TORONTO – Buck Martinez, who was hired as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays without any coaching experience on the minor or major league level, was fired Monday in his second season.

The Blue Jays, off to their worst start in two decades, made third base coach and former Portland Sea Dogs manager Carlos Tosca the manager for the rest of the season.

Former Orono High and University of Maine standout Brian Butterfield was named the third base coach after the Jays also fired first base coach Garth Iorg. Butterfield was fired May 16 as manager of the New York Yankees’ Triple-A team in Columbus, Ohio.

Bullpen catcher John Gibbons takes over for Iorg.

Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Martinez, who went to the Blue Jays bench before last season directly from the broadcast booth, was fired because of his lack of experience and leadership.

“I don’t know if Buck even knows what his philosophy or style is because he hasn’t had a lot of time to manage,” Ricciardi said. “It’s not so much the wins, the losses at this point, it’s more the leadership.”

Martinez becomes the fifth manager fired since opening day. Detroit fired Phil Garner, Colorado replaced Buddy Bell, Kansas City dismissed Tony Muser and Milwaukee fired Davey Lopes.

The Blue Jays, third worst in the American League with a 20-33 record, swept a three-game weekend series with Detroit but that didn’t stop Ricciardi from replacing Martinez.

Martinez’s fate has been questioned since spring training when Ricciardi, who replaced the fired Gord Ash in the offseason, issued a virtual ultimatum for Martinez to produce a hardworking team or face dismissal.

Ricciardi said the team quit halfway through last season and if things went as they did last year a change would be made.

After the Blue Jays dropped to 8-20 at home following a 0-6 stand at SkyDome last week, Ricciardi said Martinez’s status would be monitored series to series.

“I don’t think he was surprised. He understood something was maybe coming,” Ricciardi said.

Only Tampa Bay and Detroit in the AL, and Milwaukee in the NL, have worse records than the Blue Jays.

Martinez had a year remaining on the three-year deal he signed in November 2000 after leaving the broadcast booth.

“Let’s face it, Buck has never managed anywhere outside the big leagues and it’s a tough place to learn from,” Ricciardi said in spring training.