Brewers associate manager Rickie Weeks talks about working with Pat Murphy
Milwaukee Brewers associate manager Rickie Weeks on working with manager Pat Murphy, and some of his own managerial philosophies.
After a two-year run as Milwaukee Brewers associate manager, Rickie Weeks is leaving the dugout for a new role within the organization.
Weeks will now serve as special assistant – baseball operations and domestic/international scouting, the team announced Thursday, Nov. 6.
It had been widely assumed the 43-year-old was hired into the role as associate manager and was being groomed as the potential successor to manager Pat Murphy.
Murphy has excelled since taking over for Craig Counsell in November 2023, though, and would appear to be the favorite to repeat as the National League’s manager of the year. Murphy just completed the second year of the three-year contract he signed to be manager.
President of baseball operations Matt Arnold said the move came out of discussions he and Weeks had after the end of the season with regard to how the former all-star second baseman saw his career playing out.
“As I talked to Rickie about his future and the Brewers’ future, I felt like he and I were aligned on what he thought would be best to help the organization and build his résumé,” Arnold said. “It’s a really cool opportunity and I’m excited to have him.
“He’s obviously worn a lot of different hats – he’s been in the dugout with us, he’s been a special assistant and helped out on the player development side – and now he’s going to be a great asset for us on the scouting side as well as baseball operations.
“I’m excited to partner with him in his role going forward.”
Among Weeks’ new duties:
– Assist with the evaluation of draft-eligible and international players while attending player tryouts, key tournaments and signing-day events;
– Draft preparation for the first-year player draft and assisting in the recruiting and evaluation process of possible amateur and professional player signings;
– Work with baseball operations leadership on player acquisitions and the assessment and recommendation of on-field rules changes and other changes relative to on-field competition.
Before being named associate manager, Weeks served as assistant to player development from 2022 to 2023.
And before that, Weeks played 11 of his 14 major-league seasons for the Brewers and is a member of the Brewers Wall of Honor. His best season came in 2011, when he hit 20 home runs and earned his lone all-star nod.
“The Brewers organization has done an exceptional job with the team over the last two years, and I am appreciative of my time on the coaching staff,” Weeks said. “I will miss the relationships with players and staff and wish nothing but the best to everyone.
“Right now, I will refocus in a new capacity with my eyes on future growth to help this club gain wins in a different role.”
Arnold said Weeks’ move wouldn’t necessarily preclude him from returning to coaching at some point in the future.
“I think that’s one of the things that’s appealing about this for him and for us,” Arnold said. “I think this is a really cool thing for Rickie, because he has such a unique skill set that can potentially go in either (the front-office or coaching) directions.
“I think getting this kind of exposure will be great for him and the Brewers.”
The role of associate manager will not be filled, with the responsibilities of the position redistributed and taken on by other members of the coaching staff – a rarity in today’s game.
“Rickie was doing a lot here, and we just felt it was better to distribute the workload among a lot of different people,” Arnold said. “It’ll be an opportunity for a number of different people to take on new roles and grow more in their roles as well.
“We’re still working through that process.”
Hitting coach Connor Dawson leaving for Royals
Weeks isn’t the only departure from the coaching staff.
Arnold also confirmed that hitting coach Connor Dawson will be leaving for a similar role with the Kansas City Royals.
Dawson, a native of the Kansas City area, spent four seasons with the Brewers, who moved to a three-man staff of hitting coaches last offseason with Al LeBoeuf as lead and Eric Theisen also coming aboard after being promoted from the minor leagues.
“It’s a tough loss for us, but home for him,” Arnold said. “For him to be able to go home and take an opportunity with his hometown team is a really unique opportunity for him. I’m sad to lose him but I’m happy that he has the chance to go home and work for the team he grew up rooting for.”
Arnold indicated he is still working through whether to fill Dawson’s vacated role.