trains that have no name, and freight yards full of old black men
"And the graveyards of the rusted automobile
"Good morning, America, how are you?
"Say, don't you know me? I'm your native son
"I'm the train they call the City Of New Orleans
"I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
"Dealing card games with the old man in the Club Car
"Penny a point, ain't no one keeping score
"Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
"Feel the wheels rumbling 'neath the floor
"And the sons of Pullman Porters, and the sons of Engineers
"Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel
"And, mothers with their babes asleep rocking to the gentle beat
"And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel
"Good morning, America, how are you?
"Say, don't you know me? I'm your native son
"I'm the train they call the City Of New Orleans
"I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done"
—Steve Goodman, "City of New Orleans"
Scott Miller covers Major League Baseball as a national columnist for Bleacher Report.
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