The 2022 MLB season has already resulted in two managers being fired.
The Los Angeles Angels dismissed Joe Maddon, and the Philadelphia Phillies did the same with Joe Girardi.
Could Scott Servais of the Seattle Mariners be next?
It may be too early to think about that, especially after a winning season last year.
But things have been rough in 2022.
The team has a mediocre, disappointing 29-39 record and has dropped seven of their last 10 contests.
Several key young players and offseason acquisitions have failed to perform as expected, most notably Jarred Kelenic, Jesse Winker, and Robbie Ray.
Brent Stecker, the editor of SeattleSports.com, talked with Servais about the team’s rough moment.
“We’ve got the #ScottServaisShow now live with the #Mariners manager on @SeattleSports. Called their recent homestand “brutal.” ‘We’re not playing very good baseball at all. … Gotta find a way to make adjustments. … Gonna be a collective effort to get us through it,'” Stecker tweeted.
We've got the #ScottServaisShow now live with the #Mariners manager on @SeattleSports.
Called their recent homestand "brutal."
"We're not playing very good baseball at all. … Gotta find a way to make adjustments. … Gonna be a collective effort to get us through it."
— Brent Stecker (@BrentStecker) June 21, 2022
Seattle Needs To Improve At The Front Office Level, Too
In the past few years, several organizations have prioritized the work behind the scenes instead of spending millions of dollars in free agency.
The Tampa Bay Rays, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Cleveland Guardians, the San Francisco Giants, and the New York Yankees, for example, are known for being excellent in player development.
Seattle looks far from this group, unfortunately.
This problem has become evident in the stalled progress by Kelenic, Evan White, Taylor Trammell, and other prospects.
The collective effort that Servais is referring to should come from the offices, too, not just from the players on the field: effective scouting, an organizational philosophy, and good coaching should be part of the equation.
It’s time for the Mariners to take the next step, after more than 20 years without playoffs.
It’s time to stop being mediocre.
NEXT: Mariners Analyst Illustrates Why Fans Are Losing Patience