If Ned Yost fails as Brewers' manager, he might try to get a job with the Metro Milwaukee Asssociation of Commerce as a promoter of our city.

The Brewers' new manager was a virtual walking chamber of commerce for Milwaukee and the franchise in his first meeting with the media Tuesday afternoon.

"This city deserves a winner," said Yost, who played for the Brewers and had been a coach for the Atlanta Braves for the last dozen years. "This is a wonderful city.

"The fans here, and Chicago Cubs fans, are fantastic fans. They are loyal. They want you to play hard. They appreciate when you do."

Yost was a backup catcher on the 1982 Brewers' championship team and hit a clutch homer during that team's pennant drive. "The time I spent in Milwaukee was the most special time I ever had in baseball," Yost said.

"The city was very excited. That, and the 1991 season when Atlanta won for the first time, stand out."

Yost, whose managerial experience consists of three seasons at Class A ball, acknowledged some might question his lack of big league experience as the top man.

"I understand, but I've been with a Hall of Fame manager for the last 11 years in Bobby Cox (at Atlanta) and learned a lot from him," Yost said. "I never really worried about whether I can do the job. This is what I dreamed of doing."

Yost said he would mix passion, persistence and patience in his approach. "Passion and enthusiasm are like catching a cold," he said. "I think a lot of managing is showing the players you are sincere and that your best interests are their best interests."

GM Doug Melvin, who picked Yost from four remaining candidates, also addressed the experience factor. "We are all going to make mistakes, no matter what business we are in," Melvin said.

"Nobody knows how good you'll be until you get that chance. If you have the qualities of character that Ned brings, I believe you will probably make fewer mistakes. I'll sacrifice a mistake here and there for the work ethic and all he brings to the table."

Melvin said Yost was not on his original list of 12-15 candidates, but after receiving some recommendations he decided to interview him. "He basically came into the interview and won the job with his sincerity and enthusiasm," he said.

More experienced managers had expressed some interest in the job, but Melvin said, "I questioned the level of their interest." With Yost, who had never been interviewed for another major league managerial job, "there never was any doubt he wanted to be here," Melvin said.

Yankees coach Willie Randolph and Brewers coach Cecil Cooper, two African Americans, were passed over. Melvin said Randolph had a lot of coaching experience, but mostly in the American League. "I thought Ned had more knowledge of the National League," Melvin said.

The Brewers reportedly offered their job first to A's coach Ken Macha, but he ended up staying in Oakland as manager when Art Howe left to take the Mets' job.

Yost played 14 years in the majors with the Brewers, Rangers and Expos. He managed at Sumter, the Braves Class A affiliate, right after retiring as a player. He then joined Cox's coaching staff at the major league level.

He becomes the fifth straight Brewers' manager to have no previous big league managerial experience. Tom Trebelhorn, Phil Garner, Davey Lopes and Jerry Royster were the previous four.

Trebelhorn had a winning record in five seasons. Of the others, only Garner managed to have a winning season, in his first year of 1992.

The three losing managers came to their jobs with a great deal of enthusiasm. Each thought they knew how to make the Brewers winners. Yet each failed, in part because the player talent just was not adequate.

Yost said Tuesday that Ben Sheets, Glendon Rusch, Wayne Franklin, Nick Neugebauer and Ben Diggins give the Brewers a start toward "a pretty good, young rotation. And, we all know that the bullpen is solid."

"There might be more talent on other ballclubs, but these guys can certainly work hard and make themselves better," Yost added.

Sounds good, but the truth is the Brewers need significant player changes. Melvin said Tuesday, "There will be changes in the clubhouse over the winter." He hopefully wasn't talking about remodeling the locker area.

Without some significant changes in players, no amount of enthusiasm and positive attitude can make winners of the Brewers and Ned Yost is likely to go down the same losing path as his predecessors.