MLB Managers up for grabs

After disappointing seasons for their respective teams managers, Joe Girardi, Felipe Alou, Dusty Baker, and Lou Pinella were terminated. Now their availability has spurred interest around baseball. The Marlins expected Girardi to resurrect the franchise in just one year. The former baseball player has a sharp mind for the game, but he can't pull off miracles on his own. Florida doesn't have the team chemistry and talent they had 3 years ago when they leaped to the World Series and defeated the New York Yankees. That's all a distant memory.

Despite losing in the first round of the playoffs Yankees owner, George Steinbreiner, elected to keep Joe Torre around. I'm glad that Lou Pinella was not hired because I feel he has a greater purpose to serve for a team crying out for help in the NL. After one of the worst seasons in over a decade the Chicago Cubs are in dire need of direction. With Baker gone, the club could use a vocal leader in the dugout like Pinella who knows how to motivate players. This was a far comparison from Baker, who seemed passive and reserved for most of the 2006 campaign with Chicago. Right now they're interviewing Joe Girardi for the position, an ex-Cub (played on team in the early 90's).

I have no idea where Alou and Baker will go, their background and credentials will help them find a job somewhere even though they finished the year with unpredictable low overall records. San Francisco has got the short end of the stick with both managers as they failed to achieve a World Series title. Baker carried the Giants to the World Series in the late 90's, however came up short against the Angels. There is still much uncertainty as to how many other coaches will be put on the chomping block this off-season. If teams like the Marlins, Cubs, and Giants want to become contenders they've got major restructing to do between now and 2007.