3B Coach Update

[recte44]

And a new avatar is born to offer my support to Mr. Don Money, a great Brewer, and a great American.

[Nearsighted Views]

You know, I love that the franchise keeps bringing up it's own and working from within but sometimes I just wish they'd bring in some fresh perspectives. All these guys have worked together and while that brings a certain amount extra background knowledge and that, I think a fresh perspective might be nice. I dunno. Just a thought.

[logan82]

You know, I love that the franchise keeps bringing up it's own and working from within but sometimes I just wish they'd bring in some fresh perspectives. All these guys have worked together and while that brings a certain amount extra background knowledge and that, I think a fresh perspective might be nice. I dunno. Just a thought.

 

Good point. I agree. I found myself chuckling about this by the time I was done reading it though. Not because I thought what you said was funny, but because the outside guy they brought in last year was fired because he was not on the same page.

[splitterpfj]

For the love of Money.

[MNBrew]

For a true out-of-LF pick, I'd love to see Ben Oglivie or Marshall Edwards. Mark Brouhard doesn't do much for me.

 

Seriously, the Ted Simmons thought is quite intriguing for the reasons already mentioned. He totally gets it. But Money seems a better bet than his former teammate. Kremblas? Could be and I wouldn't complain, either, I guess, although all this manager-in-waiting stuff about him & the notion that Yost is worthless (flawed? yes; worthless? hardly!) is a bit ludicrous based on how I see things.

[Nearsighted Views]

Good point. I agree. I found myself chuckling about this by the time I was done reading it though. Not because I thought what you said was funny, but because the outside guy they brought in last year was fired because he was not on the same page.

I know. I guess they just like their own guys. It's nice in a way cause everyone has something vested in the franchise but at the same time, I think a new eye on the talent might bring a new perspective on things. I don't really care as much about third base in this respect but I won't veer off topic...

[aracko]

Why does it always have to be ex brewers getting jobs here. I cant take it anymore. The 1982 Brewers have nothing to do with the 2008 Brewers - not even the same uniform.

 

They havent played in the same park. They havent faced the same pitchers. They havent worked with the same Umpire Crew. They havent dealt with Free Agency. They have nothing in common with the players who are on the roster now. What is the fricking point? Do they think the fans will come out to see the 3rd base coach?

 

The guy is a career .233 hitter and in a 7 year career he scored a grand total of 213 runs. This is a guy who barely knew what to do when he was on FIRST base, much less 3rd base. Yeah - If I am Ricky Weeks or any Brewer for that matter I am going to go to this guy for advice. Give me a break.

 

Don 'Brooks' Money is at least respecable but if you tell me that he is the best 3rd base coach available, I will tell you that you are lying.

 

I think that Ned Yost wants to make sure that there is no better option than himself as "interm" manager.

 

As far as whom I would suggest they hire, I cant really tell you.

 

Playoff teams -

Bob Melvin - did not play for the diamondbacks.

Lou Pinella - Never a Cub

Terry Francona - Never a Redsock

Eric Wedge - Never an Indian

Clint Hurdle - Never a Rockie

Joe Torre - Never a Yankee

Mike Scioscia - Never an Angel

Charlie Manuel - Never a Phillie

 

Why must we be so lame and always try to bring back the "glory days". START SOMETHING NEW!

[BrewCrewForever]

welcome back to the show Money.

Krembles will be called the Manager by July 1st.

That is possible. But honestly I think either guy would be good for the 3B coach job.

 

[areacodes]

The guy is a career .233 hitter and in a 7 year career he scored a grand total of 213 runs. This is a guy who barely knew what to do when he was on FIRST base, much less 3rd base. Yeah - If I am Ricky Weeks or any Brewer for that matter I am going to go to this guy for advice. Give me a break.

 

 

Since when did playing ability translate into coaching ability? Some of the games greatest (all of sports, not just baseball) have tried their hands at coaching afterwards and they didn't have it. Rod Carew, one of the best all time hitters, was a horrible hitting coach. Bart Starr was a really bad football coach. What are your opinions of Mike Maddux? You think he is a good pitching coach? Because he was at best an average player in his day.

 

 

Why you think the Brewers players wouldn't repsect the man is beyond me, especially the younger guys who have worked with him before... I assume they'd be more comfortable and more willing to listen. I highly doubt they would even begin to question him because he ONLY hit .233 and ONLY scored 213 runs.

[Fatter than Joey]

I think it is interesting that we are discussing interim manager in the same breath as a 3b base coach.

 

Here are my thoughts...

 

When Yost gets fired in 2008, Melvin is a good candidate to get fired as well. Money and Kremblas seem to be good at their jobs and valuable to the organization (as opposed to someone like Dale Sveum).

 

When a new GM comes in, likely the whole coaching staff/interim manager are going to be replaced with a new manager who will chose his staff -- so we would probably lose guys like Money and Kremblas.

 

If Melvin isn't fired along with Yost -- I really hope he opens the hiring process way beyond the Brewers. Kremblas may end up being the right man for the job, however, I would hope that many other candidates are brought in. The reason why the Brewers have had limited hiring options in the past, is because for the most part, the team didn't have a solid core to work with -- I am quite sure that the Brewers and their growing fanbase would be attractive to someone.

 

I guess at this point -- I would hope Yost brings in someone that will understand when Ned is scratching bugbites or making signs, or just plain confused. Ideally it will be a guy like Leyva, that we won't care about losing when Yost gets fired.

[recte44]

Why don't we get someone veteran like Jim Fregosi if we want to look outside the organization? One reason- Ned's insecurity. I think the fact that Nick Leyva had ANY major league managerial experience made Ned nervous.

[patrickgpe]

id liken Kremblas to someone like Eric Wedge. Who is a younger guy and has managerial experience with Cleveland's kids in the minors. It seems to be working over there so i am not completely against going that way. Id rather go for a proven commodity . Unfortunately in the history of the team is the brewers have had 1 manager with previous managerial experience, so it just doesn't happen.

[areacodes]

Why don't we get someone veteran like Jim Fregosi if we want to look outside the organization? One reason- Ned's insecurity. I think the fact that Nick Leyva had ANY major league managerial experience made Ned nervous.

 

 

Does anybody have any factual basis for this theory? Other than the fact that Leyva had experience as a manager and was fired after one season... How does that make Ned insecure? Not to mention, why would he be willing to hire Leyva in the first place if he is so worried about a coach having experience as a manager? Ned said he and Nick were on different wave-lengths. Does that mean he wasn't agressive enough, wore pink shirts or has a Jeff Gordon tattoo? We don't know... but it doesn't matter because Ned is in charge and made the decision and obviously Melvin and Attanasio agree with it. Ned should be out there trying to find the best coach to help our team win; just as he felt Leyva wasn't the right man for the job.

[craigharmann]

Since when did playing ability translate into coaching ability? Some of the games greatest (all of sports, not just baseball) have tried their hands at coaching afterwards and they didn't have it. Rod Carew, one of the best all time hitters, was a horrible hitting coach. Bart Starr was a really bad Football coach. What are your opinions of Mike Maddux? You think he is a good pitching coach? Because he was atbest a average player in his day.

Sean Berry is a hitting coach.....enough said.

[fondybrewfan]

I think it would be a huge mistake to fire Melvin if it ever came to that? Who would we possibly find that could be any better than Melvin. I certainly dont believe that if Yost gets fired so will Melvin. I think he has done a very good job. The only problem I have with him is the bullpen construction, but I have faith hell figure something out this coming winter.

 

I honestly wont be suprised if Yost is let go sometime next year, but obviously for him to get fired next year we would have to be underperforming next year, something none of us wants.

 

So in reality we all need to hope Ned still has a job after next year because the means we probably had a successful year including a playoff appearance. One would think that no playoffs next year would lead to his firing.

[chuckiehacks]

Sean Berry is a hitting coach.....enough said.

 

Chuckie Carr is a hitting coach. So is Rob Deer.

[Hart Of Milwaukee]

Fatter than Joey I hope your firing Melvin idea was supposed to be in blue because that is absolutly dumb. Wanting Melvin fired makes me question whether this is the only season you've ever watched. Do you remember Sal Bando and Dean Taylor when all we literally had was just a bullpen. I understand your upset that we didn't make the playoffs, but firing Melvin sometime next year would be a irrational emotional based decision(ex. Red Sox's putting Manny on waivers after they blew-up against New York, could have been a horrific loss). Wanting Yost gone is wrong, but understandable. If you'd have watched the post-season his quote on quote inexcusable mistakes have been made by almost every manager in the postseason, and sometimes successfully I might add. Wanting Melvin gone is totally the wrong call, and could really once again put this organization a step in the wrong direction!

[Fatter than Joey]

Fatter than Joey I hope your firing Melvin idea was supposed to be in blue because that is absolutly dumb.

 

It's "absolutely" -- No, I am serious -- Melvin's time has come.

 

Do you remember Sal Bando and Dean Taylor when all we literally had was just a bullpen.

 

I remember Bando and Taylor - I also remember a good GM in Harry Dalton. What's your point?

 

firing Melvin sometime next year would be a irrational emotional based decision

 

At some time he needs to become accountable -- I think 2008 is that year. He decided to tie his fate to Ned Yost, that's his fault, not mine.

 

Wanting Melvin gone is totally the wrong call, and could really once again put this organization a step in the wrong direction!

 

Nah. It will get us over the hump.

[Team Canada]

Is the basis of your argument that Melvin should be fired because he hasn't fired Yost yet?

[patrickgpe]

I think Melvin has done some good things while he was here. Most of the success of this team is a effect of the farm system which is more on Jack Z. Therefore I am on the fence. I can look at the complete body of moves, free agent signings, and coach hirings, and see that the majority of them has been in our favor. He also has yet to make a disastrous move (Taylor signing Hammonds being an example).

 

He has been excellent at getting players on the waiver wire or that are out of baseball and turning them into capable major leaguers. He also has shown an ability to turn these players around for better ones. I personally hope he makes a serious run at something this offseason. If that means turning around a prospect or young player for a legit all star, so be it. He also needs to show that he can improve the pen.

 

Other than that i think we are in decent shape heading into next year, so i think dropping Melvin unless you can get someone better is a wrong move. Thats my position on Ned too. I don't want Ned fired just to bring in another first year manager who is going to have growing pains.

[MNBrew]

I remember Bando and Taylor - I also remember a good GM in Harry Dalton. What's your point?

Harry Dalton was a good GM the first half of his Milwaukee tenure and a largely bad one thereafter.

It was his behind-the-scenes crap that made the Brewers' clubhouse disastrously dysfunctional! Don't you remember when it was reported that Andy Etchebarren & especially Larry Haney were Dalton's personal spies in the clubhouse? Everyone was afraid to say anything because you never knew when it would be used against you. Those two bozos were his "pet" schleps from when they were all with the Orioles in the '70s.

Sure, Dalton hired Bamberger in '78 & Kuenn in '82. He also hired Lachemann in '84, Bamberger again in '85, traded Gorman in the first place and then brought him back for a bad 2nd run in '86. He drafted Sheffield - one of the country's best talents - but never made any contact with him before drafting him, then did more things to further distance Sheffield from the powers that be (not that Sheffield did anything much to help matters). Questions nowadays about drafting someone in the 1st round and changing their position right away? Dalton drafted a shortstop who only caught when his brother pitched with the 1st pick in the whole draft (Surhoff, not that it worked out all bad) but passed on Will Clark. You get the idea.

[Fatter than Joey]

Is the basis of your argument that Melvin should be fired because he hasn't fired Yost yet?

 

That's certainly part of it -- I am wary of his ability to evaluate pitching, and he seems to have a contempt for fielding. It will be his 6th season as well,

it's his time.

 

Harry Dalton was a good GM the first half of his Milwaukee tenure and a largely bad one thereafter.

 

This isn't accurate. Dalton inherited a team coming off three straight 95 loss seasons, and rattled of 6 straight winning seasons, not to mention 2 playoff teams. -- That is a great job.

 

1984-1986 were rough, injuries to Yount and Molitor didn't help. Then from 87-91 he had 4 out 5 non-losing seasons - that is far from bad.

 

traded Gorman in the first place and then brought him back for a bad 2nd run in '86

 

As unpopular as trading Gorman was, Manning was probably the better player at the time.

 

You get the idea.

 

I don't agree -- he was GM for 14 years -- certainly not everything was golden, but he was a very good GM that produced results both in Milw and Bal.

[Hart Of Milwaukee]

Are you seriously gonna say Dalton's a better GM, because he rebuilt a losing atmosphere? Melvin needed more time than Dalton, because unlike Dalton he didn't have the leagues highest payroll at the time. Yeah, our pitching staff stank, but Melvin is not a psychic. How was he supposed to know that Wise and Turnbow would be non-existant in the 2nd half? Or that of his starters only one would pitch 200 innings? Yeah I know he should have seen Ben Sheets going on the DL again, but were kind of stuck with him as our proverbial ace. I hate to break it to a lot of people but Ben Sheets being injury prone isn't Milwaukee's little secret, so anyPhilip Hughes/Joba Chamberlain fantasies proposed this off-season need to be thrown out the window. Finally, Melvin was very aggresive at the deadline but he came up short in sweepstakes for Eric Gagne (didn't want to come here) and Adam Dunn. Speaking of Dunn , I have an interesting story about him. My friend and I were at the Pfister the final week the Padres were in town, and we ran into Mark A. We congratulated him on a great season, and told him we were looking forward to next year, and right about when he was leaving my friend asked him to try and get Adam Dunn this off-season. I laughed, but then Mark A said they had a deal done for him at the deadline all they need was basically a physical, but then the reds pulled out at the last minute because they were scared we would pick up his option! To get back on point Doug Melvin is going to be very agressive addressing needs this off-season, and will have this team right where they need to be in 2008

[dadofandrew]

Hart, have you mentioned that before? We heard that same rumor from someone a while back.

[Hart Of Milwaukee]

No, I haven't, but the friend that I mention is Billy Hall Fan so he could have said something. I do not however think the trade was for Wise like many people believed, but I don't exactly think it was for 3 blue-chip prospects either. My jaw dropped when I heard this, because theres not a lot owners out there that will share stuff like that. (Gives me a reason to love Mark even more). I think Melvin is a lot mpre agressive than people give him credit it for, and I think that agressiveness will be reflected on the moves he makes in the upcoming off-season