Who is to blame for the atrocious 2013 season?

[adambr2]

While it may not seem productive to play the blame game, I think that it is important for Mark A. to attempt to assign accountability for this season to gain some understanding of where to start in fixing the franchise and moving forward. So where does the primary responsibility for this season lie? There are several potential theories:

 

1. Players - There are the pieces of place for a winning team, but the players have simply failed to execute in key situations this year. They have failed numerous times in key situations, and the ace of the pitching staff has really fallen hard and felt lasting effects of playing in the WBC, while Estrada failed to repeat his success and Peralta took longer than hoped to develop.

 

2. Management/Coaching - Ron Roenicke's over-aggressive tactics have finally caught up to him. Time and time again he does, or does not do the 1 or 2 things every game that seems to cost his team in the end, with puzzling in-game situational management and questionable lineups. Rick Kranitz continues to appear unqualified to fix the problems in the rotation.

 

3. Front Office - The real problems of the team lie with the inability to draft and develop. Melvin's failures to properly address first base after injuries to Hart and Gamel were a huge blow to offensive productivity. The failures of scouts to develop minor league talent have left major holes in the back of the rotation.

 

4. Injuries - The injuries this season were too much for the Brewers to ever have a chance. With Hart and Gamel missing the entire season, and Braun, Ramirez, Narveson, and others all missing significant time, there were simply too many holes created to put together a competitive ballclub.

 

 

So while I would assume that most people would agree that the problems have been a result of a combination of these factors, where does the most responsibility lie? I would say it's a pretty even combination between 1, 2, and 4. I don't entirely blame the FO for the roster because I don't think it's really that bad of a roster. With that said, there were other actions that could have been taken at first base other than a Betancourt/Gonzalez platoon, and they do of course hold accountability for a coaching staff that seems to fail at getting the most out of the talent given.

[TheCrew07]

See every previous post of mine regarding organization building.

 

My post in the Whipping Boy thread sums it up nicely.

[502 to Right]

It's pretty obvious that Yuni B is 100% to blame for the season going the way it is.

[splitterpfj]

There's a lot to look at, I don't think there's, "a guy" who did this.

 

Major injuries, failed draft picks in the years immediately following the Greinke/Marcum trades, which had depleted it to begin with, and some other proven players not playing to prior standards.

 

Yuck City.

[sauveb]

Ken Macha

[Funketown]

Mark Kotsay.

[davego]

Jesus?

[adambr2]

When looking at the entire big picture, now that everything is unfolded, I see the Greinke/Marcum acquisitions as huge wins for us.

 

Marcum for Lawrie is pretty lousy value, but we DID get two very nice years out of Marcum. And Lawrie, who looked like the next Braun when he started out for the Jays, has looked pedestrian and often injured since then.

 

It's reasonable to assume that Greinke would not have waived his NTC had Marcum not already been acquired, so no Marcum = no Greinke. And ARam certainly would have never been signed if Lawrie hadn't been traded.

 

It's also ironically possible that we would have neither of our two All-Stars if we hadn't acquired Greinke in the first place. Segura obviously wouldn't be here, and I can't help but wonder if they would have shown the same patience with Gomez if Cain would have still been in town.

 

Based on Segura's value alone, you could reasonable argue that the sum of Segura + Hellweg + Pena is worth more than the sum of Escobar + Cain + Jeffress + Odorizzi + Lawrie anyway. Escboar has a great glove but is an offensive liability. Cain is an average CF'er. Jeffress has been waived since being acquired. Odorizzi has potential, but slipped in prospect rankings every year.

[JimH5]

Doug Melvin is the General Manager. He put this group together.

 

Some things are way beyond his control. I won't blame him for injuries. But I will blame him for going into a season with this pitching staff, this bench and this minor league system.

 

I don't think it merits firing, but I wouldn't blame Attanasio if he wants to look at someone else to run the club.

[3and2Fastball]

Bill Hall

 

Or, Doug Melvin not learning the lesson of Bill Hall

 

And Doug Melvin's inability to hire a great manager

 

Ultimately the biggest blame is probably on Mark A, and he cannot fire himself. Mark A would rather stick pins in his eyes than rebuild

[chadomac]

Every starting pitcher we've used except for Kyle Lohse.

[TooLiveBrew]

Ken Macha

Mark Kotsay.

Jesus?

Stan Kyles

[Bombers]

Wendy

[Mays Hayes]

It's been a pretty solid group effort.

[pitchleague]

it's my fault. I'll shoulder the blame.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's been a pretty solid group effort.

 

That just sums it up so well

[sveumrules]

I really hope the Bucks follow our stealth tank lead for 2013/14 season.

[jerichoholicninja]

In this order...

 

1. Whoever is in charge of development for not developing anything resembling a major league pitcher

2. Melvin for not having acquired any semblance of a pitching prospect in years past

3. Mark A for wasting money and a draft pick on Lohse and trying to go for it last year and this

4. The veteran players for failing to perform

5. Bad luck with injuries to anyone and everyone

6. Ron Roenicke for being the same terrible manager he has been his whole time here

[LouisEly]

See every previous post of mine regarding organization building.

 

My post in the Whipping Boy thread sums it up nicely.

I think Fear the Chorizo's post 45 minutes later was pretty prophetic.

[Invader3K]

At the end of the day the GM has constructed this team. I have a hard time blaming Roenicke too much for being saddled with such a bad starting rotation, just like I had a hard time blaming Ken Macha for the same.

 

I think Mark Attanasio is going to have to do some deep soul searching soon about where this franchise is going, if he already isn't in that process.

[homer]

GenoSeligPrieb

[trwi7]

Bunty McContactPlay

 

(Not really my vote is for Melvin)

[adambr2]

At the end of the day the GM has constructed this team. I have a hard time blaming Roenicke too much for being saddled with such a bad starting rotation, just like I had a hard time blaming Ken Macha for the same.

 

I think Mark Attanasio is going to have to do some deep soul searching soon about where this franchise is going, if he already isn't in that process.

 

Is Roenicke really that saddled, though? Lohse has pretty much been exactly as advertised. Gallardo has struggled this year, but has always been a starter in the mid to upper 3.00's ERA year after year. Peralta is the best starting prospect they've had since Gallardo.

 

It's not Greinke/Marcum/Yo but I don't think many people thought on opening day that Gallardo/Lohse/Estrada/Peralta/Fiers was a looming disaster. I think people were more excited than worried about the rotation. It's easy to say he's been saddled with an awful rotation now that they've well, stunk, but I think on paper most people certainly expected better than this.

 

I'll take a 2013 Gallardo/Lohse/Peralta/Estrada/Fiers over a 2009 Gallardo/Suppan/Looper/Parra/Bush any day.

[Hammer]

All of these moronic, single name/word replies may not have ruined the Brewers season...but they are ruining Brewerfan.net. That garbage used to be frowned upon here. Oh how this place has changed...

[gypcasino]

Oh how this place has changed...

 

I'm going to dig deep in the archives and reread the interview with 20th-round pick Shea Vucinich and long for the good old days.