Starkville | Is It Ever Too Early to Fire a Manager?

Jayson Stark and Doug Glanville are back in Starkville to dig into the stunning April firings of Alex Cora and Rob Thomson, breaking down how it unraveled and what it reveals about the ever-shrinking margin for managers. Then, MLB broadcaster Ron Darling joins the show to share his thoughts on the moves, the mounting pressure on today’s skippers, the Mets’ ongoing struggles, and his memories of the iconic 1986 Mets.Rundown:0:00 Starkville Is Back!3:25 April Firings: Alex Cora and Rob Thomson8:24 Ron Darling Joins the Show9:18 Darling on Thomson11:53 Managers in Peril15:49 Where will Cora Go Next?17:40 In-season Managerial Changes18:57 How the Manager Role Has Changed25:37 What’s Wrong with the Mets?33:09 40th Anniversary of the ‘86 Mets39:02 Looking Back at Darling’s Book, ‘The Complete Game’43:04 Favorite PitchersFollow Jayson on Bluesky: @jaysonst.bsky.socialFollow Doug on Bluesky: @dougglanville.bsky.socialE-mail: starkville@theathletic.comSubscribe to The Athletic: theathletic.com/ratesandbarrelsHosts: Jayson Stark & Doug GlanvilleWith: Ron DarlingProducer: Jason Potere Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.