The Miami Marlins surpassed the Philadelphia Phillies as the worst team in the MLB on Saturday night with a loss to the Atlanta Braves. Manager Dan Jennings, who took over for Mike Redmond just 38 games into the 2015 season, could be back in the front office at year's end.
Jennings is managing for the first time in decades, and the last time he did was with a high school team. Now it appears as if the Marlins are re-thinking their decision of making him the team's manager.
"Though owner Jeffrey Loria is always capable of changing his mind, the Marlins are operating under the belief there will be a new manager next season, with Dan Jennings returning to the front office, according to team sources," writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
"The Marlins don't want to discuss the managerial situation publicly yet, but Laurence Leavy, known as Marlins Man because he wears his Marlins jersey to sporting events across the country, interviewed Jennings for Fox Sports Florida and said Jennings implied to him, off the air, that he will not be the manager next year."
Here's Leavy's interview with Jennings.
Jennings is 27-46 since relinquishing his role as general manager to man the dugout. However, Miami has been without their best player in Giancarlo Stanton for a long time now while witnessing underachieving campaigns from outfielder Marcell Ozuna, first baseman Michael Morse (before he was traded), reliever Steve Cishek and others. Starter Henderson Alvarez also made only four starts before needing shoulder surgery.
As of right now, Jennings has the worst winning percentage (.367) of any Marlins' manager (among those that have been with the team for at least 60 games) in franchise history. If he's moved back to the front office at the end of 2015, that will be the 16th managerial change in the 22-year existence of the Marlins.
Jackson also noted Jennings' potential successors may include Bud Black, Ron Gardenhire, Dusty Baker or Mike Lowell. Black was dismissed after 55 games with the San Diego Padres this season; Gardenhire was fired following the 2014 season after 13 seasons with the Minnesota Twins; the Cincinnati Reds fired Baker after six seasons and two consecutive winning campaigns; and Lowell has never managed and currently working as analyst on the MLB Network.
The Marlins are expected to make moves in free agency this offseason, but the biggest story will be their plan with Jennings and whoever comes after him if he's reassigned.
