Fatter than Joey

You are talking about a public figure and entity. You don't want to get a reputation as being an organization that bad mouths people when they leave. I think though DM sort of back-handed Leyva by insinuating there were aspects of his job he didn't do well. I am not sure why that needs to be publically stated

This is sort of interesting -- Generally speaking, I don't pretend to understand all the jobs coaches do, or how to evaluate them. Going into 2007, I really only had opinions on 2 of our coaches. 1. Bill Castro -- It seems to me he does a great job, and I like him personally. 2. Nick Leyva -- I liked his addition as he brought some degree of MLB coaching/managing experience, that guys like Sedar, Maddux, Sveum and Skaalen didn't have. We all know Yost is a Cox disciple, however Leyva worked the NL champion-Herzog Cardinals, and managed the Phillies, so I had hoped some additional ideas and philosophies would be added to the mix. The move makes perfect sense to me, going along with the short leash theory I really hope that DM is not running his team into 2008 with Yost on a short-leash. However, Leyva is the textbook interim manager IMO. Generally speaking interim managing is not an optimal situation, but a guy like Leyva would be a great "keep the seat warm" guy -- probably better than Kremblas. I know that a lot of people take solace by pointing out we had a manager fired in 1982, however that team was loaded with veterans and WAY more able to manage themselves than the 2008 team will be. Actually those who don't like Yost should see this as a positive. Especially if they hire Kremblas. Then he will be with the big club all year and ready to step in if Yost gets fired mid season I disagree -- I want no part of a mid-season firing -- and when Yost does get fired, I want a serious hiring effort made, rather than shuttling someone up from AAA. I'm not saying Kremblas isn't the guy, but I would only feel good about his hiring if he interviewed the best out of a list of potential candidates. People who support Yost should look at a promotion to MLB for Kremblas as a negative because all the Yost detractors will be saying that Kremblas is right there to take over at any time. Perhaps. Shouldn't Yost be able to hire his staff though? -- Why would Yost bring Kremblas aboard to reward him? -- I can't imagine Yost being cool with the idea of promoting his potential replacement. Yost's job is to win MLB games in 2008, not reward organizational coaches. I would tend to conclude that if Kremblas is brought aboard that would be a signal of DM taking control of some of the reins from Yost, and if I were a Nedophile, I guess that would make me nervous. If there is something in particular Nick didn't do well, you don't talk about it publicly. He's looking for another job. I agree -- and I suspect Nick called Yost out on the table during the last weeks of 2007 (or something like that), and Ned decided that "Nick didn't field his position well, and the math wasn't on his side". Leyva was caught off-guard by the news on Tuesday afternoon, and said Yost told him they were not on the "same wavelength." Ned Yost has been flatlining since 2005, so this probably means Leyva can cancel his EEGs.

The Brewers bullpen was in fact the worst in the league. I don't think there is anything factual about this. I could certainly claim with just as much legitimacy that the Brewers BP was managed the worst in the NL. When Ned left guys like Tbow in too long, and brought in his lowest relievers in the highest leverage situations, more runs were scored.

I felt like Ned was condescending to the fans all season long... I feel like the tone was the same, but the tune changed. He started with "relax" when people starting questioning his competency early on in the year, followed by "we are in 1st place" and then moved to "put a couch in the dugout" once he pissed away the Brewers lead, and then when he finally carped himself under pressure he said things like "The math is on our side"

The "professional hitter" tag has always bugged. I have never really understood the tag either -- It seems to me to refer to -- 1.) Players that have defensive liabilities 2.) Players without crazy power, or starter level OPS 3.) Players that do not have really extreme splits against LH/RH I always think of Matt Stairs, when I hear "professional hitter"

I have been part of Steeler Nation since 1976. I also followed the Mets/Mariners because of their Wausau affiliate from when I was a kid. I liked the Trailblazers when I lived in OR as well.

I wouldn't compare Parcels time in NY/Dallas to Ned's reign in Milwaukee. Perhaps though I didn't state my comment well -- rather than "handling the media" -- I probably should have said "Ned doesn't handle his media opportunities well" Yost handles his media opportunities worse than a lot of coaches: Blaming the fans, blaming the 24-10 start, saying "Aquino fields his position" better, saying "We have math on our side", and the list goes on. He has made himself a fairly uncomfortable bed for April 2008. Ned handles all aspects of his job poorly, regardless of their importance.

Torre would handle the media much better than Ned, -- although the same could have probably been said for Leona Helmsley

I was incredibly impressed with Villy after his stint in Nash.

I think you are assuming it's based solely on those 10 ab's. Ned has made many remarks when asked why Player X is starting, and he will reply with Player X hits Player Y well, and it is based on a ridiculously sized sample. Embrace the darkside, it is so much easier.

If stats were the end-all and be-all, then the 1969 Mets would have been destroyed in the World Series by the Orioles. Ned uses stats -- He uses them stupidly. He will give players starts based on a 10 AB sample where they performed well. Ned is not a "gut" manager, he is a terrible stat manager.

I suppose Yost to Attanasio is like a day trader to the big boss. I suppose -- firing or not firing Yost is probably something that is best left to Melvin anyway. I am betting that MA and DM had a conversation where they discussed Yost and his shortcomings, and DM probably pitched a good argument to keep Yost, and MA bought it. The fallout will probably be if Yost carps himself next year, both DM and Yost will probably be shown the door, much like in Houston this last season.

I wouldn't see any problem at all if the AAA manager were promoted to take over a club in-season. As a matter of fact, eons ago, the Brewers did that when Del Crandall was brought up from AAA to take over after a bad start. The 1972 Brewers though were not going to win anything. I can't imagine firing Ned during the season next year will be a harbinger of good things. Do you think Kremblas would be a viable in-season replacement? I think he would be -- but I can't imagine he would want the job (assuming Ned tanks it hard)

First, I do not think fans hate Yost. They definitely do -- I am not saying all of them, but there is a pretty sizable/vocal part of our fanbase that wants him gone, and that piece of the pie has only gotten larger and larger over the last 3 months. If you stalked your order in the most mathematicaly smart way, Prince would be leading of and this would result in about 2 more wins every 5 seasons. If you stalked you lineup in the worst possible way (the pitcher leading off) this would result in 4-5 more losses compared with traditional and optimal lineups. I think you have to do more than 2 scenarios for this to hold any water. Furthermore I don't think you can assume that Prince leading off is the "best mathematical way", because he has the highest OPS. I would run many simulations with multiple lineup scenarios and see which (if any) produced the best results. Yes, I agree that Yost stuck with Estrada to long in the 5 spot. This bugged me a lot this year -- but what I referring to was more "who was in the lineup" not so much where they are batting. When you have to win, I don't want to see Joe Dillon starting in RF for the first time. Or Mench getting a start against RHP, or Player X getting a start because he is 8 for 10 against Pitcher Y spread out over a 6 year period.

Anytime you insert Craig Counsell into your team to help you win, you probably already have lost.

what did he do re: starting lineups that bothered you? Playing the "hot hand" FTJ just doesn't like Ned because Yost is 53 and probably likes Bob Seger music. That would be 2 strikes against him.

Screw it I'm not finishing the song takes too long. I wish Bob Seger would end everysong like that.

WOW I like you FTJ so take this for what it's worth but I think the second part of that statement says more about you hating Yost than it does about Ned's actual abilities. Thanks for the nice thought. I think Ned can't manage his BP, he had Estrada batting 5th most of the year, I don't think he is good at lineups/starting players, I think he uses stats horribly, he handles the media horribly, the fans don't like him, and his players (I think) would love to see him on or under a bus. What good aspect am I missing? Nose-picking? Talking Nascar to Sveum? Just hard to believe Melvin would risk his own job security on someone who didn't have a single quality that made him capable of managing. I wholeheartedly agree. Doug Melvin is the captain of the SS Yostantic. Melvin is on my DFA list for sure as well now.

WOW I like you FTJ so take this for what it's worth but I think the second part of that statement says more about you hating Yost than it does about Ned's actual abilities. Thanks for the nice thought. I think Ned can't manage his BP, he had Estrada batting 5th most of the year, I don't think he is good at lineups/starting players, I think he uses stats horribly, he handles the media horribly, the fans don't like him, and his players (I think) would love to see him on or under a bus. What good aspect am I missing? Nose-picking? Talking Nascar to Sveum? Just hard to believe Melvin would risk his own job security on someone who didn't have a single quality that made him capable of managing. I wholeheartedly agree. Doug Melvin is the captain of the SS Yostantic. Melvin is on my DFA list for sure as well now.

Pinella must be clueless managing! Pinella said he was saving Zambrano for game 4. Personally I think he should have left Z in. That said -- I can hardly fault him for giving the ball to a guy like Marmol, which as Ennder points out is WAY different from handing the ball to Aquino.

FTJ I remember you saying several times this year the thing you wanted Yost to do was learn from his mistakes. Yes -- and he failed. -- That was me being blissfully optimistic. Now you want him to already know everything? No, I want him fired and someone who has "learned" to be hired. No one without prior experience will know it all. Ned has had 5 years -- There are some FA managers like Mike Hargrove, etc. that have all the experience necessary. If Ned does learn to make better moves he could be a very positive factor going forward since he's already pretty darn good at the other aspects of his job. I am skeptical of Ned's ability to learn, and in no way do I think he is good at ANY aspect of his job. He has had 5 years -- Wait until he poops himself when the heat is on in April instead of July.

Interesting admissions from Melvin and Yost on game management skills being an area that Ned is still learning. No kidding. Does Doug know you can hire managers that have completed Remedial Baseball 101? Which also... But that is not what I'm fixated on...rather, it's the notion that the defense will improve naturally due to the fact that young players improve. A lot of people here have said that, and I wonder whether that is a valid assumption. I had been under the impression that defensive value tended to peak earlier than offensive value. Even if there is some improvement, can we get to good enough? Maybe in some cases...Hall seemed to improve over the course of the season. Weeks seems better at 2b this year, but better still doesn't necessarily mean good. But Fielder doesn't look like he'll ever be a defensive wiz, and Braun has a lot of improving to do before he's even close to average. ....makes me wonder why we are gambling that Yost will learn things, and our defense will improve just because everyone is older. I agree with SoCal here -- the one thing SoCal doesn't mention though is that all the measuring with Weeks has been done only by comparing New Weeks to Old Weeks, i.e. not across the league, I am afraid the same will be done with Braun -- There is a HUGE gap between Braun and the league average 3b. Braun could make an improvement, and still be the worst 3b in the league. This is what has happened with Weeks, we talk about Weeks getting better, -- and he has -- but when the smoke clears he still is among the worst 2b in the league. The same is true with Hall and CF -- he could and should improve, but still be among the bottom of the league.

Well -- Since Melvin decided to attach himself to the anchor that is Ned Yost... I vote nay for Doug Melvin, the mustache is in my cross-hairs.

Oscar was in that "Halfway home"show that was on comedy channel

I see Boston in Fo, Fo, Fo sort of fashion.