By David Gibb
After nearly six full seasons at the helm of the Milwaukee Brewers, Ned Yost was relieved of his duties as manager following a four-game sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The sweep was the last straw for Brewers GM and Executive Vice President Doug Melvin, who watched from the front office as a four-game Wild Card lead evaporated in as many days.
The sudden removal of Yost represents an attempt to prevent the Brewers second consecutive late-season collapse. Last year, Milwaukee had an eight and a half game division lead, but was eclipsed by Lou Piniella’s Chicago Cubs late in the season, finishing two and a half games out of the playoffs.
During Yost’s tenure, the Brewers improved from perennial cellar-dwellers to legitimate playoffs contenders.
Last year, the team finished 83-79, its first finish over .500 since 1992. In fact, since taking the reigns in 2003, Yost improved the team’s win percentage from .420 to .553 (their winning percentage at the time of his termination).
Yost’s term as skipper also saw the emergence of fine major leaguers such as Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, and Corey Hart, but his handling of personnel was sometimes questioned. Bullpen arms such as Derrick Turnbow and Eric Gagne often seemed to implode under Yost, and his late-inning use of the bench was questioned as well.
Some critics considered Yost an American League manager working in the National League.
Third base coach Dale Sveum will take over for Yost, acting as the interim manager until at least season’s end.
Sveum is in his third year as a Brewers coach, having coached both from the bench and on the bases. He also worked in the majors between 2004 and 2005 as the third base coach for the Boston Red Sox.
While managing in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization in 2003, Sveum was named a “Top Managerial Prospect” by Baseball America. The Brewers aren’t necessarily looking for him to fulfill that potential, they just hope he can right the ship this year and get the team into the playoffs.