Dale Sveum returning as hitting coach, signs 2-year deal

[WestSideWillie]

Do you think it's odd that we've got the hitting and pitching coaches in place before hiring the manager? I thought most managers usually picked their own staff.

 

I have no idea if it's important to change the clubhouse atmosphere or team decorum or whatever, but it would seem to be that's hard to do if you bring back most of the staff.

 

Kind of makes the new manager look like some sort of substitute teacher doens't it?

For example, do you think Joe Torre or Bobby Valentine would take any manager's position if they could not name their entire staff? Can't

see Bob Melvin would, either, Joey Cora or Tim Wallach? Well-----they might, if desperate. Well said, AS.

 

 

 

[Ennder]

I think you guys are really overstating the new manager new staff thing. The number one reason a new manager brings in his own guys is because most managers get fired after a bad season and a large portion of the time the coaches get fired along with him.

 

For teams who aren't looking to do a complete rebuild type situation I don't think it is all that common for a new manager to mean all new coaches. For example 4 of the Braves coaches are staying even though they have a new manager.

[Hofbraunhaus]

I know it's not uncommon for coaches to come back with a new manager but what sticks out to me is that Sveum was signed before a new manager was hired. Maybe I'm wrong and this is more common than I think.

[nate82]

Sveum is coming back as a hitting coach. These guys get fired if the wind blows the wrong way in the GM's face.

[RockCoCougars]

Harvey Kuenn worked as hitting coach under 5 managers I believe before he got the manager gig. It doesn't seem that he was thought to be manager material either (probably partially due to his health), but once he got the chance, he did pretty well. Other examples would be Larry Haney and Bill Castro. I think that one of the two was on the coaching staff from 1978 to 2009. Haney seemed to have a job for life.

[reillymcshane]

The hiring of Sveum might simply mean that the Brewers know who they want to hire, and that individual is cool with Dale as hitting coach. Why they announce the addition of Sveum first is odd, but maybe they are just ironing out the details with the finalist.

[TooLiveBrew]

The hiring of Sveum might simply mean that the Brewers know who they want to hire, and that individual is cool with Dale as hitting coach.

 

This is exactly what I think it is. Nothing more.

[AdvantageSchneider]

They just want to wait until the WS is over to announce it?

 

Why go through with doing second interviews on the final 4?

[PrinceEatMeat]

The hiring of Sveum might simply mean that the Brewers know who they want to hire, and that individual is cool with Dale as hitting coach.

 

This is exactly what I think it is. Nothing more.

Or it could be that all of the last 4 finalists are fine with him being hitting coach.

[TooLiveBrew]

Yes, that too. Good point.

[greeg35]

After reading comments and Handricourt, I guess it is more common to do this than I thought. I take back my negative statements about the decision, and I'm glad Dale is back. Still think I would want to pick my whole staff on my own; but who am I to question baseball tradition? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[CheezWizHed]

Considering one of the problems Macha had was connecting with Fielder and Braun, perhaps keeping Sveum is one way to ease the transition to the new manager.

[danzig6767]

I'd be looking for a job elsewhere unless I was happy with my current position and not interested in the least in career advancement.

 

If he wanted out so badly & felt so mistreated, no one held a gun to his head on this 2-yr. extension. Clearly he likes something about the position.

Plus, if Sveum had turned down the hitting coach job, there is no guarantee at all that a different new manager would have hired Dale on to his staff. Sveum easily could have ended up out of work this year if he had turned down the hitting coach offer here in Milwaukee. I don't know what the Brewers are paying Dale as the hitting coach, but it's gotta be better than making nothing if he had said no and nobody else offered him a job on their staff.

 

Besides all of that, Sveum doesn't have to move himself and his family to a new city for any other potential job that wouldn't have been an upgrade professionally and pay scale like being a manager brings.

[Cracked Bat Collector]

I'd like to see Cora or Roenicke. Roenicke may be interesting...former Angels guys from under Scioscia seem to do decent..Bud Black, Joe Maddon off the top of my head.

[danzig6767]

I'd like to see Cora or Roenicke. Roenicke may be interesting...former Angels guys from under Scioscia seem to do decent..Bud Black, Joe Maddon off the top of my head.

I generally believe that the importance of managers in baseball is quite overrated given the largely one on one nature of the game so i don't pay much attention to managers throughout MLB, but i am a big fan of Joe Maddon from what i've seen of him.

 

He strikes me as a manager that i'd love to play for if i was in baseball, but yet has the respect of his players and he is bright in regards to the game.

[Roderick]

I think Sveum is just happy staying in Milwaukee even if it reduces his chance at a promotion. Does he really want to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates anyway?

Signing a contract as a hitting coach doesn't preclude him from interviewing and getting a job as manager for a different team. Taking the two-year contract gives him the security of the contract, but doesn't restrict his moving up the ladder. Seems like a no-brainer.