2044.3: Archer Shown the Door

[Rubaboo]

News from Mexico City HQ today - the team has relieved Manager Jonathan Archer of his duties, effective immediately.

Aztec GM Fred Holmes after dropping the news at a press conference today: "Obviously we're disappointed. We viewed Jonathan as an integral part of what we've been building here but the results just haven't met expectations over the last several seasons. Obviously that starts with us in the front office, but the manager's job is to ensure consistency of performance and results. After several meetings between Jonathan, myself, and several others in the management group, we decided that it would be in the best interest of all parties for us to part ways. We wish Jonathan the very best going forward."

The news comes as a bit of a surprise, despite results over the last 2+ seasons, because Archer was hand picked by the Aztec GM after he retired to start running up the ranks. There was a feeling around the organization that he was a bit untouchable due to this. Reports from within the organization noted patience thinning due to the team starting scorching hot out of the gate and running out of gas in June, as well as Archer's increasing resistance to utilizing small ball. Mexico City is a classic pitching/speed/defense kind of team and it's very hard to produce runs the way you need to when your team is 15th in stolen bases.

"I just think that he's leaning towards a sabermetric management style and that's not at all what the Aztecs have been about. Once the lines were drawn it was only a matter of time I think," said a source close to the team, "There's a real feeling that Archer is a good manager, the players love him but the styles are just too different."

Archer's departure leaves a void in the Aztec personnel front. Daniel Labrie Jr. was hired in the offseason as bench coach, but it would be a departure from the norm for the team to put an outsider in control after such a short time. Steve Hoffman is another former player who the front office thinks very highly of, but after a season of pitcher regression there are whispers about whether he might be on another team in 2045 as well. Donald Bergeron, another former Holmes player, seems to fit the style the Aztecs like to play much better than some other choices but also has not been around the organization for very long. Odds are good that Roberto Gomez will get a shot at some point, but more likely somewhere in the minors next season rather than with the big club. Set Bergeron as the favorite at this moment, with Gomez as a close-ish second. Whomever the Aztecs decide to put in the driver seat next season, they'll have some tough sledding in the division next season. The playoffs were again dominated by Frontier teams and there's not a huge amount of help being promoted from within for next season. Odds seem good that the same core will be intact going forward, leaving another manager to try to succeed with a team that has seen its winning percentage erode each of the last 4 seasons. Holmes seems committed to sticking to this, will he find a manager that shares his vision enough to get it done?

[7teen]

Fired with 4 seasons left on his contract?

[recte44]

Labrie Jr was a pretty good manager before I needed a scapegoat

[HerbD]

That's tough...back to back third place finishes before this season...only two sub .500 seasons in his manging career...not to mention the nearly four million dollars Mexico City will have to eat that could have gone towards a dome!!

[Rubaboo]

Fired with 4 seasons left on his contract?

Sadly yes. After his last extension he decided he wouldn't be allowing me to adjust his sliders anymore. If he was willing me into the playoffs I could overlook the sliders but that's not what's happening. So I'm going to pay him to go away. Not ideal but hopefully getting some strategy control back will help me out.

[Rubaboo]

That's tough...back to back third place finishes before this season...only two sub .500 seasons in his manging career...not to mention the nearly four million dollars Mexico City will have to eat that could have gone towards a dome!!

Domes are for wimps.

[HerbD]

That's tough...back to back third place finishes before this season...only two sub .500 seasons in his manging career...not to mention the nearly four million dollars Mexico City will have to eat that could have gone towards a dome!!

Domes are for wimps.

Domes are for teams that don't like to play six different teams to finish a season in October!!

[Rubaboo]

That's tough...back to back third place finishes before this season...only two sub .500 seasons in his manging career...not to mention the nearly four million dollars Mexico City will have to eat that could have gone towards a dome!!

Domes are for wimps.

Domes are for teams that don't like to play six different teams to finish a season in October!!

It's all home cooking for me.