Five MLB managers on the hot seat in 2016

1. Fredi Gonzalez, Atlanta Braves

Then there is the curious case of Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. His team was absolutely horrid from July on and the once-proud Braves organization are shamelessly rebuilding. Thrice has the Braves quit on Gonzalez during his five seasons as manager (2011, 2014-15). He may have received an extension from ownership conglomerate Liberty Media through 2016, but Gonzalez will have to move mountains to keep his job once the Braves begin play in new SunTrust Park in 2017.

Atlanta went with a disciple of its greatest manager in Bobby Cox when replacing him with Gonzalez in 2011. In his first three years with the club, the Braves were a competitive team in the National League East, a division that Atlanta routinely won in the 1990s to mid-2000s.

However an epic collapse in 2011, a stinging loss in the 2012 NL Wild Card Game, and a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS still hurt for an organization that has not advanced in the postseason since 2001.

Braves Country is growing very tired of the daily mismanagement of the pitching staff by Gonzalez. The last thing a young rotation needs is a leaky bullpen and having a manager put his pitchers consistently in less than desirable situations only seems to hurt the young players’ collective confidence.

Of all the returning managers in the MLB, Gonzalez certainly feels the most heat. While he does boast an above .500 record as the manager of the Braves (425-385), another debacle like 2015 will certainly end the Gonzalez era in Atlanta after the 2016 MLB season.