Braun to 1B?

[lcbj68c]

Why are we spending the money in free agency here when we have Hunter Morris. He's done his year at every level and I see no reason that he can't play 1B in Milwaukee. Sure, his avg was down last year, but he's a true first baseman. Considering the offense they got from 1B last season, what would be the downside? Without starting pitching, this is a 72 win team with Ike Davis or Hunter Morris. Let's just stick with the in-house option.

[Nottso]

The thought of Braun at 1b is frightening to me. Too many potential double plays requiring a throw from 1b could easily end up as "1 out and a man on 3rd" (if not worse).

[Mr Southpaw]

I think they should start with platoons at three positions, lf with gindl and Davis, 2b with weeks and scooter, and 1b with Morris or green and halton. It gives you the depth you need on the bench and you get the maximum as far as percentage baseball. It also is not very expensive. If you're going to spend money, spend it on pitching.

 

At the all star break, trade a-ram and weeks (after he is hitting a majority of lefties) and we now have the money flexibility we need for the next year.

[The stache]

Davis in left and Braun in right is already a huge upgrade from who we had playing there last season (Braun part of the season in left, before he injured his thumb, and Aoki in right), at least offensively.

 

Keep our top pitching prospects. Letting one of them go for a stopgap at first base would be a HUGE mistake. We finally have some young starters I am excited about in Peralta, Nelson and Thornburg. Let Halton and Morris have at it for first base. They are, you know, actual first basemen. No reason we can't get .260 with 15-20 HR and 75 RBI from them. Let them have the consistent playing time that Gamel never had.

[Mr Southpaw]

I agree with stache

[brewcrewdue80]

I agree with Stache as well only my expectations would be more like .230-.240 with 16-22HRs and 70RBI. Which is essentially what we would expect from Ike Davis. Only 2mil less and Thornburg still on team.

[RobertR]

If I'm giving up a real pitching prospect, I'd expect something a lot better than Ike Davis. Heck, go after Chase Headley and move Aramis to first for a year.

[davego]

I really don't want Rickie to play first. A lot. At all.

[Crash2303]

If Weeks is still on the team come spring training and has a good spring. any chance they try him at 3B and move Aramis Ramirez and his decrepit knees to 1B? then you could have Francisco back up both 3B & 1B.

 

either way, I hope we don't sell low on Weeks and he has an opportunity to reestablish his value.

[RobDeer 45]

I don't think Weeks can handle anything now besides 2b. He can't even handle that so moving him does not seem like an option at all. There aren't many guys who can play multiple positions well in MLB.

 

Same goes for Braun, keep him in the OF.

 

I want to go with Morris at 1b but guessing they think if they rush him he may never develop.

[TURBO]

Why don't we just draw names out of a hat each day to decide where they play. RRR could hold a press conference each day pre-game to announce his line-up, it would be fun.

 

Seriously, can you imagine Weeks trying to play 3B? All this talk of so many players switching positions is just crazy.

[TooLiveBrew]

Why don't we just draw names out of a hat each day to decide where they play. RRR could hold a press conference each day pre-game to announce his line-up, it would be fun.

 

Seriously, can you imagine Weeks trying to play 3B? All this talk of so many players switching positions is just crazy.

It's not crazy. The difficulty of position changes tend to be drastically overrated by fans. I remember many fans here wringing their hands about whether or not Corey Hart could handle the 'move' to 1B... even though he'd played the position as a younger player.

 

Now, I'm certainly not of the mind that Weeks could handle 3B -- in fact, the thought of him trying to make some of the throws required at the position makes me shudder -- but I don't think it's crazy to discuss players changing positions. This is a fan message board, after all

[jerichoholicninja]

Weeks could handle 3B. He has the arm and range really isn't all that important since everything gets hit at you pretty hard.

[logan82]

He might actually be better at 3B. He seems to have more problems when he has time to throw than when he doesn't.

[JohnBriggs12]

If they thought Weeks would hit enough to man a corner IF spot, he'd still be the starter at 2B. They'd be better off trading Weeks and his bad contract to the White Sox for Jeff Keppinger (another bad contract) and playing Keppinger at 3B and Ramirez at 1B. At least Keppinger is only one year removed from providing something offensively.

[RobDeer 45]

Why don't we just draw names out of a hat each day to decide where they play. RRR could hold a press conference each day pre-game to announce his line-up, it would be fun.

 

Seriously, can you imagine Weeks trying to play 3B? All this talk of so many players switching positions is just crazy.

It's not crazy. The difficulty of position changes tend to be drastically overrated by fans. I remember many fans here wringing their hands about whether or not Corey Hart could handle the 'move' to 1B... even though he'd played the position as a younger player.

 

Now, I'm certainly not of the mind that Weeks could handle 3B -- in fact, the thought of him trying to make some of the throws required at the position makes me shudder -- but I don't think it's crazy to discuss players changing positions. This is a fan message board, after all

 

I think a move from corner OF to 1B is a better fit both for body type and bat (the typical player). Also, as you said, Hart had some experience there. Some guys are athletes and can handle a position change. Other players are ok at what they do because of lots of repetition, but a move would be a disaster. Rickie's bat at 3b or 1b is not good and if his defense is still lacking, that puts us in a big hole. The only guy I see making a change to maybe do 1B would be ARam and I guess I could see Braun handling it. I don't want Braun there, but I think he'd have a shot at being ok there and his Bat fits.

[djoctagone]

ron roenicke says the brewers have been talking about a move to first for braun.

[JackNicholson1974]

I was hoping for more of a Paul Goldschmidt type, not a Mark Grace type hitter for that spot.

[3and2Fastball]

the more I think about it, the more I think Braun would be worse, defensively, than Prince Fielder at 1B. And that is pretty bad

[Bombers]

Braun to 1B is now being discussed internally with the Brewers according to McCalvy and Haudricourt.

 

With next season 1B still a gigantic question mark it only seems logical to give Braun some seasoning there in spring training. Time will tell and it will be interesting to see what they do with Coulter who will start 2015 at A+. If he excels in 2015, he could reach AA and then 2016/2017 reach the big league club.

[3and2Fastball]

Hopefully Coulter can stick at 3B. I thought I read that Coulter will be playing 3B in 2015

[Bombers]

the more I think about it, the more I think Braun would be worse, defensively, than Prince Fielder at 1B. And that is pretty bad

I just don't see that. I really don't. Braun is a better athlete than Prince and Braun's problem at 3rd was throwing the ball. 16 of his 26 errors were throwing the ball.

[torts]

Coulter to RF

[jerichoholicninja]

If Braun's thumb bothers him hitting, it's probably not helping him throw either. You don't have to make as many throws at first as you do in the outfield.

[torts]

wasnt part of the problem with his thumb that it was getting blisters from gripping the ball to hard when fielding in RF earlier in the season?