Brewers Position Prospects-Lower levels....

[HiAndTight]

I agree with this sentiment. I live in OKC and last year i got to watch the sounds play the redhawks for a series. The scouting reports were mostly accurate i guess, but the thing that stood out to me the most in the series last year was that Logan Schafer was by far the best player on the field for both teams both offensively and defensively. the OKC fans next to me, everytime Logan made an absolutely incredible rediculous catch on a ball that was a sure hit, were beside themselves saying, "who is this guy!?" He also consistently dove the ball into the gaps and narrowly missed several homeruns due to the large outfield walls at bricktown. Reading his scouting reports i would have thought the kid was nothing special, seeing him in person hes definately special. To put that in perspective that other players out there were gamel, gindl, green, maldonado, altuve, J.D. martinez, and bogezevic among other major leaguers.

 

 

 

Exactly, you can only get so much on scouting reports.

 

Take Maldonado and Kottaras. I remember hearing how Boston didn't want to let Kottaras go and how good of a catcher he could turn into, and then after watching him play, he was obviously little more than a tire back there behind home plate as everything went by him. He had a passed ball on Parra that was strike that cost him a run.

 

However after watching Maldonado a few times in the minors, just catching a couple games, I was pretty convinced he was going to be a pretty damn good catcher defensively and that he had a chance to be able to turn on that fastball and become a solid hitter. Which is why I had him on our 25 man roster coming into the season despite the fact that I knew he wasn't going to make it.

 

So hearing people's opinion on guys like Schafer I think is fun and valuable to further discussion.

[HiAndTight]

I don't have any "inside" info as to the hows and whys of where the Brewers position or place players.

About SS and Chris McFarland, I will say that he does not have todays prototypical SS build - long, lean, rangy. That doesn't mean he could not make the plays there, he could, he is that good an athlete and has very good instincts. Just my opinion, but I think the decision to have him at 2B is a good one. He is somewhat new to the game and instead of bouncing him around different positions (ie. see Cutter Dykstra) having him focus and learn one - 2B, is the correct call.

I guess the question is, is SS a more premium position than 2B?

I don't know, but seems to me that developing a MLB ballplayer is what its all about, regardless of the position.

 

A comment about Josh Prince, I am not suprised he was moved off of SS. He is quick and has a decent arm (threw sidearm a lot) but his fielding was not that good. He did not move his feet, get into position and did not get in front of balls. He would get close and then just stab at balls.

I thought as he moved up he would get the infield coaching he needed and get better. I haven't seen him since he left Helena but it sounds like he plateaued out at SS.

 

 

1-As far as McFarland goes, didn't the "prototypcial build," kinda get thrown out the window on that roughly 35 years ago? He's 6'0 and 190. If that size prohibits playing at SS, then there are a lot of guys who'd play elsewhere. He's almost the exact same size as Escobar and Jurickson Profar, one of whom is probably the best position player in the game and the other may be the best SS in the AL right now defensively and offensively. And from what I read, he's got the athletic ability and the arm to play there.

 

It just seems to me you move a guy with that talent off SS in A+ or AA ball and move them to 2nd when they've shown they can't play there. Now right out of the gates. Especially given our giant hole at SS prior to the trade. The same goes for Josh Prince who was thought to be a good defender at SS.

 

As for Prince throwing sidearm, that's how a lot of If'ers throw the ball to get the ball out quicker. Hardy was kinda rare in how he'd throw over the top on just about every play.

 

 

But I only got to see a little bit of Price, and I thought he'd stick at SS. And they still have both of these guys play SS on occasion which is even more perplexing.

[HiAndTight]

Khris' only limitation is his arm, which pretty much limits him to LF or 1B. The posters here on the MiLB side debated this early last year, but even though he's not the most toolsy guy I don't have much doubt he'll hit MLB pitching. I'd like him in LF, Braun in RF, some combination of Morris/Halton(yer welcome JB12)/Gamel at 1B, Segura at SS (if he can hack it), and Scafer in CF long term. Gennett is a legit 2B prospect, I just have a really hard time committing to his bandwagon.

 

The only place we don't have a prospect cemented in is 3B, maybe Arcia or Riveria bump Segura off of SS to 3B in the future? Arcia's injury really stinks.

 

 

Well, when they talk about Segura, they talk about how he's quick, but he has a very strong arm and a thick lower level.

 

But also has power projection left and can steal some bases. Long term, Segura, Arcia/Rivera/Gennett/Gamel/Lucroy-Maldy as your IF if they all pan out could be a pretty fun IF to watch play.

 

Though I'm not writing Taylor Green off yet as a 3rd base prospect.

 

Had WE traded Aram to the Dodgers, I'd have liked to have seen him be handed the position on a daily basis. I think you'd have at least gotten an idea of what you have over there. As it stands, knowing how quick RR seems to pull the plug on rookies, or young players, I doubt we see Gamel or Green get the PT they should next year.

 

And hell, it's not like we're likely to be a .500 team next year, so maybe Aram has a nice first half and instead of 30 million for 2 years, it's only 20 million for a year and a 3rd and you could try out Green(or even Gamel) there. Hart's going to be around for one more year likely(and if I had my way, he'd be moved this off-season, especially if he's coming off a 30+ HR season and 100 RBI's as I don't like what his future looks like in my minds eye in 3-4 years.

[HiAndTight]

Khris' only limitation is his arm, which pretty much limits him to LF or 1B. The posters here on the MiLB side debated this early last year, but even though he's not the most toolsy guy I don't have much doubt he'll hit MLB pitching. I'd like him in LF, Braun in RF, some combination of Morris/Halton(yer welcome JB12)/Gamel at 1B, Segura at SS (if he can hack it), and Scafer in CF long term. Gennett is a legit 2B prospect, I just have a really hard time committing to his bandwagon.

 

The only place we don't have a prospect cemented in is 3B, maybe Arcia or Riveria bump Segura off of SS to 3B in the future? Arcia's injury really stinks.[/quote]

 

Well, if you're talking about Arcia(way too early, but looks like he might be our best LA find yet) or even Rivera, you're talking about at least 3-4 years away most likey, so that may coincide with a slight decline in Segura's defensive ability and may be the perfect time to move him.

 

What I don't understand is why people constantly talk about him moving to 2nd and dismiss the possibility he could move to 3rd. If he's got a good bat, can hit for good speed and power and has a very strong arm, sounds like he could play anywhere.

 

So I agree. If he's a good offensive player and a solid defender at SS, move him over when Rivera or Arcia get up here.