Felipe Lopez?

[endaround]

Felipe Lopez was benched for not running out a ground ball on Friday after not doing so on Wednesday. So he hasn't made many friends in Tampa and many expect him to be released shortly. Given the lack of any real close to majors ready infield talent aside from Farris, do the Brewers try to bring him back?

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/rays/content/felipe-lopez-pulled-game-lack-hustle

[dadofandrew]

Doug has avoided Felipe since taking the risk of him during the playoff run. He was on his best behavior in MIL, but sitting on the bench would not be conducive.

 

It seems to me there are plenty of gritty utility types much like Counsell, that I do not see Doug running that risk. He was so good for those 3 months in MIL...

[RockCoCougars]

I don't see why not if he's available for free, what's the risk? I don't remember him causing any issues last time he was here, plus I know that he's pretty good friends with Weeks. If he becomes a problem, just dump him.He'd be a nice bat off the bench.

[DocLuna7]

In theory, Lopez does not seem like a bad fit for a second stint in MIL. I have heard Melvin mention in interviews continued "attitude problems" (paraphrasing here) that would seem to make me think that Felipe would not be welcomed back. Perhaps he had the same issues in MIL as he has in other stops and they just didn't become public.

[docduany]

Considering the state of the Brewers bench, I would think Lopez to be a welcome edition. He can play 2B/3B and SS in a pinch. Switch hitter. It would allow the Crew to have only 5 OF. The cancer thing? We have guys who can taste the post season,they should be able to control him-- or at least not allow him to screw with others. But if Doug if doesn't have that loving feeling, then he's probably not going to end up here. And not to derail this thread, our bench is rough. We need to get to 5 OF (one of whom is NOT Erick Almonte) and add a RH or switch hitter that could play the corner positions.

[endaround]

I'd argue we only have 3 OFers right now and 2 1B who get shoved out into RF.

[HiAndTight]

I'd just assume we play it out with Betancourt and the crew we have for the next 2+ months, get Greinke, Hart and the BP guys back and then look for a salary dump.

 

Reyes will be shopped, but we don't have the guns to pull the trigger, but there should be solid defenders readily available. And towards the end, Taylor Green, Caleb Gindl and Mat Gamel should help solidify the bench just fine.

 

We're not lacking in bench type players in the minors right now, so when push comes to shove, I think we'll be fine there.

[alwz4gbp]

I'd be OK picking him back up. However, I'd write into his contract that with RRs approval and a vote from the core players that if he screws up or shows attitude, Prince can take him into the trainers room and [expletive deleted] him.

 

(Edit: language… please note language etiquette about circumventing cuss filter)

[The Truth]

wow, its pretty bad when Felipe Lopez would be an upgrade at SS on a team, but I like him better than Yuni B

[TheCrew]

No thanks, not even at the AAA level - he'd just be taking AB's away from someone more useful to us. 4 of the past 5 seasons he has played for 2 teams, that tells me there is probably more than we know about his attitude.

 

Also has hit .230'ish over his past 500 PA's and is terrible at SS - why anyone would want him over YB is beyond me.

[Invader3K]

I could only see him as an option to replace Counsell, not Betancourt.

[Raw Biz]

Just designated for assignment. I would replace Almonte with him in a heartbeat.

[Baldkin]

Almonte won't be on the team anymore, so that point is moot.

Hart will basically replace him going forward.

[Raw Biz]

Why are you so sure he won't be on the team? Do you think they will keep Boggs over him? Or go back to a 13 pitcher staff? I don't see how they could go the rest of the season with only a 4 man bench so at some point Almonte will have to be addressed.

[JohnBriggs12]

I could only see him as an option to replace Counsell, not Betancourt.

Counsell definitely needs to be replaced. If he were on any team but his hometown team, his days would be numbered. Here he'll last the season even if he stays under .200 all year. But I don't see Lopez being that guy even if they were inclined to make a move.

[dadofandrew]

Counsell plays plus defense at 3 spots, bats LH, and has a solid OBP. I doubt if there are 5 utility IF's in the game that fit that description.

[logan82]

Counsell used to play plus defense. At his age I think we can reasonably question whether he can still play plus defense.

[Invader3K]

Plus his OBP is around .275 right now. Small sample, but his skills seem to be on the decline this year.

[brewcrew_2_2]

Forgive me if I'm unnecessarily bumping a dead topic (newbie here!) but I never cared for Lopez. My husband seems to like him for some reason, but I'm not a big fan of guys who don't hustle and even less of a fan of guys who can't be good teammates. Seems like Lopez fails at both.

 

And Counsell is getting old, yes, but he is quite serviceable and very cheap off the bench. We lost today (dangit) but who else could give you that kind of at-bat in the ninth in a pinch hit situation? At this point I think he's worth what the Crew is paying him. But ask me how I feel about that a month from now. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

 

Anyway, glad to be here and GO BREWERS! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[RockCoCougars]

First of all, welcome to the board.

 

"Forgive me if I'm unnecessarily bumping a dead topic (newbie here!) but I never cared for Lopez. My husband seems to like him for some reason, but I'm not a big fan of guys who don't hustle and even less of a fan of guys who can't be good teammates. Seems like Lopez fails at both.

 

That is definitely a concern based on his reputation, but I never really saw that as an issue when he was here a few years ago. Though I wasn't privy to the goings on in the locker room, he seemed to fit on the team just fine.

[brwrsfan]

Did Felipe actually get picked up by anyone? He has to be better than Josh Wilson. He certainly is on offense and probably on defense too. Maybe he really is just too big of a jag....

[RockCoCougars]

Did Felipe actually get picked up by anyone? He has to be better than Josh Wilson. He certainly is on offense and probably on defense too. Maybe he really is just too big of a jag....

I think he's back with the Rays.