Keyword
MLB
Scores
Schedule
Pitching Probables
Standings
Statistics
Transactions
Injuries: AL | NL
Players
Power Alley
All-Time Stats
Message Board
Minor Leagues
MLB en espanol
CLUBHOUSE


THE ROSTER
Dave Campbell
Jim Caple
Peter Gammons
Joe Morgan
Rob Neyer
John Sickels
Jayson Stark
SHOP@ESPN.COM
TeamStore
ESPN Auctions
SPORT SECTIONS
Thursday, October 3
Updated: October 6, 9:57 PM ET
 
Brewers' new prez, GM not thrilled with benching

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE -- Jerry Royster's decision to bench Jose Hernandez didn't help his slim chance to remain as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Doug Melvin, the Milwaukee Brewers' new general manager, and new team president Ulice Payne strongly disagreed with Royster's decision to bench the All-Star shortstop in eight of the final 12 games to keep him from reaching Bobby Bonds' season strikeout record of 189.

Royster was fired Wednesday following the Brewers' 56-106 season.

''For the money we pay professional players, unless you're hurt, sick or have a family emergency, you play,'' Payne said. ''You don't sit out because your job might be tough today or you might get a little embarrassed today. And that's what I would expect from everyone in this organization, from the front office to the ticket takers.''

Hernandez finished with 188 strikeouts, one shy of the record Bonds set in 1970. Last year, manager Davey Lopes benched Hernandez is the final days of a season in which he whiffed 185 times.

On Sept. 19, after strikeout No. 188, Brewers' fans strung up 188 Ks in the upper deck of Miller Park, cheering when he struck out and jeering when he didn't.

Royster met with his shaken shortstop afterward and vowed he would not be humiliated like that again. So, he sat him for the team's final three home games, against the San Francisco Giants.

Hernandez returned to the lineup for three games at Houston and went 6-for-11 with no strikeouts. But Royster said the national scrutiny of Hernandez was detracting from his otherwise solid season (.288, 24 homers, 73 RBI), so he sat him for the final four games at St. Louis.

''I'm glad Jose did not get the record and I'm disappointed in the way he was treated,'' Royster said. ''All I did was protect him from the way he was getting treated. People were starting to make a mockery out of it in anticipation of him breaking the record. He was being made a joke of and I was not going to subject him to humiliation.''

Melvin said his biggest concern with sitting Hernandez was spoiling the integrity of the playoff races.

''And you have to try to win every game no matter what kind of season you're having,'' Melvin said. ''Not to knock Jerry, but I would have handled it differently,'' Melvin said. ''You face it, it's a one-day story for the media and then you go on, you had a great season. Jose and Jerry probably should have looked at it as it's not a big deal.''

Melvin, who replaced Dean Taylor on Sept. 25, said he considered calling Royster in St. Louis and demanding he play Hernandez but decided against it.

''I wasn't in Jerry's seat. I wasn't in Jose's head. I hadn't met either one and that's not the way I wanted to come into the job,'' Melvin said. ''And frankly, I had other things to do.''




 More from ESPN...
Royster fired after one season as Brewers manager
The Milwaukee Brewers have ...

 ESPN Tools
Email story
 
Most sent
 
Print story
 
Daily email