How will this roster look after Yo, Cameron are back?

[BrewCrewForever]

So long McClung!

[Gopher74]

I've thought this since early last year. The guy had basically an identical season to Hart in 2006, yet he couldn't find his way into lineup in 2007. Ned seems bent on keeping his value low. Oh well, he's a good player; I hope he ends up on a team that values his talent someday.

He had the same type of season as Hart as a platoon player, and he followed that up last year, Hart's breakout year with .764 OPS and a .235/.329 year.

 

Ned isn't "bent" on anything, Gabe Gross hasn't produced anywhere near Corey Hart's level, so the suggestion that it was just some arbitrary reason to play Hart and then not play Gross is totally untrue IMO.

 

[joepepsi]

I wasn't suggesting that and I explained this point in a later post.

[naivin]

Gabe Gross is simply not a particularly good baseball player. He appears to have become the 2008 version of Russ Branyan. He is an All Star on BF.net, yet doesn't appear capable of doing a whole lot on the field.

[lukevan]

small sample

[kmcasper23]

When Yo returns, McClung will be waived and sent to AAA if he clears waivers, with Bush going to long relief. When Cameron comes back look for TG to go to Nashville to build up his trade value by playing everyday. There just is not a spot in the Brewer outfield for him now or in the future. Remember LaPorta will need a spot in the outfield soon as well. I do believe however since Kapler signed a minor-league deal he could be sent down, but as was said earlier he is like having another coach on the team and I think we need him this season.

[adambr2]

I know what I'd do. Gwynn to AAA, McClung released, Bush to the bullpen.

 

Sucks for Gwynn, but what choice do we have? We have options with him and can move him freely between AAA and MLB, a luxury we don't have with Gross. Gwynn isn't going to have much of a role after Cameron gets back anyway. Better for him to see the field in AAA every day rather than warming the bench up here for the big league club. Kapler has earned his way to staying as a 4th outfielder, and the fact that Dillon can play anywhere on the diamond is a good argument to keep him around.

 

As far as McClung, I'd love to wait and see if he can locate his 100 MPH fastball and be able to be consistently effective. Problem is, it's not 2004. We don't have the luxury of trotting Seth out there every few games to try to work out his kinks.

 

Bush will be a good, servicable long reliever who can spot start in a pinch and give us multiple innings. Then we can go with the rotation that we really want, with Sheets, Gallardo, Suppan, Parra, and Villanueva, and then everyone on the team has a pretty defined role.

[LUKE232323]

Bush to long relief, McClung released as far as Gallardo coming back.

 

Cameron coming back is tougher. If Gross is really struggling and Kapler is still playing well, I think you might have to keep Kapler. I know the sample size nazis will come out on this one, but even if Kapler does regress to the mean, how much difference is there between he and Gross anyway? I tend to think Kapler is a little better defensively as well.

[Tbadder]

The more I think about it the more I think we have to keep Gwynn in the organization. I just don't see a replacement for Cameron after this year, and with the loss of Sheets our starters are going to be a priority in the off season. Now, I'm assuming the Brewers let Cameron go to free up money for said pitching.

 

That's why I would DFA McClung and send Gwynn down and keep him rather than trading him.

[naivin]

I think all pretty much agree on Gallardo to the rotation, Bush to the pen, McClung to the street.

 

Guess I'm not sure what Gabe Gross has shown in 2+ years to demonstrate that he is or deserves to be part of the Brewers plans in any capacity? Gwynn's option(s) seem to be the only argument for keeping Gabe Gross around. Obviously we're talking about a 5th outfielder here (perhaps 6th if you include Dillon), so not a big deal, and I'm not sure either Gwynn or Gross are part of the long-range equation, but for the last guy on the bench which is really what we're talking about here, I think Gwynn probably brings more to the party for this team right now. He's faster, plays much better defense, can steal a base, get from 1st to 3rd, etc., and I would say his trade value is probably higher as well.

 

Still 2 weeks for an injury to occur to make this all moot, but if it doesn't, I'm having a hard time seeing the arguments for Gross remaining a Brewer.

[LUKE232323]

Just something else to point out, I know Gross is a lefty bat, but overall career splits also favor Kapler (and Kapler is 32, it's not like he's 36 where one would expect a huge dropoff):

 

Gross: .241/.339/.403/.742

Kapler: .272/.332/.424/.755

 

Nothing earth shattering as far as differences go, but you could easily argue Kapler as the better overall hitter, and IMO he is better defensively.

[GoldGloveSS06]

While we need to focus on this year because we have a great opportunity, I think you also have to look at next year, like a couple posts before suggested. I think the Brewers have to be thinking about LaPorta waiting in the wings. What happens then? Does Corey go to center? I would rather Gwynn be a role player and receive less at bats than LaPorta, but it does hurt our defense.

All said and done, if TGJ nets us something decent in a trade, maybe that's what we have to do. But I think Yost and Melvin will send him to Nashville in case something happens to Cameron (remember he has concussion issues, albeit far less than Koskie) and because they like having a left handed power bat on the bench.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think the Brewers have to be thinking about LaPorta waiting in the wings. What happens then? Does Corey go to center? I would rather Gwynn be a role player and receive less at bats than LaPorta, but it does hurt our defense.

 

I think Hart is definitely the CF of the future, unless Braun miraculously becomes a graceful outfielder (which is possible, albeit unlikely). Any downgrade in defense is more than acceptable considering that LaPorta is just incredibly better offensively than Gwynn. The gap there is much larger.

 

Fwiw, I know there have been some observers of LaPorta's minor-league play that have chimed in on BF.net that he's looked fine if not comfortable in LF. Perhaps someone could weigh in that's gotten some chances to see Matt in Hunstville this season?

[Oldcity]

Yep, Hart should definitely be the center fielder next year, which is why it doesn't make much sense to be stubborn and not move him over to center for a game here and there.

 

As far as what to do when Yo and Cameron come back, I'd cut McClung and option Gwynn to the minors.

[creamcityfan]

I think when Mike Cameron comes back next week, the person that goes is Turnbow, to me he is the person that can go,

[berniebrewer4life]

I think when Mike Cameron comes back next week, the person that goes is Turnbow, to me he is the person that can go,

That's a decent amount of coin just to straight up cut him. Unless you mean send him down and hope nobody picks him up on waivers. I donno, i don't think Turnbow has really had any chances this year, and i'd like to see him get em before we drop him.

[nate82]

That's a decent amount of coin just to straight up cut him. Unless you mean send him down and hope nobody picks him up on waivers. I donno, i don't think Turnbow has really had any chances this year, and i'd like to see him get em before we drop him.

I don't think the Brewers will release Turnbow. I believe Turnbow would clear waivers but would Turnbow go down to the minors is the question really. I believe Turnbow will be traded. I don't want to get rid of Stetter either we shouldn't be sending him down. We definitely need a second lefty in the bullpen. You can't use Shouse every night and Stetter has looked good so far.

I believe it will work like this. Turnbow gets sent down to the minors. A couple months later when the Tigers bullpen starts blowing up again the Brewers get a call and trade Turnbow to the Tigers for something. Stetter stays with the Crew Bush gets put into the bullpen for long relief work taking over McClung's job who takes over Turnbow's spot in the bullpen.

[brewcrewfan08]

How are they going to send down Stetter if he keeps pitching like this.

[dadofandrew]

Parra almost certainly will go down, or Carlos I guess. I would have said Stetter a few days ago, but he's like Jesse Orosco or Dan Plesac in their prime right now. I'm the first to say it's a tiny sample, but you don't bench the guy who's 6-8 with 2 HR's either, you let him cool off.

 

If no one is hurt, I think they might well go with 13 arms for a few weeks and see what happens.

[piccione88]

I was listening to the post game show on 1250 today, and Mitch Stetter was interviewed by Tim, and Sparky. One of the topics they talked about was how Melvin might use him this year. Stetter said that after spring training Yost had told him depending on the team the brewers will carry 13-14 pitchers, and Stetter will certainly be up for certain teams that are loaded with left handers.

 

I really cant see that the 14 man pitching staff was planned in spring training. Hopefully that was just Stetter being creative. It seems very hard to send him down considering how he has been pitching. Varying his arm slots seems to have worked so far this year in nashville, and now in a very limited time in Milwaukee.

[danzig6767]

Parra almost certainly will go down, or Carlos I guess. I would have said Stetter a few days ago, but he's like Jesse Orosco or Dan Plesac in their prime right now. I'm the first to say it's a tiny sample, but you don't bench the guy who's 6-8 with 2 HR's either, you let him cool off.

 

If no one is hurt, I think they might well go with 13 arms for a few weeks and see what happens.

Yea Stetter looks brutal to face for lefthanded hitters. If he can prove to just be solid when facing righthanded bats, he could become a key cog in the pen. Shouse is also tough vs lefties, but man, Stetter has made lefthanded hitters look silly.