Yardbarker
x
Ranking all 30 MLB managers heading into 2017
Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter always seems to get the most out of his players. Nick Turchiaro/USA TODAY Sports

Ranking all 30 MLB managers heading into 2017

The 2017 MLB season brings three new managerial hires. Meanwhile, the job security for the 27 other managers' jobs range from rock solid to on the hot seat. Here, we rank the 30 MLB managers heading into the 2017 season according to the advantage they provide their teams as well as their past accomplishments.

 
1 of 30

1. Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs

Joe Maddon, Chicago Cubs
Jerry Lai / USA Today Sports Images

The only thing missing from Maddon's résumé heading into last season was a World Series title, but that changed in 2016. Maddon has been one of the most influential strategic managers in the game over the past 10 years and helped do the impossible by turning around Tampa Bay with the help of his defensive shifts — taking home an AL pennant in the process — before winning a World Series in Chicago. With an incredible, young core on the north side of Chicago, Maddon has a chance to go on a great run.

 
2 of 30

2. Terry Francona, Cleveland Indians

Terry Francona, Cleveland Indians
Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports Images

Francona helped end the curse in Boston, winning a World Series in 2004 and again in 2007. His strategic bullpen management was on full display last year when he almost pulled off the impossible in the World Series with Cleveland despite a severely depleted starting rotation, though the tandem of Andrew Miller and Cody Allen also deserves plenty of accolades. Through 16 years of managing, Francona has a .533 winning percentage and three AL pennants. He also hasn't finished below .500 since joining Boston in 2004.

 
3 of 30

3. Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants

Bruce Bochy, San Francisco Giants
Neville E. Guard / USA Today Sports Images

Bochy appeared in one World Series as San Diego's manager and won three World Series in five years with the Giants. Known as a players' manager, Bochy is lauded for his use of bullpens even as his teams haven't been the most consistent (career .505 winning percentage). His Giants have had only one losing season over the past eight years.

 
4 of 30

4. Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh Pirates

Clint Hurdle, Pittsburgh Pirates
Charles LeClaire / USA Today Sports Images

How much of Hurdle's success in Pittsburgh is because of him? That's a question of major debate given a forward-thinking front office and brilliant pitching coach in Ray Searage. Still, Hurdle has made it all work, changing with the times by employing defensive shifts and using his background with young players and hitting to grow Pittsburgh on a limited budget. The team has impressively made the playoffs three times in his six seasons, with a .524 winning percentage. He also appeared in the World Series as manager of the Rockies in 2007.

 
5 of 30

5. Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles

Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles
Kim Klement / USA Today Sports Images

Through four stops, Showalter still hasn't appeared in a World Series, and he has only four playoff appearances in 18 seasons. Despite his lack of reaching the pinnacle, Showalter has performed well with what he's been given. He has a career .521 winning percentage and helped an Orioles roster with limited starting pitching remain at or above .500 in each of the past five seasons despite a brutal division. It's become quite clear that he gets the most out of his players.

 
6 of 30

6. Joe Girardi, New York Yankees

Joe Girardi, New York Yankees
Kim Klement / USA Today Sports Images

Success is expected with the Yankees, and Girardi has maintained it through a semi-rebuild recently as the team has shed off aged players. The Yankees have won at least 84 games in each of his nine seasons, and they won the World Series in 2009. The team has remained patient recently despite win totals from 84-87 over the last four seasons, and the roster is about to get younger with a bustling farm system.

 
7 of 30

7. Terry Collins, New York Mets

Terry Collins, New York Mets
Brad Mills / USA Today Sports Images

It took Collins 12 years to get another MLB managerial job after leaving the Angels in 1999, though he did have plenty of success in his first two managerial stints with the Astros and Angels. He slowly but surely improved with the Mets over the past six seasons, making the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, including a World Series appearance in 2015. Last year was arguably his best work, winning a Wild Card spot despite a long list of injuries.

 
8 of 30

8. Bud Black, Colorado Rockies

Bud Black, Colorado Rockies
Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports Images

Black didn't get the respect he deserved in eight-plus seasons with the Padres, but that could change in his second managerial stint, now with the Rockies. A former pitching coach, Black was known for helping his pitchers overachieve in San Diego. While he had only two winning seasons, the Padres won at least 75 games in six seasons despite a low budget and mostly subpar rosters.

 
9 of 30

9. John Farrell, Boston Red Sox

John Farrell, Boston Red Sox
Kim Klement / USA Today Sports Images

A former pitching coach, Farrell joined Boston in 2013 after two seasons as Toronto's manager. He won the World Series in his first season with the Red Sox, turning around a forgettable and short era under Bobby Valentine, but the Red Sox have been up and down over the last three seasons. After struggles in 2014 and 2015, the team won 93 games last season but was ousted quickly in the playoffs.

 
10 of 30

10. John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays

John Gibbons, Toronto Blue Jays
Kim Klement / USA Today Sports Images

Now in his second stint with the Blue Jays, Gibbons' recent teams have featured plenty of talent. He's delivered by winning 93 games in 2015 and 89 games last season, quietly putting together winning campaigns in five of his seven full seasons.

 
11 of 30

11. Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers

Jeff Banister, Texas Rangers
David Kohl / USA Today Sports Images

It's difficult to argue with Banister's results in two seasons with the Rangers, winning the AL West in consecutive years. His team overachieved last season, finishing with 95 wins despite a plus-eight run differential. The expectations could be tougher to match this season with the Astros and Mariners improving on paper during the offseason.

 
12 of 30

12. Bob Melvin, Oakland Athletics

Bob Melvin, Oakland Athletics
Jerome Miron / USA Today Sports Images

Melvin has won Manager of the Year with two different organizations and won at least 90 games in a season during all three of his managerial stints (Seattle, Arizona, Oakland). After three great full seasons to start his A's stint, he's failed to win 70 games in each of the last two seasons.

 
13 of 30

13. Dusty Baker, Washington Nationals

Dusty Baker, Washington Nationals
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

Sabermetricians loathe Baker's lineups and old-school strategy, but players seem to enjoy playing for him. He's generally won everywhere he's been, though Baker has also had his fair share of talent in San Francisco, Chicago, Cincinnati and now Washington. Despite all the opportunities and a .529 winning percentage in 21 seasons, Baker's teams have had only one World Series appearance.

 
14 of 30

14. Mike Matheny, St. Louis Cardinals

Mike Matheny, St. Louis Cardinals
Jeff Curry / USA Today Sports Images

Cardinals fans have been regularly frustrated by Matheny's lineups, substitutions and bullpen management since his tenure started in 2012. Still, 2016 was the first time in his five seasons that the Cardinals missed the playoffs, and he deserves some credit for the team's NL pennant in 2013.

 
15 of 30

15. Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays

Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays
Jeff Griffith / USA Today Sports Images

The Rays couldn't afford to keep Joe Maddon, but they replaced him with another forward-thinking manager. Cash went 80-82 in his first season with Tampa Bay before falling to 68 wins last year with a myriad of injuries, but he's still done well with his pitching staffs and has shown a willingness for creative lineups. Tampa Bay still has enough talent to remain competitive, but it will take some maneuvering on Cash's part.

 
16 of 30

16. Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels

Mike Scioscia, Los Angeles Angels
Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports Images

Scioscia won the World Series in only his third season with the Angels, and he's finished above .500 in 12 out of 17 seasons at the helm. Last year was his worst with the Angels, winning only 74 games, and his penchant for playing veterans and not adjusting to baseball's modern changes has worn on fans and GMs, as former GM Jerry Dipoto can attest.

 
17 of 30

17. Ned Yost, Kansas City Royals

Ned Yost, Kansas City Royals
Brad Rempel / USA Today Sports Images

Yost's lineup cards and in-game moves are the bane of any stat-minded fan's existence. That said, his players have generally been complimentary of his work, at least publicly, and Yost deserves credit for K.C.'s run in the playoffs in 2014 and 2015 that culminated with a World Series victory. The team regressed due to injuries last season, but he's still one game below .500 in seven seasons with an organization that made a living of losing for nearly 30 years.

 
18 of 30

18. A.J. Hinch, Houston Astros

A.J. Hinch, Houston Astros
Jasen Vinlove / USA Today Sports Images

Hinch has a history in player development at the front office level, so he seemed like a great match to guide the young Astros. They won a Wild Card spot in his first season with the team in 2015, well ahead of schedule, and won 84 games last season. The expectations are much higher this year after an aggressive offseason.

 
19 of 30

19. Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers

Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today Sports Images

Roberts was heavily criticized for his managing in the playoffs last year, and it's unfortunate given how he navigated a trying regular season. The Dodgers had plenty of depth and funds to find more talent, but they still lost Clayton Kershaw for a significant chunk of the year and had to overcome Yasiel Puig's issues on and off the field. Roberts also did an excellent job taking care of his pitchers, from pulling Ross Stripling in a no-hitter to limiting Julio Urias' work late in the season.

 
20 of 30

20. Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins

Don Mattingly, Miami Marlins
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

A former hitting coach, Mattingly is far from a stat-head manager. It was no wonder that he was effectively removed after the 2015 season in L.A., though he does deserve credit for three straight first-place finishes. His 79 wins last season in Miami was much better than it could have been given Dee Gordon's PEDs suspension, along with injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and Wei-Yin Chen.

 
21 of 30

21. Brad Ausmus, Detroit Tigers

Brad Ausmus, Detroit Tigers
Raj Mehta / USA Today Sports Images

At times, it seemed like Ausmus' hair was on fire early last season when the Tigers were struggling, but the team came around and nearly pulled out a Wild Card spot with 86 wins. It would have been his second playoff appearance in three seasons, and the fall-off in Detroit hasn't been extreme since losing legendary manager Jim Leyland.

 
22 of 30

22. Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners

Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners
Joe Nicholson / USA Today Sports Images

Servais went from the front office to the dugout in 2016, winning 86 games with a Mariners roster that had significant turnover. The project will be even greater this year after GM Jerry Dipoto made moves on what seemed like a daily basis during the offseason.

 
23 of 30

23. Pete Mackanin, Philadelphia Phillies

Pete Mackanin, Philadelphia Phillies
Steve Mitchell / USA Today Sports Images

It's not a stretch to say that the Phillies overachieved last season, even with only 71 wins. The team did feature some young talent but was also filled with players who shouldn't have spent as much time as they did in the majors. With a loaded roster at Triple-A, Mackanin will really be tested this season.

 
24 of 30

24. Craig Counsell, Milwaukee Brewers

Craig Counsell, Milwaukee Brewers
Joe Camporeale / USA Today Sports Images

Counsell has been able to bridge two front office regimes due to his reputation as a cerebral and stat-minded manager. The Brewers did well to win 73 games last season without much pitching, and Counsell was at the helm as several players made impressive breakouts, such as Jonathan Villar and Hernan Perez.

 
25 of 30

25. Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves

Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves
Reinhold Matay / USA Today Sports Images

Atlanta really came on strong during the second half of last season after trading for Matt Kemp and promoting Dansby Swanson. Snitker was hired full-time after being promoted in-season and going 59-65 with a subpar roster. The Braves probably won't make the playoffs this season, but they could make some noise with a revamped rotation.

 
26 of 30

26. Andy Green, San Diego Padres

Andy Green, San Diego Padres
Kelley L. Cox / USA Today Sports Images

It remains to be seen if Green will get a fair shake in San Diego. Predictably, his Padres struggled last season with only 68 wins due to lack of talent and pitching injuries. The rotation is a clear liability this season, and Green has already suggested pairing starters on short stints. It's a strategy that could help, but San Diego's season is basically over before it begins.

 
27 of 30

27. Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins

Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins
Brad Rempel / USA Today Sports Images

The Twins were the surprise team of 2015 with 83 wins, so their regression last season was predictable. Still, it was difficult to see the team losing 103 games. The youngsters struggled, and Minnesota's pitching was nonexistent. With a new front office, Molitor might not last for all of 2017.

 
28 of 30

28. Bryan Price, Cincinnati Reds

Bryan Price, Cincinnati Reds
Kareem Elgazzer / USA Today Sports Images

Price was a cheap replacement after the Reds got rid of Dusty Baker, but it remains to be seen if he's the best man for their rebuild. The team has lost more than 90 games in each of the past two seasons, but an impressive selection of upper minors pitching should keep Price busy this year.

 
29 of 30

29. Rick Renteria, Chicago White Sox

Rick Renteria, Chicago White Sox
Geoff Burke / USA Today Sports Images

Renteria was tasked with developing young talent on the north side of Chicago in 2014 before the Cubs found a better option in Joe Maddon. Three years later, he gets the same task on the south side, as the White Sox start their rebuild. His player development acumen has been revered by two good front offices.

 
30 of 30

30. Torey Lovullo, Arizona Diamondbacks

Torey Lovullo, Arizona Diamondbacks
Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today Sports Images

Lovullo comes over from Boston to a talented but severely underachieving Diamondbacks roster. He certainly has experience in those situations after several years with the Red Sox, but it remains to be seen what Lovullo can do in his first managerial stint after serving as Boston's bench coach.

Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

+

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.