Brewers manager Ron Roenicke will remain in his position with the team for 2015, the team announced in a press release. This puts an end to speculation that Roenicke could be fired in the wake of the team’s late-season collapse.
Roenicke led the Crew to the 2011 NL Central title and a berth in the NLCS in his first year as manager in 2011, and he has a 335-313 overall record in four seasons running the club. The Brewers have yet to return to the postseason since 2011, however, and went 9-17 last September to fall out of playoff contention despite leading the NL Central for much of the year.
Back in March, the Brewers exercised their team option on Roenicke’s services for 2015 while also adding another option year for the 2016 campaign. With no job security beyond next season, it’s fair to speculate that Roenicke could be on the hot seat if the Brewers get off to a slow start next season.
The team also announced that hitting coach Johnny Narron and first base/infield coach Garth Iorg will not be offered contracts for 2015. The Brewers have posted a collective 93 wRC+ over the last two seasons (ranking 17th in baseball), and posted only an 85 wRC+ (fifth-worst in baseball) after the All-Star break last season, which likely led to Narron’s departure. The rest of Milwaukee’s coaching staff will remain intact.
“Over the course of the last few weeks, we have evaluated the work of Ron and his coaches and believe that this is the best course of action to take,” general manager Doug Melvin said in the press release. “We appreciate the work that Johnny and Garth did for us through the years, and moves like these are never easy to make. We have already started reviewing our player personnel and will continue to address the factors that led to our disappointing finish to the season.”
It’s challenging for lame duck managers.
Good. If he does a bad job, fire him. He doesn’t deserve to have 2016 guaranteed.
He’s already done a bad job
He’s got habits I wish he’d change, but all in all I think he’s better than most. Melvin is the one who needs some evaluation.
Melvin needs evaluation? Are you serious? I’m sorry but Melvin is a great GM. I will be waiting for your explanation on this one.
Melvin is great? I’m tempted to take the bait on this one, but I’m guessing that I’d end up with “all gms make some mistakes” and “he had no other choice.” I apologize if I’m wrong.
Melvin is a pretty good GM.
I think he’s great at a lot of things. Achilles was a great warrior too.
Well he actually was quite the warrior, with the whole killing of Hector thing…so now I have no idea what you are trying to say.
There’s this phrase that actually made it into modern English – an Achilles heel. I’m saying I don’t think Melvin is some bum who isn’t good at most facets of his job.
But he loves veterans and doesn’t like having to use younger players.
Still never learned how to pronounce Iorg.
It is “or” with a “g” like in giraffe…I is silent.
I like Roenicke enough to be somewhat glad he will get one more shot. I’ve always liked Melvin too, but I’m starting to agree with Oh Hal in that he should be having his position reviewed. He’s clearly too in love with the long ball and has no interest in OBP guys or guys who can play defense.
Leading the league in swinging at first pitch isn’t all the hitting coach’s fault. As Roenicke pointed out, these are the types of hitters we have on the team. As soon as we get someone who can put the ball in play (Aoki), Melvin ships him out.
If I know melvin he will go after Laroche for 1B over Cuddyer because laroche will hit .234 with a .330 obp and 25 homers, while Cuddyer will hit .300, .370 obp but with only 16 homers.
Braun moving to 1B doe?
If it were up to me i think id like to see if the “thumb issue” clears up and offense improves before i put braun at 1b. Although, isnt aoki a free agent for rf? … oh wait, he gets on base too much
If I may just point out how close LaRoche and Cuddyer’s career numbers are:
LaRoche: .264/.340/.472 with an OPS of .811 and a wRC+ of 113
Cuddyer: .279/.347/.466 with an OPS of .813 and a wRC+ of 113
I think you’re overrating Cuddyer. .300 with a .370 OBP? The last two seasons are the only times in his career he’s hit or eclipsed those marks (or even come near, really, excepting 2006 when he hit .284/.362/.504), and I really wouldn’t bet that a 35-year-old coming off an injury-filled season and no longer having Coors as his home park is likely to come near those numbers again.
Now, I agree with you. I think Melvin is too in love with the homer, and I think we really need some good OBP guys. We need more patient hitters, and less Mark Reynolds-types on this team. I definitely agree with you, I just don’t think the Cuddyer vs. LaRoche thing was a good example. They’re both very similar hitters over their careers. That said, they’re both old, so I’m betting Melvin looks into both of them.
I had to upvote you and I wish I could a bunch just on the basis of that last sentence. Melvin surely loves his HRs and the OBP tendencies of his roster are a worthy topic, but his fetish for guys whose careers are over in the hope he can squeak just one more season out of them is a fatal flaw in my opinion. Using young players seems like some sort of punishment to him.
I could go on, but… its late, I’m tired.
Kevin Mench is the only weird Doug Melvin old guy fetish in my mind
Mench was 26 & 27 when Milwaukee acquired him via trade. Not exactly an old man. That said, trading Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz and receiving only Laynce Nix, Mench, and Francisco Cordero in return was potentially the worst deal of his tenure.
Wow I always assumed he was much older, I guess he was just not good. That trade was definitely not the best, but I still trust in DM.
I wasnt implying cuddyer would be the second coming.im just saying melvin will throw out a higher obp, fewer strikeouts and higher avg for a few extra homers in laroche. Bad example, maybe
Ahhh, I gotcha. Yeah, I definitely agree with you, then.
Where are these potential high OBP guys that are great defensively? Are they willing to sign for minor league deals/under 2 million so they fit into the Brewers budget? Do you actually disagree with the Aoki trade or have you already forgotten about Will Smith?
Are all of our future signings goin to sign minor league deals for under 2 million?
My point on aoki was hes the type of player melvin doesnt hold onto. …not that he didnt get anything back in this particular trade.
No, but as we’re paying Ryan Braun about 20 million a year for the next 5, theres not a ton of funds available for free agents, given payroll limitations.
As far as Aoki goes, hes not exactly young, and wasn’t under team control for much longer–so trading him for young, cost-controlled talent was exactly the type of trade a good GM makes.
Im not sure if you are missing the point or if you just want to debate, but again, its not about one trade. Its the fact that the type of hitter aoki is, is the type of hitter melvin avoids.
And i hope we spend more than 2 million this off season.
I’ve never felt like Roenicke was really the problem with the Brewers… but that doesn’t mean he is the solution, either. If Milwaukee doesn’t get off to a hot start next year, they should make a change sooner rather than later. He’s a decent manager, but they have enough talent to make one wonder if a new voice in charge might help them realize their potential.
Inept brass. Lost Nashville while sitting on their hands. Team is as good as their last 100 – which was dismal. Last in division 2015 without overhaul.
I feel like this is the sentiment of critics at the end of every season. The Reds are in a far worse position, the Cubs aren’t going to flip a switch overnight, even with their talented young position players. They lack pitching. Pitching is important. The Pirates had their second postseason trip fall into their laps because of the Brewers monumental collapse – not because they’re a good team. I can’t see Milwaukee being a cellar dweller in this division. Sorry.
Perhaps then the Reds will fall to the cellar…… 2 good teams in the division…. others will be .500 teams
I think if they start off slow next year they should make a clean sweep in the front office.