The Journal Times Online - Racine, Wisconsin

Journal Times

Are you frustrated with Milwaukee Brewers and their inability to hold an eight-game lead over the Chicago Cubs?

You’re not the only one, just ask Brewers’ manager Ned Yost, catcher Johnny Estrada and infielder Tony Graffanino.

While Thursday’s theatrics were much ado about nothing -- a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel story said Estrada and Graffanino were standing up for a player and all parties involved have moved on with no hard feelings -- frustration is an understandable feeling. But before your frustrations boils over, let me give you a little history lesson.

Back in 2001, there was another Midwest baseball team whose young talent players -- who played together since rookie ball -- finally started to reach their potential. The team of youngsters started the season fast, going 18-6. The team went 16-11 in May and 14-14 in June. After beating the Milwaukee Brewers 13-5 July 12, this team was 56-32 (the second best record in the league) with a five-game lead over a rival filled with older, pennant race test players and a 14-game lead over the defending division champions.

From that point, this team collapsed, going 29-44 after July 12. They finished second in the division, six games back of the experienced, pennant-race tested team.

That team was the Minnesota Twins. The same franchise the Brewers have patterned themselves after since general manager Doug Melvin took over in 2002. In 2001, the Twins finished second behind the Cleveland Indians and just two games ahead of the defending American League Central champion Chicago White Sox. The players’ average age was 26.2.

Minnesota, which featured young outfielders named Torii Hunter and Jacque Jones, a designated hitter named David Ortiz, a catcher named A.J. Pierzynski, an ace pitcher named Brad Radke, a young long reliever named Johan Santana and an overworked bullpen that included LaTroy Hawkins and Eddie Guardado, learned from that season and went on to win four division titles in the next five season.

So what’s the moral of this history lesson? Before going over board about how bad the Brewers are and the need to fire Melvin and manager Ned Yost, remember that this is a very young team. The player's average age is 27.9 and that's with Damian Miller (37) and Craig Counsell (36). When Rickie Weeks is at second base, the entire starting infield is under the age of 25 and six of the eight position players are under the age of 30. Considering that most players hit their prime around age 27, this team has a strong foundation to contend to division titles well into the next decade.

As for this year, there are going to be growing pains for everyone and the team with more experienced players will have an advantage. That doesn’t mean the Cubs will run away with the NL Central (goodness know you can‘t expect their pitching staff to keep pitching like it has), but having players like Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano, Cliff Floyd, Jason Kendall, Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Zambrano and Jones -- who either have World Series rings or playoff experience -- helps.

The Brewers, on the other hand, need their experienced veterans -- Counsell, Graffanino, Estrada and Jeff Suppan -- to help the younger players grow up fast.

SOME PEOPLE NEED A CLUE: It seems like I can’t read or listen to anything about sports without hearing the four-letter F-word about Melvin and Yost.

No, not the typical dirty F-word (though I’m sure many people are say or thinking that too). No, I’m referring to the word fire.

Let’s start with Melvin. There are many people who are frustrated with the fact that the Brewers’ GM didn’t make a big deadline deal to land a big stick, a front-line starting pitcher or a stud reliever. Instead of looking at this season, let’s look at the big picture: Since Melvin came to Milwaukee, he has acquired substantial numbers of talented players when dealing potential free agents, gave the Brewers’ roster some depth and oversaw a renaissance in the Brewers’ farm system with Jack Zduriencik. And, a majority of the players Melvin has acquired have contributed to the franchise in some form.

Let’s take this a step further, who did you want the Brewers to get? Outfielders Adam Dunn or Ken Griffey Jr.? Outfielder Jermaine Dye? What big pitching stud was available? And, were you willing to give up Yovani Gallardo, Ryan Braun or Manny Parra for them? Are you willing to give up Matt Wise -- who before pitching in Cincinnati was one of the team’s top relievers? Melvin added to the Brewers’ middle relief corps and did so without mortgaging the future.

And finally, who would you rather have as the team’s GM? How about Dean Taylor --remember signing Jeffrey Hammonds and Eric Young? If you don’t like Taylor, maybe you’d rather have Sal Bando? When you look at it in that light, Melvin seems like a wonderful option.

As for Yost, he’s constantly in a lose-lose situation. If you put Gallardo in the bullpen, then you’re ruining the rotation. If Gallardo’s in the rotation and damages his arm, then you’ve ruined the team’s future ace. If Prince Fielder sits for a day or two, then Yost isn’t giving his team the best chance to win. If Fielder wears down in September from starting too many games, Yost didn’t do enough to save his players. If Yost rotates his bench players, he’s hurting the team. If Yost doesn’t keep his bench players fresh, he’s hurting the team. No matter what people are gong to complain and every major league manager knows that.

That said, name for me the last manager to have the Brewers in first place on or after Aug. 1? How about the last manager to have the Brewers with a winning record on or after Aug. 1? The answer to the first is Harvey Kuenn 25 years ago. The second is Ned Yost in 2005 and before that it was Phil Garner in 1992. What amazes me is that this team of mostly youngsters could win 85 games or more and people still want Yost fired.

Yost took over in 2003 after the Brewers went 62-101 in 2002. In his fifth season, the Brewers are contending for a NL Central division title. Since 1992, Garner, Davey Lopes and Jerry Royster all failed to even come close to that standard. Yes, the Brewers have more talent, but it’s young talent and should improve with age -- as will Yost. And like Melvin, Yost looks like Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel compared to his predecessors.