Attanasio pursues Molitor

[auscar]

Here's an interesting tidbit from SI.com's Jon Heyman that seems to have gone under the radar:

"A source told SI.com that Attanasio is speaking to Brewers great Paul Molitor about a possible return to the club. However, one higherup insisted that discussion is unlikely to be for the managerial job, and that Molitor is more likely instead to wind up as a coach, scout or consultant."

[ILuvDaBush]

Hitting Coach? Yount as bench coach. Rollie as pitching coach. Ueck as manager (because catchers make the best managers). I'm only half serious...

[dlk9s]

Yost as bullpen coach. Probably best to put him in a position where he spent the most time as a player.

[JoeHova]

I don't know that I like Molitor as hitting coach. As I recall, he had some problems in that role in Seattle. As bench coach or 3rd or 1st base coach, fine, but wouldn't the new manager like to bring in his own guys?

[sbrylski]

How about we bring in guys that we feel are the best at their jobs? If that's Molitor, great, but I'm guessing that's not the real reason he's on a shortlist.

[owbc]

Although I would like to see a new hitting coach, I don't see what advantage Molitor has over anyone on the current roster. He was essentially a failure in Seattle.

 

He might fit as a 1B or 3B coach, but I think it's time we move beyond 1982. I'd rather see Jeff Cirillo get the job.

[BREWCREW5]

Amen to bringing in the best available coach. We need the best available person for any jobwith the Brewers.

 

This team has some serious boppers and we just made the playoffs. The core is still going to be here. I would think this would be a very sought after job.

[logan82]

I think we should go with all '92 Brewers as coaches. Move into a new decade.

[brewers19]

Since when do owners go around hiring scouts and coaches? Mark seems to stepping on Melvin's toes quite a bit lately.

[davego]

I wonder about a front office/ P.R. job for Paul?

[Brian the Automator]

He'll compete with Rickie Weeks for the starting 2nd base job.

[Cracked Bat Collector]

Enough with the 1982 love on the coaching staffs please sheesh. Great players don't necessarily equate into great coaches...he didn't last long in Seattle as their hitting coach don't forget.

[brewmann04]

I would think Molly would be a great base running teacher for this team he had great insticts on the basepaths

[billyhallfan]

he is currently a roving instructor with the twins, maybe he will do that with the brewers?

[jeffy]

Since when do owners go around hiring scouts and coaches? Mark seems to stepping on Melvin's toes quite a bit lately.

Maybe he is looking to replace Melvin with Molitor http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif.

[Thurston Fluff]

I would think Molly would be a great base running teacher for this team he had great insticts on the basepaths

 

I thought about that as well but I'm not sure a guy who has good insticts is the guy who knows for sure how to teach. Reggie White had a great hump move but couldn't teach it to save his life.

As far as Molly being contacted for a role with the team if it's being done by the owner at this point in time I'd have to believe it's for a front office role not coaching role. Even the most meddlesome owner realizes the need to prioritize the order in which jobs get filled.

If we end up filling the coaching staff with more 82 brewers I think I'll throw up. Time to move on.

[pogokat]

i like that second base ida...he could definitely hit for the same average as weeks...though we might need to pinch run every time he gets on base..

[Bring Back the Stein]

Man, I have a whole stable of Molitor jokes and references that I can't use here, what with this being a family Web site and all.

 

That said, Molitor has a good post-career baseball reputation. He'd definitely add something to the team, not merely distract us with nostalgia (though, c'mon, who'm I kidding, it is still pretty cool on that level, too).

[Thurston Fluff]

That said, Molitor has a good post-career baseball reputation.

 

Which part is the best? His time in Seattle as a hitting instructor or his not accepting the managerial position when offered with the Twins?

[bjkrautk]

If you're going to hire a hitting coach with Brewers ties, why not the guy who's currently a hitting consultant for the SD Padres...

 

Rob Deer.

 

Regardless of your feelings for/against 3TO....if this is the type of offense the Brewers are building, suffice to say he knows how to play that way. Whether he can teach it is a different issue, but that's the question for every hitting coach. Third-hand, I'm told that Robin Yount referrs to Deer as the most knowledgable guy about the game of baseball that he's ever met.

[Bring Back the Stein]

That said, Molitor has a good post-career baseball reputation.

 

Which part is the best? His time in Seattle as a hitting instructor or his not accepting the managerial position when offered with the Twins?

The Twins had him, what?, at 3d base and as a hitting instructor and they thought enough of him to offer him a job. That would seem to burnish a decent baseball rep. Beyond what I've read, my only first-line contacts on Molitor specifically are a scout for an NL team and a 3A coach with an AL ballclub, both of whom had good things to say about what he brought to a club, namely organization and a good strategic mind when it came to at-the-plate approaches. The last time I spoke with them earnestly about it was before the start of this season. And yeah, I get it and sympathize with it, that Rod Carew et al have shown that being a good hitter doesn't translate into good coaching or managing.

[Diskono]

If you're going to hire a hitting coach with Brewers ties, why not the guy who's currently a hitting consultant for the SD Padres...

 

Rob Deer.

 

Regardless of your feelings for/against 3TO....if this is the type of offense the Brewers are building, suffice to say he knows how to play that way. Whether he can teach it is a different issue, but that's the question for every hitting coach. Third-hand, I'm told that Robin Yount referrs to Deer as the most knowledgable guy about the game of baseball that he's ever met.

I remember reading an interview with Deer several years ago where he essentially said his approach to hitting instruction is "don't be like me". Which may or may not be good, depending on who you ask.

[iluvlamp]

Enough with the 82 Brewers. ENOUGH! What other team is so psycho about having past players be coaches? Honest question. Just because they were on the 82 team doesn't make them baseball savants. It doesn't make them great coaches. It really is getting beyond ridiculous. If I take stab, I am positive Don Money will be the next manager because he, is like, well, he's Don Money! Hopefully Yount will be the 3rd base coach. Molly at 1st. Augustine will be the pitching coach and Gumby will take on a new coaching spot not yet created. Probably malapropism coach.

[MNBrew]

That said, Molitor has a good post-career baseball reputation.

 

Which part is the best? His time in Seattle as a hitting instructor or his not accepting the managerial position when offered with the Twins?

Just to say it up front, I don't think the key to the Brewers' future success is rooted in hiring more key players from past glory years. Unlike Yost & Sveum and many others, Molitor wasn't just a good player from a favorite era. He's a certified Hall of Famer. The fact that he's a fan favorite is extremely justified by his performance.

 

That really seems like an unnecessarily snide remark. Molitor was fired along with Bob Melvin's whole staff after 2004. That's a housecleaning, in which any salient positives typically are ignored for a fresh start.

 

Tom Kelly wanted Ron Gardenhire to manage the Twins when he retired. They didn't offer that position to Molly then. Where did you get that information?

 

Molitor's an accomplished and respected coach. The reason he hasn't had an on-field role with the Twins or sought to work for any team outside of the Twin Cities is because he remarried a few years ago and has a young child. He spent most of his life away from his first wife Linda and their daughter Blair. The guy is deservedly coveted as a coach/manager/instructor but for now has chosen to place family first -- and you really can't blame him for that choice.

[Katuluu]

Tom Kelly wanted Ron Gardenhire to manage the Twins when he retired. They didn't offer that position to Molly then. Where did you get that information?

 

Molitor's an accomplished and respected coach. The reason he hasn't had an on-field role with the Twins or sought to work for any team outside of the Twin Cities is because he remarried a few years ago and has a young child. He spent most of his life away from Linda and their daughter Blair. The guy is deservedly coveted as a coach/manager/instructor but for now has chosen to place family first.

Correct. Molly never was offered the managerial position, and it isn't even sure if he even applied for it. By all accounts he's been quite happy with his front office position with the Twins as it keeps him close to home and still affiliated with his hometown team.Correct. Molly never was offered the managerial position, and it isn't even sure if he even applied for it. By all accounts he's been quite happy with his front office position with the Twins as it keeps him close to home and still affiliated with his hometown team. Heck, he still helps out with the Gophers from time to time.