MANAGERIAL CAREER:
Yost, 47, became the clear choice to become the Brewers' 14th manager because of his unbridled enthusiasm and desire to recapture the excitement the Brewers generated during Yost's playing days with the Brewers.

Yost, who played with the Brewers from 1980-1983, was a backup catcher on the club that reached the World Series in 1982, losing in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals. He has never lost the feelings of pride that filled County Stadium, the Brewers clubhouse and the city of Milwaukee during those glory days.

That energy and electricity was evident on Tuesday when Yost was formally introduced as the Brewers' manager during a press conference at Miller Park. "Needless to say this is a very, very special day in my life to be able to come back here and be a part of this," Yost said as he put on a Brewers jersey for the first time since 1983. "I've been sitting in my office the last couple days looking at my old team pictures from 1980,'81 and '82 at Harvey Kuenn, Buck Rodgers and George Bamberger and to think I'm going to be able to come back and manage the Milwaukee Brewers, it's like being a four-year-old at Christmas.

"The time I spent in Milwaukee is probably the most special time I've had in baseball. Those four years, the club was successful and the city was very exciting. Try to put together a team that can compete and get this city excited again, that's my goal and makes me very excited. I think it's going to be a very exciting time."

Yost has never managed at the big-league level, but he spent the last 12 seasons as a coach with the Atlanta Braves. He was a bullpen coach from 1991-98 before serving as Cox's third base coach during the last four seasons.

A backup catcher in the big leagues from 1980-85, Yost hit .212 with 16 homers and 64 RBIs in 219 games with the Brewers, Texas Rangers and Montreal Expos.

Neither Yost nor Melvin see Yost's lack of managerial experience as a negative.

"He's an individual who is focused on what he has, not what he doesn't have," Melvin suggested. "I think that's so important in our game today. He was willing to take the team we have today and try to make it better. ... His work ethic, energy and enthusiasm are all reasons why Ned's up here today."

"I don't have a lot of managerial experience, but I've been around a Hall of Fame manager for 11 years," says Yost. "I figure I must have been pretty good coach because I stayed in the big leagues 12 years and didn't get the opportunity to go back and manage anywhere."

Now that Yost has landed his dream job, the work begins on rebuilding a franchise that struggled through its first 100-loss season in 2002. Yost and Melvin will begin discussions on putting together his coaching staff Wednesday.

"My goal is to put together an experienced, very hard working, focused coaching staff, one that is totally unafraid to teach Major League players and wants to get out there with them and lead and direct them," Yost said. "I think it's important to have a staff to show them they're capable of doing it.

"It's our job as coaches and managers to take what we're given and make them better players. There may be more talent on other ballclubs but these guys can certainly work harder to make themselves better and become competitive. It's going to take time but I believe it's going to happen, hopefully sooner rather than later."

Yost cautioned that it would take time and a lot of hard work to reverse the Brewers' fortunes. And he plans to accomplish that task with a heavy focus on patience, fundamentals and consistency.

"There are no shortcuts in becoming champions," he suggested. "It's focus, concentration, work ethic, and attitude. It's passion, not only for each other but passion for the game."

The Brewers' managerial search also included Oakland's Ken Macha, Brewers bench coach Cecil Cooper, Arizona bench coach Bob Melvin and Yankees third base coach Willie Randolph.

Melvin indicated that Yost's National League experience also pushed him past the other candidates.

"It was a tough phone call to Willie (Randolph) because I have a lot of respect for him," Melvin noted. "But, I've been 29 years in the American League and I think to have someone who is familiar with the National League is important. ... That's all part of the thought process."