One more bat?

[Bnowell4evr]

I think it's fairly apparent we need a backup SS on the roster. I'm not too excited about any of our current options in Bianchi, Velez or Herrera. Who else besides Bonafacio is even out there?

 

I think I'd rather see Irving Falu make the team over Bianchi.

[Outlander]

I don't think there is much out there, Drew of course but he isn't a backup, maybe Nick Green, the White Sox would dump Keppinger I'm sure. Velez or Herrera don't really play shortstop so it might be Falu or Bianchi. If it is Falu then he just takes Bianchi's spot on the 40 man as Bianchi can't be sent to the minors. Not a lot of good options but it is at least the backup shortstop and not the starter we are talking about.

[thumperden]

Bonifacio cleared waivers and allegedly as many as 9 teams are interested in his services. He's not worth getting in the bidding for. Let someone else overpay.

[monty57]

I'm not that worried about having a weak-hitting SS. I'm worried that our 3B is old and missed significant time last season due to a bad knee (which was rested but never repaired), and his backups are either the aforementioned weak-hitting backup SS, or two guys who are so bad at defense they can barely cut it at 1B, much less 3B.

 

Our backup 3B could easily get at least 40 starts this season. Does anyone at all want to see the Reynolds/Francisco combo manning both 3B & 1B for an extended period? Unfortunately, since we seem to be en route to a 2B platoon with two guys who only play 2B and a 1B platoon of Reynolds and either Francisco or Overbay, that doesn't leave us much room for "luxuries" like a backup 3B or a 5th OF. Bonifacio is probably going to go to a team that will offer him a lot more PT than the Brewers can guarantee him, but a guy who can play 6 or 7 positions would be a wonderful addition to the Brewers' inflexible lineup.

 

Bonifacio cleared waivers and allegedly as many as 9 teams are interested in his services. He's not worth getting in the bidding for. Let someone else overpay.

 

He'll make less than $3.5MM, or else someone would've just claimed him off waivers. The bidding won't get that crazy. I'd think he'd be worth $1-2MM.

[endaround]

Bonifacio's value is that he isn't helpless with teh bat and would be replacing two players who are, Bianchi and Schafer. This means Gindl makes the team and becomes a weapon off the bench. Add in Bonifacio's speed and if used correctly he would provide good value to the Brewers.

[brewcrewdue80]

Bonifacio's value is that he isn't helpless with teh bat and would be replacing two players who are, Bianchi and Schafer. This means Gindl makes the team and becomes a weapon off the bench. Add in Bonifacio's speed and if used correctly he would provide good value to the Brewers.

 

Schafer is on this team to stay for defensive purposes in CF. And I like that we have a defensive gem as a backup more so than a potential .750OPS bat. without giving you much defensively.

[endaround]

Bonifacio's value is that he isn't helpless with teh bat and would be replacing two players who are, Bianchi and Schafer. This means Gindl makes the team and becomes a weapon off the bench. Add in Bonifacio's speed and if used correctly he would provide good value to the Brewers.

 

Schafer is on this team to stay for defensive purposes in CF. And I like that we have a defensive gem as a backup more so than a potential .750OPS bat. without giving you much defensively.

 

And I would rather have a guy who brings value in the 155 games Gomez starts in center field instead of guy who is better defensively for those 6 games Gomez doesn't start.

[monty57]

Yeah, with the current roster, Gindl could very easily be the odd man out, and Schafer will be the backup at all three OF positions. He could see significant playing time in this role.

 

I'd like to find a way to get Gindl on the roster to be our backup corner OF, limiting Schafer to backup CF/pinch runner/defensive replacement. However, I don't think the Brewers will cut Weeks, send Gennett to AAA or cut both Overbay and Francisco, so barring injury or another personnel move (like picking up Bonifacio), Gindl will probably be in AAA and Schafer will have a big role on the team.

[TheCrew07]

Personally I'd rather have Schafer than Gindl and I think there is room for him to grow offensively, I don't necessarily believe he's a .211 hitter or a .600ish OPS kind of guy because of what he did last year.

 

I think he's more of a .260-.280 hitter and .680-700ish OPS type at his best. Throwing out his best minor league season in Helena he was about a .770 OPS guy in the minors so I could see him falling off to a .700ish OPS, but last year's performance seems to me like his extreme floor as a player.

[TooLiveBrew]

Personally I'd rather have Schafer than Gindl and I think there is room for him to grow offensively, I don't necessarily believe he's a .211 hitter or a .600ish OPS kind of guy because of what he did last year.

 

I think he's more of a .260-.280 hitter and .680-700ish OPS type at his best. Throwing out his best minor league season in Helena he was about a .770 OPS guy in the minors so I could see him falling off to a .700ish OPS, but last year's performance seems to me like his extreme floor as a player.

He's probably comparable, overall (basically meaning OPS), to Gennett. Gennett's going to hit for a higher average, but Schafer will probably work more BBs. Maybe Schafer has a tick more power... maybe.

[monty57]

I haven't given up on him, and agree he's better than he showed last year, but I'll still take Gindl's bat over Schafer's. Schafer's edge is on defense, which is why he'll probably get the call if we only have 4 OF's on the roster (he can play CF). I'm just saying that it would be nice if we could have 5 OF, so Gindl could back-up the corners and Schafer could back-up CF and be a defensive replacement for Davis if needed in late innings.

 

With two guys who only play 2B and one of Overbay/Francisco making the team along with Reynolds, I don't see us carrying a 5th OF, so Gindl probably gets sent to AAA because Schafer can cover all three OF positions. Backup OFs usually garner 200-400 PAs in a season, so who knows if having Gindl hit instead of Schafer for 200 or so PA's would make much of a difference. Probably not enough for the Brewers to cut Weeks or go without one of the lefty 1B, and barring injury or another personnel move, that's all that really matters in constructing the opening day roster.

[TURBO]

All these potential platoons stink... If we are in bad enough position that we have to consider 2 platoons, Melvin is not doing his job, especially if those platoons involve one dimensional players who only have one position.

 

Francisco is an absolute hack at 3B, and only slightly better at 1B. On a normal MLB team, he is a pinch hitter at best, and when he does have to play the field, it would be at 1B. Any self-respecting GM or Manager would never consider this guy at 3B again after last's years debacle. Is Reynolds any better at 3B? Platooning these two guys is asinine since neither offers anything defensively. If their best contribution is offensively, with their strikeout rate, once again, Melvin is not doing his job.

 

Overbay = one position...

 

We have put up with a full season of a black hole at 1B, and it sure looks like we are about to do the same this season unless there is a BIG move coming soon. I am not holding my breath.

 

Both Gennett and Weeks only have one position... I just hate the kind of roster inflexibility our current roster demonstrates.

[Bnowell4evr]

All these potential platoons stink... If we are in bad enough position that we have to consider 2 platoons, Melvin is not doing his job, especially if those platoons involve one dimensional players who only have one position.

Francisco is an absolute hack at 3B, and only slightly better at 1B. On a normal MLB team, he is a pinch hitter at best, and when he does have to play the field, it would be at 1B. Any self-respecting GM or Manager would never consider this guy at 3B again after last's years debacle. Is Reynolds any better at 3B? Platooning these two guys is asinine since neither offers anything defensively. If their best contribution is offensively, with their strikeout rate, once again, Melvin is not doing his job.

 

Overbay = one position...

 

We have put up with a full season of a black hole at 1B, and it sure looks like we are about to do the same this season unless there is a BIG move coming soon. I am not holding my breath.

 

Both Gennett and Weeks only have one position... I just hate the kind of roster inflexibility our current roster demonstrates.

 

Every team is utilizing platoons these days. Is Billy Beane not doing his job because he uses 3 or 4 platoons in his lineup?

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/anthony-castrovince-platooning-and-position-sharing-in-mlb-here-to-stay?ymd=20140131&content_id=67311170&vkey=news_mlb

[TURBO]

Are his platoons one dimensional one position type players? Players that no one else wants, that we want because we are desperate? (Overbay, Francisco, Reynolds).

 

There is a difference between what he is doing and what we might be doing...

[nate82]

Are his platoons one dimensional one position type players? Players that no one else wants, that we want because we are desperate? (Overbay, Francisco, Reynolds).

 

There is a difference between what he is doing and what we might be doing...

 

Actually they are and most platoon players are players that other teams dont want. There were other teams that were also interested in Reynolds and Francisco would be picked up by a team and would be put into a platoon. Only Overbay really fills your

agenda here and there are 30+ Overbays all over MLB.

 

There is very little to no difference in what the Brewers are doing and what the rest of MLB is doing.

[TURBO]

Ok, well if that is the case, I still don't agree with that strategy. All it does is give our manager one more way to screw up the line-up and allow him to tinker with things he is incapable of tinkering with...

 

I digress.

[jerichoholicninja]

I don't see what the big deal is. Melvin could have spent money or prospects to make upgrades and he wisely didn't. Platoons work great when you can't have a lineup of above average. However, if your manager is a guy like Roenicke who plays the hot-hand or veteran instead of sticking to the splits it's a recipe for disaster.

[nate82]

Ok, well if that is the case, I still don't agree with that strategy. All it does is give our manager one more way to screw up the line-up and allow him to tinker with things he is incapable of tinkering with...

 

I digress.

 

The manager can't mess up a lineup it is nearly impossible with this team as there really is only one good batter in Braun and a few average bats followed by a lot of below average (Gennett, Bianchi, Francisco, Schafer, and Maldonado). The only way to have a bad lineup would be to have Bianchi Gennett Maldonado and Schafer all playing on the same day. Talk about a black hole of horrible bats that would be a very bad lineup.

[TURBO]

Ok, well if that is the case, I still don't agree with that strategy. All it does is give our manager one more way to screw up the line-up and allow him to tinker with things he is incapable of tinkering with...

 

I digress.

 

The manager can't mess up a lineup it is nearly impossible with this team as there really is only one good batter in Braun and a few average bats followed by a lot of below average (Gennett, Bianchi, Francisco, Schafer, and Maldonado). The only way to have a bad lineup would be to have Bianchi Gennett Maldonado and Schafer all playing on the same day. Talk about a black hole of horrible bats that would be a very bad lineup.

 

This should be bookmarked, as I bet this exact lineup will occur on a couple different occasions this season. (like on one of those special "throw in the towel" Sundays that RRR likes to quit on...) If anyone can mess up a line-up, RRR can, and has proven so many times in the past.

[HiAndTight]

Ok, well if that is the case, I still don't agree with that strategy. All it does is give our manager one more way to screw up the line-up and allow him to tinker with things he is incapable of tinkering with...

 

I digress.

 

I read this constantly....for every manager the Brewers have had in the last 15 years and wonder are there ever fans that are really happy with their manager? I'm sure most Cards fans like TLR, but I'd read a lot on their boards complaining about him.

[logan82]

If I was asked the three positions I would least like to have a platoon in it would be 1B, 2B, and 3B. At least, generally, at 1B and 3B those guys would have a decent bat off the bench. At 2B usually at least one of the guys could play some SS in a pinch or possibly 3B. Not in this case though.