Marlins' Edwin Rodriguez is out--which MLB manager is next to get the ax?

Florida Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez resigned today, and his departure shocked few--the Marlins have lost their last nine games and are mired in last place in the National League East. In fact, the only people surprised by his resignation seems to have been the Florida front office, who said they had no plans to can the first-year manager.

The Seattle Mariners fired Bob Geren on June 9 after a nine-game losing skid. It's that time of the season when general managers and owners look to shake up a stale or losing scenario by ceremoniously sacking their head coach. (Not that it does any good, in most cases.) Who's next on the chopping block?

Don Mattingly has to wonder how secure his job is, although the Los Angeles Dodgers (31-41, $104 million payroll) have so many problems, adding a search for a manager to the franchise's to-do list might be too daunting for their demolished front office.

Yes, Cubs fans are used to losing. But can Chicago ownership spend $125 million on the sixth most expensive payroll in baseball and be satisfied at 10 games out of first place? Behind Pittsburgh? Manager Mike Quade might be blown out of the Windy City by Independence Day.

You could have it worse than being the Cubs' manager. You could be the manager of the team three games behind Chicago. That's where Brad Mills sits, on a very hot seat. The Houston Astros own the worst record (27-45) in Major League Baseball, and the way people discuss their rumored switch from the National League to the American League in a possible realignment is insultingly casual. The Astros are to be trifled with, it seems. Throw in a new owner, Jim Crane, who Forbes.com says makes questionable decisions, and you have a delicate situation indeed. Oh--and Houston fired their pitching coach last week. Changes are afoot.

Given the turmoil in Queens, one would think Terry Collins would be worried about his job as the Mets manager. But expectations for New York were low at season's start and only went lower as key injuries punctured additional holes in the lineup...and somehow the Mets are hovering around .500. Collins will survive to 2012.