The Worst Manager Decisions in MLB History

Managers are meant to be the guys that keep everything in order as they run the team on the baseball diamond. They make the substitutions when needed, set the lineup, and bring the players to a mutual goal: a World Series win.

However, even the best managers make flat-out stupid decisions at times. Whether it's leaving in a pitcher way too long, putting in a player that had no business being put in, or just having a brain fart, managers can have their reputations cemented by one bad decision.

Here are the worst managerial decisions in history, complete with ramifications and video if possible.

10. Dusty Baker's Pushing of Pitchers

This is a tough one, because I was tempted not to include it. That's because it was a gradual event rather than a one-time boneheaded move. Still, it has impacted the manager's reputation.

Dusty Baker managed the Chicago Cubs in 2003 and had two of the best and most consistent young arms in the league, Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. Both had at least five instances of 125 or more pitches thrown in a game that first year, compared to one each the year prior.

The fact that both were seriously injured and never fully recovered helped mar Baker's reputation as a guy that ruins young arms.

9. Bob Brenly Nearly Costs D'Backs First World Series

In 2001, Byung-Hyun Kim was a 22-year-old reliever who was a key part of the Arizona Diamondbacks' great pitching staff. As such, when the World Series rolled around, he was expected to contribute.

He was lights out in the NLCS, but in the World Series against the Yankees, Kim had a terrible Game 4, allowing three runs in 2.2 innings. The Diamondbacks lost in the tenth, so Kim should have been removed long before throwing 61 pitches.

Immediately after, in Game 5, Miguel Batista and Greg Swindell pitched eight scoreless innings. Who does Brenly bring in to close the game? None other than Kim, who costs the Diamondbacks another game. They may have won the series, but it's easy to see why Brenly hasn't managed elsewhere.

8. Joe Torre Skips over Mariano Rivera for Jeff Weaver

Joe Torre is one of the great coaches of the modern era, yet despite that, he may be the worst guy to put in charge of who should pitch in playoff situations.

Yankees fans could likely point out many issues, but the main one would be from the 2003 World Series. In Game 4, Roger Clemens, Jeff Nelson, and Jose Contreras kept the game tied after 10 innings. The Yankees could put in Chris Hammond, Antonio Osuna, or Mariano Rivera in the 11th.

Instead, Torre put in Jeff Weaver, who had not played in the postseason and had a 5.99 ERA in 2003. He actually got through the 11th inning fine, giving Torre a chance to put in a better reliever, but he stuck with Weaver. Alex Gonzalez homered, and the Marlins won the game and later the World Series.

7. Buck Showalter Relies on Jack McDowell

In 1995, Jack McDowell was a reliable starter during his lone season with the Yankees. If there was any criticism, it was that he was overworked, regularly throwing 125 or more pitches in a game.

In Game 5 of the ALDS against the Mariners, the Yankees had everything figured out, and in the 11th, they were up by a run. They had just used Mariano Rivera and could either keep him in, or go to John Wetteland, who ruined Game 4 but was lights out in the regular season.

Instead, Buck Showalter went with Jack McDowell, and after just over an inning of play, he allowed two earned runs, eliminating the Yankees from playoff contention. David Cone's 147 pitches in that game add to why Showalter should be on the list.

6. Terry Bevington Uses a Whole Cold Bullpen

Terry Bevington served as manager of the Chicago White Sox from 1995 to 1997. In a September 14 game against the Cleveland Indians, Bevington made so many strange moves with his pitching staff that perhaps it contributed to his firing.

In the game, Jaime Navarro pitched 6.1 shutout inning, and was removed for Chuck McElroy, who faced one batter. Nelson Cruz then came in to wrap up the inning. The eighth inning, however, was where things got strange.

Tony Castillo faced three hitters and allowed two runs. Jeff Darwin then came in for one pitch, which became a run as well. Tom Fordham then faced two hitters, and there was no one else warming up in the bullpen. As a result, Keith Foulke was brought in to intentionally walk a batter so a reliever could warm up.

That reliever, Matt Karchner, allowed two runs, but mercifully ended one of the worst innings from a managerial standpoint I've seen.

5. John McNamara's Game Six Follies

On the surface, letting Bill Buckner play didn't seem so bad. He was the Red Sox's everyday first baseman, and while he did not have a good postseason, he could have been worse.

That being said, his defense was almost nonexistant, and late in games during the postseason, John McNamara was bringing in Dave Stapleton so Buckner wouldn't have to play all nine innings. For whatever reason, McNamara decided not to do this in Game 6.

Not only that, but he took out Roger Clemens after he had pitched eight innings. He showed no signs of fatigue, and Bob Stanley had not been performing. When asked about the former move, McNamara said he wanted Buckner to be on the field when they won the Series.

4. Mike Hargrove Trusts in Jose Mesa

The 1997 Cleveland Indians and Florida Marlins both had dream runs and faced off in Game 7of the World Series. In the ninth inning, the Indians were ahead 2-1 and three outs away from the World Series.

Rather than leaving in Brian Anderson, who had been effective in the postseason, Hargrove put in Jose Mesa, who seemed to have a blank look in his eyes and had blown two saves in an earlier playoff series.

Mesa allowed a run in the ninth and was taken out in the tenth, setting the stage for Florida's first World Series title. Mesa got most of the blame and Hargrove emerged rather unscathed, but in hindsight, there was no reason for Joe Table to have been in there.

3. Chuck Dressen Allows Shot Heard 'Round the World

The 1951 National League tiebreaker series had been huge, as the Dodgers and Giants were tied at one game apiece, leading to the final showdown before the World Series.

Ralph Branca had lost the second game after throwing 135 pitches, as well as a game in the first-ever tiebreaker series in 1946. After both teams scored four runs in eight innings, manager Chuck Dressen took out Don Newcombe and put in Branca.

Not only did Branca pitch two days prior, but he was known as not exactly being clutch. When Bobby Thomson came to bat, the rest was history. Dressen won back-to-back pennants with the Dodgers after that, so he was mostly forgiven.

2. Grady Little Overworks Pedro Martinez

Grady Little served as manager of the Red Sox during their 2003 playoff run, and ace pitcher Pedro Martinez was as amazing as he always was. As such, he started Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees.

Martinez played well through seven innings, but in the eighth, he gave up three hits and a run, making the score 5-3. Little chose to leave Martinez in, despite the fact that he had thrown well over 110 pitches at the time and was clearly fatigued.

One two-run double later and Alan Embree was brought in, but it was a play too late, as the Yankees went on to the World Series and Grady Little remains marred by that move.

1. Pete Rose Betting on Baseball

This was not an on-the-field event, but the fact that what he did while managing led to him being banned means that Rose has to hold the top spot.

In the Dowd Report published in 1989, it showed that while Rose did not bet against the Reds, he did bet on many games while managing the Reds, and Commissioner Bart Giamatti banned him for life as a result.