Wisconsin State Journal from Madison, Wisconsin • 21

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 Wisconsin State Journal SECTION pi With playoff hopes fading, Brewers fire manager Yost --V TCMGATC3 All-in move right for an all-in season espite rumors to the By VIC FEUERHERD vfeuerherdmadison.com 608-252-6175 The Milwaukee Brewers took the unusually drastic step Monday of firing manager Ned Yost in an effort to shake the team out of a September slide that has badly damaged their playoff hopes with just 12 games to General manager Doug Mel-vin made the surprising move Monday morning in Chicago and named third base coach Dale Sveum interim manager for the rest of the season. Sveum, in turn, announced that Robin Yount will return to the club as the bench coach, replacing Ted Simmons, who has been moved into what the club termed an "advisory" scouting position. Sveum said he wants Yost's firing to "send a shock wave through this team." "We're hoping there is a shock reaction so they can perform at their best level," Sveum said. After a torrid August in which the Brewers went 20-7, the team is 3-11 this month and has squandered a 5-game lead in the National League wild card race. The Brewers, swept in a four-Please see YOST, Page B2 contrary, manager Ned Yost kept his job in THE YOST ERA Ned Yost's career as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers: Year Record Pet Finish late May after the Milwaukee Brewers were swept in Boston to fall four games below .500.

The Brewers responded by winning 12 of their next 16 games to climb back into contention. There were no such rumors this time, just a swift and sudden decision to fire Yost Monday after the Brewers lost four straight in Philadelphia to fall into a tie with the Phillies in the National League wild card race. We'll never know if the Brewers would have responded positively to hitting rock bottom this time because the powers-that-be in the franchise and this decision has owner Mark Attanasio's fingerprints all over it couldn't afford to wait and see if history would repeat itself. With only 12 games left and the wild card playoff berth stttl out there to be won or lost, firing Yost was a move the Brewers simply had to make if they wanted to have any chance to save the season. Even a relative baseball novice like Attanasio knows that changing managers on a contending team with two weeks left in the season isn't standard procedure.

However, these aren't normal times in Milwaukee. Attanasio went all-in when he traded a sizable chunk of the team's future for pitcher CC Sabathia in early Jury. The firing of Yost was merely a continuation of the now-or- never approach adopted by Attanasio the minute he OlCd Please see OATES, Page B2 2003 68-94 .420 6th 2004 67-94 .416 6th 2005 81-81 .500 3rd 2006" 75-87 .463 4th 2007; 83-79 .512 2nd 2008 83-67 .553 Totals 457-502 .477 NL CENTRAL RACE i I 1 1 i 1 2 Cubs 90-58 Brewers 83-67 (-8) Astros 80-69 (-lO'i) 3,0 WILD CARD RACE Associated Press archives Brewers 83-67 Phillies 83-67 Astros 80-69 (-2'2) 1 1 tfk 3D "I don't have the answers," Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Monday, "and Ned didn't have the answers. But we need to do something to jump start the ball club." Melvin and owner Mark Attanasio denied speculation that Attanasio forced the firing. Either way, players didn't respond to Yost iV Wi y-- BREWERS VS.

CUSS Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago. Schedule: 7:05 p.m. today; 7:05 p.m. Wednesday; and 1:20 p.m. Thursday.

TV: FSN Wisconsin. Inside: Another gem for Cubs. B3 WE3 EXTRA For more coverage of the Milwaukee Brewers' firing of manager Ned Yost, including a photo gallery, blogs and fan reaction to Monday's sudden move, visit madison.com. caccot Brewers were swept in a four-game series in Philadelphia, resulting in a dead-heat for the NL wild card spot with 12 games remaining. Regardless of whose finger was on the trigger that brought about this unusual firing that of owner Mark Attanasio or general manager Doug Melvin it's fair to conclude that a factor in the decision was how Yost affected the mood of his team when the pressure was greatest Please see BAGGOT, Page B2 Dn the end, Ned Yost was damned if he did and damned if he didn't He lost his job Monday as manager of the Brewers at least in part because he was unable to find the proper channel for his emotions.

Yost wore them on his sleeve a lot last season and look what happened: He was criticized for his loose cannon ways ejections and snarly rhetoric, especially down the stretch which were among the reasons why Milwaukee went into a late spiral that cost it the National League Central Division title. Yost was mostly a study in comportment for the first 150 games this season and look what happened: He was cut loose after the second-place Associated Press archives Dale Sveum played in 511 games in five seasons with the Brewers. He had a career batting average of 236 in 12 major league seasons. UW FOOTBALL Rodgers: Fm far from complete 42 of 60 passes (70 percent) for 506 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 117.8 passer rating, he recognizes that he hasn't been perfect And so does the staff. "Trust me, we're not putting him in Canton, Ohio, yet He's got a lot of work to do, as does this whole offensive unit" offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said, "like we've said for a Please see RODGERS, Page B4 expect even more.

"I probably should've thrown a couple more touchdown passes," Rodgers said Monday after watching the film of the Packers' 48-25 victory over the Detroit Lions, in which he was 24-for-38 for 328 yards and three touchdowns (117.0 passer rating). So even though Rodgers enters Sunday's showdown with the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field having completed PACXEHS VS. CC.VCOYS Wlwn, wtwri: 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Lambeau Field. Inside: 0-line healthier.

B4 ing quarterback and there's no disputing that regardless of how passionately certain folks may still feel about his predecessor he and his coaches Despite a solid two-game start, the quarterback realizes he has more work to do. By JASON WILDE jwildemadison.com 608-252-6176 GREEN BAY As good as Aaron Rodgers has been in his first two regular-season games as the Green Bay Packers start- win twin vx JMiauf.il jinn 1 1 )n in mr urn lym rrr i ii-1 1 1 1 -'X JOHN maniaci State Journal Bielema takes neutral point of view after Fresno State game..