The Seattle Mariners were the popular pick to win the AL West this year, but they've found themselves fighting to stay out the division basement. Manager Lloyd McClendon is very much in danger of losing his job because of that even though he has one year left on his deal, so who could replace him?
Matt Williams, current Washington Nationals manager
Williams is almost certainly not going to return to Washington this year following the Nationals disastrous second half collapse, but he may be the best manager available. He won NL Manager of the Year in 2014 while leading the Nationals to the postseason and had the Nats as one of the best teams in baseball before their collapse, and the Mariners could use that kind of managerial experience in their clubhouse.
Ryne Sandberg, former Philadelphia Phillies manager
Sandberg has very little success with the Phillies, but that had more to do with their talent than poor managing. The Hall of Famer was thought to be one of the rising stars in the managerial world before his stint in Philly, and if the Mariners are willing to take a risk that won't cost them a lot of money, Sandberg is probably their best option.
Pat Murphy, current San Diego Padres manager
Murphy took over as interim manager in San Diego in June after being promoted from his Triple-A job, but his pedestrian record hasn't guaranteed he'll return next season. At this point, it's clear all of the Padres' offseason moves didn't work out, so it's hard to blame Murphy for any struggles they have. He's worked his way up the Padres organization and has all of the prerequisites that suggest he should be successful if given a permanent job in the majors.
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