Anyone else feel a bit bad for Ned?

[danzig6767]

I didn't want Ned brought back this season and supported his firing, but for whatever reason, when i was watching the players/coaches celebrate, i thought about Ned and felt a bit bad for him that he couldn't at least have been in the clubhouse sharing in the celebration. Yost, for all his faults, he spent a long time here and nobody could question how much he cared and wanted to help bring back playoff baseball to Milwaukee.

 

I also wondered what his emotions were watching the game, assuming of course that he did? Was Yost also able to see the team celebrating? If so, was it completely bittersweet? Happy for the players, but stung badly because he could only watch what i'm sure he dreamed so many times hat he'd be a part of, celebrating a playoff berth in the clubhouse.

 

I tried imaging what my emotions would have would been the last 12 games and today if i was in Ned's shoes, but i don't really know. I'd like to think that all i'd want is to see my former players reach their goal, that said, i do think it would sting watching everyone celebrate and i'm only able to watch on TV.

[tigerbrew]

I truly believe that the Brewers would not have made the playoffs if Yost was still the manager, so frankly I don't feel bad for Ned. Like 82, it was a necessary move and I'm glad they did it before it's too late.

If Ned was around, we'd be rueing another disappointing season in 2008...

 

[JimH5]

I'm not feeling the least bit sorry.

 

I never like to see someone fail, but this was all on him. He seemed to be the most tightly wound, humorless, thin-skinned, never-make-a-mistake-you-can-admit-to kind of guy.

 

Honestly, the best of luck to him with the rest of his life, and maybe he'll adjust some of the aspects of his personality I found so unpleasant.

[Bruce Ciskie]

I'd like to feel sorry for him, but I'm too busy celebrating what this team was able to accomplish.

 

I won't go so far as to say they wouldn't have made it with him. I am not sure that's fair, because it's not like they've been lighting the world on fire without him.

[Never Outhustled]

The Brewers went 7-5 without Yost, including 3 wins against the Cubs. I'm guessing they would have won 3 games max if Yost had still been here.

[Ennder]

I strongly feel that Yost is why we didn't make the playoffs last year and almost didn't this year, so cannot feel sorry for him.

[thablingster]

I do feel bad for Ned, but as has been said I feel his firing was instrumental in our getting to the playoffs.

 

There is no way Ned plays Durham as much as Svuem has, there is no way he keeps McClung in on Friday, and I sincerely doubt he'd have pitched CC on 3 days rest 3 straight times down the stretch.

[RU Rah Rah]

It has to be weird for him, certainly. I'm sure he still thinks of it as "his" team. And to watch that celebration yesterday . . .I imagine that he has all kinds of conflicting emotions. I'm sure he's proud of everyone, but at the same time he probably thinks that he should have been there.

[TSack27]

Only feel bad in the respect that management let the problem linger too long before doing something about it, making the timing more akward so that it is fresh in everyone's mind... yet Braun, Sveum and others made some respectful comments acknowledging Yost in the post-game interviews. The reasons that finally got him terminated existed earlier this year, and existed at the end of last year, so dealing with it at either of those periods would have alleviate any uncomfortable feeling people are having now. And I have to agree with previous posters, that without Sveum's fresh approach to pitching staff management and dugout attitude, the Brewers would not have clinched a playoff spot yestersday.

[Bruce Ciskie]

The Brewers went 7-5 without Yost, including 3 wins against the Cubs. I'm guessing they would have won 3 games max if Yost had still been here.

They also blew a four-run lead in the ninth against the Cubs, lost twice to the awful Reds, and continued to hit poorly and play poor defense.

 

Yeah, Sveum pushed a couple of correct buttons with the lineup (Ray Durham comes to mind immediately). But many of our complaints went unaddressed. Counsell was out there way too much, Branyan was still buried as if he had slept with someone's wife, Mike Rivera didn't see the light of day very often, and FREAKING COREY HART (sorry) played every day, despite the fact that he has been made to look worse than Ben Sheets at the plate lately.

 

(NOTE: By "our", I'm referring to complains I've lodged, as well as others I've seen more than once around here. The list is not meant to be a complete one by any stretch.)

 

I'm not here to rip Sveum, and I do think the change had a positive impact. And I do think he did a pretty good job overall (I really like how he handled the pitching staff and the issues with the rotation as Sheets struggled with his health).

 

I'm just not sure how much of an impact it was, and I don't think it's fair to give him too much credit for this team making the playoffs. They were technically in playoff position when Ned was let go, so it's not like Sveum had to pull off a miracle here.

[rluzinski]

Yost was not good at his job, so I don't feel bad that he was fired. I feel bad the WAY he was fired. The timing was pretty brutal. Unprofessional, IMO. They should have just dumped him at the sll star break (or last off season).

 

And I have a hard time believing that Yost led the Brewers to a 20-7 August but had a 0% chance of finishing 7-5. I think it's just a tidy, convenient way to look at it. I mean, it was 7-5, against Cin, Pit and a resting Cubs team. Not exactly some huge accomplishment. He probably wouldn't have done as well with the pitchers but may have actually scored more runs. Who knows?

[jeffy]

Melvin appears to be #1 on that list. Is there any question that he disagreed with the decision after his subdued reaction yesterday?

 

I won't be surprised if Melvin leaves the Brewers after the (post) season and the reason is because he was forced to fire Yost with 12 games to go in the season.

 

I completely agree that the real problem was that management let the problem linger too long before doing something about it, making the timing more akward and I also suspect that it was Melvin who pushed Mark A. to keep giving Yost more chances.

[Invader3K]

I don't feel that bad. I have no doubt that if he had stayed on, we wouldn't be celebrating a Wild Card berth right now. I do feel a little bad about the timing, but sometimes things like that happen in life. He's going to land on his feet somewhere (probably Atlanta) and get a chance to manage again.

[wisconsinfan47]

He managed 93% of the season...Yeah I feel a little bad.

 

However, the team needed a kick in the pants. They probably would not have gone 7-5 with Ned at the helm. The move was a good one.

[Ennder]

Yeah, Sveum pushed a couple of correct buttons with the lineup (Ray Durham comes to mind immediately). But many of our complaints went unaddressed. Counsell was out there way too much, Branyan was still buried as if he had slept with someone's wife, Mike Rivera didn't see the light of day very often, and FREAKING COREY HART (sorry) played every day, despite the fact that he has been made to look worse than Ben Sheets at the plate lately.

 

Branyan is hurt and can't play the field and I'm not convinced Lamb is better than Counsell, he isn't a good fielder and he has really regressed at the plate this year. Hall certainly isn't any better vs righties. Same deal with Hart, with Kapler injured we have a pure rookie who is a bad fielder in Nelson or a player who has proven he is useless in Gwynn. I think I'd want to just hope Hart busts out of his slump instead of those options too.

 

Sveum is hardly perfect but I don't see these particular things as huge issues, though I agree I'd have given Kendall at least one day off in there.

[Chio151]

Basically, I really like Ned. He's a good guy and was busting his butt to help my team win games. I think though, ultimately, he just tried too hard and pushed too much. He'll come back and manage another team, and probably have learned from Milwaukee.

 

But yeah, thank you Ned Yost for your service over the last few years. We've become a better team under your watch.

[Fatter than Joey]

Yost was not good at his job, so I don't feel bad that he was fired. I feel bad the WAY he was fired. The timing was pretty brutal. Unprofessional, IMO. They should have just dumped him at the sll star break (or last off season).

 

Agreed 100%. Plus the Brewers were assisted by the Mets going 3-6 to end the year as well.

 

I'm not here to rip Sveum, and I do think the change had a positive impact. And I do think he did a pretty good job overall (I really like how he handled the pitching staff and the issues with the rotation as Sheets struggled with his health).

 

I think that Sveum did a decent job, keeping the boat afloat, while there was all of the turmoil around Ned's firing -- I think if the Brewers do good in the playoffs -- it's certainly a feather in Dale's hat -- but I wouldn't hand him the job over even if the Brewers won the WS.

 

Melvin appears to be #1 on that list. Is there any question that he disagreed with the decision after his subdued reaction yesterday? I won't be surprised if Melvin leaves the Brewers after the (post) season and the reason is because he was forced to fire Yost with 12 games to go in the season.

 

I think you are 100% correct -- this firing was done by MA, and I don't think DM is happy with it. I would entirely expect DM and MA to part ways after the end of the season.

[Invader3K]

but I wouldn't hand him the job over even if the Brewers won the WS.

Really??? I think there should be a street named after him in Milwaukee if they win the World Series. Hell, I'd hope the Brewers give him a three or four year contract at that point. He'll have done what no other manager was able to do in the history of the franchise. Why wouldn't you want him back?

 

 

(fixed code --1992)

[naivin]

This is the profession he chose, and Managers are hired to be fired. I do feel bad for him that he didn't get the opportunity to see if he could finish what he started this year, and worked for for 6 years. But, short of that, that's the way it goes. I think he can and will walk with his head held high that he gave everything he could. He wanted desperately to bring a winner here, and while he wasn't on the field yesterday, in many he ways he did that. You heard that in the comments of Melvin and others, and I think they were sincere.

[1992casey]

I feel bad for Nedly, and I think he's entitled to all due respect. He's done a lot for the Brewers over the years, and I think it's apparent that he gave his heart and soul to the team.

 

While I think Sveum stands a better chance of making the right in-game moves, that's not a reason not to feel bad for Yost on a more personal level.

[brewcrew00]

I do feel bad for Ned. Timing was horrible, and still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

As for saying he wouldn't have had the Brewers go 7-5 down the stretch is pure speculation. For all anyone knows, they could have gone 12-0 or 0-12. To credit Sveum with "the turnaround" even though they still couldn't score ANY runs, almost seems a bit unfair.

[Fatter than Joey]

Really??? I think there should be a street named after him in Milwaukee if they win the World Series. Hell, I'd hope the Brewers give him a three or four year contract at that point.

 

Yeah -- This sort of thinking is why we have Jeff Suppan. I certainly would give Dale an interview, and he may be the best candidate, but I'd want a wideopen hiring process.

[naivin]

I certainly would give Dale an interview, and he may be the best candidate, but I'd want a wideopen hiring process.

 

This is what should happen, and in all liklihood will happen (and if Kenny Williams wants to get rid of Ozzie Guillen before then, that'd work fine for me). However, if lightening should strike, and we are still playing a couple weeks from now, it won't. That said, I think a Dale Sveum contract is a price I would be willing to pay to still be playing a couple weeks from now.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I do feel bad for Ned. How can you not? It's human nature. You may not have thought he was a great manager or even a great guy, but the guy did give his all to the team for 5.93 seasons and right at the time they were about to hit the big payoff...he becomes Pete Best.

 

I heard DM, Braun, Sveum and Yount all mention Ned yesterday. It's obvious that despite him not being very popular with those of us here on this site, he had formed a bond with many in the organization. As others have mentioned, this could create a problem between DM & Mark A...and we NEED DM.

 

There is no way to tell if this would have happened with or without Ned. I could make just as many arguments we would have wrapped it up sooner with him as missing it with him. It's 12 games...who knows?

[TheCrew07]

I wasn't thinking about Ned at all till the post game, Melvin's comments especially made me consider him. Also, his comments reinforced my opinion that firing was MA's call.

 

I'm obviously pretty easy on baseball managers and coaches in general, I would have liked to see if Ned could have finished what he started.