LET’S START THE WATCH

The death watch that is, for the managers of major league baseball. There are some interesting situations out there.

The concern this year at the beginning of the season was Rusty Baker and the Cincinnati Reds. Many people felt he now had the horses to win and that he’s better. Today his team is one of the best playing teams in baseball. The ballclub is solid in every respect and so he will stay at least another year.

Bobby Valentine

The most controversial manager is of course: Bobby Valentine with the Boston Red Sox, and the disappointment of the team, the managerial skills and the attitude of the players. Granted he inherited a club that totally collapsed at the beginning of September in ’11 under Terry Francona, they continued to play badly under Valentine. Bobby was supposed to rectify the situation, bring some discipline in the clubhouse, and instead the nucleus of the team rebelled against him where a good portion was shipped out to Los Angeles and the Dodgers.

Bucky Showalter and the Baltimore Orioles have proven to be a great surprise and has restores respectability to the franchise. In spite of a meddling owner, he has made a real race of the American League East division, and should be signed on for another couple of years.

Dale Sveum of the Chicago Cubs is gone as far as I see it. With one of the worst records in the game, the great city of Chicago should be doing better, andif you couple that with the success of the White Sox, their cross town rivals in first place with one of the best records in the game, Sveum must go.

Mike Scioscia has been around a long time as manager, and his LA Angels were picked to edge out the Rangers this year. Instead he is mired in third place after a horrendous start on the team and Albert Pujols part. Maybe Mike needs a new venue. To make matters worse, you have to look to Los Angeles and…

Don Mattingly, having the turmoil of ownership and then the horses to make it a race with the San Francisco Giants, and may over take them by the time the playoffs roll around.

If Ozzie Guillen survives the year I’ll be surprised. This has got to be the most embarrassing situation for a team that was picked by many to win their division. New stadium, uniforms and name, not to mention all those colors in it, and the free agent signings that are costing them millions, they now are in danger of finishing in last place, after their early fire sale.

If there are any managers that deserve manager of the year, it has to be Davey Johnson of the Washington Nationals, Clint Hurdle of Pittsburg and Joe Girardi of the Yankees along with Dusty Baker. A shout out should go to Terry Collins of the New York Mets for the job he did keeping his club where they were until the All Star break. Bob Melvin in Oakland, has kept his team highly competitive and exciting as has Joe Madden in a tough division.

That’s all I wrote, folks!