Brewers Pick up on Yost option for '09

by baseballdan1092 on Feb 8, 2008 2:58 PM CST Comment 24 comments

Doug Melvin revealed that they have picked up the option for Ned Yost for 2009. They actually did this after the season but did not release it until today.

Melvin did say that you can be fired even if you're in a contract so this doesn't really mean much! Here is the link: http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/02/08/brewers-pick-up-yost-s-2009-option.aspx

[editor's note, by Jeff] I thought this was worthy of a bump. At least in newsworthiness, if not in the quality of the news itself.

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My 2 Theories

Melvin wants to make it that much sweeter for Yost-haters when Yost gets fired this June...

-Or-

Melvin thinks he has successfully Yost-proofed the team to the point that he can't screw it up for the next two years.

by drezdn on Feb 8, 2008 3:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Like Moustache didn't know it wasn't announced. More likely, it wasn't announced because the Crew fell apart like a house of cards, and that's a little bit awkward to celebrate picking up the manager's option.

This is a new one on me:

"He's not on the last year," said Melvin. "I don't think it's good practice having people on the last year of their contract, having them perform that way.

"(Owner) Mark (Attanasio) is in agreement with that."

Not that it necessarily applies to managers, but this is the opposite of what I considered conventional wisdom.

Also:

Of course, just because Yost's option was picked up doesn't mean he can't be fired if the team collapses this year.

"People are fired in the middle of contracts," said Melvin. "It doesn't matter whether contracts are picked up or not. I could be fired, too, and I have two years left on my contract."

That must make Ned feel good. "Yeah, we picked it up, but he could still go at any time."

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Feb 8, 2008 3:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Oh well

Teams do this a lot, don't they? I don't think it's considered a good thing to have a lame duck coach/manager.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 8, 2008 3:22 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Mike Sherman

got an extension and then got tossed. That worked out pretty well. Didn't Melvin spend some time in GB recently?

Or he's here for years.

by ol Pete on Feb 8, 2008 3:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Here is another article about it

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=716197

by molitorfan on Feb 9, 2008 7:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The actual story makes it worse

After reading it, I'm less convinced than ever that it was an oversight.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Feb 9, 2008 8:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it matters, either way

It's not we weren't expecting Yost back next season anyway. Plus they'll have to think hard again about extending his contract next offseason as well, since he'll only have one year left then, too.

The article/site does give us this nice picture of Yost looking like a complete yokel:

I think that should be on every WPA graph with a huge drop because the team was Yosted next season. Maybe an arrow pointing to the exact moment?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 9, 2008 10:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The picture

is from the parking lot of last year's Daytona 500. Nedly just finished smashing the windows of a Jeff Gordon supporter. He then did 3 laps around the parking lot in honor of the fallen Dale Earnhardt.

by molitorfan on Feb 9, 2008 4:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

hahaha

"If there is a more reactionary blog with idiotic commentary out there I'd be surprised." -On Bleed Cubbie Blue

by Michael M on Feb 9, 2008 5:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This quote bothers me:

Melvin said a slow start would not necessarily jeopardize Yost's standing, however. "We got off to a fast start last year and look what happened," said Melvin, referring to the Brewers' 24-10 beginning, best in the majors. "Colorado got off to a slow start and made it all the way to the World Series. Too much is put on how a team starts." I'm going to guess, and it's purely a guess, that statistics would show that teams that get off to hot starts MIGHT win more games. Cause, y'know, those games count too.

by Kyle Lobner on Feb 9, 2008 9:29 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

I think the point was more that just like you don't trade a player who has a bad April, you wouldn't want to change managers that quickly. I would say Melvin probably figures the team will win 85-90 games and his quote is meant to imply, "if the team starts 15-15, that means they haven't gotten hot yet (but they will)."

It'd be nice if the team started off hot and made quotes like this moot, but I think he's not altogether wrong about rushing to judgment early in the year.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 9, 2008 10:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Mixed messages

You notice that every time they mention something about not rushing to judgment, they also say something about being in "win-now" mode? To me, that says they're going to give Yost the entire year to make it work, and if they miss the playoffs again, he's done. The extension is just to avoid answering questions about Yost's status following every loss.

It's a shame that they're going to waste another year before making a run, though.

by Marty McSuperFly on Feb 9, 2008 10:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Heh

You must have nightmares about the team winning next season now, huh?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 9, 2008 10:44 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Nope

My nightmares are about the losing. I would love for the young players to step up and win in spite of Yost, or miracle of miracles, for Yost to stop doing stupid things. It's just not likely, though, and so it'll be another year of near-.500 performance, and probably 3rd place in the division. And I'll probably burn through another several hundred dollars in Brewers tickets and merchandise, because there's always that pesky little corner of hope that refuses to die, in spite of all the Yostings.

Oh, and Melvin's off-season moves aren't doing me any favors.

I don't mind being wrong, though. Unlike a lot of Yosties, though, I at least put my predictions out there and stand by them, even if it means I have to admit I'm wrong at some point.

by Marty McSuperFly on Feb 9, 2008 10:50 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, ok - sorry

How much do you figure another manager would improve the team's performance? Personally, I figure since the front office must like Yost's style to stick with him this long, they'd probably hire a guy pretty similar to him if Yost is ever fired. That's pretty distressing but given Melvin's comments about Yost being "inexperienced," I can't help thinking they'd hire some middling retread who'll just go on doing the same sort of things.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 9, 2008 11:09 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Enough to make the playoffs last year

Even if you discount the 9 2007 Yostings we track over at FNY (and they shouldn't be given a lot of weight, since we usually add them based on the amount of anger the nincompoopery generates), I think it's safe to say that Yost was absolutely unqualified to manage the team in the last week of the 2007 season. I support that position with the plunking of Pujols and antagonism of the umpires, all of which were unprofessional and harmed the Brewers chances to win. Combine his late-season antics with his complete-season bullpen foolishness, and I think you can easily make up 4 or 5 games.

And, honestly, how many jobs can you hold for 5 years and still make mistakes based on inexperience? A manager's only job is to put his team in the best position to win, and not only does Yost fail to do that, he frequently hurts their chances of winning with stubborn, arrogant behavior. I submit that unless you have Dusty Baker actively destroying your pitchers, you cannot have a worse manager than Ned Yost*.

* This excludes clearly unqualified choices like Jerry Royster, Davey Lopes and roguejim.

by Marty McSuperFly on Feb 9, 2008 11:21 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Firemartymcsuperfly.com

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Feb 10, 2008 1:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Melvin picked up Yost's option simply to quell rumors about his being fired this year. If the Brewers make the playoffs this year, he'll get an extension. If the Brewers don't, however, Yost is canned.

Come check out BrewersNation, a new Brewers blog that keeps you up to date on ALL Brewers news and rumors.

by jimmyb1799 on Feb 9, 2008 12:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I dunno if Jeff

has mentioned SBN 2.0, the new look for SB Nation, but all the affiliated blogs are going to change their look. I learned it after seeing it on Athletics Nation and the BCB. I'm just mentioning this because AN has switched over, so if you want to see the new template for what our site will probably become in the next few days, head over to AN to check it out. Personally, I think it looks pretty cool.

Come check out Beer, Brats, and Bucky for the latest in Badgers sports news!

by The Prospector on Feb 11, 2008 11:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs