In his first 3 1/2 seasons as manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, Ned Yost has displayed patience with players that seemed almost limitless.
Today, he hit a wall.
A few hours before a game against the Braves in Atlanta, Yost announced that he plans to bench slumping rightfielder Geoff Jenkins in order to give playing time to Corey Hart and Gabe Gross.
Jenkins, who is making $7.5 million this season, is batting.254 with 10 home runs and 57 RBI. He has 108 strikeouts in 397 at-bats and has been particularly horrific against left-handed pitchers (10 for 84, .119).
Hart will see action in right field, with Gross sharing time with centerfielder Brady Clark and leftfielder Kevin Mench.
Jenkins, 32, may have gotten an inkling about during the recent series against the Cubs. Yost lifted him for a pinch-hitter (Clark) on Tuesday night, then decided not to start him in the series finale against right-hander Mark Prior.
Jenkins has a year left on his contract.
Today, he hit a wall.
A few hours before a game against the Braves in Atlanta, Yost announced that he plans to bench slumping rightfielder Geoff Jenkins in order to give playing time to Corey Hart and Gabe Gross.
Jenkins, who is making $7.5 million this season, is batting.254 with 10 home runs and 57 RBI. He has 108 strikeouts in 397 at-bats and has been particularly horrific against left-handed pitchers (10 for 84, .119).
Hart will see action in right field, with Gross sharing time with centerfielder Brady Clark and leftfielder Kevin Mench.
Jenkins, 32, may have gotten an inkling about during the recent series against the Cubs. Yost lifted him for a pinch-hitter (Clark) on Tuesday night, then decided not to start him in the series finale against right-hander Mark Prior.
Jenkins has a year left on his contract.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
