As the weather starts to heat up, MLB spreads begin to be a much bigger focus for those that enjoy betting on sports. It’s also the time of year when managers find themselves on the hot seat, and two managers have already lost their jobs during the 2022 season.
First, it was Joe Girardi with the Philadelphia Phillies, and next it was Joe Maddon with the Los Angeles Angels. Both managers have been extremely successful in their MLB managerial careers, but they took the fall for teams simply not performing up to standards.
Both teams had some lofty MLB odds set for them in terms of futures betting to begin the year, but things just weren’t working out. The Phillies got off to a miserable start, while the Angels were going through an epic collapse at the end of May.
MLB lines don’t always dictate how successful a team should be during the MLB season, but there was reason to believe in both teams in 2022. This is a league that isn’t always super aggressive in firing managers, but it happened in Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see both men managing again at some point at the MLB level, and it could happen as early as next season. There will likely be more openings at some point over the next 6-8 months, and teams will come calling on both Maddon and Girardi.
Girardi Doesn’t Last 2 Months
There were some lofty expectations for the Philadelphia Phillies this season, especially after the front office spent so much money in the offseason. Things immediately went south for this team, and Girardi was stuck trying to manage a bullpen that simply couldn’t get any outs.
Girardi was fired on June 3 after his team got off to a 22-29 start. This team had a roster that had five All-Stars from the 2021 season, but they were spending most days in last place in the NL East Division.
Rob Thomson was named interim manager in Philadelphia, and the Phillies picked up a blowout win over the Los Angeles Angels in his first game. The Phillies were losers of 12 out of 17 games when the move was made to fire Girardi, and the team has actually turned things around since the firing.
Philadelphia is a franchise that is no stranger to firing managers as they have been looking for a steady presence since firing Charlie Manuel in 2013. The team is now on their fifth manager since that time, and they fired Girardi before he even had three full years under his belt.
Girardi went just 132-141 as the manager of the Phillies, including an 82-80 record in 2021. He was the manager of the New York Yankees back in 2009 when he guided the team to a World Series title.
Thomson was hired by the Phillies in 2018 and has spent a good chunk of his career working under Girardi. The Phillies are expected to have a national search for a new manager at the conclusion of the 2022 season, and Joe Maddon could be a candidate.
Maddon’s Mohawk Doesn’t Survive
Just days after Girardi was let go by the Phillies, it was the Los Angeles Angels that decided that they needed a change at manager. This decision came as the Angels had lost 12 straight games, and a number of those losses were in heartbreaking fashion.
Maddon is a manager that is known to have an ability to turn things around, and he shaved his head into a mohawk in an attempt to end the streak. The Angels team did not get to see the mohawk though as he was fired before coming to the ballpark.
Los Angeles actually jumped out to a 27-17 record on the year, and were contenders in the AL West Division. That all changed as the losses continued to pile up for the Angels and there was no hope in sight.
Phil Nevin was named the interim manager for the Angels, and he will manage throughout the end of the year.
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