Random Fandom

Bob Brenly has been fired as D-Backs manager. Chuck Kniffin was fired, too;
Robin Yount -- considered by talking heads and bloggers as a decent
replacement candidate -- left out of loyalty to Brenly. Third-base coach Al
Pedrique takes over as interim manager.

I realize I'm late reporting the news, and I'll have some more thoughts on
this tomorrow, but here's my brief view of the matter at hand:
1. Brenly was not to blame (primarily, anyway) for this season, but
considering the lack of improvement in the young staff, his firing may have
been more to do with the ability of the D-Backs to compete in 2005 and 2006.
(But it's hard to believe this was the same coach who managed to coax 84
wins out of the same team last year. Losing Schilling and Batista only had
so much of an effect.)
2. It's hard for an outsider to tell what a pitching coach does, so all we
have to go on are the results. And those, as we know, have been awful.
Again, with a young staff, we need a teacher in the role, a skill set
Kniffin did not appear to demonstrate.
3. Joe Jr. saves his head for now. But I'm guessing that he's got 15
months at most to turn the team around.
4. Pedrique coached a lot of these players in Tucson. Here's hoping that
translates well at the major league level.

At least they didn't hire Coach K. (shudders)