Brewers Introduce Mgr. Lopes

September 21, 1999 / 3:55 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Davey Lopes was hired today to manage the Milwaukee Brewers, who hope he can end their streak of seven straight losing season.

Lopes, the San Diego Padres' first-base coach, had finished second several times when interviewing past managerial openings. But he finally landed a job by impressing new GM Dean Taylor and team president Wendy Selig-Prieb.

Lopes, 53, replaces Phil Garner, fired in August after nearly eight seasons with Milwaukee. Garner was hired by the Detroit Tigers two weeks ago.

Taylor said the team wanted someone "who defined a winning mind set, who could create a structured-yet-positive environment and, last but not least, someone who's a quality baseball man in his own right."

"He is without question the man to lead this ballclub to the next level," Taylor said.

Jim Lefebvre had been the Brewers interim manager for the season's final seven weeks. Milwaukee finished 74-87, fifth in the NL Central.

Lopes' no-nonsense reputation as a player and coach appealed to Taylor, who has said the Brewers lacked direction.

"It quickly became evident to us that Davey Lopes embodied all of these qualities," Taylor said.

Lopes and New York Yankees third-base coach Willie Randolph, a former Brewers player, were the finalists for the job.

Selig-Prieb's father, baseball commissioner Bud Selig, has demanded teams consider minority candidates for their front-office and managerial vacancies. Lopes, who has Hispanic and African-American heritage, fits that bill.

Lopes has been outspoken about the lack of managerial opportunities for minority candidates. He and new Indians manager Charlie Manuel are the only managers hired this offseason with no previous major league managing experience.

"This is a very rewarding opportunity for me," Lopes said. "This is something I've been seeking for some time now. I believe I am the right man for this job. My job is to make this team a winner."

San Diego Padres manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Lopes "probably had to wait a little longer than he should have."

Lopes has interviewed for several managerial vacancies in the last few years, including Toronto's in 1997. This fall, he was mentioned in for the jobs in Cleveland and Anaheim, and the Angels' interest might have hastened the Brewers' selection.

Milwaukee faces another long season in 2000. A July construction accident delayed the opening of Miller Park, the team's new retractable-roof stadium, a year until April 2001.

The Brewers made a substantial offer to Atlanta Braves hitting coach Don Baylr, but he turned it down to manage the Chicago Cubs, a team with higher revenue and a bigger payroll than Milwaukee.

Lopes had a 16-year playing career as a speedy second baseman with the Dodgers, Athletics, Cubs and Astros. His best seasons were in Los Angeles, where he played nine years, stole 413 bases and played in four World Series.

A four-time All-Star, Lopes was known as a fierce competitor throughout his career. He stole 47 bases for the Cubs in 1985 at age 39.

Lopes began coaching as the dugout coach and first-base coach for the Texas Rangers in 1988. He worked with current Rangers manager Johnny Oates as Baltimore's first-base coach from 1992-94, and he joined the Padres in 1995. He has managed two teams in the Arizona Fall League.

"He's going to do a fine job," Bochy said. "He's an old-school baseball guy that's going to demand they play the game the way it should be."