The Florida Marlins have been up and down this season vs. the online betting odds and their lack of success on the field cost manager Fredi Gonzalez his job. Before the season began, owner Jeffrey Loria said that his team would make the playoffs, but they are below .500. The question now is whether or not the Marlins will make a move and be improved vs. the baseball Internet betting odds.
Online betting odds could move on Florida if they get hot with a new manager. One of the leading candidates to get the job is former New York and Texas manager Bobby Valentine who is working as an ESPN announcer.
The Marlins are in fourth place in the National League East but not out of the race at all. There is plenty of time left for the Marlins to make some serious improvement vs. the Internet betting odds in baseball. The Marlins have a Cy Young candidate in Josh Johnson, a superstar hitter in Hanley Ramirez and a lot of other young talent that can impact a game.
The Marlins will be managed by Edwin Rodriguez on an interim basis. He has spent the last year and a half at Triple-A New Orleans. The Marlins also fired bench coach Carlos Tosca and hitting Coach Jim Presley. Interim replacements are Brandon Hyde and John Mallee. It has been a rocky season for the Marlins. Ramirez had a run-in with Gonzalez earlier this season. Supposedly his firing had nothing to do with that incident. Gonzalez was 276-279 with the Marlins. He had received a contract extension before last season that went through next year. Gonzalez is still highly respected in baseball circles and it is very possible that he takes over in Atlanta next season with Bobby Cox retiring.
There have already been three managers fired in baseball this season. Trey Hillman of the Royals and Dave Trembley of the Orioles were fired earlier this season. Neither the Royals nor the Orioles have improved very much with their new managers so it will be interesting to see how Florida does. The Marlins have winnable games against Baltimore this week and then they host San Diego in what should be an interesting series this weekend.