Brewers Fire Ned Yost

So I guess Doug and Mark didn't agree that having Jason Kendall catch 18 innings yesterday was the offensive spark this team needed.

Viva Mike Rivera!

If you watched any of the series against the Phillies, Yost made one mistake after another. He made Uncle Charlie look like Casey Stengel. I've not watched the Brewers all year but if this is how he manages, I'm more suprised he made it this long.

A decision that's about a season and a half too late.

Six games left with the Cubs. I hate to say it but I think the Brew Crew is toast.

Yost sealed his fate in the top of the 8th inning of Sunday's first game against the Phils.

Mota starts the inning against the righty Werth and gives up a single. Next move is obvious and Yost makes it, going to LOOGY Brian Shouse to face Utley and Howard. He gets Utley (sacrifice bunt, Werth to third). With one out, you either go after Howard and hope for the strikeout - not a bad option with an excellent LOOGY on the mound - or walk him and bring in a righty to face Pat Burrell.

The problems for Yost begin with who's up in the pen - Eric Gagne (6.41 ERA, 11 HR in 39.1 IP). Gagne's not likely to get you a ground ball, his control's been awful (21 BB in 39.1 IP), and given what happens next, obviously Yost doesn't trust him. WHY HAVE HIM UP? Where's Salomon Torres (rested for the last 3 days)? Hell, where's Seth McClung (1 inning the previous game; 3 days off before that)?

After walking Howard, Yost leaves Shouse (career .845 OPS vs RHB, .589 vs LHB) in the game to face Burrell. The Phils announcers are STUNNED. Shouse is a low-ball pitcher in addition to being a lefty, and Burrell loves the low pitches. I turn to my wife and say, "This is the kind of thing that gets managers fired." Burrell gets a low pitch and laces it to right for an RBI single - 4-3 Phils.

Next up, Shane Victorino (switch-hitter) - another bad matchup for Shouse. Victorino crushes a ball into the seats for a 3-run HR - 7-3 Phils.

Shouse is still in the game, and the Phils send Pedro Feliz up to bat for the lefty Greg Dobbs. Manuel obviously won't pinch-hit again for Feliz, who will be the defensive replacement at 3B. Yost leaves Shouse in anyway, and Feliz singles. FINALLY Yost comes out and gets Shouse, bringing in Gagne.

Yost was fired because management decided they couldn't afford any more stupid tactical mistakes down the stretch. The tactical stupidity was so bad it outweighed the psychological impact on the team of firing the manager in the last weeks of a playoff run. I don't blame them for doing it.

Wow. ColonelTom's account suggests really, really poor judgment from Yost. I had heard he was well regarded, particularly in how he helped the team rebuild from cellar to contender. Sounds like he had a lot of luck along the way if he was making decisions like this. Even Gagne would have been a better idea, as Shouse is definitely a LOOGY and Gagne isn't afraid to go inside, where he could have had a decent chance against Burrell.

So long, Dead Toast.

You almost have to feel sorry for Yost. I agree that he wasn't great(too loyal, stubborn) but it was the players of the field that couldn't swing the bats. At some point i suppose if the players aren't playing up to par, even if it's not the manager's fault, it's the managers fault.

Poor Ned Toast. I loved him but two straight September collapses are unexceptable.

CHOCKING YEAR #2

GO CUBS GO!! hahaha i hate the brewers and all the fans that throught they were going to the WS back when they got cc...c ya next year