Former Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost was wound so tight, you sometimes expected him to spontaneously combust right before your very eyes.
Yost’s sucessor, Ken Macha, was so laid back, you sometimes wanted to check his pulse just to see if he had one.
On Thursday, Ron Roenicke made his first appearance as the Brewers’ new manager. I have a feeling that general manager Doug Melvin is hoping that Roenicke is wired somewhere between the intense Yost and the aloof Macha.
First impressions can be wrong. Still, a couple things seemed obvious about the Brewers’ new skipper as he greeted the Milwaukee press corps for the first time at Miller Park.
For one, he is comfortable in his own skin. He has an aura of authenticity. He is not polished, and he does not speak in snappy soundbytes. He seems refreshingly candid and forthright.
Second, Roenicke promised a more aggressive brand of baseball. No more waiting for the three-run homer. In 2011, the Brewers will be rounding third and heading for home. They’ll be stealing more bases. They’ll force their opponents to make defensive plays to beat them. And they will sometimes run themselves out of innings. In the long run, Roenicke believes the aggressive style will pay off.
"At times, you’re going to say, ‘Why are you running so much?" Roenicke said.
Third, Roenicke will be a servant leader. I have no idea if he knows anything about the concept of servant leadership scholastically, but that was the impression he gave Thursday. A servant leader believes it’s his job to serve the people he oversees.
Roenicke hasn’t even met his new players yet, but says he loves them already.
"I’m going to take care of these guys. I care about the players. I want them to succeed," Roenicke said.
Roenicke said he wants to learn about each of his players’ backgrounds and families.
"I’m going to have their back. They’re going to know it," Roenicke said. "I care about them, and I care about their careers."
The Brewers of 2010 had a reputation of having a dysfunctional clubhouse in which their leaders, Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, were prima donnas.
Roenicke was asked if that reputation concerned him. "I’m not worried about the disconnect," he responded.
Roenicke, 54, signed a two-year contract through the 2012 season with a club option for 2013. He has spent the last 11 seasons in the Angels organization, including the last five as bench coach under Mike Scioscia. Roenicke also served the Angels as third-base coach from 2000-05. This is his first time as a Major League manager.
"Ron brings to the Brewers the skill set needed to maintain high standards of professional excellence and success," Melvin said. "I am extremely confident that he will develop an organizational culture that fosters teamwork. Ron projects self confidence, authority and enthusiasm, which will inspire performance. He is a true professional with an extensive background as a player, manager, third-base coach and bench coach. I was very impressed with the number of positive endorsements we received on his behalf."
For insight about why the Brewers were impressed by Roenicke, read this story.
Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.
