Mariners' McLaren, Mets' Randolph are managers most in jeopardy

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons and Rangers manager Ron Washington have jumped off their managerial hot seats thanks to recent hot streaks. But Gibbons and Washington have now been replaced by John McLaren of the Mariners and Willie Randolph of the Mets.

Major League sources suggested to SI.com that McLaren may be the one in the most immediate jeopardy. According to someone who speaks regularly with Mariners people, McLaren possibly could soon be removed in coming days, perhaps as early as next week.

If McLaren goes, word is he'll probably be replaced, at least on an interim basis, by bench coach Jim Riggleman or third base coach Sam Perlozzo. Riggleman formerly managed the Padres and Cubs; Perlozzo once managed the Orioles.

Mariners GM Bill Bavasi couldn't be reached Saturday but said in a recent interview with SI.com that it's against his policy and better judgment to ever comment on the status of his manager.

Even if McLaren should survive in the short term, it's going to be extremely difficult for him to dig himself out of the hole of abject underachievement. It's a shame, too, since the well-liked McLaren waited 20 seasons for the major league managerial job that finally came during the middle of last season, when Mike Hargrove suddenly retired. McLaren responded by leading the team to a 43-41 record the rest of the way.

But this season's Mariners, with a payroll of $118 million, stand 18-32 after dropping four straight games by a combined score of 54-21 to two other disappointing last-place teams, the Tigers and Yankees. They must now themselves be considered the league's biggest disappointment to date.

Randolph's job status appears a little more complicated, though his chances to hang on are no longer as certain as they were a week ago.

The Mets-owning Wilpons came into the season with a strong inclination to give Randolph the entire year to re-prove he could successfully lead the club that collapsed last September. But right now, a lot of issues are plaguing the Mets, putting Randolph into the cross hairs a lot earlier than anyone would have expected.

Internally, the Wilpons did stress a quick start, according to people inside the organization. And SI learned that on the eve of the Subway Series, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon called together Randolph and GM Omar Minaya to impart this message: "You guys need to turn it around, and turn it around quickly.''

The message -- really directed at Randolph -- initially seemed to have some effect, as the Mets convincingly swept two games against the Yankees in the Bronx. And at that time Minaya was telling people that he intended to retain Randolph at least through the year. However, a disaster of a horror-flick proportions followed the Yankees series.

Seemingly sensing his tenuous plight, Randolph, in an interview with the Bergen (N.J.) Record, blamed his image as a laid-back leader on how he's portrayed by the Mets-owned SNY -- thus upsetting the Wilpons, who own a significant part of the team's TV network. When the club followed with four straight losses to the rival Braves in Atlanta, the Wilpons dispatched Minaya, Randolph's strongest front-office supporter, to join the club in Colorado, ostensibly to take the pulse of the floundering team.

Randolph, whose call of apology for his remarks regarding SNY wasn't taken last week by the Wilpons, will instead meet early this week with the owners, whereupon he will be asked to explain his suggestion that SNY was purposely distorting his image for the worse. Whether they watch the games on SNY or in person, many people within the organization believe Randolph does need to demonstrate more emotion. Perhaps the owners will see that emotion at the meeting next week.

When he got to Colorado, Minaya told reporters regarding Randolph, "He has my support. He has ownership's support. And that's what it is.'' But Minaya stopped short of guaranteeing that Randolph was in no imminent jeopardy. Then Randolph's Mets proceeded to make it five straight losses before beating the Rockies 9-2 Saturday to snap the slide.

There's been lots of public speculation already about who might succeed Randolph. Some of the names mentioned include popular, baseball wise broadcaster Keith Hernandez, accomplished ex-Mets manager Bobby Valentine (now managing the Chiba Lotte Marines), ex-Phillies manager Larry Bowa (now a coach with the Dodgers), ex-Met and former major league manager Jim Fregosi (now a scout with the Braves), and popular former Mets player Lee Mazzilli (now a SNY broadcaster). Ex-Met Gary Carter campaigned for the job on Sirius satellite radio, fairly uncouth considering it isn't yet open. In any case, bench coach Jerry Manuel could be the most likely successor, at least on an interim basis.

Randolph's job security surely isn't what it was to start the year. But at the moment it appears slightly stronger than McLaren's anyway.