Come on Brewers, this bench is awful -- how about some changes?

[adambr2]

Brewer management, I don't care how much you love Kotsay, I don't care how much you admire guys at the tail end of their career, this bench is unacceptably awful. It's bad enough to have a bad bench, but when you have pieces to fix it and refuse to do so, that's worse. Here's my plan:

Who goes:
Wilson, Kotsay

Don't be fooled by Wilson's game-winning HR against the Marlins. There's a reason he was released by the Marlins -- he isn't a good 25 man option for any winning ballclub. And don't be fooled into thinking he's a great defensive replacement option -- he's not. Which is the only reason I give the nod to Counsell to stay.

As far as Kotsay, there's no reason for him to be here. I am really sick of management's apparent mentality that we need to allocate 2-3 roster spots for veteran leadership, regardless of performance. We only have 25 spots, I would like to give them to our 25 best players. We've got leaders in Prince and Braun that have been the heart of this team for years, and a management staff that the players respect with guys like Sveum. If that's not enough for the clubhouse, they've got more problems in there than guys like Kotsay and Counsell are going to fix.

So the rest of the plan....McGehee goes down to AAA to "work it out", Green is promoted and plays 3rd every day. Gamel stays in Kotsay's old role, first PH option off the bench, and possibly an occasional spot start at 1B, 3B, or perhaps even a corner OF spot. I understand that's not the best thing for his development right now, but it may be the best thing for our division hopes.

Counsell can spot start around the infield for Green, Betancourt, and Weeks. Eric Farris who is already on the 40 man gets Wilson's spot, and can also be a right handed utility infield guy to supplement Counsell. I see no need to replace Kotsay with another outfielder. Gomez, Morgan, Hart, or Braun will always be available off the bench. Presumably, Gamel could fill in at a corner if the situation arose.

I understand the idea of Gamel doing even an inning in the outfield is probably not appealing to most (though he's probably not going to be much of a dropoff from Kotsay), but keep in mind such a situation even coming about is going to be extremely rare. Braun and Hart have the corners locked down, for the most part, and Morgan will always be the first option to fill in at either corner.

I'm sure some probably have better ideas for improving the team/bench, and feel free to mention them, but I think this would be a good start. I'd feel a lot better about guys like Gamel, Kottaras, and Farris being available off the bench, and Green starting every day for McGehee, than I feel about our current situation.

[The Truth]

Not convinced with Green, though it wouldn't take much to improve on Casey's output. Hopefully it won't take Casey long to figure it out. Also not convinced as to how effective Gamel would be as a PH/spot starter. Small sample size but so far in MLB Gamel has not been effective in that role. I think he's a guy who needs regular starts. For that reason I would put Gamel at 3B if you are going to demote Casey for awhile, and roll the dice on Gamel's defense.

 

Kotsay can and should be replaced by any number of AAA outfielders including Boggs or Katin. Kotsay should have been DFA'ed a long time ago. The fact that he has started in CF is downright scary

 

I remain convinced that the biggest problem with the Brewers is at SS. Trading for a SS and having Betancourt on the bench and starting Gamel at 3B with Casey on the bench improves not only the starting lineup but also improves the bench, as well

[The Truth]

I was going to add regarding Eric Farris. His OPS is only .701 in AAA ball. I'm not sure that he could be an upgrade over Wilson offensively, and I seriously doubt he'd be better than Wilson defensively (Farris has 4 errors in 15 games at SS in AAA). Wilson has a .769 OPS in almost 2000 plate appearances in his careeer at AAA

[FVBrewerFan]

I would take Wilson over Counsell. Defense is a push, and I think Wilson has at least some ability at the plate. Neither had enough ABs this year to make the numbers very relevant, I just get the feeling when Wilson is up that it's not an automatic out. He seems to have a good approach.

 

Kotsay doesn't bother me as much as most here, as long as he's used the way he should. Which is to say he should never start in CF.

 

The problem is, the Brewers bench are strong in certain areas, but PHing is not one of them. Gomez brings two skills that can and have won games. Defense and speed on the bases. Wilson/Counsell bring redundant skills. Each can play 2B,SS,3B. But hitting, and PHing to be more specific are not their strengths.

 

So it's not that their bench is bad, it's that they don't have bats on the bench. That's why I think Wilson has the UT covered. Gomez has the the OF covered. Kottaras...finally...is in their at backup catcher. So what they really need after those three guys is a LH PH and a RH PH- even if that means 6 OF. Boggs should be up for sure, not sure who the other guy could/should be.

[RockCoCougars]

This team desperately needs a power bat off the bench. Who would have thought that not giving Hinske the extra year would be such a big miss? Once again, I am looking at a Baltimore guy in Luke Scott. I wonder what it would take to get him.

[brewmann04]

whay about Carroll down in Nashville?

[joepepsi]

I'd immediately trade Kotsay for Boggs, and never again start Morgan and Gomez in the same game. In fact, with Boogs on the team I might not ever start Gomez again this season. I do like Gomez as a bench player, however.

 

Counsell is going nowhere this year, and will certainly retire to take an organizational job next season. So, the only option is to put Wilson on waivers. He will almost certainly clear them at this point in the season. Assign him to AAA and play him every day at ss. Next year he's your Counsell type on the 25 man, if he shows himself capable at ss in AAA.

 

Call up Green to replace Wilson and immediately implement a platoon at 3rd with McGehee.

 

Send Gamel back down today to continue to play 1B. He said on the radio in a pregame interview the other day he is much more comfortable at 1st than 3rd and it feels like a natural position for him.

 

Meanwhile, Doug can continue to look for a Luke Scott type in a deadline deal. If he gets someone like that, McGehee, Boggs, or Green can be sent down depending on who's playing best/worst.

 

I'm starting to feel confident Green will be on the team after the All Star break.

[DHonks]

Adam, I still don't see your need for an upgraded bench. Our lineup is built to play nearly everyday players and our bench is made up of versatile defensive players. The only true upgrade needed is Kotsay.

[COBrewerfan]

I agree honks. Don't care and this is all a waste of time. These players don't play enough to worry about or discuss this.

[Raw Biz]

How can you guys say that a bench is a waste of time? Shouldn't the team try to upgrade whenever possible? Just because the bench players don't start doesn't mean they are worthless. It's nice to have versatile defensive guys on the bench but it wouldn't also be nice to have a power bat too (not counting Kottaras). There really is no reason to have 3 SS on the team and Kotsay should go too. Hopefully Gamel stays up or Green comes up if Gamel is sent down.

[COBrewerfan]

Not saying it doesn't matter. Saying you are not going to make a big difference either way by replacing a guy like Kotsay or Wilson. Your just replacing an average player with another one.

[monty57]

Not saying it doesn't matter. Saying you are not going to make a big difference either way by replacing a guy like Kotsay or Wilson. Your just replacing an average player with another one.

Third base has been our biggest hole this season, even worse than SS. Bringing up Green to replace Wilson gives you a potential platoon at 3B, which would mean significant PT for Green, who is left-handed. He was a highly regarded prospect before he got injured, and he is finally healthy and playing well at AAA. An added bonus is that he can play 2B as well.

 

What joepepsi said about Wilson is spot-on. He is unnecessary right now, as we have two other bad SS on the team, but I like keeping him in the system as insurance against injury. He could hold a spot down next season as a utility guy when Yuni is dumped and Counsell retires. We need a better SS, but that will have to come in trade, as we don't have the answer in the system. For now, we should at least divest ourselves of one of them to bring up someone who will help the team.

 

We have multiple OFs playing very well for Nashville, and any of them would seem to be an upgrade over Kotsay. This is a relative value case. We have an expendable piece in Kotsay and we have cheap, in-house options to replace him, so we should do it.

 

As for Gamel, again I side with joepepsi. Gamel is too big a part of our future to waste a year of service time on 100 or so PAs. Green is a better option for 3B right now, and any of the OFs (Boggs, Gindl, Carroll, Katin if healthy) would be fine as a bat off the bench.

[Invader3K]

Really, the solution should be to send McGehee to AAA. Call up Green. DFA Betancourt and go with a Counsell/Wilson platoon until any decent SS can be acquired in trade. Send Gamel down if he won't get significant playing time and call up Boggs. Those moves would instantly make the team much better than currently constructed.

[logan82]

Your just replacing an average player with another one.

 

That really isn't the case though. The players who people want replaced are not average. They are well below average and hurting the team. The players people want to bring up are at least average with the possibility of them actually being good.

[COBrewerfan]

Really, the solution should be to send McGehee to AAA. Call up Green. DFA Betancourt and go with a Counsell/Wilson platoon until any decent SS can be acquired in trade. Send Gamel down if he won't get significant playing time and call up Boggs. Those moves would instantly make the team much better than currently constructed.

 

Not true at all and thankfully this will not happen. I think Counsell and Wilson would be worse than Yuni and it would not even be that close. And Green could probably do the same as Casey but we really don't know what would happen. But as I said before, these moves would do little either way. I am sure where this upgrades anything. Sometimes I think a new name just sounds better to people.

[Ayt]

You think Green could "probably do the same as Casey"? You don't think Green could post an OPS better than .577 and likely be better defensively as well?

[joepepsi]

Not true at all and thankfully this will not happen. I think Counsell and Wilson would be worse than Yuni and it would not even be that close.

Betancourt has hit .372 with a .512 slugging over the last two weeks or so. Obviously any player can have a good 2-3 weeks at some random point in the season. Him doing this right now has probably saved his job as starting ss for the foreseeable future.

 

It could be more prudent to improve 3B and just tolerate ss for the rest of this year.

[The Truth]

Hopefully they will keep Gamel up in MLB. That will improve the bench

 

If Gamel is starting at 3B with Casey on the bench, that improves the bench. Same thing if Gamel is occasionally starting in RF for Hart.

[Invader3K]

I guess I am unsure what Gamel's fate is right now. Are they seriously considering him at 3B again due to how awful McGehee has been? If they were going to send him down again, you would think that would have happened before today. Just hard to gauge Melvin's intentions right now.

[joepepsi]

I think they are going to coast with the team as is until the Break, then re-evaluate.

[The Truth]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/124970959.html

 

Gamel is on the bench today. I can see that as a good thing, having either Casey or Mat on the bench on a given day definitely improves our depth. Strange lineup though

[monty57]

Until Braun's back, on any given day the pitcher has a decent shot at outhitting our 5, 6, 7 & 8 hitters, which today consists of Betancourt, Kotsay, McGehee and Lucroy.

 

I don't know what the best course of action is with McGehee. We know he's capable of being better than this, but he's been terrible. I don't care if Casey's sent down to play every day and "figure it out," or left up to be part of a platoon, but we need to get Green up soon, as our 3B situations a joke right now. Gamel wasn't a good 3B when he played everyday. I certainly hope they don't intend to stick him out there at the MLB level when he hasn't played the position for a year. Defense does matter.

 

I agree that Wilson/Counsell wouldn't be much (if any) better than Yuni. I hope we pull off a trade to bring in a real SS, but for now there is no need to hold three bad SS on the MLB roster. Try to sneak Wilson to AAA, and if he gets claimed, it's not a great loss.

 

Kotsay's probably the least of the concerns right now, but it's magnified with Braun out. The big issue here is that we have multiple players at AAA who would probably be better than Kotsay right now, and at least have some upside potential. Like Green, it's an easy fix which the Brewers' brass refuses to make.

[The Truth]

Kotsay's probably the least of the concerns right now, but it's magnified with Braun out. .

Because he's been playing as much as he has, its a pretty big concern. An outfielder with a .642 OPS, almost no power, almost no range, and almost no speed is a pretty big concern if he ever gets to start

[monty57]

Kotsay's probably the least of the concerns right now, but it's magnified with Braun out. .

Because he's been playing as much as he has, its a pretty big concern. An outfielder with a .642 OPS, almost no power, almost no range, and almost no speed is a pretty big concern if he ever gets to start

 

Yes it is awful, but because he's a 4th/5th OF, the other two evils (Casey's play at 3B & the three-headless monster at SS) are much worse. I'd also have to say that the incomprehensible trotting out of Kam Loe every time we have a lead is far more meaningful as well. He's personally responsible for around ten Brewers losses this season, but Roenicke refuses to realize we have at least three superior relievers (Saito, Hawkins & Braddock) who should be out there instead of Loe.

 

Simply put, we have better options at Nashville, so Kotsay should be gone. We also have two 3B at Nashville who could put up better numbers than McGehee has posted this season. Green is LH, so he should be up and it's really not a difficult decision. At worst, he's a better bench option than Wilson. He's likely a great platoon mate for Casey, and at best he's a good everyday player. At reliever, moving Loe to long-reliever behind Braddock, Saito and Hawkins is a no-brainer.

 

Other than SS, most of our problems could be solved in-house, and we're not doing it... that's what's so frustrating.

[logan82]

Kotsay's probably the least of the concerns right now, but it's magnified with Braun out.

 

I completely disagree. Kotsay is a major concern as long as DPR keeps running him out there as much as he does. Even when everybody is healthy Kotsay keeps getting playing time. Kotsay is holding the bench hostage. He needs to go.