Brewers owner Attanasio: 'We all need to do better' in wake of Roenicke's ouster
MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio addressed the media Tuesday for the first time since the team decided to fire manager Ron Roenicke.
Attanasio spoke on a variety of topics, including whether the Brewers will consider a rebuild after an 8-18 start to the season.
General manager Doug Melvin called Attanasio on Milwaukee's off day last Thursday to initiate the conversation that led to Roenicke's firing Sunday night.
"He said he was thinking seriously that we need a manager change," Attanasio said. "So we did our evaluation in a short period of time to make a decision. We decided to move forward with Craig (Counsell).
"When I was here talking with everybody a few weeks ago, a manager change was not on the table. But in sports and life sometimes, things can change. When they do change you have to be able to react. There were several more series."
While Melvin looked back over the past 100 games, Attanasio admitted to evaluating the situation from a micro standpoint.
"We had won five games in April and nine games (last) September," Attanasio said. "That is not what we are trying to do in Milwaukee. I was receptive of Doug broaching this with me."
According to Attanasio, Counsell, who was serving as a special assistant in Milwaukee's front office, was the only candidate considered to replace Roenicke.
"Craig, for any number of reasons, had the inside track," Attanasio said. "In fact, when I spoke to him over the weekend, the first thing he talked about was watching baseball games in Milwaukee for 35 years.
"He feels a real commitment and responsibility to the community. That, coupled with his pretty extensive knowledge of our farm system, and even our rookie-level players, really made him a consensus choice. We didn't really discuss anybody else seriously."
Attanasio was asked when the culpability falls on the shoulders of Melvin, who convinced the owner to pick up Roenicke's option in the spring and didn't make any major changes to a team that collapsed last September.
"One of the challenges is that the responsibility seems to go on the manager or the coach," Attanasio said. "I think we all feel responsible for where we are here. Doug is not shirking responsibility at all for where we're at. What we're trying to do every day is take a look at how we can make this team better. I don't think we look at it like this was all on Ron at all. I think the players do have to be accountable, I think the players are feeling accountable.
"I think Doug has done a good job in constructing the roster. We're all disappointed in the results, and we all need to do better."
While not specifically saying the team will enter a rebuilding phase, Attanasio also didn't deny it is a serious option for the last-place Brewers, which entered Tuesday just 17-40 since last Aug. 25.
"I'm ready to make the hard decisions and do what's best for the organization, whatever that would be," Attanasio said. "You can call it "remodel, retool, rebuild," whatever it takes to bring winning baseball to Milwaukee is what I'm going to do. The organization always comes first to me, and for everybody.
"Without addressing anything specifically, I think I've showed over 11 years, made some pretty tough decisions, and I'd be ready to make them again."
It is still unknown who will be directing the Brewers, rebuild or not. Melvin is in the final year of his contract and is unwilling to comment on the matter. Attanasio followed a similar script Tuesday.
"He wanted to not address his status at this point given we have been dealing with the difficult manager issues," Attanasio said. "I'll respect that and won't address that now. He and I have had several conversations over 11 seasons. We've kept business conversations private and we'll continue to keep them private.
"I think that a lot of times in baseball, people get very hung up on a season-to-season, April 1 to Sept 30 type timetable. Doug has 22 years experience and we are certainly going to try and lean on that."
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