Mid-season promotions

[HiAndTight]

Also still can't figure out how anyone can believe that Lawrie will be better served defensively at 3B than 2B? 3B is actually one of the hardest postions to play....2B is a postion you put the guys who can't handle playing SS or 3B. Doesn't add up to me

I can't speak to anyone elses reasons, but mine are simple. I think as Lawrie matures and continues to fill out, he's going to lack the ideal quickness for 2nd base, but will have plenty to play 3rd.

 

On top of that, from what I've seen, he's got soft hands and a very strong arm. I understand 3B is one of the hardest positions to play, but the biggest reason guys are moved from 3B or SS is the arm strength needed, something I don't believe is an issue with Lawrie.

 

Not to mention, it's easily debatable that 2nd base is more difficult to play than 3rd given the intricacies involved in turning two, and the additional ground they have to cover.

[Tedaldtada]

Heckathorne turns 22 today. Do we really want him to start his age 23/24 season at AA? I say bump him to BC at The AS break. Then he can hopefully start next year (age 22/23) in H'ville.

[True CryM]

Also still can't figure out how anyone can believe that Lawrie will be better served defensively at 3B than 2B? 3B is actually one of the hardest postions to play....2B is a postion you put the guys who can't handle playing SS or 3B. Doesn't add up to me

I can't speak to anyone elses reasons, but mine are simple. I think as Lawrie matures and continues to fill out, he's going to lack the ideal quickness for 2nd base, but will have plenty to play 3rd.

 

On top of that, from what I've seen, he's got soft hands and a very strong arm. I understand 3B is one of the hardest positions to play, but the biggest reason guys are moved from 3B or SS is the arm strength needed, something I don't believe is an issue with Lawrie.

 

Not to mention, it's easily debatable that 2nd base is more difficult to play than 3rd given the intricacies involved in turning two, and the additional ground they have to cover.

I'm not sure how much more Lawrie is going to fill out. He's already has a thick frame with definition. IMO, teaching Lawrie a new position (which I consider to be harder than 2b) is more difficult than predicting him to lose quickness.

 

[nate82]

Heckathorne turns 22 today. Do we really want him to start his age 23/24 season at AA? I say bump him to BC at The AS break. Then he can hopefully start next year (age 22/23) in H'ville.

It doesn't really matter where Heckathorn ends up after this year. He will probably more than likely be in AA next year than anywhere else I don't see Heckathorn having to go to high A he will more than likely skip that stop and go straight to AA.

[YoungGeezy]

komatsu, cain and davis should all move up a level.

I also think Scooter (Ryan) Gennett should be promoted as well and should play SS. Escobar's lack off hitting at the Major League level is making me nervous about the production at the SS position. Gennett would be a couple years away, but that should give Escobar plenty of time to prove himself. The Brewers should be looking for some security and depth at the SS position. Gennett to SS solves that.

Gennett is not a SS so I don't think that solves it. Prince has had a rough start but I still think he is a decent prospect plus the minor detail that he is actually a SS helps. I'm surprised with all the pushing people are doing to try to turn a 2nd baseman into a SS. Yeah he could play an okay short but all scouts and even Isom have said he is best suited as a 2nd baseman. To me, outside of Farris, he is the most natural 2nd baseman we have. My favorite comparison of Scooter is the Pedroia one. I think it is very suiting and they are alike in many ways. I just don't see Gennett being the security SS of the future. If absolutly needed, yes, if not, no. Last resort.

 

I have to believe they will bump Heckathorn soon. It is not like he is Bucci or Odorizzi and 20 years old and can benifit from more time in the midwest league. They wanted to move Arnett quickly, he stumbled and Heckathorn clearly leaped him, why not be as aggressive with him as they wanted to with Arnett? Both College arms drafted 10-15 picks apart. It is not like the Brewers can not use the arms making there way closer to the majors.

 

Rivas deserves a promotion after another good start tonight. He had a few minor road bumps this season but I think even with those he still deserves the bump. I'd also like to see Rogers also get a bump sooner than later. The only thing is I want to see a nice string of 2-3 games with very few walks if any. He doesn't give up hits but he kills himself with all the walks. If he fixed that problem he has a chance to really be something special like we all hoped but he did it before all the injuries and he is back to it now so not to optimistic. Maybe someone should teach him to not care about strikeouts and just pitch to contact...helped Jimenez drastically

 

 

[HiAndTight]

True CryM wrote:

I'm not sure how much more Lawrie is going to fill out. He's already has a thick frame with definition. IMO, teaching Lawrie a new position (which I consider to be harder than 2b) is more difficult than predicting him to lose quickness.

I guess it's just a different opinion. There are a lot of questions to be answered right now regarding the IF with Prince, McGehee, Gamel, Weeks and Lawrie coming up. Most want Weeks re-signed, including me, many do not want Lawrie playing 1st as they feel it's a waste of his athletic ability.

 

The difference in difficulty associated with 2nd and 3rd is relative to a persons attributes. If you're smaller and quick, lack a big arm, you're better suited for 2nd. If you're a little bit bigger, lack great quickness, but have good hands and a very strong arm, I think you're better suited for 3rd base.

 

Again, Lawrie has a lot more range to cover at 2nd, he has to make the turn which is very difficult. I don't think playing 3rd would require a whole lot of time or development at this point. He does have very good hands, and he does have a very good arm. He's also 20 years old, so it's not like we've missed the window to develop him elsewhere. I think a year and a half...which is about how much longer he should stay in the minors(which also coincides with Prince likely departure and Gamel potentially moving over to 1st to give you a Lawrie/Escobar/Weeks/Gamel/Lucroy/Braun/Cain/Hart(or whoever) 8 man lineup would serve him best as well as the Brewers.

[sfl2hnq17]

i think that maverick lasker is really starting to establish himself as a very viable pitching prospect.

[HiAndTight]

Gennett is not a SS so I don't think that solves it. Prince has had

a rough start but I still think he is a decent prospect plus the minor

detail that he is actually a SS helps. I'm surprised with all

the pushing people are doing to try to turn a 2nd baseman into a SS.

Yeah he could play an okay short but all scouts and even Isom have said

he is best suited as a 2nd baseman. To me, outside of Farris, he is the

most natural 2nd baseman we have. My favorite comparison of Scooter is

the Pedroia one. I think it is very suiting and they are alike in many

ways. I just don't see Gennett being the security SS of the future. If

absolutly needed, yes, if not, no. Last resort.

 

I agree with you to a certain extent. I think he's clearly "better" suited to play 2B, however I think it's a bit early to write him off as a SS. He's got good quickness, and he's got a decent arm. He's the type of guy who's always been told he can't do this, he can't do that, and yet he's consistently proven people wrong by excelling. Excelling with the bat, excelling in the field when given the chance.

 

He reminds me Pedroia as well, and I was nothing short of absolutely, 100 pct GIDDY when we added him in the 16th round, but I find it hard to believe after watching him in just a couple of games that he's not capable of playing a David Eckstien level defense.

 

Of course I'm not the least bit concerned about Alcides Escobar yet. Escobar passes the "eye" test for me. He's got a nice big wiry frame that I believe will allow him to add some power as he matures, I believe he can become a legit 12-15 HR a year hitter, will hit ~.295-.300/.345 as he matures and as he refines his game.

 

So while I believe that Gennett could play SS without being terrible, I don't see it as a necessity that he play there for future holes on the big league roster.

 

Bottom line, a guy like Gennett will force himself into a lineup, and he'll likely always be questioned. At Short, at 2nd, wherever.

[paul253]

Odorizzi has really been dominating lately. Any chance he moves up to A+ soon? He is already in his third professional season isn't he?

[biedergb]

I think with the younger/HS guys or guys coming off injury they like to keep them in a full season at their current level. It's usually college guys or those with at least a full season (ie, not rookie leagues) who get the bump. Again that seemed to be the trend.

[wibadgers23]

Nice to see the promotions starting to take place. Now I'd like to see Heckathorn and Rivas get the bump soon.

[paul253]

It is about stinkin' time Cain gets moved up. If he has a good second half you'd have to consider him a dark horse to be in the opening day lineup next season, either in center field or in right field. It also makes me wonder yet again why Melvin traded for Carlos Gomez.

[endaround]

Because Cain was coming off injury and he needed a guy for this year and perhaps next.

[Never Outhustled]

Very cool to see Cain so close to filling a giant hole at the big league level. It's become very obvious that we need the minor league system to fill every spot on the big league roster, as Melvin's track record in free agency is a disaster.

 

Stay hot and force the issue Lorenzo!

[logan82]

It also makes me wonder yet again why Melvin traded for Carlos Gomez.

 

We needed a guy for this year but I would have preferred Gerut.

 

Melvin's track record in free agency is a disaster.

 

Except for that Cameron guy. He was kind of ok.

[LouisEly]

You mean that Cameron guy who's being paid $7.75M this year and has only played in 31 games?

[battlekow]

You mean that Cameron guy who's being paid $7.75M this year and has only played in 31 games?

For the Red Sox. Come on now, that's just being disingenuous.

[YoungGeezy]

So how about we get one of possible real catching prospects up to Helena. I don't believe Roberts deserved to have to repeat Arizona with the season he had last year and he has came out hitting again this season. Then of course Jhonathon Javier is already 22 (23 in September) and appears he is playing good ball thus far. He is the one DSL player from last year who really shined. I think one of the two needs to go up, they both are guys who to me should be starting everyday. It is not like Helena is recieve any production what so ever from the catcher spot. What was the point of calling Roberts up at the end of last season just to set him back more by having him repeat Arizona which I thought he clearly hit his way out of...is his defense that bad or what?

[And That]

Yah, I'm not sure what keeping Tyler Roberts in Arizona in accomplishing. He's pretty sound on defense and is obviously overmatching Arizona League pitching.

 

A few years after Lawrie moving off of catcher, and a few months after Salome moving off of catcher and with Lucroy in Milwaukee, we have Anderson Delarosa starting games in AAA, some guy named Dayton Buller in AA, probably-not-a-catcher Shawn Zarraga in A+, decent prospect Garfield in A ball and the uber-platoon of Dean, Pechek and Ogrinc in Helena. Oof.

[pete]

Geezy, I don't think anyone is suggesting making Gennet a top SS prospect. I know I'm not. Its still worthwhile to have the ability to play SS if he is the eventual starting 2B. When the SS has an occasional off day, does a DL stint or whatever, its worth having someone to play competently. Counsell is pretty unique for a utility guy. The alternative for a lot of teams is often someone like Ronny Cedeno.

 

The quote that keeps being given doesn't support the reasoning that he can't play SS as well. And to your point about everybody saying he can't play short, Iorg said he could. I don't count Kevin Goldstein as a scout either.

[YoungGeezy]

Geezy, I don't think anyone is suggesting making Gennet a top SS prospect. I know I'm not. Its still worthwhile to have the ability to play SS if he is the eventual starting 2B. When the SS has an occasional off day, does a DL stint or whatever, its worth having someone to play competently. Counsell is pretty unique for a utility guy. The alternative for a lot of teams is often someone like Ronny Cedeno.

 

The quote that keeps being given doesn't support the reasoning that he can't play SS as well. And to your point about everybody saying he can't play short, Iorg said he could. I don't count Kevin Goldstein as a scout either.

Like I said I think he could be an okay SS and your right is important for him to be able to play both (Pedroia played quit a bit SS in the minors) but when it said and done his best value is at 2nd base. People continue to want him to be a shortstop and thats where I have a problem. I'd love for him maybe once or twice a week get out there and get some SS experience in but I don't want to take him off 2nd completely because it is not where he is most valuable and projectable.

 

Roberts with another really nice game and is now hitting .516.....what a waste that they won't give himself a chance to play against more advanced pitching. Still don't see how hitting .292 with a 13bb to 19k ratio is punishable by having to repeat.... I understand he has two catchers hitting an incredible .150 blocking him from Helena but come on. Salome has moved off catcher, Lucroy is now a starter in the majors and the only true prospect at catcher ahead of him is Garfield. Something wrong with trying to advance to catching prospects through the system? Sorry if I should kinda angry about this but it really bugs me. I know they like to take it slow with HS players but unlike Walla and McKelvie I think he has earned himself the opportunity to be challenged and move up the system.

[battlekow]

This quote from Haudricourt would seem to indicate that Cain isn't going to be Gamel'd if he's called up:

Cain's major-league debut never happened, but don't be surprised if he's in center field for the Brewers by September. Carlos Gomez is doing the same thing he did in Minnesota - failing to get on base enough (.274 OBP) to use his blazing speed as an asset - which could open the door for Cain.

[paul253]

Another dominating start by Odorizzi today. His numbers are looking really good. High K rate, low walk rate. I think he deserves in be in BC soon.

[YoungGeezy]

Heckathorn and Odorizzi to BC to set up the dream team in Huntsville in 2011 with Peralta, Scarpetta, Heckathorn, and Odorizzi!?! It needs to be done soon! Not to mention RJ Seidel and hopefully Anundsen. Probably a silly dream though...

[filthyfrog]

Wow, I took it for granted that Scarpetta would get promoted before Peralta considering that their numbers have been so similar for the last year and a half and that Cody is about 9 months older and on the 40-man roster. While Scarpetta's 10.2 K/9 this year is massively better than Peralta's 6.4, Peralta has shown better control and has gotten twice as many ground balls. Maybe they feel that puts him in a better position to succeed in AA right now.