Brewers Name Trebelhorn as Manager for 1987

The Milwaukee Brewers, nearing the end of a disappointing season, Wednesday named Tom Trebelhorn as their manager for next year.

Trebelhorn, 38, the club’s third base coach, became interim manager last Friday when George Bamberger retired.

Bamberger was surprised by the announcement. At his home in North Redington Beach, Fla., he said: “I’m a Frank Howard and Tony Muser man. Jim Frey’s name was also mentioned. But Tom is a good selection.”

Howard and Muser are Brewer coaches, and Frey formerly managed the Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals.

“When I took over, I thought the club responded pretty well to me,” Trebelhorn said at a news conference, where General Manager Harry Dalton made the announcement. “I wanted the players to feel, ‘I wish it wasn’t over, I wish we could play more games’ at the end of the season.”

Terms of Trebelhorn’s one-year contract were not announced, but the manager said, “I’ve never been paid so handsomely in my life for something I love to do.”

Dalton said: “It (the change in managers) gave us a chance again to promote within. He has the respect of the players and that has been very evident. Also I’m very impressed with the way he prepares for a game.”