By Greg Giesen
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.
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