Rams' Top 10 Most Interesting Brewer Minor League Assignments

[ramssuperbowl1999]

I don't think sending Rivera back to Wisconsin would be a death sentence at all. The Brewers should base the decision on where to send him based on the hitting coach he seems to click with more... if that's the guy at Wisconsin, fine. If that's the guy at Brevard, great.

 

He's not turning 21 until next May and the Brewers seem to have the position settled in Milwaukee for the time being. Pushing undeserving players without a good reason shouldn't be an issue, and neither should the status of Alfredo Rodriguez.

The thing is, if you have more than about 600 or so PAs at a level and haven't demonstrated enough improvement to make the jump to the next level, there really isn't too much reason to suspect that you are going to improve at a fast enough rate to become an impact MLB player.

 

This is why the number of prospects who repeat a level twice and make the MLB is slim. Rivera's age is fine and dandy, but it pretty much relegates him to more of an organizational type talent in my mind. Never mind that if Rivera repeats Wisconsin there is no one to stop a ball from rolling in the hole at BC, since he's the only viable option.

[And That]

I don't think they're short of viable options to play SS in Brevard if Rivera does not. Shaw could repeat, Macias or George could slide back to short, Hector Gomez might still be in the organization. Great options? No, but if Rivera hasn't earned it, he isn't either. And that's not really a good reason to promote a guy anyway - the scouting staff should always have a few guys not currently in affiliated ball who they'd bring in, in case of need.

 

Rivera's defensive tools make him at least a utility-level MLB prospect. He has some pop in his bat as well. He should be assigned to where he has the best chance to thrive, build on his skills and work on his deficiencies.

 

He shouldn't be promoted due to statistical probabilities of future success rates. I love stats as much as the next guy, but that's putting the cart before the horse.

[And That]

I should add that Rivera had 111 PA in Wisconsin during the '11 season. He wasn't really repeating the league in '12 and he still put up almost a 700 OPS.