On Thursday, the Brewers signed Ken Macha to a two-year manager contract. From the official release:

Macha, 58, has four seasons of Major League managerial experience with the Oakland Athletics (2003-06). He owns a career record of 368-280 (.568). Under his leadership, the Athletics won 96, 91, 88 and 93 games, respectively, and captured the American League West Division championship in 2003 and 2006. The Athletics’ winning percentage ranked fourth in the Major Leagues during Macha’s tenure, trailing only the Yankees (.608), Red Sox (.577) and Cardinals (.577).

My first thought upon hearing the news was to remember in Moneyball how the role of the A’s manager was that of impotent figurehead. That wasn’t Macha, of course, but I’ll still be interested to see how he works out.

In other Brewer’s press releases, the team has declined Craig Counsell’s option:

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Brewers today declined the 2009 club option for infielder Craig Counsell. The Brewers and Counsell will continue to negotiate. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin.

Counsell batted .226 with one HR and 14 RBI in 110 games in 2008.

If it doesn’t work out, there’s another NLC team in need of a shortstop and in current possession of a GM who loves the Scrappy White Guy.

The Chicago Cubs rewarded the success of General Manager Jim Hendry this week by signing him to a 4-year extension. That will keep him guiding Cubby blue through 2012.

I’ve always felt that Hendry is, at best, a mediocre GM. The albatross of a contract he gave Alfonso Soriano is already being regretted. His results are impressive, though: 3 post-season appearances in 6 years on the job. That’s good for any baseball team. For the Cubs, it’s unbelievable.

Still, extending Hendry immediately following the Cubs 9th straight loss in the playoffs is a move that brings its fair share of chuckles in the RHM household. Maybe Hendry will improve his post-season record before 2012. It wouldn’t take much.

Over on the Fangraphs blog, I saw a post today about the inefficacy of small ball in the post-season.

Apparently, the Devil Rays aren’t winning in the playoffs by using small ball techniques. Instead, they’re doing it by hitting home runs.

They’re not doing it by hitting behind the runner. They’re not doing it with bunts. They’re not taking the extra base, making productive outs, or playing for one run. They’re hitting the ever loving crap out of the baseball, and proving that Big Ball will get you to the Big Dance. Toss the cliches out the window – when your team has a .535 slugging percentage in the playoffs, you’re going to win.

With that in mind, it’s an even better decision the Reds made when deciding to hold onto their best slugger for this millennium.

Oh, that’s right. They didn’t do that. Sigh. I wonder how far small ball will get Cincinnati.

Remember when Bob Castellini sent the letter to fans at the end of the regular season apologizing for all the sucking? Well, apparently, the Brewers CEO wanted to get in on the act, too. Only, for him, it’s a much more positive letter (and one that makes much more sense to write).

Someday, Reds fans, you too will receive a letter from the owner of your team. Well, another one. And that’s something to look forward to.

Boxscore

After all the winning put up by the Cubs, the Brewers, and to a lesser extent, the Cardinals and Astros, the NLC’s showing in the playoffs was disappointingly short. (That’s what she said.)

So much for the best division in baseball.

Anyway, unlike the Cubs, the Brewers managed to show up for one game and stalled elimination until game 4 against the Phillies. The 4 runs Jeff Suppan allowed in the 3rd inning pretty much sums up the game. Suppan allowed 2 home runs in that inning, one to Pat Burrell and another to Jayson Werth. It was too much for Milwaukee to recover from.

Still, the Brewers had a successful season. It was their first post-season appearance since 1982. While the go-for-broke philosophy that got them there provides a heapin’ helpin’ of work for the club for next year, the team and its fans can take solace that they didn’t collapse as badly as the Cubs.