Milwaukee Brewers Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Former 2nd Baseman Rickie Weeks Being Named Associate Manager

The Milwaukee Brewers have officially named Pat Murphy as the 20th manager in franchise history. Prior to today’s announcement, it was widely reported the former second baseman Rickie Weeks would take his place as Milwaukee’s bench coach. Those reports turned out to be somewhat accurate, however the title Weeks was given is not bench coach.

Instead, Weeks, who was an All-Star in 2011, has been named associate manager of the Brewers. He had spent 2022 and 2023 working in their player development department. When he was first hired by the Brewers following his playing career, he revealed to reporters that he had gone back to college and gotten his degree in sports management.

It is, in fact, his goal to be a Major League manager someday. Given his title as associate manager, it appears as if the Brewers may look to hand him the job after Pat Murphy (65 years old) retires.

But all of that is in a possible future; this is the here and now. And Brewers fans have some very mixed reactions to Weeks getting such a high-profile position in Milwaukee’s coaching staff.

Milwaukee Brewers Fans React to Rickie Weeks Being Named Associate Manager

This is not, of course, the first time that the Brewers have given a high-profile coaching spot to a former player with very little coaching experience. When they first hired Craig Counsell, it was after he had spent a year in the Brewers’ front office; he had no prior coaching experience on the Major League level.

The same is true for Weeks and, despite the success of the former manager, fans are both excited and skeptical about the Brewers’ hiring decision:

Brewers love adding former players to the staff. I love it. I use to rake with Rickie Weeks in The Show

— DJ Potter⚡️ (@djp_spittincap) November 15, 2023

Okay but how excited are we that good friend Rickie Weeks was named Associate Manager for the Brewers let’s freakkkkkkkin go! 🥰

— Wendi Medeiros (@WendiLooHoo3) November 15, 2023

Rickie Weeks back in the Mil!!! https://t.co/PCtksUb8zf

— Jando (@Jdando13) November 15, 2023

I grew up watching Rickie Weeks play as a Brewer, so this news is thrilling!!! https://t.co/OajWnGgBds

— Molly J. (@molly_jasi) November 15, 2023

Hell yes. Rickie Weeks forever https://t.co/1OepTtPAaz

— Brady Resch (@LilDanBord) November 15, 2023

Rickie Weeks is 100% being groomed to be our next Manager once Pat Murphy is done. https://t.co/hAOTA5bXOl

— Cooper L. Goede (@CooperGoede) November 15, 2023

Congrats to Rickie Weeks… now what exactly does an Associate Manager do? https://t.co/skZP6jqdec

— Ryan Keen (@ryty_keen25) November 15, 2023

Listen to Counsell talk and then listen to Rickie Weeks.

CC has a deep knowledge of the game. Rickie Weeks is just a mediocre ex-player.

— SarahAnnRhoades (@SarahAnnRhoades) November 15, 2023

I don’t get the fascination with Rickie Weeks at all.

The entire managerial situation is a disaster.

— SarahAnnRhoades (@SarahAnnRhoades) November 15, 2023

Clearly, this is a hire that has many excited as it reminds them of past days of watching Brewers baseball when they were younger. Weeks was an integral part of Milwaukee’s return to relevancy in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s.

Others, though, are not as excited. They view the hirings of Murphy and Weeks as more cost-friendly moves by an organization that, they believe, will never spend enough money to ever seriously compete for a World Series. And they may be right.

That being said, Murphy has spent over 40 years coaching baseball and Weeks, as mentioned, got a degree in sports management after a 14-year playing career.

They may not be flashy hires, but they are most certainly qualified for the jobs they have been given.

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