It should be soon

                                     Oct. 30, 2008 8:21 a.m. | Philadelphia - Now that the World Series is over, I'm expecting the Brewers to name Ken Macha as their new manager, either today or tomorrow.

The Brewers were honoring the moratorium on announcing managerial hirings during the World Series, so now they can go ahead with their business. Had Tampa Bay won last night and forced the Series to go on to Game 6 and perhaps 7, I'm not sure what the Brewers would do because they want to get this done and move forward.

Macha, a former manager with Oakland, was one of three finalists for the job. General manager Doug Melvin also interviewed former Arizona manager Bob Brenly and former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph.

Melvin has not been returning telephone calls for the past few days because he obviously doesn't want to talk about the situation until it can be announced. Having made his choice, it just would have been awkward to fend off questions about it without being able to announce it.

But it's my information that Macha is the man. I've expected all along he would be the favorite because Melvin wanted to hire him before the 2003 season but Macha was promoted from bench coach to manager in Oakland instead. So, Melvin hired Ned Yost, who was fired with 12 games remaining this season.

If you like a guy once, you'll like him again. The thing that has to be addressed is all of the problems Macha had with players before he was fired after four winning seasons in Oakland. Melvin has looked into that situation and believes there were extenuating circumstances that weren't all Macha's doing.

As I've been writing in recent days, I'm expecting Macha to bring Dale Sveum back onto the coaching staff, as either third base coach or bench coach. And as I wrote yesterday, pitching coach Mike Maddux might be leaving for Texas.

So, there are matters to be addressed. And in the coming days, some big decisions with personnel, such as the club option on centerfielder Mike Cameron. And, now that the World Series is over, the Brewers will be preparing their offer to free agent pitcher CC Sabathia.

It's going to be a busy and very important winter for the club, especially if it would like to compete for the playoffs again next season.

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From ESPN.com:

The Milwaukee Brewers are expected to name Ken Macha as their choice to succeed interim manager Dale Sveum, two baseball sources have told ESPN. The official announcement could come later Thursday.

Macha, who managed the Oakland Athletics from 2003 to 2006, former Arizona Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly and former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph were considered the finalists for the job.

As the NL wild-card qualifier, the Brewers reached the postseason for the first time since 1982, but lost to eventual World Series champion Philadelphia in four games in the division series.

Earlier this month, at the same time Milwaukee announced general manager Doug Melvin would receive a 3-year contract extension, it said Sveum was no longer under consideration to become manager full-time.

The Brewers went on to win the wild card with a 90-72 record after Sveum replaced Ned Yost as manager with two weeks left in the regular season.

Macha was fired by the A's after Oakland was swept in the '06 AL Championship Series by Detroit. The A's went 368-280 but failed to reach the World Series in his four seasons as manager.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.