Is it Jack Z's time?

[eanelson4]

With the news of Yost getting fired, I just wanted to see what everybody thought about the possibility of Melvin getting the axe after this season and Jack Z getting a chance at the GM spot.

 

I'm not calling for it, as I think Melvin has done a pretty decent job, but I sure would hate to lose Jack to another club. He has to be one of the best things that has happened to the Brewers in a long time. As the first non-GM ever to win the MLB executive of the year award, he has shown a true ability to draft top-teir talent.

 

I feel like Jack Z is somewhat like the Jason Garrett of MLB. I think if we don't make him a GM soon, someone else will snatch him up and take a great mind away from our organization. Let's open it up for discussion. What are your thoughts?

[joepepsi]

I think Melvin has done a great job. Not everything he touched turned to gold, but it never does. He's a good GM and should stay at least for another season.

[dadofandrew]

If Doug were let go, I agree Jack Z should be first in line. I too agree Doug should stay.

[brewerguy71]

Attanasio should have compeltely cleaned house when he bought the team. If he replaces Yost from within, and moves Jack Z into Melvin's spot. Its going to be more of the same.

 

I feel that the issues affecting this team right now are organizational, right on down to the players they draft and select. Its all about the HR, no interest in patient hitting, defense or pitching. This issue is as much the players fault as it is Melvin and Jack Z. Yost is probably the one least to blame for the way this team is playing right now.

[lcbj68c]

I feel like Jack Z is somewhat like the Jason Garrett of MLB. I think if we don't make him a GM soon, someone else will snatch him up and take a great mind away from our organization. Let's open it up for discussion. What are your thoughts?

 

I can't find a Jason Garrett of MLB. Are you thinking of football's Dallas Cowboys?

I thought I had heard that Jack Z had been offered a GM job over the winter, but turned it down. I think you leave Jack Z right where he is. Sometimes moving somebody up in ranks doesn't translate well.

(edit: please avoid political content)

[eanelson4]

I feel like Jack Z is somewhat like the Jason Garrett of MLB. I think if we don't make him a GM soon, someone else will snatch him up and take a great mind away from our organization. Let's open it up for discussion. What are your thoughts?

 

I can't find a Jason Garrett of MLB. Are you thinking of football's Dallas Cowboys?

 

I thought I had heard that Jack Z had been offered a GM job over the winter, but turned it down. I think you leave Jack Z right where he is. Sometimes moving somebody up in ranks doesn't translate well.

I said he is like THE Jason Garrett of MLB, not Jason Garrett of the MLB. So yes, I was referring to the Cowboy's guy. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

Kind of some interesting takes on this so far. I agree, that I think we continue to stockpile the wrong types of players (i.e. guys who can hit HR, but not produce runs well). I think if we added more guys who can produce or create runs (Escobar) we would be far better off.

 

That being said, I don't agree with the idea that we should have completely cleaned house. We have one of the most talented young teams in MLB, and as a small market team we have to be able to draft talent, because we won't be able to pay for top-tier free agents.

[brewerguy71]

I was speaking more along the lines of organizationally, not player wise. Yost, Melvin, all the front office people, Schlesinger, ....front office cleaning....

[lcbj68c]

With his success financially and the background of Attanassio, Schlesinger is going no where. You have to draw the line somewhere and I think baseball ops is the place to draw the line. Front office clearing is a bit much...what next, we replace the receptionist?

[eanelson4]

I was speaking more along the lines of organizationally, not player wise. Yost, Melvin, all the front office people, Schlesinger, ....front office cleaning....

Oh, yeah I understood that. I was just saying that I don't think Jack Z and/or Melvin should be moved. We need to keep the guys who have shown a propensity to draft talent because small market teams rely so heavily on it. I think this will certainly shape up to be an interesting offseason for the Brewers between the impending personel changes and (hopefully) some nice FA aquisitions to complement our core players.

 

I guess another point is that I am just assuming Jack Z has a desire to be a GM. He very well might be content as a scouting director. Maybe he loves it and understands that he is one of the best in the game at that particular job. I would be more than happy to keep him there, but would hate to lose him.

[Ennder]

Is Jack Z even qualified? I mean just because he is good at his job right now doesn't mean he would make a good GM. I don't know the answer to my own question, just curious.

[sbrylski]

Jack Zduriencik is the only person I'd feel comfortable replacing Doug Melvin with. I hope DM stays. And I really hope Jack Zduriencik stays in his current capacity.

[tristarscoop]

I think it's wishful thinking to hope that Jack Z stays around as our scouting director. He has GM aspirations and has made no beans about them. Everyone knows and there have to be plenty of clubs out there who would give their right arm for a guy like Jack Z running things. He won't be around for us much longer if we don't give him more.

[RoseBowlMtg]

So Jack Z got the players so he should be the next GM if Doug Melvin is let go.

 

Isn't it the players who if they could maintain their ability for a season, the one's who should have taken us to the playoffs?

 

This is on the players imo.

[Madtown Bomber]

Homer at 540 ESPN is reporting some kind of report from Peter Gammons that Doug Melvin's employment could be hinged on these last 12 games. Whether that means that JZ time is now is debatable but quotes from Melvin seem to lead that this came straight from Attanasio and not Melvin.

[rluzinski]

I'm fine with how it is right now, with Melvin staying where he is. It wouldn't surprise me if Mark A. was behind the Suppan and Gagne signings, which would make Melvins's firing that much sillier.

 

And how long do we have to pretend that the Brewer's offense has been bad this year? They've been terrible the last 2 weeks but for the season, they have been good. Maybe if people weren't so focused on the idea of there being a "right way" to score runs, they would notice that. The notion that Escobar should be expected to lead to more than Hardy or Weeks...

 

If you want to criticize Melvin and Jack Z., it should be for not placing enough importance on defense. The Brewers have one of the worst defenses in the leain the league and it wasn't an accident.

[eanelson4]

Even if a player like Escobar doesn't lead to more runs, throwing a few people like that in the lineup that can knock a guy in instead of hitting a HR all the time will at least lead to a more consistent baseball team. I'm not suggesting there is a "right way" and a "wrong way" to score runs, but I do believe we would be more productive if we had some guys on base once in a while when we hit HR's.

 

Like I said, I just wanted to discuss it. I wouldn't be suprised if Melvin's job hinged on these last 12 games (whether justified or not). When a team explicitly states that they are going for it, and have enough talent to get there, they must make it or things need to change.

[GAME05]

no doubt JZ has aspirations for a GM spot, but i'd hesitate to start letting people go when it's based on a fear of somebody lower leaving.

 

I wonder if Melvin's future will resemble Dean Taylor's. DT was great at drafting and finding small-time players, but didn't come through when it came to big-name players. The Hammonds mistake was certainly more sizable than the Gagne one, though.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

The Pirates were the team that should have hired Jack Z. Seattle should hire him now. If I had a poor to average MLB team with a barren minor league, he's be my first call to build the team from the ground up. GM is a different skill set than he has had so far. It's less clear that he is the right guy to take a playoff contender to the next level. Not saying he couldn't do it, it's just not something he's done.

 

I would keep DM. I do believe he's had two failings. 1) Defense, which to his credit has improved with Cameron and Kendall. 2) Not enough OBP. If we could trade a little SLG for some OBP, it may enhance our overall run production for the same OPS. This is purely theoretical on my part.

 

I don't even blame DM for the bullpen this year. They got boxed in when they couldn't re-sign Cordero. He took that money and replaced him with a committee of solid guys like Torres and Riske and took chances on Mota and Gagne. Gagne was the most expensive and riskiest, but it was just a one year deal. Torres worked, the others haven't completely, but overall their bullpen has at least been average.

[TooLiveBrew]

The Hammonds mistake was certainly more sizable than the Gagne one, though.

 

And Cameron's signing (given his performance) imo is even more important than Gagne's was regardless of how Eric performed. The only contract I can think of off the top of my head (in recent seasons) comparable to the Hammonds deal is the one the Dodgers inked with Pierre... and that one might actually even be worse than the Hammonds deal was! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

I don't want to see DM go. I think that, on the whole, he has helped more than he's harmed, and I think it would/will be much tougher to find an adequate replacement or improvement at GM than it will be at Manager.

 

 

It's less clear that he is the right guy to take a playoff contender to the next level. Not saying he couldn't do it, it's just not something he's done.

 

Can you clarify what you mean here? Texas's only franchise playoff appearances were with Doug Melvin as their GM.

[BrewCrewForever]

No doubt, if Doug is next to get canned. Jack Z MUST be the new GM. He has earned that right.

[fallingleaves]

Melvin's biggest flaw has been his relentless faith in a clueless manager for the last five years. I just don't understand how an individual who can evaluate baseball talent cannot do the same with a manager.

[brewmann04]

i think Jack is very happy where he is,and i think melvin might be one year away from getting the boot.

[endaround]

Even if a player like Escobar doesn't lead to more runs, throwing a few people like that in the lineup that can knock a guy in instead of hitting a HR all the time will at least lead to a more consistent baseball team. I'm not suggesting there is a "right way" and a "wrong way" to score runs, but I do believe we would be more productive if we had some guys on base once in a while when we hit HR's.

 

Like I said, I just wanted to discuss it. I wouldn't be suprised if Melvin's job hinged on these last 12 games (whether justified or not). When a team explicitly states that they are going for it, and have enough talent to get there, they must make it or things need to change.

 

And why do you think this is Escobar? Because everything points to him not being that way. Think Counsell. Escobar had a good seaon in AA but it was all BABIP driven and he still has no power.

[Fatter than Joey]

Is Jack Z even qualified? I mean just because he is good at his job right now doesn't mean he would make a good GM. I don't know the answer to my own question, just curious.

 

Pittsburgh offered him a job -- so maybe...

 

Sometimes a GM can be decent, and have done an overall good job, but there is a time to move on -- and that may be the case with DM. I think 2009 is going to be shaky, and I don't see MA letting DM hire a coach and then getting canned himself in 2009. I'd rather a new GM come in hire his own guys, and everyone be on the same page for 2009.

 

DM does not have to be bad to be fired

[jwill535]

I think that Jack is THE Norv Turner of MLB office personel. He is a great coordinator(drafter, scout) but may not be cut out for being the Man.