The hottest seat belongs to Brad Mills, who has presided over the first 100-loss season in Houston Astros history. His contract is up at the end of the season and the Astros' ownership group, which is still Drayton McLane at this point, show little inclination of exercising an option for 2012.
I bet Brad Mills would be on his way to Boston before the press conference was over, should this happen. But that's the question: should the Astros fire Brad Mills? This is not the team Mills took over in 2009. You could make a case that he has had to play with a pretty crap hand. You could also make the case that he's made some seriously questionable decisions (such as seemingly murdering the career of Brett Wallace) with that crap hand. It's something we'll take into consideration, but if Mills goes, Ed Wade deserves some of the blame for making Mills play these cards.
Looking far ahead, MLB lists three other managers on the hot seat: Ozzie Guillen, Mike Quade, and Bob Melvin. Bob Melvin interviewed for the managerial position the last time around, but could be on his way to Chicago if buddy
Sigh. Why the hell not make a season of uncertainty more uncertain?
UPDATE: WAIT A SECOND. The Astros exercised Mills' 2012 option last October, and added an option for 2013. So, suck it, ESPN.
UPDATED UPDATE: ESPN updated their post, saying:
Ken Davidoff had Mills on his list of managers on the hot seat in Sunday's Newsday, and we agree. While the Astros previously picked up Mills' 2012 option and added an option for 2013 (correcting what we said earlier this morning), his future has to be up in the air given the pending sale of the franchise to Jim Crane.
