Luis Cruz: better option than Betancourt?

[Ennder]

I like Boggs as the 25th man way more than Cruz, too

I like Boggs as the 25th man and Cruz as the 24th with Betancourt released~. Or Boggs as the 24th with Kotsay released and then Cruz as the 25th, anything that gets either Kotsay or Betancourt off the team is a plus.

[monty57]

I think Betancourt is set in stone as our opening day starting SS, but I agree on Kotsay. I'm rooting extra hard for Boggs and Dickerson to have great ST just so they're both retained over Kotsay. Almonte has certainly impressed so far, and it will be interesting to see if he can somehow make the club.

[endaround]

Why do people want Almonte? We need 33 year old career minor leaguers?

[GormanHarvey]

Why do people want Almonte? We need 33 year old career minor leaguers?

Not sure. But Roenicke seems to like him:

 

Roenicke also said that Erick Almonte remains in the running for a bench spot because he has a good bat from the right side, and the Brewers want at least one right-handed bat there to provide some balance for what appears to be a left-handed-hitting group.

That being said, I think the chances of Almonte making the opening day roster are very slim

[logan82]

Why do people want Almonte? We need 33 year old career minor leaguers?

Because we have nothing else to talk about. The roster is pretty much set.

[monty57]

Why do people want Almonte? We need 33 year old career minor leaguers?

Because we have nothing else to talk about. The roster is pretty much set.

True. Once the season starts, we won't care too much about the 25th man, but it would be nice to have a RH bat on the bench with some pop. At 33, you really don't care about sitting him at the end of the bench until needed. As the backup 1B, with two better fielding backup corner OFs on the roster, you'd hope he'd only get one start max for the season. That's not a position I want to put a young player in, but it suits Almonte.

 

Since Dickerson, Counsell and the backup Catcher seem like locks and one of Boggs/Kotsay will probably make it, Almonte's chances are pretty slim, but who knows. At least it's fun to see him tearing up the ball so far in ST.

 

[Klements Bratwurst]

Haudricourt agrees with some members of Brewerfan in his latest tweet:

 

Haudricourt Tom

This is the book on Yuniesky Betancourt -- lazy mechanics. The pitcher hits a routine grounder to him and he throws high for an error. Weak.

 

If this was Escobar making a youth mistake it would be better to handle the laziness, but Betancourt isn't exactly young.......

[TooLiveBrew]

I wonder if Tom considers himself someone who's watched Betancourt play regularly now:

 

"Betancourt, who made 18 errors in 151 games, isn’t known for his defense and doesn’t grade out particularly well in certain categories, including range. But those who watch him regularly say he can handle the position as well as former Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy."

 

 

EDIT: Another tweet from TH on Betancourt:

SS Yuniesky Betancourt has done nothing to calm fears in Brewer Nation with two sloppy errors today. Living down to reputation.

[logan82]

This is the book on Yuniesky Betancourt -- lazy mechanics. The pitcher hits a routine grounder to him and he throws high for an error. Weak.

 

SS Yuniesky Betancourt has done nothing to calm fears in Brewer Nation with two sloppy errors today. Living down to reputation.

 

This comes as a complete shock.

[trwi7]

Betancourt starting is just depressing. I could handle it if he could hit and not field or field and not hit but he sucks at both and Doug made absolutely no effort to upgrade the position.

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't know how to take this quote from Roenicke on Betancourt today

 

In the sixth inning, he came in for a soft grounder by pinch-hitter Matt Pagnozzi and, instead of setting to throw, whipped an off-balance toss wide of first base.

 

"He just didn't plant his feet and throw," manager Ron Roenicke said. "Hey, I may think it's done a certain way, but you see guys all the time that do that. It's not like nobody else does it. Everybody wants to throw on the run now."

Do I read that correctly as, 'Hey, he sucks, but I'm still going to start him"?

 

Also, I think "everybody wants to throw on the run now" could have staying power.

[YoungGeezy]

Well Farris played SS today and I pray and hope he take a lot more reps there. If Cruz does make the team, Farris should be SS in Nashville. He is completely boxed out with Weeks infront of him and our SS depth is not great (I like prince even though he was down, George is nothing special and our t most exciting Yadiel Rivers and to me Andres Martinez are still long ways away). With Bethencourt not being able to field or get on base, Cruz not being much of a bat and Counsell not getting younger, Farris sliding over may give us another option.

[cwolf2012]

Yun-E6 needs to keep hitting like he has so far in ST. If he tanks (which he will), the Brewers better have a very short leash on him.

 

It sounds like his defense is still every bit as bad as we thought it would be.