The Out Route

I think you should sit down.

Well...hmmm. I don't know exactly how to put this, but...

Dusty Baker seems to think he's going to lose his job. And I, uh, seem to believe him. In all seriousness, Baker is an iconic figure in Chicago and will remain so even after his firing. Except Baker will be an icon because of his demonstration on how quickly a revered manager can fall from grace; something tells me he'd rather be known for a World Series victory.

Elsewhere, reports state that the Marlins are going to fire Joe Girardi on Tuesday. This has been a bubbling rumor since Girardi was almost fired midseason after fighting with Marlins ownership. If you're a Marlins fan, my sympathies. How awful it must be to have an owner who is so consumed with his own travails that he's willing to fire a manager who has proven qualified for the job because of a personal tiff. Girardi is an NL Coach of the Year candidate who took a young team and almost got them into the playoffs, and won the favor of the players along the way. The Marlins obviously have no concept of how to run a team properly. They build an impressive young corp, and dismantle it every few years. This Girardi business will put them on par with the Islanders and Lions as laughable ineptitude is concerned.

Jeffrey Loria, you do not have the best interests of the Marlins in mind. If I were fans, I'd take a cue from the Orioles fans and stage a protest.