The Seattle Mariners were the popular pick to win the AL West this year, but they've found themselves fighting to stay out the division basement. Manager Lloyd McClendon was fired today even though he has one year left on his deal, so who could replace him? Here are the top three candidates:
Matt Williams, former Washington Nationals manager
Williams was fired following the Nationals disastrous second half collapse, but he may be the best manager available. He won NL Manager of the Year in 2014 while leading the Nationals to the postseason and had the Nats as one of the best teams in baseball before their collapse, and the Mariners could use that kind of managerial experience in their clubhouse.
Bud Black, former San Diego Padres manager
Black didn't finish the season as the Padres' manager after being fired halfway through the season, but he does have a lot of experience from his time in San Diego (2007-2015), including winning NL Manager of the Year in 2010. He started his 15-year playing career with the Mariners, and a reunion could be in order.
Ron Gardenhire, former Minnesota Twins manager
The former skipper of the Minnesota Twins has the experience the Mariners could be looking for. He was a strong manager in Minnesota, but the time had come for the Twins to part ways. However, there are rumors that Gardenhire could end up as the Tigers' manager next season.
Ryne Sandberg, former Philadelphia Phillies manager
Sandberg has very little success with the Phillies, but that had more to do with their talent than poor managing. The Hall of Famer was thought to be one of the rising stars in the managerial world before his stint in Philly, and if the Mariners are willing to take a risk that won't cost them a lot of money, Sandberg is probably their best option.
Pat Murphy, former San Diego Padres manager
Murphy took over as interim manager in San Diego in June after being promoted from his Triple-A job, but they recently decided not to retian him long-term.. At this point, it's clear all of the Padres' offseason moves didn't work out, so it's hard to blame Murphy for any struggles they had this season. He's worked his way up the Padres organization and has all of the prerequisites that suggest he should be successful if given a permanent job in the majors.
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