Options to replace Weeks

[fondybrewfan]

It seems as if Weeks will be replaced in house for the time being but I am skeptical that Counsell/McGehee can produce for 4+ months.

 

So what are the options?

 

Durham

Grudz

DeRosa

Belliard

The Hurricane

Lawrie (JK)

 

I would love to see DeRo in a Brewer uniform but I don't know how likely that is. He isn't a leadoff hitter but he would go a long way towards replacing Rickie's offense not to mention he can practically play anywhere

[Invader3K]

Don't we have kind of a better version of DeRosa in Bill Hall? I know this has already been suggested, but I don't see why they can't let Hall play 2B with Counsell filling in when needed, and then have Gamel start at 3B and let him succeed or fail there.

[yoshii8]

Felipe Lopez, Willie Harris, Ronnie Belliard and the grittiest player of all time David Eckstein could also be options. I would love to get DeRosa, I wouldn't mind Willie Harris or bringing back Ray Durham.

[brewtank34]

I would take DeRosa over Bill Hall any day and twice on Sundays. The dude hits for a better average, has a better OBP and is a good glove. That saying, I don't think Melvin will make a trade to get him.

If Gamel can play 3b, just move Hall and Counsel over to 2b and have Casey McGahee back up Gamel.

[TooLiveBrew]

Another vote here for Felipe Lopez. Can you do better than replacing Weeks with his h.s. teammate?

 

Seriously, though, what others have already said on Lopez... switch-hitter with some pop & he plays solid D. The situation seems pretty solid too, with ARZ not looking likely to contend.

[Weirdos19]

Probably get Uggla and Josh Johnson for Escobar and Jeffress.

 

The Marlins should be selling soon....

[PaulRigdon]

Mark Teahen

[endaround]

Teahen is no longer at 2B for a reason. He can't play it.

 

Aside from DeRosa and Lopez, no one mentioned really can play everyday and as such its hard to say if their value over Iribarren would be worth the cost to obtain. If you could get DeRosa that would be great but he's unlikely to come easily. I doubt the DBacks are ready to call it a season yet.

[tyguy20204]

Can Ian Stewart play 2B? I see he's been shuffling around quite a bit in the Rockies defense, is that because he stinks on the field or is it because they feel they can get more value out of him as a utility player?

 

If he can play 2B, he might be an option, although he'd be riskier than some others in that he doesn't have a storied background.

[LouisEly]

Counsell is unlikely to be able to hold up as an every-day starter for a full season, so my preference this early in the season would be to go with young guys who more likely have the stamina to hold up to playing full-time for the rest of the year:

 

1) Start Hall at 2B and Gamel at 3B with Counsell spelling each as needed and hope Gamel can cut it defensively. Bring up Iribarren or Catalanotto when he's ready.

 

2) If that does not work, call up Iribarren and let him and McGehee platoon at 2B with Counsell returning to super-sub (starting 3-4 games per week).

 

I don't see a need to give up prospects or go outside the organization yet. Iribarren seems to have figured things out (or is more comfortable now that he's returned to 2B), and could play OF in a pinch so he is my odds-on favorite to replace Weeks. If neither of these two scenarios works out then I'd be more open to going outside of the organization once July rolls around.

[TooLiveBrew]

Counsell will hold up better against RHP than Hall, so not sure why we should have to suffer Hall's inferior (when compared to Counsell) defense (esp. at 2B) and his abyss of suckiness against righties. To me, the answer is simple...

 

Gamel plays. Platoon Counsell & Hall at 2B until a suitable replacement can be acquired.

[sheetskout]

Probably get Uggla and Josh Johnson for Escobar and Jeffress.

 

The Marlins should be selling soon....

I wish! Adding Johnson and an upper-tier second-baseman would be really nice. But I don't see the Marlins trading Johnson. Right now Johnson is worth more than Escobar and Jeffress combined. Especially as Jeffress has been blowing chunks (walks) all season so far.

[jackalope02ca]

Didn't Johnson leave his last arm with right shoulder tightness? With his injury history I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole. He could be very close to being done.

[EdgarDiazRocks]

The Braves were shopping Kelly Johnson in spring.

[Hate those Rodents]

I think Gamel's going to prove he needs to play everyday at third, thus the Hall/Counsell option will look just fine to me.

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

I'd trade Escobar + another top 10-15 prospect for Uggla in a heartbeat

[hauser42]

Options I like

1. Gamel at 3B platoon of Hall. Counsell at 2B

2. Felipe Lopez.

3. Ronnie Belliard.

"Teahen is no longer at 2B for a reason. He can't play it."

Teahen time at 2B was stopped due to injuries in OF first and now with Gordon out at 3B. He was getting playing time at 2B till the injuries hit.

[Invader3K]

"Ronnie Belliard" Gosh, I sure hope not.

[nate82]

You forgot about Polanco but if the Tigers are still in it I doubt the Tigers would trade Polanco.

[aracko]

Teahen is no longer at 2B for a reason. He can't play it.

Not true. Alex Gordon was hurt so Teahen was moved to 3b.

[Mr Southpaw]

Haw about Willie Randolph. We can save money on the cost of a uniform.

[Brian the Automator]

I'd be shocked if they just didn't call up Iribarren and go with Counsell/Hall/McGeehee

[RyDogg66]

Kelly JOhnson?

[endaround]

The seem to be really reluctant to move Hall off 3B and 200 PAs by McGehee at 2B is a bad thing all the way around.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'd be shocked if they just didn't call up Iribarren and go with Counsell/Hall/McGeehee

For the next couple weeks sure though one wonders why they didn't announce anything yesterday. Nashville to St. Louis is a very short flight. But this is a team that went out and got Durham when they had Weeks. I have to believe Melvin's already been on the phone with Grudzielanek's agent. Grudzielanek is available because he's been waiting for just such an opening somewhere with a contender. Where are you going to find another guy who hit .395/.459/.523 vs. lefthanders last year?

 

Maybe McGehee can do the job in a platoon but I don't think he's going to get unlimited time to get untracked.