Rickie Weeks

[Warning Track Power]

I'll correct myself a bit for calling him a "slap hitter." He's a little better than that, but the sub-.700 OPS we'll likely see will amount to a slap hitter.

Gennett is a perfectly fine 2B for a team that employs above-average to All Star potential players at RF (Braun), CF (Gomez), SS (Segura), C (Lucroy) and 3B (Ramirez). His line of .280/.330/.380 in the #8 hole will play just fine if surrounded by the aforementioned talent.

[nate82]

I'll correct myself a bit for calling him a "slap hitter." He's a little better than that, but the sub-.700 OPS we'll likely see will amount to a slap hitter.

Gennett is a perfectly fine 2B for a team that employs above-average to All Star potential players at RF (Braun), CF (Gomez), SS (Segura), C (Lucroy) and 3B (Ramirez). His line of .280/.330/.380 in the #8 hole will play just fine if surrounded by the aforementioned talent.

 

I have no problem with Gennett batting anywhere from 7th or below. A platoon with Weeks is optimal IMHO.

[TracyThom]

I think the only player we could trade Rickie for would be Adam Dunn. One unwanted big contract for another. The Sox would have to throw in an extra 3+ million to make it even.

[logan82]

I'll correct myself a bit for calling him a "slap hitter." He's a little better than that, but the sub-.700 OPS we'll likely see will amount to a slap hitter.

Gennett is a perfectly fine 2B for a team that employs above-average to All Star potential players at RF (Braun), CF (Gomez), SS (Segura), C (Lucroy) and 3B (Ramirez). His line of .280/.330/.380 in the #8 hole will play just fine if surrounded by the aforementioned talent.

I think it is a big assumption he hits that well.

[Warning Track Power]

@Logan:

 

Scooter has a career line of .297/.337/.409 in 2,049 PA in the minors. For comparison, Mark Loretta, whom I hope Scooter emulates his career after, had a minor league line of .289/.350/.381 in 1,456 PA.

 

I will grant you that Scooter will need to cut down on the strikeouts and increase the walks if he is to reach Loretta status. That is what I would be working on with him in Spring Training if I were the Brewers.

[logan82]

A 40 point split in OBP vs 60 is pretty big. Loretta also struck out a lot less. We can hope he ends up like Loretta but at this point Loretta doesn't seem to be a good comparable because Loretta looks like he had a much better eye at the plate.

[RockCoCougars]

I think the only player we could trade Rickie for would be Adam Dunn. One unwanted big contract for another. The Sox would have to throw in an extra 3+ million to make it even.

 

I've kicked around an idea of Weeks for Lind/Romero in my head a bit. It would be a pretty big risk, but Lind actually was pretty good last year, and from what I've read, Romero's issues are more mental/delivery than physical. I saw that the Jays were trying to dump Lind a few weeks ago to clear salary, but I have to wonder if they'd kick some money back just to rid themselves of Romero. Weeks is owed only about half of those two....maybe the Jays would kick in $5 million or so.

[ilikewisco]

I wanted to mention this in one of the 1b threads too, but I thought I read the Jays wanted Walker from the Pirates in exchange for Lind. The Jays aren't just trying to rid themselves of Lind, they're looking for something back. I don't know if they think Weeks is comparable to Walker, but he's first year arby eligible and had a decent year last.

[nate82]

I think the only player we could trade Rickie for would be Adam Dunn. One unwanted big contract for another. The Sox would have to throw in an extra 3+ million to make it even.

 

I've kicked around an idea of Weeks for Lind/Romero in my head a bit. It would be a pretty big risk, but Lind actually was pretty good last year, and from what I've read, Romero's issues are more mental/delivery than physical. I saw that the Jays were trying to dump Lind a few weeks ago to clear salary, but I have to wonder if they'd kick some money back just to rid themselves of Romero. Weeks is owed only about half of those two....maybe the Jays would kick in $5 million or so.

 

The Jays asked for Walker when the Pirates asked about Lind. Why would the Jays trade Lind/Romero for Weeks?

[Warning Track Power]

If you have any confidence in Rick Kranitz in a reclamation project (I don't), then Romero would be a heckuva nice target for a buy low guy. Not sure I would even give up Rickie for him, though I would like to take a chance on Romero.

[RockCoCougars]

I think the only player we could trade Rickie for would be Adam Dunn. One unwanted big contract for another. The Sox would have to throw in an extra 3+ million to make it even.

 

I've kicked around an idea of Weeks for Lind/Romero in my head a bit. It would be a pretty big risk, but Lind actually was pretty good last year, and from what I've read, Romero's issues are more mental/delivery than physical. I saw that the Jays were trying to dump Lind a few weeks ago to clear salary, but I have to wonder if they'd kick some money back just to rid themselves of Romero. Weeks is owed only about half of those two....maybe the Jays would kick in $5 million or so.

 

The Jays asked for Walker when the Pirates asked about Lind. Why would the Jays trade Lind/Romero for Weeks?

 

Dumping Romero's salary would probably be the only motivation. He was available in the Rule 5 draft with no takers. They do need a second baseman, though I'm not sure Weeks would be their dream scenario. That said, for the past few winters, they would have done handstands if they had found a taker for Lind.

[LouisEly]

I think the only player we could trade Rickie for would be Adam Dunn. One unwanted big contract for another. The Sox would have to throw in an extra 3+ million to make it even.

I still think Weeks to the Dodgers for Beckett makes a lot of sense. The Dodgers signed Haren to go with Kershaw/Ryu/Grienke, but it depends on Billingsley's rehab progress and when he expects to be ready.

 

If the Brewers agree to take on the extra salary of Beckett they should be able to get a prospect from the Dodgers in the deal. If the Dodgers have given up on Magill and Van Slyke, I'd be happy to take both plus Beckett and the extra salary for Weeks.

[SoupTown]

I think the only player we could trade Rickie for would be Adam Dunn. One unwanted big contract for another. The Sox would have to throw in an extra 3+ million to make it even.

I still think Weeks to the Dodgers for Beckett makes a lot of sense. The Dodgers signed Haren to go with Kershaw/Ryu/Grienke, but it depends on Billingsley's rehab progress and when he expects to be ready.

 

If the Brewers agree to take on the extra salary of Beckett they should be able to get a prospect from the Dodgers in the deal. If the Dodgers have given up on Magill and Van Slyke, I'd be happy to take both plus Beckett and the extra salary for Weeks.

 

That is some outstanding out of the box thinking. I sure hope Doug and Mark would be courageous enough to try such

[brewcrewdue80]

The Dodgers signed a guy named Alex Guerrero 26yr old Cuban defector 4/28 to play 2B. That's not the kind of money you pay a guy to sit in your minors. He'll be playing for LA in 2014

[trwi7]

The Dodgers signed a guy named Alex Guerrero 26yr old Cuban defector 4/28 to play 2B. That's not the kind of money you pay a guy to sit in your minors. He'll be playing for LA in 2014

 

They signed Puig to a 7/42 deal and put him in the minors.

[brewcrewdue80]

The Dodgers signed a guy named Alex Guerrero 26yr old Cuban defector 4/28 to play 2B. That's not the kind of money you pay a guy to sit in your minors. He'll be playing for LA in 2014

 

They signed Puig to a 7/42 deal and put him in the minors.

 

Valid argument, but Puig was 21 and signed to 7years with the first two averaging 3.8mil a year before avg. 7mil per the remainder of contract.

 

Guerrero will be making 6.5mil this year to spend 1/4th of his entire contract in the minors? He's 27 on a team filled with superstars. I don't think LA needs to season him in the minors when they likely play 20games over .500 ball regardless how bad he is.

 

 

Guerrero's contract is like Aoki's in that after the 4th year he's a Free Agent. He'll be 30 turning 31 when he's hit FA.

 

Puig will hit FA in his still Peak age of 28 turning 29. And he just goes to Arb! So LA owns him really through Age 31. (though there's a clause he can start his arb after 3yrs service so he's likely up for FA at 29)

 

 

 

How about we look positive though, I'm reading that he's had a hamstring injury. Maybe LA blinks on trusting him to start the season or fear his injury will prevent him from being reliable....

Enter Weeks(not without his own Hamstring issue though) But, just maybe because of his 1yr contract, LA deals for him? Still don't know what kind of value you can ask for in return, it's pretty much strictly monetary.

For Milwaukee I'm still thinking Chad Billingsley. Yeah he's going to be on the shelf until near mid-season but, being on a 60 day DL opens up a roster spot. His Return then can be 1 of few things, A, he returns in time to finish out the season with a Rotation spot after having shipped Lohse or Gallardo if being out of the playoff picture. B, the Brewers are successful but their #5s aren't getting it done. He turns in to a savior. C, Pitcher injuries happen, by mid-year maybe 2 Starters are out. He's insurance that may provide value. D, he's just a name but we use him for 1-3starts and move him at the trade deadline.

Either way the money is around equal to Rickie's we actually get a prospect for him because it's more. The fear of Rickie's option being reached is removed. Win to me.

[Roderick]

 

Enter Weeks(not without his own Hamstring issue though) But, just maybe because of his 1yr contract, LA deals for him? ......

 

The fear of Rickie's option being reached is removed. Win to me.

 

Yeah, but if the Dodgers are trading for him, it is because they are planning on playing him at least to start the season. And if his at bats get close, then it is a headache for the Dodgers. Hence his contract will be vested or they get a grievance as Weeks wants the vested year, so Weeks is not nearly as valuable if you know it is only one year.

[brewcrewdue80]

 

Enter Weeks(not without his own Hamstring issue though) But, just maybe because of his 1yr contract, LA deals for him? ......

 

The fear of Rickie's option being reached is removed. Win to me.

 

Yeah, but if the Dodgers are trading for him, it is because they are planning on playing him at least to start the season. And if his at bats get close, then it is a headache for the Dodgers. Hence his contract will be vested or they get a grievance as Weeks wants the vested year, so Weeks is not nearly as valuable if you know it is only one year.

 

Barring Rickie batting .250+ he has zero reason to think of filing a grievance if a team chooses to platoon him to avoid his 600PAs. Having Rickie for just the 1year while Guerrero prepares is the positive for LA. They aren't dealing with someone on their roster beyond this season. He'd just be insurance. But this idea/scenario is based upon Guerrero continuing with health issues and/or complete look of lost at the plate in ST. I believe Mark Ellis' option was for 5 mil.? And he signed with the Cards for 5mil to be a 38year old barely .700 or really under .700OPS Backup! For deep pockets LA, I think for 6mil and staring at a situation at 2b like the 2013 Brewers were staring with SP just is reasonable to envision them making a play at Rickie late in Spring Training.

[SoupTown]

I am sorry as sin to keep bringing up "Weeks should be the starter for the first 6 weeks of the year".

 

There is a possibility he will be 'healed'. There is a possibility he comes out 'house on fire'. He has that capacity in him. And the fact that he is playing for his career can cause one of these amazing turnarounds.

 

Now, if he starts out on fire, and keeps it going, then you have an all star on your hands again. And you WANT the option to vest. And you have the option of trading him mid year (if he is an all star like player). If he flops again after the first month, you just cut him. No grievance there.

 

Right now, Weeks is worth NIL. But he could be a 'lightning in the bottle' guy Doug is forever looking for. I do not agree to give up on a guy with NIL value - when there is a 5% chance he could be great again. Let us play that 5% chance for a month or 6 weeks. The difference between Weeks 'worst' (.210 / .310 obp) lead off and Scooter for 4 to 6 weeks is worth the gamble.

 

And I so much do not agree with platooning two 'only 2nd base' guys. Some power position platoon... I can handle. But not a middle infielder. That is just my opinion.

 

And and, if we do not have an 'extra' 2nd baseman sitting around, our rule V guy is more likely to stick - that was a brilliant pick. If we can put up with Gagne and Axford with ERA's around 6 - we surely can have a rule V guy stumble through the year.

 

I have such firm hopes for this team this year... and it starts with NOT THROWING AWAY WEEKS (just yet)

[sheetskout]

I am also of the opinion that Weeks should be given the first crack at 2B this season. Besides the fact that I believe people are vastly overrating Scooter Gennett (and Khris Davis for that matter) we need to see if we can squeeze any value from Weeks if possible. It would be one thing if Gennett's defensive value was heads-and-tails above Rickie, but it's not.

[LouisEly]

Agreed - the upside is if Weeks reverts to his 2011 form then he is worth his salary and/or increases his trade value. Gennett's minor league numbers suggest that he overperformed and will likely regress from his 2013 numbers. If Weeks still stinks, then they bench him and he can't file a grievance over being benched for monetary reasons and the difference over six weeks of performance will cost the Brewers at most 1-2 wins.

[TURBO]

Committing to Rickie for the first month or 6 weeks is dangerous, because we have a manager that will play him long after that (even if he is playing as bad as he has the past 2 seasons) if that is what he decides to do. Once it is in his head that Weeks is "his" starter, it would take an injury to get him out of the line-up again.

 

I don't trust RRR at all, and if he commits to Weeks, no matter how bad he could possibly be, he will remain entrenched as our 2B no matter what.

 

Flipside of that, Weeks starts the year as our starter and goes off the hook, shocking everyone, and has that healthy all-star year some here are talking about. If that happened, no one would have an issue with the decision, but I really think the opposite is more likely to happen...

[brewcrewdue80]

No to Rickie being given the Starting role the first 6weeks. I mean really we want the chance of him locking in 600PAs? That's what the 6weeks can lead to. And if he's a .225-.235hitter and in the end of the season you sit him to avoid the 600PAs, then I foresee him having reason to file a grievance. But go in to this season stating, "We're going to platoon Rickie/Scooter" Rickie can't do anything about it. He shouldn't have batted under .185 through to the All Star breaks the last 2 seasons. And if he bats .200 as a 6week starter, how can you then turn him away from not remaining a starter? Because let's face it, his recent history would indicate that he can then finish the year a .240+hitter from then on so sitting him then he can have issue.

 

Sit him early and let Scooter remove the 600PAs possibility before going to Weeks. What if Scooter bats .280 or higher? And if Scooter doesn't then send him back down to AAA and tell Rickie play his heart out for his next contract. But, if Scooter bats .280+ Rickie has no say in the deal unless he was being as good or better in the PAs he had.

I want nothing to do with 11.5mil in payroll spent on Rickie in 2015. I would very much rather use that 11.5mil to lock up Segura long term/ extend Lucroy/ extend Gomez if he's for real. It's money as an organization we cannot risk spending.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Brewers are a combined 43-61 in April and May that last two seasons. Weeks contributed to those slow starts by hitting under .200 in that period both years (.158 in 2012 and .183 in 2013). Insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

[SoupTown]

Is it possible to have player that is .200 ave / .300 obp pre June, but post June is .260 / .360. And that is 'just the way it is'. If that were the case, you simply sit Weeks until 1 June, the make him the starter.

 

I did like the logic put forth to sit Weeks and play Scooter - the first six week as well. And it was for the reason the Crew gets the 'good June+ Weeks' and limits his PA to under 600.

 

If we can be so sure history will repeat, then it is simple. April / May sit Weeks. June / July play Weeks, then trade him end July, because he will have stellar numbers.

 

Is it so easy?