Brewers acquire 3B Juan Francisco from Atlanta Braves

[MJLiverock]

Well I wouldn't expect a great player laying on the scrap heap which is where this guy pretty much was. I just noticed how horrific his eye must be while looking at his stats trying to find out just who the heck he was. Can't say he makes me too excited, but worth picking up of Gonzo to play first occasionally until Hart is back.

[Oxy]

If you were frustrated by Carlos Gomez's or YB's plate discipline over the years you are going to hate Juan Francisco. The guy swings at more out of zone pitches, takes more in zone pitches, swings and misses more, and pitchers must know they can just throw anything up there because they only throw about 43% of pitches in the zone compared to 48% and 51% for Gomez and YB's careers.

 

Looking at his K rate and HR numbers he must just close his eyes and swing as hard as he can at everything.

 

That is a Doug Melvin kind of guy. A free swinger with pop. Besides Prince Fielder who have we had in recent memory who was a high OBP type of guy?

 

Weeks--at least relative to his batting avg. Is there nomenclature for that stat? ISO is the difference between BA and slugging--what do you call the difference between BA and OBP? There is walk rate, but that is always displayed as a percentage--which I think is odd since most other stats are displayed as a decimal. Also--walk rate doesn't account for HBP, and Rickie racks those up at a decent rate.

[3and2Fastball]

Weeks--at least relative to his batting avg.

 

Yes, good call on Weeks. A hitter whose OBP is 90-100 points higher than his BA is what I personally look for. Unfortunately in Weeks' case it still is only a .347 career OBP though, but yes you are right about Weeks

[brewcrewdue80]

Except Weeks' option can vest with 600PA in 2014 regardless of his PA in 2013.[/i]

 

I thought in was a combination of either X amount of AB's in a single season or X amount in a two year period. If that is the case then his option might vest even if he only got 599 AB's next season.

 

I think what's meant is that we can sit him the remainder of the season or play him to stay under 600PAs. Either way he still has his option kick in with 600PAs next season. If we played him enough games to go over 600PAs this year then he won't need 600PAs for it to kick in.

 

With Gennett now up, the team can at least get him on a pace for say 550PAs with full-time games played if traded around the deadline. That team then has full control to Play him this season, and has control to keep him under 600PAs next season. I think the more games Weeks sees before being traded and keeps him on a 600+ pace PA if seeing Full-time 2b duties to the team he's traded to, makes his value less in trade. Since you're giving away a player who they can't use full-time 1.5seasons without having the Option picked up.

 

I think with Bianchi, the club would have had a hard time sitting Weeks enough games whereas, with Gennett you can at least say you're playing Platoon pitching matchups. Weeks vs. Leftys, Gennett vs. say tough Rightys on Weeks. Weeks sits right on the 600PA pace for this season currently. Keep in mind that's with 85% games started.

Sitting him twice a week in pitching matchups would be roughly down to 70% games started.

We're 50 games away from Trade Deadline so then you figure that's 7-8 extra games of PAs not accrued over current pace or about 32-35PAs. That would put him on a 565-70 PA pace. So then you're looking at the team who acquires him being able to play him 90% or more of the games rest of season and he'll creep close to 600PA but not pass it.

 

The team trading for him Washington/Baltimore current fits would have full control on how Weeks accumulates his PAs next season.

[djoctagone]

1 for 23 since being acquired . . . with 10 strikeouts.

 

ouch.

[jjkoestler]

Doing his best Brad Nelson impression.

[endaround]

If you were frustrated by Carlos Gomez's or YB's plate discipline over the years you are going to hate Juan Francisco. The guy swings at more out of zone pitches, takes more in zone pitches, swings and misses more, and pitchers must know they can just throw anything up there because they only throw about 43% of pitches in the zone compared to 48% and 51% for Gomez and YB's careers.

 

Looking at his K rate and HR numbers he must just close his eyes and swing as hard as he can at everything.

 

That is a Doug Melvin kind of guy. A free swinger with pop. Besides Prince Fielder who have we had in recent memory who was a high OBP type of guy?

 

Seriously? The Brewers employed both Russel Branyan and George Kottarras.

[Hammer]

Realistically...can Juan Francisco be an option for 3rd base for the next several years? I mean...not EVERY position needs to be replaced with a potential superstar...right?

[Oxy]

Realistically...can Juan Francisco be an option for 3rd base for the next several years? I mean...not EVERY position needs to be replaced with a potential superstar...right?

 

I don't think so. I think he'd be great as the power bench bat and corner spot starter, but I'm not sure if he is a regular. If he played stellar defense then I could see it but I don't think that is the case.

[RobertR]

If Yuni B can start on a playoff team as a regular at SS, Francisco can be a low level third baseman on a competitive team. Or, at least, a platoon option. He's not part of your core, but I think people are overrating what you can expect out of third base.

 

NL third basemen in 2013 are hitting a combined .257/.327/.399 for a .726 OPS. AL third basemen are hitting around .759 OPS, so a .740-ish OPS is probably average. Francisco is obviously going to be a low OBP / high SLG guy, but it's not unreasonable to expect a .770 OPS or so out of him in the next few years, maybe peaking in the low .800s for a year or two.

 

Heck, David Freese (.727 OPS), Todd Frazier (.731 OPS), and Luis Valbuena (.739 OPS) aren't exactly hitting the cover off the ball in the division. And Pedro Alvarez is precisely the kind of low OBP / high SLG / bad defense 3B that Francisco projects to be.

 

Obviously defense is an issue with him. Reportedly attitude is too. But, a stopgap corner guy who's in the neighborhood of average, isn't necessarily a bad thing to have around for a few years.

[Oxy]

If Yuni B can start on a playoff team as a regular at SS, Francisco can be a low level third baseman on a competitive team. Or, at least, a platoon option. He's not part of your core, but I think people are overrating what you can expect out of third base.

 

NL third basemen in 2013 are hitting a combined .257/.327/.399 for a .726 OPS. AL third basemen are hitting around .759 OPS, so a .740-ish OPS is probably average. Francisco is obviously going to be a low OBP / high SLG guy, but it's not unreasonable to expect a .770 OPS or so out of him in the next few years, maybe peaking in the low .800s for a year or two.

 

Heck, David Freese (.727 OPS), Todd Frazier (.731 OPS), and Luis Valbuena (.739 OPS) aren't exactly hitting the cover off the ball in the division. And Pedro Alvarez is precisely the kind of low OBP / high SLG / bad defense 3B that Francisco projects to be.

 

Obviously defense is an issue with him. Reportedly attitude is too. But, a stopgap corner guy who's in the neighborhood of average, isn't necessarily a bad thing to have around for a few years.

 

Oh, I agree he is fine for a stop-gap. But we aren't talking about a stop-gap. We are talking about planning for him to be a regular, which I think is a bad plan. If it turns out that way, so be it, but don't plan for it.

[RobertR]

Sure. I'd like to do better than Francisco too, but I also think that there are higher priorities to deal with as well. The starting rotation is obviously at the top of everyone's list, especially if Gallardo and/or Lohse are dealt. The bullpen can't be far behind that. Aoki is a free agent at the end of 2014 and I don't know if we have a corner outfielder that I'm comfortable replacing him with in the system. Weeks might be dealt and I have questions about the viability of Scooter Gennett. First base isn't settled long term yet.

 

If the Brewers deal with most of the above successfully, I can certainly live with Francisco at 3B. Few teams are completely satisfied at every position. Think the Cardinals wouldn't want to upgrade from Pete Kozma? Jon Jay isn't exactly lighting it up for them either.

 

Yeah, I don't think we really differe. I think the Brewers can do better and he's a better fit as an all around backup, but I'm not also going to lose any sleep over him if he's a starter. It's not like starting Yuni B.

[nate82]

Sure. I'd like to do better than Francisco too, but I also think that there are higher priorities to deal with as well. The starting rotation is obviously at the top of everyone's list, especially if Gallardo and/or Lohse are dealt. The bullpen can't be far behind that. Aoki is a free agent at the end of 2014 and I don't know if we have a corner outfielder that I'm comfortable replacing him with in the system. Weeks might be dealt and I have questions about the viability of Scooter Gennett. First base isn't settled long term yet.

 

 

Some valid points but I would replace Aoki with Ke. Davis in RF in 2015 or even next year if Aoki gets traded this year.

 

I don't believe Gennett is an everyday player at best he is a platoon player at 2B who can't play any other position I would pass on Gennett as Josh Prince has more value to the Brewers than Gennett does.

 

3B is the least of the Brewers worries and I would either let Francisco start the whole year next year at 3B or find a platoon partner with him at 3B. Francisco is not blocking anyone at 3B so I see no reason to either let him start every game there or at the very minimum platoon at 3B. It is not like the Brewers are going to be competing for the World Series next year.

 

1B can be settled either with a platoon next year with Gamel and Halton who could also be your platoon in RF if you wanted to do that also.

 

As for the starting pitching the Brewers could get lucky and catch lightning in a bottle and sign either Hughes or Lincecum and they some how become the pitcher they were supposed to be in Hughes or the pitcher they once were in Lincecum. Both of those pitchers should be available on 1-year deals in this coming off season. Either one of those pitchers could replace Gallardo and at a minimum give the Brewers what Gallardo is doing this year.

[brewmann04]

I think just give the rest of the season to Juan at 1st base .

[brewmann04]

I think just give the rest of the season to Juan at 1st base .

[brewcrewdue80]

Juan needs to go on a mini-tear here and replace the ARam trade rumors to becoming the 3b other teams covet. Call up Boston and offer Juan for Middlebrooks.

 

I said it somewhere else, I really wouldn't be surprised to see Juan traded especially now that ARam is on the DL and looking more than likely stuck on the team through the Deadline not to be moved. I thought the Francisco acquisition was one to use in lieu of ARam's soon to be departure in trade. So if ARam stays, Juan becomes disposable imo.

[SoupTown]

I think we have up to 31 Aug to trade Aram. His back loaded contract means if he has a hot Aug he is a viable piece for a playoff team. I mean he will clear waivers easy. No one is picking up his big contract for 2014 unless they need him in 2013 Sep-Oct

 

Then I can see Juan as our third baseman for a couple of years

 

I have fear Doug is going to consider Juan a 1st baseman. So in 2014 we will have 5 1st baseman. I assume a one yr plus team option will be given to hart. Even hart said he will take a low base incentive contract to stay with the brewers

[mothershipconnection]

I mean he will clear waivers easy. No one is picking up his big contract for 2014 unless they need him in 2013 Sep-Oct

 

Absolutely. If someone puts in a waiver claim on Ramirez, you just let them have him.

[DuWayne Steurer]

 

If the Brewers deal with most of the above successfully, I can certainly live with Francisco at 3B. Few teams are completely satisfied at every position. Think the Cardinals wouldn't want to upgrade from Pete Kozma? Jon Jay isn't exactly lighting it up for them either.

 

.

 

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a .250/.300/.450 slash line out of Francisco, with 20 -ish homeruns if he played every day. Those numbers are right around his career norms, and he's entering his age 27 season next year. Probably don't want him hitting vs. LHP ....um......ever I suppose, but he hits well enough against righties.

 

I really have to agree with Robert on this. I don't *want* Ben F at the hot corner, but there's lots of other needs, and if the Brewers can find a suitor for Ramirez, and take care of the starting pitching problem, and assemble a solid bullpen, having a .750-ish LH half of a 3B platoon isn't a bad thing to have already on hand.

[Roderick]

Why are the Brewers not playing Francisco at 3B to see if he can hack it? It sounded like an option when he was picked up. Assuming the Brewers have scouted him thoroughly and know he can't hack 3B, at least play Bianchi there.

 

If we come into next season without ARam and then Francisco is handed the job at 3B and can't hack it, I will blow my top.

[TURBO]

Have you seen Francisco play 3B? He CAN'T hack it, he is horrible, just bad.

 

I am thinking they might be considering him as our 1B of the future, and he is just as bad in the field there as he is at 3B...

 

People were mentioning above that he could be traded, I only wish that was the case. He sucks defensively, is lazy, and seems like he just doesn't care. His only positive is his power, but in order to have that, we have to put up with the rest of the badness.

 

I'm out on this guy.

[brewmann04]

He never played 1st base give him the next two months and see what happens.

[JohnBriggs12]

I completely agree with turbokey. If Francisco is the answer, I don't want to know the question. He's just another low average swing for the fences guy who's horrible defensively at 1B as well as 3B and a terrible situational hitter. I'm not that huge on Morris, but I'm sure a Morris/Halton platoon at 1B can do better than Francisco.

 

Give me Jeff Bianchi any day if Ramirez gets traded. Bianchi is an above average defensive player and while he won't hit for much power, he takes good approaches with men on base, a novelty on this roster. Someone mentioned seeing some Mark Loretta traits in Bianchi and I agree. I think A Ram needs about 6 healthy weeks and he's not going to be able to be dealt this year. Maybe this winter. That contract is tough to move.

[JohnBriggs12]

He never played 1st base give him the next two months and see what happens.

 

Why bother with a guy like him who's never played 1B? It's not like his bat is that valuable. Corey Hart and his agent are enjoying watching him but I'm not.

[Warning Track Power]

Give me Jeff Bianchi any day if Ramirez gets traded. Bianchi is an above average defensive player and while he won't hit for much power, he takes good approaches with men on base, a novelty on this roster. Someone mentioned seeing some Mark Loretta traits in Bianchi and I agree.

I have really gotten to appreciate Jeff Bianchi as well. He plays good defense, has a doubles bat and seems like the perfect fit for the Brewers as a super utility guy for 3B, SS & 2B. I don't quite see the Mark Loretta comparison as a hitter as I doubt Bianchi will ever be much more than a .250 hitter and Loretta was a pure hitter. I just wish Bianchi could walk a little more. A 25:3 K/BB ratio is pretty darn ugly.