On this day in 2002, the Brewers officially hired Braves coach Ned Yost to be 15th manager in franchise history. Yost had been a Brewer from 1980-83 and a minor league manager, bullpen and third base coach for the Braves before being hired to replace Jerry Royster in Milwaukee.
Here's what Dale Hoffman said about the hiring in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
He comes across as a sincere fellow and exciteable to boot. He may in fact have set the modern major-league record for excitement in Tuesday's introductory remarks.*
...
The general manager (Doug Melvin) said he would sacrifice the occasional Yost mistake for all the other qualities he offers. That may be a good sign all by itself. When was the last time anyone saw a Brewer sacrifice?
* - We later found out that may have just been the coffee talking.
At any rate, Yost went on to manage 959 games with the Brewers, the second most in franchise history, and won 457, also the second most. He remained with the team until 2008, when the playoff-bound Brewers righted a listing ship by throwing the captain overboard.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 2005-06 Brewer Dana Eveland, who turns 28.
- 1990 Brewer Narciso Elvira, who turns 44.