Macha Selected As New Brewers Manager (reply 667ish)

[razzzorsharp]

1) Bobby V.

2) Davey Johnson

 

 

3) Macha

 

4) Buck S.

5) Brenley

 

People for sure I don't want...

Willie, Tracey

[MNBrew]

Something about Macha appeals a lot to DM, but the negatives already cited carry significance. People used to be so up on him as a future manager, much like they were about Davey Lopes. Funny that you really don't hear either of their names in the managerial searches of the past couple years.

 

Davey Johnson's managerial record is darn near impeccable. His Mets were a consistent winner. He turned around the Reds AND the Orioles and was so successful in Baltimore that Angelos' ego couldn't handle it, so he fired him after a 98-win season -- proving Angelos wrong is all the more of a plus for Johnson in my book. I'm not as clear what happened in his LA tenure, but the Dodgers weren't consistent winners around that time so I wouldn't see those two years as being a major blemish -- and they were still >.500 seasons.

 

Tom Kelly would probably be good but has consistently turned down offers to manage again. I think he likes his present lifestyle too much.

 

Hargrove would be a fairly neutral entity in this discussion, but his bailing out on the Mariners doesn't reflect the greatest on him (for that matter, nothing about the Mariners reflects well on anyone except Ichiro & Ibanez, who stayed above the fray, so maybe Hargrove gets points for knowing when to bail).

 

Brenly? I'm still *meh* on him. I mainly just keep hoping against hope that Davey Johnson's hat is in the ring.

[jwill535]

You have to remember, that finding a manager is like seeing that hot girl at the bar. You can want to date her all you want but she has to want to date you too. How do we know that Melvin hasnt contacted a bunch of people and been turned down.

[dadofandrew]

Yes, I'd love a guy who does not think OBP and OPS is important.

 

It'd be like going back to the 60's.

[Blindcheck]

I hope it is someone not mentioned, yet...as I am not overly excited about any of the candidates discussed on this thread.

 

If I had to pick...it would be Tom Kelly or Bobby Valentine

[PKBadger]

For what it's worth, over the summer I read Buster Olney's "Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty" and came away with a completely different opinion of Buck Showalter than what most in this thread are expressing.

 

He comes off a bit obsessive-compulsive (always arranged the team media guides in his office alphabetically, stuff like that) but also was extremely prepared for every game, loved poring over statistics (I would prefer a guy like this to someone who "trusts his gut") and was a big believer in team chemistry (ran Mel Hall out of town for being a selfish jerk).

 

The book also talks about how part of Jimmy Key's decision to sign with the Yankees was the change he saw in the team from the Blue Jays' dugout after Showalter became manager.

[burnzy24]

I used to love listening to him on ESPN and still enjoy his commentary on TBS. He is almost always spot on with his observations and his baseball knowledge is impeccable.

Isn't this same thinking what gave the Detroit Lions the Matt Millen era? While I agree I liked him on Baseball Tonight, being able to talk baseball doesn't always translate into managerial success. I would love to see him get a T.V. gig somewhere though.

[phxMILWfan]

Where can I find quotes or more info on some of the managers? So far I've only wikipediaed them...

[Invader3K]

I am beginning to think, that Melvin has no clue whatsoever. He's part of the good ole boy network. He only makes trades with about three teams in the league. And the fact that Attanasio extended him for 3 more years is making me start to wonder about him now too.

I think you're being ridiculously hyperbolic. Only trades with about three teams? That's not even close to being right.

[endaround]

I am beginning to think, that Melvin has no clue whatsoever. He's part of the good ole boy network. He only makes trades with about three teams in the league. And the fact that Attanasio extended him for 3 more years is making me start to wonder about him now too.

I think you're being ridiculously hyperbolic. Only trades with about three teams? That's not even close to being right.

NOBODY trades with Doug Melvin! His chief trading partner is the Rangers!... the Rangers and Dbacks...DBacks and Rangers... Our two trading partners are the DBacks and Rangers... and Blue Jays! Our three trading partners are the DBacks, and Rangers, and Blue Jays... and White Sox... Our four... no... Amongst our trading partners... Hmf... Amongst our partners... are such teams as Dbacks, Rang... I'll come in again.

[yoshii8]

Brewerguy, I guess that wasn't really thought out, did you forget about the recent trades he made w/ the Padres (Linebrink), Pirates (Torres), Indians (Sabathia), Giants (Durham), twice w/ the Rays (Gross, McClung) and Mets (Mota)? I could go on and on, but I think you get the point.

 

Anyways, back on subject, looking at the records I'm very impressed with what Ken Macha did in Oakland, winning 2 division titles and a .568 winning percentage in four seasons w/ a small market team is no joke. I think if they did hire him, they would definitely talk to Kendall and others who played for him first, I don't think they will just ignore the remarks the players made about him. Also, I agree w/ Doug Melvin that Managers are usually better the second time around, after the have a chance to learn from there mistakes. So I guess what I'm saying is that I am could get on board w/ Macha as our manager.

 

I don't know enough about other managers, but I've always liked Davey Johnson and would be excited to see him brought in.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

Hardicourt was on the "D-List" this morning and said he'd been hearing Macha's name "a lot".

[RightFieldCoder]

Just like the analogy about the hot girl at the bar, a trade only happens if the other side also says yes. Maybe the other 26 teams are leery of trading with Melvin and getting robbed.

[Invader3K]

Under Melvin we've traded with: the White Sox, Indians, Royals, Athletics, Rays, Rangers, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Braves, Dodgers, Mets, Pirates, Padres, and Nationals. There's probably been others that I'm forgetting off hand. I've just named roughly half of MLB, though, so this idea on this board that he only trades with a small handful of teams is pretty goofy at this point.

[brewerguy71]

Yes, I was using hyperbole. I realize that Melvin has made many trades with many different teams. But, if you look at the lists people have traded, the number is significantly lowered when you factor in the "big trades" and the "meaningful" trades. Even the worst GM's make some trades.

 

I would counter with Lee going in and out were big trades...the big D Backs trade was a good trade, Blue Jays and Indians were good trades with Overbay and then Sabathia, but beyond that none really stick out as all that spectacular.

 

I would much rather have a guy who weals and deals than what Melvin does. There are many trades that could happen this year and over the last few years that could have been made and were never considered (Jenkins in 06, Hall in 07, Sheets last year and now Hardy). All 4 of these guys could have been dealt and the team would be in a very good spot right now as opposed to wondering what next year will be like.

[Ennder]

You do realize a manager can't magically snap his fingers and trade any player on the roster. The Brewers trade as much or more than most teams out there, don't see much to complain about on that front.

[Boy Jeenius]

I was a Brewers fan when we had Frank "Trader" Lane as the GM. Lots of trades. All he did was rotate junk for junk. All it did was create the illusion that something good was happening. But nothing good ever did happen, except we got to read all the neat articles about how the new guys were now the answer(the answer to another 70 win season as it turned out).

As for me, I'd rather have a trade here or there that actually has some substance.

[Invader3K]

Melvin has shown that he will only make a trade if it makes sense for the team. He isn't going to just "wheel and deal" to please the fans and make it look like something is happening all the time. I mean, the Brewers made the playoffs for the first time in 26 years, so he has been doing something right. Ultimately though, it will be whether or not the Brewers can sustain that success that will determine the success of Melvin's tenure.

[Thurston Fluff]

This is a bit late but did anyone else find it ironic that Sveum felt like experience was overrated when it came to him getting the job but felt it was a perfectly good reason to play Durham over Weeks and why he and Cameron were the best guys in the top two spots in the order? I really liked him as a Brewer player and respect the fact that he feels a connection the to the Brewers organization but come on. If it's valid for one thing it's valid for the other.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

My favorite successful former manager hasn't been mentioned anywhere in this thread. Aside from a bizarre proclivity for intentionally walking Barry Bonds, he always showed that he had an excellent handle on what a manager should and shouldn't do, and how statistics should and shouldn't impact that. His team won its division 4 of the 5 years he managed it -- his only real failing was a total lack of playoff success. Doesn't really affect my judgment of him much -- count me amongst those that attribute playoff success or failure almost entirely to the whims of fortune.

 

He's probably not a serious candidate, as by all accounts he seems happy to go on being the Astros' version of Bill Schroeder and writing a book from time to time. But if Larry Dierker wanted to manage again, he'd be my first choice, unless Earl Weaver somehow felt up to the task at 78.

 

Among those who have been mentioned, Davey Johnson would make me happy.

 

It doesn't seem like anybody would really like Macha very much, but at least he wouldn't bunt every stupid inning. So I wouldn't freak out if they picked him.

 

Everybody else gives me the willies. Especially Brenly.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I get the impression that Melvin's choice hinges mostly on finding a manager that wont play small ball which is fine by me. If I remember correctly Melvin made comments about not wanting to bunt so much and I think thats a big reason why Sveum isnt getting the job. If Doug is smart he while hire either Davey Johnson or Bobby Valentine who both dont like small ball and they have solid personalities to boot.

[JJHardy7]

Is anyone worried that Davey Johnson would cause problems with management?

 

It's wikipedia so FWIW:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davey_Johnson

 

Why has he been out of pro baseball so long? He seems to have upset people in New York, Cincinnati, and Baltimore. Is this why he isn't in the bigs the past few years? I don't know if I'm for or against him, but I would wonder how long he would actually last given his history -- again, if wiki is true.

[Ennder]

There was a quote on BPro today about Brenly. I don't know much about him but I don't like the sound of it one bit

 

Chad M (Madison, WI): Bob Brenly has been named as a possible manager for the Brewers. What do you think of Brenly as a manager?

Steven Goldman: I thought he was very, very lucky to have won a WS. One of the worst jobs of tactical managing I've ever seen

 

 

http://www.baseballprospe.../chat/chat.php?chatId=539

[MNBrew]

Is anyone worried that Davey Johnson would cause problems with management?

 

It's wikipedia so FWIW:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davey_Johnson

 

Why has he been out of pro baseball so long? He seems to have upset people in New York, Cincinnati, and Baltimore. Is this why he isn't in the bigs the past few years? I don't know if I'm for or against him, but I would wonder how long he would actually last given his history -- again, if wiki is true.

Let's see, the Mets fired Johnson because he was too easygoing and replaced him with hothead Bobby Valentine, who didn't have the same success as Johnson, who's known as an egomaniac, and whom they also fired.

 

The Reds fired Johnson because he didn't get along with Marge Schott. Marge was passionate about baseball but used to make her managers rub her dog's hair among other bizarre things -- generally known as an idiot of an owner. The fact that Johnson didn't get along with her speaks positively of Johnson. Didn't Marge fire Lou Piniella, too?

 

The conflict of interest thing in Baltimore makes sense, but Angelos is still just an idiot of an over-meddling owner.

 

I don't see any of these circumstances as a perpetually negative reflective on Johnson. I still think he's the most proven, successful manager available. Then again, it seems Melvin loves Macha and you can kinda see where this is going to end up.

[logan82]

Things can get worse than they were with Yost.