These guys prove that there's an even thicker layer of futility hiding underneath rockbottom. By Gerasimos Manolatos

6. Dave Trembley (Baltimore Orioles)- 2008 Team Record: 68-93
We know what you're thinking—Didn't we sell Maryland to the Chinese to pay off our debt? (Not yet.) Frankly, if Trembley didn't show up on this list, we'd probably forget he and the Orioles still exist. The team has been consistently bad for nearly a decade, fielding young prospects in the hope that one of them develops into a tradeable commodity. Trembley knows he won't be around when that happens, but, hey, a six-figure salary for a day care provider position in this economy is pretty good.

5. Ozzie Guillén (Chicago White Sox)- 2008 Team Record: 89-74
Guillén defied expectations and, for once in his five-year tenure at the helm, opted to not be a media whore and actually managed, leading to the White Sox shaking off some key player injuries and winning the AL Central. He has yet to put together consecutive seasons of prosperity, so expect a blowup in 5...4...3...

4. Manny Acta (Washington Nationals)- 2008 Team Record: 59-102
A plane crashing into his apartment was the biggest accident he was involved in until his bumbling, stumbling performance as manager in 2008. A perfect storm of injuries and managerial nonfeasance produced a 100-loss season for the Nats—and, astonishingly, Acta was rewarded with another contract year. We're convinced fielding a team of his double chins could produce better results, or, at the very least, a very entertaining day at the ballpark.

3. Joe Girardi (New York Yankees)- 2008 Team Record: 89-73
Girardi inherited the most-storied franchise in history—26 titles—with the league's largest payroll—$209 million—and turned it into the Mitt Romney of baseball. Sure, the slick roster of All-Stars took a few bumps last year, losing catcher Jorge Posada to shoulder surgery and former No. 1 starter Chien-Ming Wang to foot problems, but when you've got a guy who's idea of getting fired up is banning his players from eating candy or chewing gum in the clubhouse, you can see why even salaries totaling President Obama's TARP money isn't a motivation for improvement this year. It's just a matter of time before GROWN-UP VOICES ONLY signs start appearing in the dugout.

2. Ron Washington (Texas Rangers)- 2008 Team Record: 79-83
The Rangers haven't been relevant since George W. Bush owned them, and even then...George W. Bush owned them. Bringing in Washington, whose previous successes as an infield coach and talent spotter are unrivaled, was seen as a move to further along the cultivation of young talent. But, he's done nothing but agitate relations with players, leading to the departure of All-Star Mark Teixeira and Gerald Laird, and helped manage one of the worst rotations in recent memory. Prospects for the '09 season are bleak, summed up best by a limerick posted on RonWashingtonSux.com:
Baseball is good fun
And it’s only mid-April
The Rangers are done.

1. Dusty Baker (Cincinnati Reds)- 2008 Team Record: 74-88
Baker's spot atop this list is more secure than Megan Fox's in "Top 1 Hotties in Transformers 2." Last year, we said that outfielder Corey Patterson had grounds for legal action against Baker for torpedoing his development. Exhibit A: During the first month of the 2008 season, Dusty wasn't aware of his hitter's 1-for-28 slump until a writer asked him why he insisted on keeping Patterson in the leadoff spot when he wasn't producing. When asked for clarification, Baker said, "Wait—this is the sport with the pucks, right?"

7. Jerry Manuel (New York Mets)- 2008 Team Record: 89-73
If you're looking for evidence that steroids don't help athletes perform better, look no further than accused performance-enhancer and now ex-Met Scott Shoenweis, who's relief appearances and subsequent surrendering of runs sent Met fans home drunken and disgusted. Naturally, Manuel put his unbridled trust in his player's inconsistent left arm, riding him to a season (and Shea) finale loss that knocked them out of the playoffs. But, the manager may just be getting a bad rap: Under ex-manager Willie Randolph, the Mets collapsed, squandering a seven-game division lead with 17 games left to play. Under Manuel, the team collapsed again, but only squandered a 3.5-game lead with 17 games to play. See that? Improvement!