Noon Pacific Time press conference scheduled by the Brewers to announce the hiring of former A's manager Ken Macha as the new Milwaukee skipper:
they will name Macha, 58, as the 16th skipper in club history.
I had forgotten (or never known) about this:
Macha passed on the Brewers' offer in October 2002 to remain in Oakland
Congrats to Ken for rejoining the ranks of the MLB managerial brotherhood. Here's hoping he never has to pull a Milton on CC.
0 recs | 64 comments
I feel sorry for Milwaukee
The Cubs and St. Louis now have an easier route to the division title.
Trainman - October 30, 2008
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAH
mikev - October 30, 2008
Suddenly I have a craving for Nation's Giant Hamburgers.
whiteshoes40 - October 30, 2008
It just so happens
that the International Hamburger Hall of Fame is located in Seymour, Wisconsin, reputed to be the birthplace of the modern hamburger. It’s just a couple of hours north of Milwaukee. I think Ken would be a fine celebrity spokesperson.
Englishmajor - October 30, 2008
Hooray!
Congratulations, Macha. As the last remaining member of the Ken Macha Fan Club, I’m very happy for him.
salb918 - October 30, 2008
2 members
I’ve hoping he would catch on somewhere, but I was afraid Kotsay and Melhuse burned any chances he has..
Think the brewers will go after Bradley now?
tosk - October 30, 2008
did you have a tontine?
monkeyball - October 30, 2008
This?
JediLeroy - October 31, 2008
Macha is great
mikeA - October 30, 2008
I thought he did a decent job too
Most of the complaints about his tactical decisions were pretty baseless. He was actually pretty good at that part of his job.
On the other hand, a baseball Manager is basically a middle manager, and when you’re in that position and have the support of neither those above you (in this case, Beane) nor those below you (the players) you really can’t survive. Hopefully he can avoid such a situation in Milwaukee. (Step 1: dump Kendall)
andeux - October 30, 2008
Sure but who'd take him?
WaddellCanseco - October 30, 2008
Oh, no ...
monkeyball - October 30, 2008
He was one of the best defensive catchers in the game this year.
I think you can find takers.
Blicks - October 30, 2008
I thought his not having the support of Beane was curious.
But Kotsay and Kendall bear some blame in Macha’s problems with the players.
salb918 - October 30, 2008
3
LongTimeFan - October 30, 2008
6th.
Kinda at least. I never understood the Macha hate. And I still have a soft spot for him bear hugging Milton. And I hated the cowardly way in which Kotsay et al backstabbed him.
rfloh - October 30, 2008
I didn't understand that either when many of us were wondering why play him over Kielty.
The lack of communication with the players seems like a big issue though. Chavez saying that Macha liked him and tried to use him as a medium to communicate with other players is a flag for me.
WaddellCanseco - October 30, 2008
I did too.
After that I could never like Kotsay again.
IM4Oakgal - November 1, 2008
HIRE MACHA NOW!
ArakSOT - October 30, 2008
congrats, ken
and good luck to you..
tosk - October 30, 2008
FIRE MACHA NOW!!!!!
I’ve missed that …
devo - October 30, 2008
Hmm
Wonder if Kendall is excited about this choice.
HRH - October 30, 2008
hell no
Cheezombie - October 30, 2008
considering how much Macha let him play while in Oakland
I am gonna guess that Kendall is ecstatic.
AsFanInLA - October 30, 2008
Maybe
I’m sure he liked the playing time but didn’t like having a manager who NEVER supports his players in disputes with the umpires.
Monday Fan - October 30, 2008
Is this the guy
who managed the A’s to the ALCS IN 2006, and then fired?
Oh.
Congrats, Ken.
67MARQUEZ - October 30, 2008
Does it really matter who the manager is?
I mean the players will make the lineup anyway.
oaktownmario - October 30, 2008
yes, but doesn't the manager decide what the players should do?
that’s kind of important…
#14fan - October 30, 2008
I don't think that was the point
I believe oaktownmario’s comment was a subtle jab at Macha’s claim that the players determine the lineup by their performance. While he made this claim, he allowed Jason Kendall and an obviously unfit Jermaine Dye to play frequently while others who could have done more to help the team rotted on the bench.
Monday Fan - October 30, 2008
point taken. I'll be quiet.
#14fan - October 30, 2008
Don't worry :-)
That was an easy trap to fall into!
oblique - October 30, 2008
I disliked that about Macha
he’d say that on the radio show about “the players put themselves in the lineup” but that didn’t seem true to even the casual observer. I think it was all part of ‘what you tell the media, and what you really do’. The ‘Ken Macha Show’ had the most terribly predictable content I have ever listened to on radio….one game at a time, etc. It was all passive tense talk, and “the players make the decision..” was all part of the package.
Before he was manager, he was a happy-go-lucky guy. Ask him how he was doing, and he’d invariably answer, “I’m at the top of my game!!”.
Since he has a degree in engineering you’d think he’d be more articulate with the baseball talk, along the line of the Rays’ Madden. But nooooooo………
One won lost won - October 30, 2008
Ever talk to an engineer?
I know a few, nice smart guys….most seem to have some social issues deficiencys though.
WiscoFan - October 30, 2008
They can it's true
And I started at the College of Engineering. Though not an engineer, I’ve worked in a couple of engineering depts. Just like most professions, the best are very good in every aspect of life. The not-as-good, well…still better than the general population at large as far as “social deficiencies”.
One won lost won - October 30, 2008
are there metrics
on the plus / minuses that skippers bring to a team? or, ahem, value over replacement?
this sprung to mind as tbs / fox would continually bang on about how great scoscia / darth torre are all through their playoff games. this annoyed me. maybe i just hate LA teams?
alright
alea iacta est - October 30, 2008
I look forward to seeing him on the top step of the dugout
The very picture of square-jawed resolve, Patton on the hill, Kirk on the bridge, Ahab on the Pequod, leading his men into battle.
FreeSeatUpgrade - October 30, 2008
Patton?
Shit, he shoulda just slapped Harden for malingering.
monkeyball - October 30, 2008
yo
ak_A - October 30, 2008
Ahab ?
Shit, he shoulda just harpooned Blanton.
green star oakland - October 30, 2008
Kirk?
Shit, he should just put Emil Brown in a red shirt.
AsFanInLA - October 31, 2008
Why all the Macha hate?
I’ve never understood why Macha was fired in the first place. I mean next to Tony LaRussa he’s the most sucessful manager of the A’s in the last 35 years. I would think frickin’ Bobby Crosby not liking you would be a plus. Good luck to Ken and the Brewers.
briandouglas - October 30, 2008
I don't hate him...
…but I wouldn’t want him managing my team. I think his negatives outweight his positives and I don’t see that he does anything that makes one want to keep him. He’s not a strong tactician. He’s not a motivator. He didn’t have the support of his players.
Now it’s possible he learned someting in his experience with the A’s. Maybe he understands that you can’t tell your players you’re going to do one thing and then do just the opposite. Maybe he realizes he has to back his players in disputes with the umpires, even when he thinks the umpire may be right. If he wants to have the support of his players, these things are important. And if he doesn’t have the support of his players, he won’t last long.
If he’s going to manage the same way he did in Oakland, the Brewers won’t be happy with him. If he learned from his mistakes and changes some of his ways, the Brewers could have a decent manager.
Monday Fan - October 30, 2008
I sure hope so
He’s also had two years to reflect on those four years in Oakland. I can’t imagine being an MLB manager for the first time being anything but a learning experience.
FormerHuntsvilleStar - October 30, 2008
I dont think he will have to worry about doing anything with CC.....
OaktownPower - October 30, 2008
Good for him.
Congrats Ken.
Helloooo 1st - October 30, 2008
I'd be happier if Seattle signed him.
Monday Fan - October 30, 2008
Exactly
Or Mike Scioscia had quit and the Angels got him.
That would be worth another 10 in their loss column
Trainman - October 30, 2008
Scioscia is not a good manager
Cheezombie - October 30, 2008
Hey now
His Grit Above Replacement is through the roof… GARRRR!
nevermoor - October 30, 2008
How can you believe this?
His record of success in Anaheim says otherwise.
Monday Fan - October 31, 2008
So does Macha's
Macha averaged a 92-70 record in his 4 years as Oakland’s manager.
Scioscia has averaged 89-73 in 9 years in Anaheim.
In both cases, that says way more about the talent they had to work with than it does about their abilities as managers. And anyone who thinks that those A’s teams would have averaged 100+ wins with Scioscia, or that those Angels teams would have been sub-.500 with Macha is just totally delusional.
andeux - October 31, 2008
USA Today and the AP had plenty of file photos to choose from...
And yet:
Englishmajor - October 30, 2008
Actually I think they stole that from Louis
ANtics Episode VIII
Soaker - October 30, 2008
Here's three that I like:
My favorite:
67MARQUEZ - October 30, 2008
Upper right photo...
No way that umpire is driving to basket with that tenacious defense!
FormerHuntsvilleStar - October 30, 2008
"Yeah, you're feelin' me. You love it."
Source (:23 in)
First thought that came to mind.
FormerHuntsvilleStar - October 30, 2008
I liked Macha
And I wish him the best!
Masaryk - October 30, 2008
My wife just asked me if Ken Macha was going to be Bill Gates for Halloween.
salb918 - October 30, 2008
Eithr that or John Hodgeman
FreeSeatUpgrade - October 30, 2008
I think he looks like Larry David in that "I can turn my body into a big X, umpire!" picture that 67MARQUEZ posted
Nick - October 30, 2008
I seriously stopped going to Nation's
ever since Macha left and stopped doing that hunger-inducing monotone ad for them. :(
A'sian - October 30, 2008
It was effective
It sounded so authentic! Like he was there, telling you it was a once-in-a-lifetime event to eat at Nations.
In fact, I stopped at In-and-Out Burgers (by mistake) because I was salivating so badly! I confused one non-McDonalds joint with another.
One won lost won - October 30, 2008
Congrats to Macha and the Brewers,
they now have a better chance of going deeper in the playoffs, great move.
mattman - October 31, 2008
Adding Macha while subtracting Sabathia and Sheets?
Methinks they might not go farther in the playoffs than watching said playoffs at home.
Nico - October 31, 2008
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