In an attempt to be factually correct on my supposition -- that it's rather odd to go through almost an entire MLB season with only one managerial firing -- I couldn't locate the numbers. But the fact that only Fredi Gonzalez of the Atlanta Braves was removed this season, while seemingly odd, won't change the other fact: nearly nine managers now face the reality that Oct. 2 could be the last day they are employed by their current teams as skippers.
Let's start with three I would rank as almost definite firings at years' end:
Gonzalez' replacement Brian Snitker is a long-time organizational guy in Atlanta who doesn't seem to be viewed as the long-term answer for rebuilding the Braves. Plus, with a new ballpark set to open next April, general manager John Coppolella and his bosses John Hart and team president John Schuerholz will want something that excites the fan base.
