May 1st, 2012 at 12:54 pm 
by Ron Cervenka I know that this is a Dodger blog site and all, but I simply couldn’t ignore all of the chatter on MLB Network Radio’s Inside Pitch with Casey Stern and Jim Bowden on XM radio the past two days. When Stern and Bowden weren’t talking about Bryce Harper (which wasn’t very often), they were talking about the horrible start that the Anaheim Angels of Anaheim were off to, in spite of their record-setting (and insane) off-season signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson.
One of Stern’s main points was that because Angels’ owner Arte Moreno spent over $310M for Pujols and Wilson, he expects returns on his investment and he isn’t getting it. Stern added that because of this, “Mike Scioscia’s bullet proof vest is off” which, of course, means that Mike Scioscia’s job is now in jeopardy for the first time in his 11+ years as the Angels manager.
I normally take what I hear on baseball talk shows with a grain of salt, but this one took on a little more credibility during Sunday night’s ESPN Game of the Week when former Dodger great and current ESPN color commentator Orel Hershiser mentioned that even though the season is only one month old, it would be extremely difficult and perhaps even impossible for the Angels to catch and pass the Texas Rangers who currently have a 9 game lead over the last place Angels. Hershiser added that while anything is possible in the MLB, it would take an incredible winning streak by the Angels and a complete meltdown by the Rangers to overcome a 10-game deficit.
One month into the season, Mike Scioscia’s Angels already trail the AL West leading Texas Rangers by 9 games. Could it be that Scioscia’s job is in jeopardy for the first time in his 11+ years as the Angles manager? (Photo by Ronald Martinez – Getty Images)
There isn’t a true Dodger fan alive who doesn’t absolutely love Mike Scioscia even to this day and none of them, and I mean not even one, will ever forgive former Dodger general manager Kevin Malone for dismissing Scioscia from the organization rather than appointing him as manager of the Dodgers. Next to not re-signing future Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, the Scioscia travesty remains among the worst decisions ever made in Dodger history.
Could it be that the guy whom many consider to be among the best managers in the game today might by fired? As much as I would hate to see this, I honestly believe that it is a very real possibility. I believe this because Arte Moreno wants a World Championship and he wants it NOW; and when Tony Reagins couldn’t get it done in his five years as the Angels general manager, Moreno fired him and replaced him with former Angels pitcher Jerry Depota this past winter. Moreno then went out and spent a king’s ransom for Pujols and Wilson. And now with the dismal start that the Angels are off to in spite of being one of the highest rated teams on paper, you can bet that Moreno isn’t going to wait around too long to do something – like maybe firing Mike Scioscia.
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Just like everything else, we just finished the first month of the season, so anything can happen Unless Pujols and Wilson turn out for the Angels like Andruw Jones was for the Dodgers, I wouldn’t count Scioscia and the Angels out, just yet.
I would guess Mike is vulnerable with the horrendous start the Angels have had, combined with Moreno’s intense desire to win, and his huge commitment to free agents. You have to blame someone, even though Pujols has been a major culprit so far, so Mike might be the fall guy.
It is still a little difficult to imagine as: “Mike Scioscia is the longest-tenured manager in the American League and has the longest managerial contract in the major leagues, with seven years left on a 10-year deal through 2018.”
He has six more years on a contract. I absolutely loved Mike as a player and liked the way he managed. He should have been a lifetime Dodger. However, perhaps there is a best before date on managers, as Terry Francona discovered. Perhaps he now has some personnel that don’t respond well to his managerial style. Perhaps he is game weary.
In any event, it will be interesting to see how it plays out. No matter what, Mike will land on his feet, either with the Angels or elsewhere. There’s always a spot for the best plate blocker in the game.
Interesting that you mentioned Terry Francona, Bluenose – his name came up on “Inside Pitch” as possibly being the Angels manager at season’s end.
I certainly do not expect the Angels to finish in last place in the AL West; in fact, I see them finishing second to the Rangers. But as Hershiser mentioned, a 9-game deficit to a team that is playing .600+ ball is a huge hurdle – but hey, this is baseball, where anything can happen.
Great article, Ron. If it was last year, I’d say we could always use Scioscia back in the organization as manager… but with that said, I really like what Mattingly is doing for the Dodgers. Maybe the Dodgers have their own kidnap from another organization, and this one more sweet; The Yankees! Mattingly could be (I’m not saying it just yet)… only time will tell.