Not all baseball hot seats are created equal.
Last year? Man, now that was a hot seat for the ages. The Biogenesis scandal loomed so large, we had more of a hot luxury liner than a mere hot seat. The illegal performance-enhancing drugs imbroglio indeed took people down — what was the name of that Yankees’ third baseman, again? — and elevated others.
Sadly, this year finds us without such explosive off-the-field drama. But you can still find myriad pressure points around the game. Folks whose jobs/legacies/good names are on the line.
Here’s our 20 on the hot seat for 2014, sorted into players, managers and owners and executives.
Players
Derek Jeter, Yankees. He wants to wrap up his perfect narrative with a worthwhile ending, one in which he provides value to a playoff team and erases the images of last year’s injury travails. That won’t be easy for the soon-to-be 40-year-old.
Ervin Santana, Atlanta. A casualty of both the draft-compensation system and overambitious representation, he signed a one-year deal with the injury-riddled Braves and must produce another high-caliber season in order to score a better contract next winter.
Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia. The Phillies icon, coming off arguably his worst offensive season, has established residency in the doghouse of manager Ryne Sandberg. He needs 434 plate appearances to vest an $11-million option for next year. Will Sandberg play him enough?
David Ortiz, Boston. Unless he and the Red Sox come to terms on a contract extension, the reigning World Series MVP will endure his third walk year in the past four seasons. At 38, he must constantly reprove himself.
Max Scherzer, Detroit. Can the impending free agent match Clayton Kershaw’s seven-year, $215-million contract? You know Scherzer’s agent, Scott Boras, thirsts for the challenge. A repeat AL Cy Young Award makes it possible.
Nelson Cruz, Baltimore. He accepted a one-year, $8 million deal from the Orioles after rejecting a one-year, $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Rangers. Oops. In a related note, he will be returning from a 50-game Biogenesis suspension.
Ryan Braun, Milwaukee. If more than a few fans regard you as more reprehensible than Alex Rodriguez, you probably have made some questionable choices. Braun will try to rebuild his career and image following his 65-game Biogenesis suspension.
Robinson Cano, Seattle. Maybe he’ll just laugh in baseball oblivion for the next 10 years as the checks clear all the way up to $240 million. But given his Hall of Fame track and his professional pride, you’d think he wants to justify his decision to bolt the Yankees. Quickly.
Managers
John Gibbons, Toronto. The former Mets catcher must turn around last year’s biggest disappointment, in the wake of a very quiet winter by his front office.
Lloyd McClendon, Seattle. He just arrived, but he could depart shortly, given the Mariners’ shaky roster and shakier front-office setup.
Terry Collins, Mets. He has a two-year contract, yet he’s making a reasonable $1 million per season, and we know the Mets are targeting this season for a significant leap.
Mike Scioscia, Angels. Though he has a contract through 2018, he has gone four straight years without a playoff appearance. If nothing else, more discontent could push him to opt out after next year.
Mike Redmond, Miami. He seems safe, but MLB rules clearly state that you can’t write a “manager hot seat” column without including the Marlins’ skipper.
Owners and executives
The Wilpons and Saul Katz, Mets. The failure to sign Stephen Drew — even if baseball operations doesn’t universally love Drew — and the Braves’ late pickup of Santana underline the lack of faith Mets fans have in their ownership. The long-term plan has to start bearing fruit.
Jack Zduriencik, Seattle. Four straight losing seasons and countless transactions gone bad don’t bode well for the Mariners’ general manager, who is believed to be on very thin ice. Spring-training setbacks to Hisashi Iwakuma and rookie Taijuan Walker won’t help.
Alex Anthopoulos, Toronto. After last winter’s transaction spree — and the subsequent last-place AL East finish — the Blue Jays’ general manager added only Dioner Navarro this offseason. In his fifth year on the job, his time might be running out.
Ruben Amaro Jr., Philadelphia. Clever critics for years have called the Phillies’ GM “Ruin Tomorrow, Jr.,” and tomorrow seems to have arrived. Cole Hamels’ sore left shoulder and the Rollins-Sandberg tension have made for an aggravating spring.
Brian Cashman, Mark Newman and Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees. The club’s general manager, senior vice president of baseball operations and scouting director, respectively, all know the farm system has to improve this year. Strong spring showings by Dellin Betances and Mason Williams have been encouraging.
Lew Woolf, Oakland. The A’s owner has been trying to move his excellent team out of the awful O.co Coliseum for close to a decade now and has been stonewalled by the neighboring Giants’ control over the lucrative San Jose area. Maybe Woolf will be more aggressive once (if?) his college pal, commissioner Bud Selig, retires next January.
Jerry DiPoto, Angels. The third-year GM signed Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson to ginormous contracts at owner Arte Moreno’s insistence, and none have produced good returns. Sometimes in life, you’re the scapegoat.