Macha Selected As New Brewers Manager (reply 667ish)

[trwi7]

Ooh conflicting reports. I like. This manager search just got interesting (only if Haudricourt is right though. If not, this manager search sucks.) http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[colbyjack]

If Macha gets the job, I would imagine Rene Lachemann would be a candidate to be the team's 3B coach.

 

Interesting report from Chicago regarding Brenly.

[Fatter than Joey]

Co-Managers?

 

EDIT: This link seems to indicate, that IF Brenly is hired Sutcliffe jumps to the Cubs

[giffted1]

I don't know if Brenly is in the running for the Seattle job or not, but maybe if he landed that job, word got out that Sutcliffe was getting the TV job, so they assumed it was Brenly to Milwaukee.

[1992casey]

I suppose the 670 AM report could be like the situation where WSSP said Brewerfan was reporting that the Brewers were trading for Adam Dunn... when the reality was that Brewerfan had a discussion in the Rumors forum about a blog entry that said Dunn might be coming here.

[homer]

I was listening to 670 this morning and the report was that IF Brenly is named manager, Sutcliffe would be a logical choice to replace him in the booth.

[crewcrazy]

I suppose the 670 AM report could be like the situation where WSSP said Brewerfan was reporting that the Brewers were trading for Adam Dunn... when the reality was that Brewerfan had a discussion in the Rumors forum about a blog entry that said Dunn might be coming here.

Ah, those were fun times.

 

I imagine Sveum, Maddux, & Co. are being brought back to at least establish some sort of continuity for the players. It's still a very young team, and I think having some familiar faces around will help ease the transition (assuming, of course, the old guys don't undermine the power of the new guy, but everyone involved seems like stand-up guys who wouldn't go behind the manager's back).

[fondybrewfan]

So who would Macha bring along as a hitting coach? 3rd base coach?

 

EDIT: I see FTJ mentioned Lachemann as a potential 3rd base coach

[Hate those Rodents]

I'll throw out Brad Fischer's name if indeed Macha is hired. There are ties to the state for him, though he may want to stick out west.

[Weirdos19]

Put me on the board for liking this hiring. At least over Brenly and Randolph. I do like the coaches that are coming back too.

 

I also like the fact that Oakland always had a good pen when Macha was there. That may be because of the Beane, but you still have to push the right buttons. We know Ned was horrible in that respect.

 

I really wish Showalter would have gotten a look. He got the shaft in New York and Arizona. The guy is a good manager.

[Hate those Rodents]

Looked up Brad Fischer on wikipedia and he apparently was coaching for Oakland the major league team up until this season. He'd been bench coach and also coached the bases for them. I know Brad has family in Madison and he'd maybe love to come back. Brad is a VERY respected baseball guy and it might be nice to get somebody outside of our Milwaukee clique like many infer. Plus, Macha'd probably want to bring at least one guy that he knew from Oakland.

[PeaveyFury]

So 6 hours after the extensions for Maddux, Castro, Sveum, and Sedar is reported by Tom H on the D-list, there's still no story on the JS website or even in Tom's Blog? I mean, Tom does lag behind some news on occasion, but this doesn't make any sense.

[Madtown Bomber]

There is no doubt that Haudicourt said all this stuff. Go to the 540 ESPN page and listen to it. I believe all Haudicourt's segments are linked on there.

[Crew2323]

There is no doubt that Haudicourt said all this stuff. Go to the 540 ESPN page and listen to it. I believe all Haudicourt's segments are linked on there.

If you're referring to Haudricourt on the D-List this morning, I'm almost certain that he said Maddux, Castro, & Sedar were "close" to signing contract extensions. I don't recall him ever saying that they officially had signed extensions.

[mothershipconnection]

My transcription of snippets of Haudricourt's D-List appearance.

 

"I mean, they'll move fast...I mean, as I wrote this morning, I'm pretty sure they have their man in Ken Macha. I've got all kinds of strong indications that he's the guy and I don't really see a change of heart coming over these next few days."

...(his last line)"I'm sure we're gonna have one [announcement] by the end of the week, one way or another".

 

 

New contracts for Billy Castro, Ed Sedar, and Mike Maddux?

"I think that's a done deal. The Brewers aren't announcing it, but I think that's done, I think those three guys are done. And I really believe Dale Sveum coming back as the bench coach or the 3rd base coach is fairly a done deal too." "I think Macha''s agreed to a kind of pre-arranged staff".

 

On Jason Kendall (and his criticism of Macha in the past)

"I gotta believe Doug Melvin looked into that and reconciled it in his mind". No mention of phone calls.

[BrewCrewForever]

I really hope it is Macha. I will be very disappointed now if Brenly or Randolph are named Manager after the series ends.

[logan82]

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?

My guess is that it is tough to tell how good one manager is compared to another. It is really easy to pick out which players are better because we have many useful stats to tell us. There is no point in firing a manager just to bring in some other guy who is likely just as bad. Makes the fans happy. May make the players happy. Gives the impression that management is "dooing something." No real impact though. This hiring process was a farce from the start.

 

My feeling is that a perfect manager doesn't cost his team any wins. None of the managers in MLB fall under that category. I think the best manager probably costs his team 2 wins and the worst 4. Most managers are roughly equal because they all have pluses and minuses. Many make the same mistakes because it is "by the book." Most of the problem is the GMs around the league hiring their guys or who they think are good baseball guys.

[BREWCREW5]

A good manager is one that has excellent in game strategies and puts his players in position to do their best. A good manager should be a great motivator to his players and someone they respect, not necessarily like.

The idea that all managers are useless and created the same is nonsense.

[kmcasper23]

I am not terribly thrilled with any of the 3 but I would feel better if it was Brenly. Macha has not managed in the NL and spent the year as a broadcaster for the Red Sox. What does he know about the NL teams? I would give Brenly the edge because he has seen the Brewers over the past couple years frequently and he has also seen and knows a lot about the other teams in the NL especially the Cubs!!!

[Diskono]

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.

 

http://images.salon.com/news/sports/col/barra/2000/12/20/rodriguez/story.jpg

(I actually agree with you, but it has happened before!)

 

[homer]

I don't think managers are useless but they are definitely overrated.

[Crewin06]

I don't think managers are useless but they are definitely overrated.

Agreed. Not every loss or losing streak should be pinned on the managers in spite of what a lot of fans think.

[clancyphile]

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.

My thoughts are that Sveum is there to keep Kendall happy - or less upset.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't know why the Brewers should worry about keeping Jason Kendall (of all players) happy. Yes, he's a great defensive catcher... but the guy is our weakest link offensively, and at age 34 won't even be around much longer. Why should the team be worried about what he thinks? Melvin went out & made a decent to good hire at manager. How the players feel about it should not come into play one bit. Remember Jenkins & Hall complaining about platoons?

 

What's good for the player is not necessarily good for the team, and the manager's job is to do what's best for the team. If even the bench coach is hired merely to keep one specific player happy -- and especially if that player is a 34-y-o that would be a backup C on many teams -- I think you're making the wrong type of decision. I think Sveum is back because in general the players seem to like him, and that's about all you need from a bench coach.

[nate82]

My thoughts are that Sveum is there to keep Kendall happy - or less upset.

Kendall liking or not liking someone had zero impact on Melvin getting someone. Kendall is gone after next year I don't see the Brewers sticking with Kendall especially with Salome, Lucroy, and Rivera around. Rivera could fill in as catcher in 2010 if Salome isn't ready to be the everyday catcher. To only worry about a player for one year who will probably not be back after that one year is pointless.

 

What Kendall feels towards Macha had no bearing on the decision that Melvin is going to make.