Melvin submits list of internal GM candidates

CHICAGO -- Outgoing Brewers general manager Doug Melvin has submitted to owner Mark Attanasio a list of internal candidates to consider for the job, but is keeping the names private to avoid issues of office politics.

"What you don't want is people saying, 'Well, I see that name on the list. Why isn't my name on the list?'" Melvin said. "We've got a lot of very good people who work in this organization and have been part of what we've done. They know the organization."

Attanasio said he already has 30-plus names under consideration, including outside candidates, inside candidates and a handful of individuals from industries outside baseball.

How many of his own staffers Melvin recommended would be vetted, he declined to say. But the Brewers do employ some younger, analytics-knowledgeable individuals like amateur scouting director Ray Montgomery, pro scouting director Zack Minasian, director of video scouting and baseball research Karl Mueller, assistant director of amateur scouting Tod Johnson and assistant director of video scouting Scott Campbell.

Melvin will continue to serve as general manager until the Brewers hire his replacement. His precise role in the search remains to be determined.

Video: MIL@CHC: Brewers owner Attanasio on Melvin's new role

"We haven't sat down to talk about that," Melvin said. "I think [Attanasio] mentioned that I would be [involved]. I think he even mentioned [Brewers COO] Rick Schlesinger would be, from a business standpoint. There's a lot of things you want to cover in GM interviews. When I've gone through those in the past, there are a lot of people involved."

Since Attanasio indicated he wants manager Craig Counsell to remain in place under the new GM, would Counsell play any role in the process?

"I don't believe so. I haven't spoken to Mark about that," Counsell said. "It's a huge decision, and I think Mark spoke about that [Wednesday], how it's important to take time to make that decision. He'll get it right."

Counsell added: "We're undergoing change right now as an organization. There's big change happening, and you have to embrace the change."

Naturally, the club's baseball operations employees are wondering whether they will remain part of the Brewers' period of change. They include 63-year-old assistant GM Gord Ash, one of two former general managers (with special assistant Dan O'Brien) hired by Melvin soon after coming to Milwaukee in late 2002.

"I'm ready, willing and able to continue working," Ash said. "What role that's in is certainly up to Mark. From the comments that were suggested [Wednesday], I certainly don't qualify as a 35-year-old, but I do pride myself on keeping up to date on all the trends in the game. I think I understand all of it. I think there has to be a marriage of both [traditional scouting and analytics], that there is not any one way to do business.

"But I like what I do and I've grown to love Milwaukee. Hopefully I can continue as long as they want me. What role that takes, I don't know yet."