What do the Crew do?

[Invader3K]

Yeah, I'm kind of hoping Macha is not fired during the season for those same reasons, Baldkin. I'd rather see all candidates considered during the off-season than see Sveum or Randolph do "OK" during the second half of the year and then get handed the job. Ideally I'd like to see them bring in someone from outside the organization who has some fresh ideas; though I realize with MLB managers that is a lot to hope for.

[logan82]

They would probably end up hiring Bob Brenly then we would all have to cheer for the Cubs.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm kind of hoping Macha is not fired during the season for those same reasons, Baldkin. I'd rather see all candidates considered during the off-season

 

It won't matter. Melvin will hire another retread that will have stereotypical managerial strengths and weaknesses, ultimately canceling themselves out to make him average, like nearly every other retread manager in MLB.

[joepepsi]

I'm kind of hoping Macha is not fired during the season for those same reasons, Baldkin. I'd rather see all candidates considered during the off-season

 

It won't matter. Melvin will hire another retread that will have stereotypical managerial strengths and weaknesses, ultimately canceling themselves out to make him average, like nearly every other retread manager in MLB.

Yeah, Macha's not my favorite manager, but I can't see firing him for just another retread guy. Unlike many on this board I don't think he's the big problem with this team.

[logan82]

Unlike many on this board I don't think he's the big problem with this team.

He may not be the big problem, but he is part of the problem. Like TLB mentioned though, the next guy is just as likely to be bad just in a different way.

[Ennder]

There are like 5 good managers in baseball so a new manager doesn't excite me that much.

[joepepsi]

Ennder]There are like 5 good managers in baseball so a new manager doesn't excite me that much.

Me either.

[MJLiverock]

If the Brewers acknowledge they aren't a playoff team and become sellers this season I could see a managerial change going into next year. If they go the youth movement route, I think I would hope for a change in manager before next season. Brining up Gamel, possibly other pitchers, Fiedler potentially gone, letting go of Davis, Bush, Hoffman, Edmonds, etc. would make me rather see a guy who is a little more "youth friendly" or instructional bent rather than relying on veterans past their prime to play the majority of games, sitting quietly arms crossed in the dugout without a lot to say.

 

I don't even know how comfortable Macha would be in that situation. If the Brewers are sellers and play the 2nd half of the season with a showcase of young talent strategy it will be interesting to see how Macha handles it.

[endaround]

Yeah if we didn't have Macha we'd have a rookie shortstop, a rookie catcher, a rookie closer, and two rookie set up men. That would never happen with Macha.

[monty57]

Yeah if we didn't have Macha we'd have a rookie shortstop, a rookie catcher, a rookie closer, and two rookie set up men. That would never happen with Macha.

Well, to be fair, I doubt Melvin gave him a chance as to who his starting SS was from Opening Day, Zaun played every day until he had a season-ending surgery and the roster now has two rookie catchers on it, Hoffman was given a very long leash, and there really wasn't another option when Axford was given a shot. Hawkins and Coffey got hurt, leading to having to pitch rookies in crucial roles. Once they were given the chance, they succeeded, and Macha's method of using extremely small sample sizes to come to an absolute conclusion has led to our current setup.

 

In other words, if Melvin completely eliminates any other option, then Macha will play rookies.

[endaround]

Except that isn't true at all. Most other managers would have Counsell playing SS way more. Zaun was here because Lucroy was still a question at the beginnign fo teh year and after 2 weeks he went ahead of Kottaras who has a year under him. Villaneuva was still in the pen.

 

The number of managers who would have pulled Hoffman sooner is close to zero. You want to complain about him hanging Hawkins out to pitch too much? Go ahead. And yes they treated Gamel stupidly. But that seems more of a Gamel thing not a young player thing.

[MJLiverock]

The handling of Gamel last year, the comments about getting Davis back in the rotation at the possible expense of Parra or Narveson, the begrudging use of Braddock or Axford when Hoffman was completely ineffective, the delay in getting LuCroy any playing time until it was obvious Kottaras was such a poor defender, Edmonds coming in a defensive replacement for Gomez, etc.

 

Last year during September call ups, Macha even mentioned making sure Counsell got a lot of time off to help preserve his stats for such a great season. I rember thinking, "huh? Why does a manager care about preserving a guy's stats." Then he proceeded to basically still give Counsell starts over Escobar for Sept. and Oct. and for what purpose? The team was finishing out the string and should have been letting the young guys play.

 

I don't have a problem if they keep thru the end of the year, I really don't get excited about some push to get Randolph or Sveum back in charge which could happen if Mach is let go in season. But if Macha plays out the string in the second have utilizing Davis and Bush in the rotation at the expense of letting Parra, Narveson, and any call ups pitch I will be disappointed and very concerned that going into 2011 the same questions will remain. Can any young guys pitch or pitch as effectively as some aging vet getting paid 8-10x more money and sucking money from the budget that could be used elsewhere.

[sheethead]

Most other managers would have Counsell playing SS way more.

 

This is not a foregone conclusion and is very debatable. Way more? Because Counsell is better than Escobar? I doubt it.

[TooLiveBrew]

Zaun played every day until he had a season-ending surgery and the roster now has two rookie catchers on it

 

Aside from endaround's points, Zaun didn't play anywhere near every day (even as just a term used about baseball regular starters). The catching situation is the one thing I think Macha has handled pretty well all year.

[Never Outhustled]

Can we complain about the fact that every player on the roster, under Macha's guidance, is playing well below expectations defensively? Macha has no leadership skills, and it shows in this teams effort level.

[Ennder]

We have a bunch of bad defensive players so not sure you can say they are playign under expectations. Escobar and Gomez are the only 2 that should be above average.

[geddymd73]

Can we complain about the fact that every player on the roster, under Macha's guidance, is playing well below expectations defensively? Macha has no leadership skills, and it shows in this teams effort level.

Lucroy seems to be doing quite well defensively overall.

Corey Hart has been pretty good defensively.

Weeks has been better defensively than in past years as well.

 

Each of these players are at defensive career highs, so certainly above expectations.

Even Fielder doesn't look so bad.

[LouisEly]

Edit - forgot Step 1: Fire Ken Macha

Macha won't get fired.

 

Why? Because they don't want Randolph or Sveum coaching the team next year, and even if the team simply plays to it's preseason expectations in the second half, they'll be 'way better' under the new manager and he'll have his whole leg in the door for next year.

I really don't understand why firing Macha means that Randolph or Sveum will be managing the team next year. Sveum took over when they fired Yost, guided them to the playoffs, but wasn't retained as manager and they hired Macha.

 

They need to fire Macha to find out if a different manager has any impact on the performance of the team so that they have a better idea of what offseason moves they need to make. With so many key players performing under recent career norms (Fielder, Braun, Wolf, Davis, Coffey, Hoffman, Hawkins) they need to see if that is because of the players or because of how they are being managed. If a different manager makes no difference in performance, they need to make more roster changes than if they play better under a different manager.

[thebruce44]

Can we complain about the fact that every player on the roster, under Macha's guidance, is playing well below expectations defensively? Macha has no leadership skills, and it shows in this teams effort level.

Lucroy seems to be doing quite well defensively overall.

Corey Hart has been pretty good defensively.

Weeks has been better defensively than in past years as well.

 

Each of these players are at defensive career highs, so certainly above expectations.

Even Fielder doesn't look so bad.

Huh? This may be Weeks' worst defensive season since he first came up. He seems to have regressed a bit from the last two years but it looking a little better as of late. Hart looks like he has continued to regress from his 2007 when he was at least solid out there and had some people thinking he might be able to play CF.

 

It is a pretty big stretch to say either of them are having defensive career highs. As for Lucroy, yes, this is his defensive career high. It is also his first year so thats not really saying much.

 

[Roderick]

Edit - forgot Step 1: Fire Ken Macha

Macha won't get fired.

 

Why? Because they don't want Randolph or Sveum coaching the team next year, and even if the team simply plays to it's preseason expectations in the second half, they'll be 'way better' under the new manager and he'll have his whole leg in the door for next year.

I really don't understand why firing Macha means that Randolph or Sveum will be managing the team next year. Sveum took over when they fired Yost, guided them to the playoffs, but wasn't retained as manager and they hired Macha.

I think the rationale is that if the Brewers play decently with a switch to Randloph/Sveum for the rest of the season that Melvin will be compelled to keep them on as manager next year. And that may not be what Melvin wants to do.

 

That is all assuming Melvin gets another shot at hiring a Manager. Seems to me that he has been around long enough that the minors and major league rosters are his to take blame or congratulations for, and not to many times does a GM get to hire as many managers as Melvin will have went through.

[chadomac]

Corey Hart looks awful this year in the outfield. I think he and Braun have both gotten worse the past year or two, defensively.