Is Brewers Manager Ken Macha Managing To Scared?

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

As I watched the Brewers take on the Mets today, I saw a perfect time to lay down a bunt. Prince was on second, nobody was out Brewers down one run and Corey Hart up to bat.

Corey had two unsuccessful bunt attempts. After the second missed bunt Fielder got too far off the bag and got thrown out at third after he tried to take it after going into no man’s land.

This is a case of how the National League is different than the rival American League. In the AL, managers don't have to worry about pinch hitting because they have the designated hitter.

The Brewers hired Macha two years after he had been fired from his American League job in Oakland. Before joining the Brewers, Macha had taken the A's to the championship series before getting fired after they were swept.

Macha doesn't like to make outs on the base paths, so he relays on the home run and extra base hits for most of the Brewers runs. He also doesn't like to bunt. There have been numerous times when the pitcher has been up and a runner on first and third and Macha doesn't bunt he lets the pitcher hit.

The Brewers live and die with the home run. Yes, they have Ryan Braun and Fielder in the middle and other hitters with power, but they never try to take the extra base afraid they won't please their manager.

Take a player like Bill Hall or Matt Gamel. If they try to take the extra base and get thrown out they might not get an at bat for a couple days as punishment. That is because they are so deep at third base.

The Brewers also don't steal bases. They're fast enough, with players like Braun and Hart, but Macha doesn't like to make outs on the base paths.

I think Macha is doing a good job, however, if the Brewers ball coach lets them play more and be more aggressive it might help them stay in first and fend off the Cards.

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