Listener/Reader Poll Results

"What grade do you give Ron Roenicke for 2011?"

A: 37%

B: 31%

C: 12%

D: 6%

F: 12%

Reader Poll Results

"First Impressions of Ron Roenicke?"

I like him: 92%

I don't like him: 0%

Ask me in July: 7%

Ron Roenicke Tabbed As 18th Manager In Brewers History

I have to admit, before today I did not know a whole hell of a lot about Ron Roenicke. And honestly, I probably still don't know that much about him. Hell, I didn't even have him tabbed in my final four post a few weeks back. Until I actually see the way Ron manages a ball game and hear him speak I can't make a judgement one way or another. But I can say the things I have learned about Ron during the past four hours or so lead me to believe he has potential to be a very good big league manager.

He has a long history in the game. He played in the big leagues eight seasons as an OF for six different teams. He managed for six seasons in the minor leagues and since 2000 he has been a part of Mike Scioscia's coaching staff for the Angels, first as a 3B coach and then bench coach. I am encouraged a great deal by the fact that Roenicke is a disciple of Mike Scioscia. The last two coaches who left Scioscia's stable to become managers have had great success, Joe Maddon with the Rays and Bud Black with the Padres. If Roenicke is able to have close to the success those two have had I would be ecstatic.

I look forward to Roenicke bringing the aggressive style of baseball played in Anaheim to Milwaukee. It's not small ball with sac bunting like some believe, but being aggressive on the base paths by stealing more bases and taking the extra base. Put pressure on the other teams defense at all times. According to many of the reports I have read, Roenicke possesses perhaps the number one skill Ken Macha did not. The ability to communicate with players. It has been well documented how Macha never connected or related well to his players during his two seasons in Milwaukee and by the time he tried to in 2010 he had lost the clubhouse. It does not sound like that will be an issue with Roenicke. Look no further then this quote from Angels OF Torii Hunter:

“I’m disappointed he’s leaving,” Hunter said. “He’s a very intelligent man. He’s the guy I go to when I’m struggling.

“I’m upset, but it’s a great opportunity for him. He’s always wanted to be a manger. Those guys are going to like him.”

In my opinion there are a lot of qualities to like and get excited about in Ron Roenicke. But like I said, I need to see the results on the field and hear the man speak before I make a true judgement. But as of today knowing what I know now about him, I think he has the makings of a really good big league manager. While Bobby Valentine had the big name, Bob Melvin had experience and Joey Cora was impressive in the interview process, Roenicke won out over them all and I think that says a lot about Roenicke's credentials. I just hope Doug Melvin can give him a good pitching staff to work with....Go Brewers!

And Then There Were Four

Today news broke that after interviewing nearly a dozen candidates, the Brewers have narrowed down their search to four men to become the eighteenth manager in club history. They plan on having second interviews for those four guys that owner Mark Attanasio will be involved in. If I had to guess at who the "Final 4" are I would say they include Bob Melvin (who most pin as the favorite), Pat Listach, Joey Cora and Tim Wallach. With what I know about these four (which is not a ton, but enough) I can honestly say I would be fine with any of the four. Part of me likes the youth and unknown (since none have managed in the big leagues) of Listach, Cora and Wallach. While the other part likes the fact that Bob Melvin has experience, seems pretty well regarded and has won before. I just trust and hope in both Doug and Mark to pick the guy who they feel can best get this current group of guys to play at a high level and get the most out of them. That is something I am not sure that Ken Macha was able to do in his two seasons in Milwaukee.

Now perhaps the best news was this little blurb from Tom Haudricourt in his JSonline Brewers Blog comments sections:

"I just was told by a very good source that neither Bob Brenly nor Bobby Valentine are in the mix for the Brewers' managerial job. "

Let me just say, THANK GOD. Especially on Brenly. I could live with Bobby Valentine managing the Brewers, but no way in hell could I stand Bob Brenly. I would rather have Macha or Yost back before that happens. Hopefully sometime next week we find out who's hands the Brewers brass gives the keys to drive the 2011 Brewers back to the postseason.

I'm Starting The Dave Martinez For Brewers Manager Bandwagon

Okay, I know I wrote yesterday that I did not have a front runner or opinion on who the Brewers should hire as their 18th Manager in franchise history. After having a day to think about it, I have changed my mind. I am all in on current Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Dave Martinez. I like Dave for a few different reasons. He has been the Rays bench coach for four seasons now under Joe Maddon. To me Maddon is one of the very best Manager's in baseball. He makes good in-game decisions, is great with his players and dealing with the clubhouse. I would think and hope some of that has worn off on Dave. Martinez is also young, he is only 46 and he played the game as recently as 2001. I think a young manager is exactly what this current Brewers team needs. He also seems to get quite a bit of praise from people around the game, at least that is the impression I get when I have watched Rays games on TV. So when I got to thinking about my selection of backing Dave Martinez I went to the source on all things Tampa Bay Rays. Jonah Keri, here is an email exchange I had with Jonah earlier today.

Me:

Jonah, with Macha now officially gone as Brewers manager myself and many other Brewers fans have been speculating who they might hire or at least interview for the job. Someone I have not seen anyone bring up (besides myself of course) is Rays bench coach Dave Martinez. Since you are my #1 source on all things Rays, what do you think/know about Dave?

I know he has been bench coach for 4 seasons under Joe Maddon. That alone has me very interested in Dave because Maddon is one of the best managers in the game and seems to get the most out of his players and does a good job of keeping things good in the clubhouse. I would think some of this has rubbed off on Dave.

Jonah:

Martinez comes with a fine reputation. Players' manager, smart guy - not sure if he'd be as receptive to analytical input as Maddon, but I imagine some of it must rub off.

Macha Fired....Err, His Option For 2011 Not Picked Up

It wasn't all his fault, he did the best he could with the crappy pitching staffs he was dealt for two straight seasons. But in the end, it came down to his Win/Loss record and the fact that he could not seem to relate to many of the players and get the most out of them. Fair or not, that seemed to be the case. I was always pretty neutral on Macha. Didn't hate him but was not a huge fan. I actually overall agreed with most of his in-game managerial decisions. However, I was not a fan of many of his lineups and stubbornness when it came to playing many of the young players, specifically Mat Gamel, who might be the happiest person after hearing today's news. Four things I will remember most from the Ken Macha era you ask? Poppycock, Zim-Zam, @notkenmacha and his Grandfatherly pre and post game pressers.

Now Doug Melvin will have to hire his third manager during his tenure as Brewers GM. A lot of names floating around, the top two seem to be Bob Melvin and Pat Listach. I don't have a front runner or really an opinion on who they should hire. But those seem to be the two names mentioned most around the message boards and blogs. I just want someone from outside the organization and someone that can come in here and win. But the biggest factor if the new Manager wins or loses might be what Doug Melvin does to shore up the starting pitching and who he gets back in the almost sure Prince Fielder trade. If Doug fails at those two things, so will the next Manager.

Everyone Gets A Second Chance

Today, that was once again proved correct. Ned Yost was named Manager of the Kansas City Royals. While I often didn't agree with Yost's managerial moves, I always appreciated his fire. Royals fans should expect plenty of scenes like the one above. And judging by how bad their team is, Yost will get run from plenty of games.

Ken Macha Named New Brewers Manager: "The Manager's Job Is Not To Always Be Buddies With The Players"

That quote above was how Ken Macha answered the first question asked of him at the press conference today when Doug Melvin announced him as the 16th Manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Let me just say WOW, what a breath of fresh air! I could never imagine Ned Yost saying something like that. Macha also talked about things like OBP, putting the best lineup on the field and if players are not producing, they won't play. He seems to be quite the opposite of Ned Yost and that is going to be a great thing for the Brewers.

Macha signed a 2 year contract with the Crew, that will make him the Manager through the 2010 season. Melvin and Macha both confirmed that Dale Sveum who was interim Manager after Yost was fired will come back on be part of the coaching staff. It just is not known if it will be as bench coach or 3B coach. Tomorrow Macha and Melvin will meet to discuss the coaching staff that will for sure include Ed Sedar, Bill Castro and now Sveum. It is not known yet if pitching coach Mike Maddux will be back. He has had some inquires from the Texas Rangers.

One thing I know for sure is Macha's record as the A's Manger speaks for itself; 368-280 (.568) record, including AL West crowns in 2003 and 2006. The A's were swept in the ALCS by the Tigers in 2006 which led to Macha's firing after that season. He spent this past season as a in-studio analyst for the Boston Red Sox on NESN in Boston. He has ties to the Red Sox, A's, Angels and Expos orginizations as a coach. He also played for the Pirates, Blue Jays and spent time playing in Japan. I think of the three candidates Melvin interviewed; Macha, Brenly and Randolph. Ken Macha was the best choice for this job and this team. I just hope he proves me right, I already have a bet with a guy at work who thinks that they Crew will not have a winning record under Macha. Get all your Macha info here.

And Then There Were Three

Brewers.com has confirmed the Brewers have and will only be interviewing three candidates for the Manager's job. And like we all already knew it is Bob Brenly, Ken Macha and Willie Randolph.

I guess my question to Doug Melvin is, why stop at three? I mean I understand you don't want this process to drag out to long. But the World Series is still going on and you can't announce anything until there after anyway. So why not interview two or three more candidates and then choose between 5 or 6 instead of only 3. I'm sure more then Brenly, Macha and Randolph have shown interest in the job, so why not see what those parties have to bring to the table? In the end I think Brenly gets the job simply based on the fact he won a ring. But that alone does not make him right for the job. Of the three I still like Macha best not sure if that is saying much though. But at least none are named Ned Yost, right?

News And Notes October 22nd Edition

Hmmm, where do I begin. Lots of news and notes to discuss tonight. First of all the World Series begins tonight. Rays vs. Phillies, I have to say I hate the Phillies and I love watching the Rays play. So I will go with the Rays in 7 games. Should be a great series, but in the end doesn't it just feel like the Rays should win it? I like their starting pitching more and even though the Phillies have a very devastating lineup, I think the Rays is even better. I mean Upton, Pena, Longoria and Crawford is as dangerous a 2-5 in all of MLB.

Well the moment all Brewers fans have been dreading for sometime now finally happen today. Scouting Director Jack Zduriencik finally landed a GM job. He was announced today as the new General Manager of the Seattle Mariners. Well deserved for Jack and we all saw it coming, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't suck. He was the main man responsible for drafting; Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, JJ Hardy, Yovani Gallardo, Manny Parra, Mat Gamel, Alcides Escoar and I could go on and on. Best of luck to Jack, he is gonna need it in Seattle their team is a real mess right now.

You can add Willie Randolph to the lost of people that have interviewed for the Brewers Manager's job. Ken Macha was the first and that leaves Bob Brenly to interview later this week yet. According to Doug Melvin, he may stop after Brenly and decide between those three candidates. Bobby Valentine still an outside shot but that looks less likely every day. Macha is still my choice between the three candidates, but would take Randolph over Brenly. I have just heard too many negative things about Brenly being a terrible strategy Manager and getting "lucky" to win his ring. You can bet very shortly after the World Series ends that the Brewers will make the announcement.

Macha And Brenly Already Interviewed?

According to Tom Haudricourt's Brewer Blog on Jsonline.com Ken Macha and Bob Brenly have both already interviewed with Doug Melvin for the Manager's job and Willie Randolph will be next. Buck Showalter, Bobby Valentine and Davey Johnson seem much more like long shots at this point. So basically you can almost bet that either Macha, Brenly or Randolph will be the next Manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. Many have called Brenly the worst Manager to ever win a World Series some eve to go as far as calling him "lucky" mostly because he had Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson on his pitching staff during their primes. Randolph reminds me to much of Yost, so I guess I'm giving my full endorsement to Ken Macha to be the next Brewers Manager. Although he was fired after only four seasons in Oakland he had four winning seasons including two divison titles. But failed to do anything in the playoffs and that is why he was fired.

Melvin Extended! Sveum, Jobless

As was well speculated Brewers GM Doug Melvin was given a 3 year contract extension. He had 1 year left on his previous deal so that means 4 more years of Doug in charge (although some think Mark Attanasio calls the shots) through 2012. I'm quite please with this, getting Melvin extended was the first thing that had to get done this offseason. For the most part Doug has been a great GM for the Brewers, sure he has made some bad signing (Gagne, Suppan) and bad extensions (Hall, Turnbow) but no GM is perfect.

And to go along with the news of Melvin's extension was the news that Dale Sveum will NOT be considered for the Manager's job. Although Sveum is a good guy and did win 7 of the final 12 games to get the Crew into the playoffs, in the end I believe Melvin as well as Attanasio moving forward want to get a proven veteran Manager to manage this club to bigger and better things. The three names getting the most mention seem to be Ken Macha, Bob Brenly, Willie Randolph and Buck Showalter. I would be fine with either Macha (who was Melvin's original choice over Ned Yost in 2003 but Macha signed on the the A's) or Showalter. Not a big fan of Brenly or Randolph at all. Some others getting some mentions in the media and blog world are Bobby Valentine, Davey Johnson and Buck Martinez. But those three all seem more like long shots at this point compared to the first four I mentioned.

I would venture to guess that Melvin will have a decision and will name the next Manager of the Brewers within the next 2 weeks. It's exciting and hopefully whoever is chosen can step in motivate this young club and get the most out of the players. With or without Sabathia and Sheets this team can contend again in 09' and this is the first step.

A Few "Tidbits" For You To Chew On

The Brewers Manager/Director of Amateur scouting Jack Zduriencik had been named a finalist in Seattle's search for a General Manager. He is responsible for the drafting of studs such as Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, Yovani Gallardo, Corey Hart, JJ Hardy and Ryan Braun. So of course he knows talent. Good for him if he gets the job, he certainly deserves it. I mean after the 2007 season he was the first non-GM to win the MLB Executive of the Year Award since 1998.

A few names being tossed around other then Dale Sveum to become new Manager of the Brewers are Bob Brenly, Ken Macha and Buck Showalter. Personally I like Macha and Showalter, Brenly not so much. He should just stick to calling shitty Cubs games for WGN. I would take Sveum over him, but I might take the other two over Sveum.

One of my very favorite baseball blogs MLB Trade Rumors has posted the Brewers Offseason Outlook. Good stuff, like me they think if the Crew look to trade for pitching it should be Fielder and NOT JJ Hardy. It's a good read.

Greatest Manager Rant Ever. Period.

This is not really Brewers related but it is baseball related and it's one of the funniest and most amazing things I have ever heard so I'm posting it. This past Tuesday when the Brewers were in Chicago to play the Cubs it was the 25th anniversary of former Cubs manager Lee Elia's tirade about the Cubs fans (imagine that someone complaining about Cub fans and their classlessness, yes I'm talking to you Cub fan who threw that beer at Braun on Thursday) after a loss. Well I thought that was the best manager rant ever until bugsandcranks.com posted this beauty off of youtube the day of the anniversary and it's Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver on some local Baltimore radio station show called "Managers Corner with Earl Weaver". Enjoy!