The Royals fired manager Trey Hillman, according to Yahoo's Jeff Passan (via Twitter). Former Brewers manager Ned Yost will take over the club. The 12-23 Royals already trail the first place Twins by 10.5 games in the AL Central. Hillman was in the last year of a three-year contract that he signed after the 2007 season. Hillman led the Royals to a 152-207 record in two-plus seasons.
Royals GM Dayton Moore said earlier in the week that the Royals were not close to making any moves and praised Hillman for doing a "terrific job." Hillman says he believes in the Royals; he told Passan that "it will work" in Kansas City (Twitter link).
Yost, 55, led the Brewers to a 457-502 record when he managed them from 2003-08.
Tony
about time…the royals can only get better from this point on
Big Time Mike
I think this is a great move by the Roayls b/c Ned Yost is a great manager!
tman89544
Great guy but it was clear he just couldn’t handle the role. The past 2 weeks demonstrated that he just doesn’t know how to manage on a day to day basis. I am very surprised that Dayton Moore had the balls to step up and admit his mistake, but i am glad this has happent. I like the hire of Ned Yost as he had alot to do with developing the Brewers young players. The future just got slightly better for the royals today.
invader3k
As a Brewers fan, I will say Yost did a good job taking the Brewers from being a bad club to being respectable. Maybe he can do the same for the Royals.
Sage
As a Brewers fan, I still miss Ned Yost. Great hire for the Royals. Yost should also know how to use Kendall properly (if he’s starting for you guys…).
He’ll develop your young players pretty well. You Royals fans should be excited about this hire.
Ferrariman
why not just promote george brett?
Ian_Smell
God is Ned Yost a bum. I still remember when he was whining because CC didn’t get that no-hitter against the Pirates in 2008.
Robby L
You mean that time he was absolutely right about CC not getting that no-hitter? I’m not really a Yost fan, but even most of your fans admitting how terrible of a call it was.
Ian_Smell
I agree with you that the score keeper had not gone with the right call, just that Yost’s constant whining got really annoying after a while. CC didn’t even care about it, he was just happy to win the game. After a while it just got to a point where I was like, “whatever, dude.” But maybe it’s just because I really hate the Brewers, though.
Nicolas_C
Yea, but arguing to have a stat changed just to benefit an individual player shouldn’t happen, especially not to the extent he argued it. He won the game, that’s all that should matter now.
InTheKZone
As much as I like Ned Yost, I don’t see how this will help the Royals (much, if any). Other than Greinke, there simply aren’t many bright spots.
Ferrariman
joakim soria, billy butler, zach grienke, and a good farm system.
Nicolas_C
Also if the team is smart enough to sit Betancourt and start Aviles at short they’ll be in a much better position
Ferrariman
too bad their not smart.
twentyfivemanroster
‘cept if you replace Betancourt you insert Chris Getz or Willie Bloomquist who are actually WORSE than Betancourt offensively
ReverendBlack
Big shoes to fill…
Steve_in_MA
I’m kinda feeling like Pavilionbum. Seems more like a scapegoat move, where the problem is the talent selected by Dayton Moore. Ned is a loser. Please note his 6 season record, which is below .500. And, just how many times did the Brew Crew make the playoffs during his reign? Just once, in 2008. It was one and done (lost 3-1). I think KC needs a make-over, starting with the GM. Then they should hire someone who is a perennial winner and disciplinarian for the managerial helm; like Bobby Valentine.
flumesalot
Odds for next to go? My guess is AJ Hinch or that guy in Baltimore from the Priceline.com commercials
Tyler
William Shatner?
flumesalot
Yes… the resemblances are kinda uncanny 🙂
jdub220
AJ Hinch would never get fired. Josh Byrnes and AJ are in love. Like seriously, not even kidding.
Kevin Chambers
Ozzie Guillen anyone.
Suzysman
I think Lou was fired last season. Like Milton though, he hasnt been told and is too preoccupied running around looking for his left-handed hitter and BP arm to notice anyway…
Johnnie
Trembley will get canned next, then Dusty? (I’m hoping)
FutureBravesGM18
Royal’s fans are going to have to wait for a new GM untill the Braves get smart and fire Frank Wren. Then you will probably sign him! HAHA!
Scooby
The organization fired the wrong guy. The eternally optimistic Dayton Moore should be the one to be let go. The Royals badly need to rebuild but that won’t happen until Moore can be stopped from making horrible free agent signings year after year.
Otis26
This really is non-news. No one can win with the ‘lineup’ fielded by the Royals. Yost was stupid for taking the job because he’s just going to lose more.
Ok…given that Hillman was pretty stupid when it came to his lineup I’ll give you this: The hiring of Yost means the Royals will only lose 103 instead of 105.
Matt
Agreed….KC did fire the wrong guy. While Captain America (Glass) is off in the corner counting his profit and private D-Bag (Moore) is running amuck a somewhat storied franchise into the dirt. You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken sheit….
damnitsderek
Hillman was a terrible manager. There are obviously greater problems that need to be resolved in Kansas City, but Hillman was a far cry from the answer. Hillman is about as much a Major League manager as Icehouse is a quality beer.
damnitsderek
Hillman was a terrible manager. There are obviously greater problems that need to be resolved in Kansas City, but Hillman was a far cry from the answer. Hillman is about as much a Major League manager as Icehouse is a quality beer.
melonis_rex
What’s really optimistic about this, if I were a Royals fan, would be that this move supposedly came from someone not Dayton Moore… and its always optimistic towards a firing if someone other than the GM is calling the shots.
Dayton Moore is probably gone. Soon.