Just a few quick thoughts on the Brewers recent hiring of Ken Macha;
1) First of all, I think this was a pretty solid choice. Ken Macha is exactly what I have been wishing for this team all along. A man who wants to be this team's MANAGER, and not their friend, as he said so himself. As for the other two candidates, Randolph and Brenly, here's why I think it was a good thing Melvin didn't choose either of these guys; Brenly, I feel, was one of those guys who happened to be in the right place, at the right time. Yes, he has a World Series ring...but c'mon, that team was LOADED. As in, Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson. Perhaps the greatest one-two punch in baseball history, and perhaps no team was better built for a seven game playoff series then the Diamondbacks. Furthermore, that team was loaded with veterans - the exact opposite of the Brewers, whose main core is made up of twenty-somethings. In my opinion, it's much better to take a guy like Macha, who worked in a very similar situation to the Brewers in Oakland; a team with loads of very young, exceptional talent. As for Willie Randolph...well, let's just put it this way; the guy choked more than Ned Yost did. With a team that cost $100 million more than the Brewers. Sorry, but the end of the Mets' 2007 season was probably one of the more epic choke jobs in baseball history. It made the Brewers 2007 choke look tame in comparison (and made me feel a lot better about myself). I think it was only natural Melvin didn't go with him.
2) As for Macha; one of the criticisms I hear of him, is that he supposedly was at a "disconnect" with his team. Now, this sounds a little like the situation the Brewers JUST went through...BUT, for me, there's a lot about that that just doesn't add up. For one thing, Macha's GM was Billy Beane - and the more I learn about Beane, the more I generally dislike the guy. The whole "moneyball" thing is, in my opinion, the most overrated sports management ideologies in all of sports. Yes, Oakland has made the playoffs a few times...but that's about it. To me, it always seems like Beane is satisfied with only marginal success, using the whole "small market" thing as a crutch - to keep him safe from criticism. He gets the team into the playoffs, and then trades away all of his talent; Giambi, Hudson, Tejada, Harden, etc. He doesn't even attempt to keep a core group. Whereas, with the Brewers, you already can see they want to keep this group intact for years to come, with the eight year contract they just gave Ryan Braun. And from the sounds of it, he appears to be the baseball equivalent of that other front office executive in Oakland; a guy by the name of Al Davis. He's a control freak, and every thing has to be done HIS way. That's why it makes no sense why Beane would fire a guy who won two AL West titles in four years...and averaged around 90 wins a season. In other words; I don't trust anything that Beane says about the guy. We shall see how it goes, but from the looks of it, I would say it's a good hire. He talks a good game, hopefully he can manage a good game. He's got the talent to succeed with the Brewers, that's for certain...
3) As for the rest of the stuff going on with the Brewers; I believe I saw on the Journal Sentinal website that the Brewers are probably going to offer CC Sabathia around 4 years, $100 million. I have to say, I'm a little iffy on that. I would absolutely love to have him for another four years...but when I think about 1/4 of the Brewers payroll going to one guy, that makes me a little uncomfortable. I'm almost thinking that letting him go, and then going after Jake Peavy, would be a better idea. After all, Peavy isn't too bad himself. A front of the rotation with Peavy, Gallardo, and Parra, wouldn't be half bad...so, unless the Brewers plan on increasing their payroll accordingly to fit CC's salary, I really don't think that paying him $25 million a year would be the best idea.
Ariel Meredith
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I agree with your assessment of Brenly. I think Brenly was very lucky to be where he was at the time he was.
I also agree with the risk on paying CC $25M a year. He's good, but that is quite a risk to take on.......
TenRingsSTL
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jame
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Notice what I said Thugmeister, when I said, "in my opinion..." It is my opinion that Billy Beane's system is overrated. Especially when it results in firing a manager who won, on average, 90 games a season over four years. Am I saying it doesn't work? No, not at all. I'm saying that it is not the grand, glorious scheme everyone makes it out to be. Like I said, I'm happy with the Macha hiring. As to whether or not this choice will be a good one, only time will tell. But of the candidates that were willing to take this job, I thought he was, by far, the best one. And in the process of explaining WHY I thought it was a good hire, I gave my PERSONAL thoughts on the Billy Beane system. I think it's good, but not great. I think it works, but not as well as everyone makes it out to be. Alright? And you are right, perhaps it was a bit harsh to compare him to Al Davis. I was merely comparing their controlling personalities, and completely neglecting to mention that Al Davis is certifiably insane.
Dizzle18
Madison , WI
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...and one more little note; you mention the A's not having a good revenue source like a new stadium...just a word of caution (and as a Brewer fan, we know a few things about words of caution); a new stadium DOES NOT guarantee, by any means, increased revenue. Take a look at how microscopic the Brewers' payroll was in the first few years of Miller Park's existence. Also, realize that a good GM alone also does not equal increased revenue. It took shrewd ownership, in the Brewers' case Mark Attanasio, to create not only a good on the field product, but also, a better off the field experience for the fans. Miller Park, after it was built, was basically the punch line to a joke for the first few years of its existence. The roof was leaking, and rusting...it was becoming a $500 million derelict property, within a decade of it's completion. The combination of terrible teams, terrible ownership, and a terrible experience for the fans, was a lousy combination. Attendance plummeted, as did the payroll. Then, Attanasio stepped in, and immediately began improving the fan experience. Just look at the fact that the Brewers started breaking attendance records BEFORE they even made the playoffs. Last year, when they went 83-79 and missed the playoffs by two games, they not only broke the previous attendance record, they shattered it. Even though better teams played in old County Stadium, a venue that was a good 10-15,000 seats larger then Miller Park, Brewers fans still showed up in larger numbers than ever. Obviously, the excitement created by a competitive team had a lot to do with this. However, with millions of dollars invested in making Miller Park a better experience for the fans, the stadium suddenly has become something that Brewers fans are incredibly proud of. No longer is it the representation of the folly of professional sports. It has showed up in many polls, when Miller Park is ranked among the best in baseball, as far as game day experience. Sorry to ramble on a bit, but it is something that needs to be brought up. New stadiums do not equal more revenue and more wins. Just ask the Nationals, Pirates, or the Reds. New stadiums with good ownership and front office management, however, IS a winning combination.
Dizzle18
Madison , WI
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