Macha Selected As New Brewers Manager (reply 667ish)

[Tbadder]

I can guarantee you that there are about 100 candidates having the agent send out feelers today.

I've got no reason to doubt you at all. Tmy point. If you got feelers out--you're probably not up to snuff.

[GoudaBrew]

Not that it probably matters a whole lot, but according to Brenly's Wiki page, he signed a 4 year extension 3 days ago to keep broadcasting Cubs games.

[joepepsi]

I like the Macha idea. The other guys mentioned just seem tired, old, and from a bygone era. Macha was on board with the Beane philosophy and won a ton of games. He won his division twice in 4 years and finished 2 twice.

[fondybrewfan]

I would also think that the Brewers job would be one of if not the job to get this offseason. Despite the fact that CC and Sheets will be gone, their is still a ton of talent here, not to mention the money Doug will have able to spend in the offseason. I would think any manager would love to come here, a good team, an owner who will spend money, and a pretty good fan base.

 

I will strongly disagree with anyone who thinks we will suck next year. Without CC and Sheets we are worse, but add Gallardo and a likely starter through FA or trade and we could still be very good next year IF the young position players can get their act together for an entire year.

[Invader3K]

As far as Kennedy, I admit I didn't follow his managerial career in the mid '90s much, but know he had some success with both the Rangers and Red Sox. That said, from listening to him many times on XM, I think he'd be more in the Ned Yost mold, rather than some fiery guy who people seem to be looking for right now. I guess the impression I have of him is someone who will basically just let the guys play, kind of like Ned. He probably would hold people accountable for failing, though, which would be a plus.

 

On the point of Valentine...I could well be wrong, but I heard he is paid very well in Japan and enjoys being there, despite the talk that he could come back to MLB at some point.

[TooLiveBrew]

He won it all in 2001 with a really non-descript lineup: Aging Mark Grace at 1B, Jay Bell at 2B, Tony Womack at SS, Matt Williams at 3B, Luis Gonzalez in LF, Steve Finley in CF Reggie Sanders in RF, and Damian Miller at C. Yes he had Schilling and Johnson, but the rest of that rotation was really mediocre and their closer, Kim had 19 saves.

 

Miguel Batista posted a 139 ERA+ over 18 starts & 48 games (139.3 IP). The aforementioned Kim had a 159 ERA+ over 98 IP in relief. Heck, Bret Prinz tossed out a 177 ERA+ over 41 IP. The offense was cobbled together around Gonzo's 174 OPS+/54 HRs, but the pitching was not just Schilling & Johnson. Team ERA+ of 120.

 

I have to admit the usage of Kim is interesting... appears to have been used at a Relief Ace's workload in '01 & '02. Not sure what toll that wound up taking on Kim.

[yount19.u]

I have to agree that if Svuem gets this team to the playoffs, it would be hard to not give him the job (unless they fall apart in the post season). If the job goes to someone else, I think they need to look outside the organization, and Decker sounds interesting. Despite his lack of managerial experience, he's done nothing but win since he's been a manager, and he would offer a fresh approach and style to the team. The players may also relate better to him as he is not far removed from his playing days. I'm also intrigued by Mattingly for no other reason than he was a serious candidate for the Yankee job. They must have seen something in him that projected well as a manager. I would be interested in anyones comments about why Mattingly would be a good or bad manager without just citing his lack of experience.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm also intrigued by Mattingly for no other reason than he was a serious candidate for the Yankee job. They must have seen something in him that projected well as a manager.

He was Torre's buddy/bench coach in NY & now in LA, and he's a Yankees legend as a player... imo those are the two main reasons he was considered. Put it this way -- if the Yanks had interviewed Larry Bowa, would you be intrigued by Larry Bowa as a possible Milwaukee manager? Mattingly will probably get his shot at coaching, but I'd rather him learn on the job somewhere else.

Quote from Hank Steinbrenner (from NY Post article) during the hiring process: ""As a player he was very quiet. He was the hardest working guy in the game as a player. The greatest clutch hitter I've ever seen and a great defensive first baseman and a quiet leader," Steinbrenner said today.

When asked if one of Mattingly's drawbacks was his inexperience managing a team at any level, Steinbrenner answered, "He has been in the dugout. He has been a coach and obviously Joe [Girardi] has experience, on the other hand Donnie has experience in the dugout as a bench coach."


Here's Mattingly's post-playing career, per his Wikipedia page:

After retiring as a player, Mattingly spent seven seasons as a special instructor during Yankees' spring training in Tampa, Florida from 1997-2003.

Following the 2003 season, the Yankees named Mattingly the hitting coach. He spent three seasons in that role, receiving much praise from the Yankees organization and his players....

On October 26, 2006, Mattingly was promoted to being Joe Torre's bench coach, replacing Lee Mazzilli.

On October 18, 2007, Don Mattingly was considered the front runner for the Yankee's manager position, after Joe Torre declined a one year contract extension. Mattingly was interviewed in Tampa, Florida on October 23, 2007 for the Yankee Manager search along with Joe Girardi, interviewed on October 22, 2007, and Tony Pena, interviewed on October 24, 2007. On October 28th, 2007 the Yankees front office announced that it had offered the manager position to Joe Girardi, and that neither Mattingly, nor Pena would be offered the position.

I'm not sure who specifically considered Mattingly the front-runner, but I think it was a media and fan-fueled thing. Girardi's name was connected to the Yankees' vacancy (speculation at the time of course) even prior to Torre departing. As best I can tell, Mattingly wasn't ever really the front-runner, and the scheduling of interviews (Girardi first, then Donnie) seems to line up with that.

At the time I remember getting the impression the Yankees kinda felt like they had to get Mattingly an interview since he semi-publicly pleaded his case to Hank Steinbrenner (see that NY Post link above). I'm not a fan at all of Joe Torre's management style (leaning on vets who've 'been through the fires' over the younger players... think Mench getting PT over Hart under Yost), and Mattingly is someone that has meshed quite well with Torre. That's the main reason I would want him avoided, aside from not wanting him learning on the job for us.

[jhartzell2]

Gabe Kapler player/manager.

[sbrylski]

After seeing tonights traditional lineup, my god do I want a new outside the box manager.

[fondybrewfan]

I don't think batting Cameron could be more outside the box. "Inside the Box" Managers wouldn't even think about Cameran hitting leadoff. He has virtually no qualities of a lead off hitter.

[sbrylski]

I don't think batting Cameron could be more outside the box. "Inside the Box" Managers wouldn't even think about Cameran hitting leadoff. He has virtually no qualities of a lead off hitter.

Well then outside the box is the wrong term. Gotta be outside the traditional box and not an idiot.

[brettac1]

He's fast, which is basically the only criteria that a lot of "inside the box" managers care about for a leadoff guy. Plus he is a veteran, which is supposedly another reason why he is in the spot. And Sveum wants to bunt and stuff, which I was afraid of. I think he is a total old school type of guy.

[Gobias Industries]

The 3 things old-school managers look for in a leadoff hitter: veteran, fast, and a high BA.

 

I'd bet most of these guys think that Juan Pierre is the best leadoff man in the game, and would love to have him.

[StearnsFTW]

I would love to have a young guy who played big league ball fairly recently. Two smart ballplayers that are currently in broadcasting that would come to mind would be Mark Grace and John Kruk. Both would greatly loosen up the tention in the clubhouse. If I were GM I would personally hire Grace.

I'll be out if they hire John Kruk.

 

He makes Ned seem like Aristotle.

 

My choices would be someone who uses stats and removes his gut as razorsharp said. And doesn't like the bunt or hit and run, which was pretty much Ned's only redeeming quality.

[DHonks]

As far as Kennedy, I admit I didn't follow his managerial career in the mid '90s much, but know he had some success with both the Rangers and Red Sox. That said, from listening to him many times on XM, I think he'd be more in the Ned Yost mold, rather than some fiery guy who people seem to be looking for right now. I guess the impression I have of him is someone who will basically just let the guys play, kind of like Ned. He probably would hold people accountable for failing, though, which would be a plus.

I think of Ned as being one of the most intense, fiery managers in the game. He was supposedly one of the biggest work-a-holics in the game. I think the critique of him was that he wasn't soothing enough. To me Kevin Kennedy has never sounded very fiery, but more of a thinker.

[bando1234]

My Ex Brewer Guess: Randy Ready

Because its trendy to have a back catcher guess: John Mizerock

Oldie but a goodie guess: Jimy Williams

Out of left field guess: Carlos Tosca

Really out of left field guess: Tom Prince

Actual guess: Jim Tracy

[Postseason2006]

I just want a manager that can get with the program and hit play he backup catcher and use a pinch hitter for your every day catcher. This idea of Kendall batting in the 8th and 9th inning all the time when down a couple of runs is not rocket science especially in a RH matchup against Lidge and Wood. This is logical thinking.

[Bruce Ciskie]

Circa 2001, Rob Neyer explains why Bob Brenly is a really bad idea.

If the Diamondbacks lose the Series-and that suddenly looks quite likely-Kim is going to be the goat, much like Mark Wohlers got the blame for the Series-tying homer he gave up to Jim Leyritz in 1996. But Kim didn't lose Game 4. Bob Brenly did, and it isn't even close.

Tony Womack led off the game with a single, and Brenly immediately consulted his Jim Leyland playbook, calling on Craig Counsell to put down a sacrifice in front of the 3-4-5 hitters. Well, Gonzalez got hit by a pitch, and Durazo walked, but El Duque struck out Matt Williams and got out of the inning.

In the third, Womack led off with a walk, and Counsell bunted him over again. Gonzalez walked, but the next two batters made outs.

In the fifth, Womack led off with a double, and again Counsell sacrificed him, this time to third base, with one out. Gonzalez hit a medium-depth fly ball, the home plate umpire called Womack out on a bang-bang play at the plate, and the Yankees escaped another jam.

Three times the Diamondbacks got their leadoff hitter on base. Three times Bob Brenly willingly gave up an out to move Womack up a base. In those three innings, the Diamondbacks got a double, a single, three walks, and a hit-by-pitch. Hernandez retired only five batters on his own-in other words, in those three innings, six of the 11 Diamondbacks who actually tried to reach base were successful. But three Diamondbacks didn't try to reach base, and because of that the team didn't score a single run.

[RU Rah Rah]

You'd have to think that the person would have previous MLB managing experience, no?

[Diskono]

I don't think batting Cameron could be more outside the box. "Inside the Box" Managers wouldn't even think about Cameran hitting leadoff. He has virtually no qualities of a lead off hitter.

I've always wanted to see more teams try a batting order with the best overall hitter 1st, and down the order all the way to your worst hitter. Aside from the first two spots, that's pretty much what we got last night. Here are the OPS of last night's 1-8 hitters:

 

833

788

897

863

817

786

659

657

 

Unfortunately, batting a player like Braun or Fielder leadoff would be like using your "closer" in the 7th inning, so we probably won't see that any time soon.

[Invader3K]

You'd have to think that the person would have previous MLB managing experience, no?

I sure hope so. The Brewers have had more than their share of "rookie" managers. I think it's time to get someone with actual playoff experience at the helm, not someone who is going to learn on the job.

[lodiness]

If Pat Listach gets the job I quit!

What about Listach's coaching style leads you to this conclusion? Does it have to do with anything besides the fact that he was a Brewer at one time?

I don't care if they get a coach from the 1982 team or the 1992 team, we need to look outside the box for the next coach. Someone who wasn't a a Brewer at one time. I guess I'm just getting frustrated with all the look from within talk.

[TooLiveBrew]

I've always wanted to see more teams try a batting order with the best overall hitter 1st, and down the order all the way to your worst hitter. Aside from the first two spots, that's pretty much what we got last night. Here are the OPS of last night's 1-8 hitters:

 

833

788

897

863

817

786

659

657

 

Unfortunately, batting a player like Braun or Fielder leadoff would be like using your "closer" in the 7th inning, so we probably won't see that any time soon.

My thoughts exactly upon reflecting on the lineup a bit into the game, Diskono. I really like what Sveum tried last night, even though I'm sure it was more 'common sense' than 'sabermetrician'. In general, statistical analysis is utilized in order to discern the most favorable and/or likely scenarios, right? Seems like common sense matches up a bit with that. I don't know if I'd like to continue to see Cam lead off or not, but heck... try anything at this point.

[tigerbrew]

If Sveum leads the team to the playoffs in 08, he certainly deserves a shot to manage the Brewers in 2009.