Macha Selected As New Brewers Manager (reply 667ish)

[sbrylski]

Macha really does make me sick. I haven't heard one good thing about him.

 

He's the only one of the three that are not strategically inept.

[Ennder]

Here is a link to the firemacha site for those interested.

 

http://firemacha.blogspot...m/2005/07/idiom-wind.html

 

Of course they think Macha cost them at least 15 games on the season so they are pretty clueless posters.

 

I guess at this point I'm just numb to the whole situation. I know I didn't want Yost back and I guess I just hope the replacement is a game or two better. I don't imagine they could be much worse.

[Invader3K]

My thinking is that the manager shouldn't matter _that_ much at this point. The "young guys" are supposed to be entering their primes. It's more and more on their backs to win.

[markedman5]

Looks like Macha is going to be the man.......

 

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/brewers.html

[bobskube]

Well, I will just deal with it and move on. Macha...yikes.

[Ennder]

My thinking is that the manager shouldn't matter _that_ much at this point. The "young guys" are supposed to be entering their primes. It's more and more on their backs to win.

 

It matters enough to make a difference since we seem to be just good enough to be in the wild card race so even 1 or 2 games can make all the difference.

[TooLiveBrew]

I've been wondering myself since early in the 2008 season just how understated the managerial position's impact is. I mean, if we rate out Player A as being 3 or 4 wins better than average, and gush on said player, how can we look at managers & not take into consideration how impactful the difference of even 'just' one, two, or three games can be?

 

I would be overjoyed to hear that, out of the three candidates, Melvin selected Macha. And not because I think Macha is the A++++ manager -- but because I literally fear Randolph or Brenly managing this team.

 

 

And to post some (what I think are) relevant points in the Haudricourt blog update that markedman5 linked...:

 

"A former manager who was thinking about asking for an interview for the job told me that he did some probing and got the feeling that Macha had the inside track, so he pulled back.
...
Melvin was ready to hire Macha in 2002 before Oakland stole him away by promoting him from bench coach to manager. If Melvin liked Macha enough then, why not now?
...

So, just from things I hear at the Series, I'd handicap the race this way:

1. Macha

2. Brenly

3. Randolph

And it looks like Macha is a very strong No. 1."

I sure hope what Tom is hearing at the WS turns out to be true.

[Fatter than Joey]

I've been wondering myself since early in the 2008 season just how understated the managerial position's impact is. I mean, if we rate out Player A as being 3 or 4 wins better than average, and gush on said player, how can we look at managers & not take into consideration how impactful the difference of even 'just' one, two, or three games can be?

 

Right, especially given how cheap it is to upgrade the manager spot compared to a P or IF/OF spot.

 

For an 82-90 win team 3 or 4 wins is huge.

[davego]

If it is Macha, let's hope for the 'do no harm' approach. I wonder about the apparent falling out between him and Kendall, but I'll assume that has or is being addressed.

[joepepsi]

Color me dismayed over the Macha hating on this topic. There is precious little evidence he is an incompetent boob or strategically inept. On the other hand there seems to be lots of negative criticisms out there directed toward Brenly and Randolph. Those two just seem horrible to me.

 

I have no idea if Macha is a genius; but it seems the appropriate response to him being hired should be indifference at worst, reserved judgement at best.

[RyDogg66]

If my choices are Macha, Brenly or Randolph, I will take Macha by a landslide.

[brewerguy71]

I know many of the people on this board have read Money Ball. So it surprising to me to see the enthusiasm for Macha, given that if Money Ball is true, the person who is manager of the Oakland A's doenst really manage at all, its all Billy Beane pulling strings behind the scenes. Not to mention all of this talk about having problems with players in the locker room.

 

It becomes more and more apparent to me every day that Attanasio is the one making baseball decisions for this team, not Doug Melvin. The current list of top candidates for manager are all guys who have had success, or at least it would seem to a non-baseball minded person, like Attanasio. Because those teams have won games, have made the playoffs. Upon further inspection though, as mentioned above with Macha, neither Brenly or Randolph were very accomplished either, they simply had great assemblies of talent behind them. (And no, Braun, Fielder, Hart and Hardy does not match up to Reyes, Beltran, Wright and Delgado and also Gallardo, Parra with Johnson, Schilling).

 

I have said all along that they should go young in the manager choice and go with guys like Kirk Gibson, Terry Pendleton, or Ron Roenicke or the "non-retread" route. The guys on the final list are safe choices. Choices that will make the casual fan happy because they will see that that guy has managed in the past made a playoff appearance, but that happiness will be short lived when they find out why these people werent managers when the Brewers called on them.

 

One other thing, about this whole "small ball" idea...small ball isnt just sacrifice bunts, or stealing bases...it is also making productive outs. The Phillies and Rays have both shown this World Series that there is tremendous value in making productive outs, in moving players up a base in making outs. Strikeouts and pop ups, the direct result of continually swining for the fences of course are not productive outs. Not taking walks, or encouraging players to take walks with a manager that doesnt like small ball, will only solve half the problem the Brewers have offensively.

[RyDogg66]

I know many of the people on this board have read Money Ball. So it surprising to me to see the enthusiasm for Macha, given that if Money Ball is true, the person who is manager of the Oakland A's doesn't really manage at all, its all Billy Beane pulling strings behind the scenes....

 

It becomes more and more apparent to me every day that Attanasio is the one making baseball decisions for this team, not Doug Melvin....

You do know that Melvin offered Macha the job in 2002, before Yost and before Attanasio, right? I'd like to think that was Melvin's decision back then, and if he hires Macha now, it would mean that he still thinks he is a good field manager.

 

 

(edit: long quote --1992)

[Invader3K]

I know many of the people on this board have read Money Ball. So it surprising to me to see the enthusiasm for Macha, given that if Money Ball is true, the person who is manager of the Oakland A's doesn't really manage at all, its all Billy Beane pulling strings behind the scenes. Not to mention all of this talk about having problems with players in the locker room....

Well, I certainly hope we don't turn into the A's. Yes, they contend pretty much every year and have won some division titles, but haven't made the World Series in almost 20 years, and seem to always trade their top guys no matter what. It must be somewhat frustrating for their fans. Of course, if we only made the World Series every 20 years or so, that would be an improvement over our current pace.

 

I find some of your other assertions ridiculous. If Mark Attanasio was "calling the shots" as you're basically saying (and others on the board have continued too assert, with virtually no solid proof at all), I doubt Macha would be the choice. Most casual fans wouldn't even recognize the name "Ken Macha". If Attanasio just wanted to go with a popular person, Robin Yount or Paul Molitor would probably be managing the team by now. Even someone like Randolph or Buck Showalter would be a "sexier" choice to entice casual fans than Ken Macha. I also doubt Melvin would have signed an extension if Attanasio had not allowed him to choose a manager for '09. He would have easily been able to find a position with a new team that would allow him to do things his way. Melvin does not strike me as someone who is just going to go along with whatever the owner wants at this point, judging by the quotes from other people actually working in baseball that have been quoted on this forum.

 

As far as "going young", I am glad they didn't do that this time. Virtually every new manager the Brewers have had in their franchise history has been a young first time type of manager. Having said that, I would have been OK with Dale Sveum being brought back, but since Doug Melvin decided not do that, I am glad they appear to be going with someone with a few years of experience.

 

I do agree with what you're saying about small ball, but I'm not sure why that's relevant to this discussion. A good manager should be able to maximize the abilities of his players, whether that's bunting or hitting home runs. It will remain to be seen if Macha or whoever else will be able to do that with the '09 Brewers...but hopefully our players will be able to keep improving so we're not continually asking stuff like "Why did that darn Macha bring in Shouse instead of Torres in the 9th with only a one run lead?" or "Why did he call for that bunt single in the 5th, which caused us to lose by one run after Parra gave up seven runs during his start?", etc.

 

 

(edit: long quote --1992)

[Madtown Bomber]

Haudicourt on 540 ESPN just said on the D-List that Macha is basically all done except for the press conference. Said that both Melvin and Macha have contacted Jason Kendell. Also stated which I think is more interesting that Mike Maddox, Bill Castro, Ed Sedar have all signed contract extentions, and Dale Sveum will likely be named the bench coach. Sveum back? wow...

[dlk9s]

I'd be happy if Sveum comes back. He really seems to love being a Brewer, and I'll take someone like that any day.

[endaround]

Bill Castro will have the bullpen in the next stadium named after him

[Invader3K]

Well, from the quotes from Sveum, it sounded like he was certainly open to returning in a lesser role than interim manager.

[davego]

Bill Castro 4-life.

[bjkrautk]

I have to wonder whether the decision to retain the coaching staff (including Sveum) was Macha's, Melvin's, or Mark A's. It just seems odd to me that he wouldn't want to bring any of the coaches that he's worked with in the past (who I assume are still in baseball, can anyone confirm?).

[And That]

It just seems odd to me that he wouldn't want to bring any of the coaches that he's worked with in the past (who I assume are still in baseball, can anyone confirm?).

He still has to fill the hitting coach and third base coach positions.

[Ennder]

Maddux and Castro are too well respected to let go. Sedar has such a minor role I don't think Macha would really care.

 

Sveum being the bench coach is the only surprise in the bunch.

[joepepsi]

If I were Doug hiring a new manager I'd tell the guy Maddux WILL be the pitching coach, and recommend retaining any other coaches I thought did a good job. However, I'd leave the actual selection up to the manager.

[dpapo]

If it's Macha, I won't be happy. Why, because I'm a Brewers fan. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Actually, I don't like what I have read about his poor communication skills, the attitude he had towards injured players, complaints about not sticking up for his players and so on. I don't mind a manager being a bit tough on his players, but at times you do need to stick up for your players. Hopefully those are mistakes he has learned from. Also, one of the complaints I read was that he may have overused his bullpen.

Also, it sounds like Melvin pretty much has had his mind made up on Macha. I think it usually works best when a GM has an open mind and talks to a number of candidates before making a decision. It would also be better for whoever ends up being the manager, that they select the people/coaches they want, except for Bill Castro of course. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif If what Tom H. is saying is correct, then it sounds like the new manager was under some pressure to accept a few of the current coaches. Maybe not direct pressure, but it would be better for their chances if they agreed to include them on their staff.

We'll see who does get hired and how that works out.

[mdresen]

This may have been posted already, but 670 AM in Chicago noted this morning that Rick Sutcliffe will replace Brenly on the TV broadcasts as he's about to be named the Crew's skipper.