The Brewers’ recent struggles could lead to firings in Milwaukee, Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel writes. The Brewers fired Ned Yost after an ugly two-week stretch in the midst of a contending season in 2008. Now, after spending the majority of the season in first place, the Brewers run the risk of missing the playoffs — they would just miss the second Wild Card if the season ended today. It’s not clear if the Brewers’ skid might cause owner Mark Attanasio to want to make moves involving GM Doug Melvin or manager Ron Roenicke. Here’s more from the National League.
- Matt Thornton has come up big in the Nationals’ bullpen since the Nats claimed him from the Yankees, Tom Schad of the Washington Times writes. Thornton has pitched 9 1/3 innings for the Nats so far, striking out eight batters, walking one and allowing no runs in his first stint as a National Leaguer. “Haven’t faced a lot of these guys, so it’s kind of all new,” Thornton says. “But at the same time, they haven’t faced me. So I’m using that to my advantage.” MLBTR readers recently ranked Thornton the fifth most impactful August addition of any team, behind Adam Dunn, Jacob Turner, Jonathan Broxton and Josh Willingham.
- Rockies manager Walt Weiss would like to see the team re-sign Michael Cuddyer, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. “I would like to see him back here,” says Weiss. “I just think he means so much to our club, in ways that go beyond the stat sheet.” Cuddyer has suffered through an injury-plagued season and will be 36 by the time next season starts, but he’s hit very well with the Rockies, posting a .331/.380/.546 line in 142 plate appearances in 2014 that’s similar to his output over a full season last year.
- It’s unclear whether the Rockies will pick up Brett Anderson’s $12MM option, Saunders writes. The option contains a $1.5MM buyout. Anderson has been effective this season, but injuries have limited him to just 43 1/3 innings so far, and he hasn’t topped 100 innings in a season in 2010. The Rockies need to try to figure out if Anderson’s injury troubles are likely to continue, and whether they might be able to lure a better pitcher to Coors — never easy to do — with that $12MM.
There is no way Doug Melvin should be fired. He gave all the pieces for Roenicke to win games. The overuse of the bullpen in the first halfand a couple other things have tanked the Brewers season. Firing Doug Melvin would be horrible. He did everything in his power to win while not destroying the future.
Not to mention a couple very good trades during the season, in Gerrardo Parra and Jonathan Broxton. Both guys were designed to help this year, while also being under contract for future years. Broxton could close next year, and Parra is a great piece to have on any team. I’ve questioned some of Doug’s moves in the past; I’ve even wanted him fired before. But right now, I just don’t think it should happen. His good moves over his tenure far outweigh the bad.
Now, Roenicke on the other hand… if we’re firing anyone, you’ve gotta look at him. Questionable decisions, overworking the bullpen big time… frankly, I think if we don’t make the postseason, he’s gotta go. He and the rest of the staff.
I have defended Ron in the past but some of his decisions this year and the way he has handled this losing streak is nothing short of embarrassing. He always says it is going to turn around soon or that this is how he wants to do it and that’s final. Well guess what Ron…it isn’t getting better and what you a are doing isn’t working.
I’d fire him unless he wins a playoff series. Getting the 2nd wildcard or winning a one game playoff isn’t enough at this point.
The thing with Ron, particularly this season, is that he isn’t holding players accountable for their mistakes. And I know that was the complaint about Yost, too, and then we got Mr. Accountability, Ken Macha, and he never had the clubhouse. But, there’s gotta be an in-between. Between Mr. Accountability Ken Macha, and Mr. No Accountability Ron Roenicke, there has to be someone.
I think, the way this season has gone, Ron’s time is up. If this thing doesn’t get turned around, and we don’t have success in the postseason, it’s time. It’s definitely time if we don’t even make the postseason.
Cuddy’s a good guy but there’s just no baseball reason to re-sign him.
Agreed. That money could probably be better spent elsewhere. Also, declining Anderson’s option could make more money available for other positions beyond the starting rotation. Not a whole lot of sense in committing extra dollars and years in order to convince a mid-tier pitcher (which is what the Rockies could afford with the money saved) to come to Coors. Especially when Eddie Butler and Jon Gray are predicted to be ready at some point in the next two years or so.