Keep an eye on Velez

[JohnBriggs12]

Eugenio Velez is now a guy to watch this spring. They obviously do not have a lot of confidence in Francisco. Overbay is on fumes at the end of his career. Reynolds is now the overwhelming favorite to be primary 1B. It appears they are content to let Morris and Halton start the year in Nashville because with all the bodies in Arizona, neither figure to get long enough looks.

 

Velez is coming into camp under the radar after a very impressive offensive season in AAA (.314/.398/.472) and a solid winter ball season. Velez has played everywhere but 1B in his career, but how big a stretch can that be? Seems to me he doesn't have that much to beat for a roster spot.

[DR28]

I agree... Wouldn't suprise me to see him in Milwaukee come Opening Day.

[djoctagone]

it should be noted that velez is not on the 40-man roster.

[Outlander]

He plays a lot of positions but still see him down on the list. If he could play short then I could see him beating out Bianchi but that is not the case. He is 32 years old with no success in the majors. There is already a platoon at second and better players in Gindl and Schafer playing the outfield, Halton as well. Not on the 40 man either so probably not worth taking somebody off for him. If both Weeks and Gennett stink up the joint to start the year I would consider releasing Weeks, sending Gennett to the minors and bringing Velez up.

[jerichoholicninja]

He's old and not terribly good at any particular thing. He has a great chance to make the team since every year the Brewers need to have a guy like him.

[JohnBriggs12]

He plays a lot of positions but still see him down on the list. If he could play short then I could see him beating out Bianchi but that is not the case. He is 32 years old with no success in the majors. There is already a platoon at second and better players in Gindl and Schafer playing the outfield, Halton as well. Not on the 40 man either so probably not worth taking somebody off for him. If both Weeks and Gennett stink up the joint to start the year I would consider releasing Weeks, sending Gennett to the minors and bringing Velez up.

 

He was serviceable for a couple years in SF a definite pitchers park, so I wouldn't say he had no success in the majors. He's coming off a AAA season where he posted an .870 OPS. He was solid in the DR this winter as well. He very well may be a better hitter at 32 than he was at 26. Of Francisco, Overbay, and Velez, Velez is certainly the best contact hitter of that group and he'll take walks unlike say Yuni who also made contact. As for his roster spot, didn't you read my initial post?? I think he can beat out Francisco. That's whose roster spot he'd get. We're talking about a bench guy. I'm assuming Reynolds is the everyday first baseman, not just a platoon guy. The one issue is he's never played first but he's played all the other infield positions and my guess is he'd be adequate there. Meanwhile they can go get Morris or Halton if needed.

 

As for their "already being a platoon at 2B", says who? I've read a lot of people say that, but never once have I heard it come out of Melvin's mouth. May I remind you Gennett batted .324 facing both RHP and LHP. Maybe facing lefties against whom he struggled makes him a better hitter against RHP? I think a lot of hitters feel that way and if Gennett is going to be an everyday player, it does him a disservice to platoon him. Again my point is I believe Weeks is more likely to be traded and or cut than he is to be on the opening day roster. I've said it before and I'll stick with it. There's no reason to be paying $11 million for a backup infielder that plays one position. The money is already spent. There's another 40 man spot as well. Want to give Gennett days off against lefties occasionally? Jeff Bianchi says hello.

[Outlander]

I read what you said about Francisco but don't think the Brewers will be throwing away $1.3 to give a career minor leaguer a spot.

 

Regarding the 2B platoon I don't really care what Melvin didn't say, Melvin also didn't say Velez has a decent shot at making the team, didn't stop you from posting that you think he will.

[JohnBriggs12]

I read what you said about Francisco but don't think the Brewers will be throwing away $1.3 to give a career minor leaguer a spot.

 

If Francisco gets cut in spring training, I believe he's only owed 10% of his deal. That contract isn't 100% guaranteed unless he makes the team out of Arizona, then it they are on the hook for the full amount. You actually think if Overbay made the team, they'd keep Francisco too? Whose roster spot would Overbay get? They'd be saving money putting Velez on the roster and cutting Francisco.

[monty57]

I don't like that it looks like they're going to carry two guys who only play 1B and two guys who only play 2B. The acquisition of Overbay seems to show that they may have had enough of Francisco, but they also acquired Reynolds, who is a very similar player to Francisco, so maybe they're fine with guys under .800 OPS with over 200 K's and they'll keep both the RH and LH version of that player. I believe they are going to go into the season with Reynolds and one of Overbay/Francisco on the roster. All signs seem to point that way, and Melvin is going to cover himself after the 1B fiasco of last season. If they went with one 1B and cut the other two (we already have too many 1B in AAA), and the one they kept fell flat, the fans would be in an uproar.

 

That leaves 2B. Weeks can't be given the everyday gig, as that would make the automatic vesting of his option a possibility. Therefore, Gennett will be on the roster. So, the question would be whether or not someone (Velez or someone else) is enough to get the Brewers to cut Weeks and eat his salary. I would like to have two utility IF on the roster, and would be fine with Gennett splitting time with Bianchi and/or Velez, but I'm not the one who would have to pay Weeks millions of dollars to not play.

 

My guess is that Velez does not bring enough to the table to make the Brewers cut Weeks or change from the seeming plan of going with two veteran, "proven" first basemen. One LH, one RH.

[endaround]

Because the last minor league veteran utility infielder coming off a great AAA season in his early 30s worked out so well.

 

I always wanted Erick Almonte 2.0

[djoctagone]

velez finally reached base this spring with a walk yesterday. he's hitless in 12 at-bats and has an .077 obp.

[jerichoholicninja]

velez finally reached base this spring with a walk yesterday. he's hitless in 12 at-bats and has an .077 obp.

 

He's a veteran so he probably has the inside track on a roster spot.

[nate82]

Jason Rogers has a better chance at making the roster than Velez does.

[PrinceFielderx1]

Monty I agree. They will need a utility player to step up and one that can play 3B/SS. This discussion deserves it's own thread.

[recte44]

...every year the Brewers need to have a guy like him.

 

So true. I've always said that the Brewers insist on saving their last roster spot for a "some guy" type. How else can the Erick Almonte experience be explained rationally? Do they really ignore years of minor league data every year based on a small sample of Spring Training stats?

 

2013: Blake Lalli (not on Opening Day roster but so close)

2012: Travis Ishikawa (played quite well)

2011: Erick Almonte

2010: Joe Inglett (actually played ok)

2009: Chris Duffy

2008: Joe Dillon

[djoctagone]

velez returned to minor league camp today.

[djoctagone]

as much as i hate to bump a thread about a minor league player on a minor league contract in the major league forum, velez has been playing well with nashville, and his versatility could be what the brewers need if segura, ramirez or braun go on the disabled list (although it may make more sense to recall gindl for braun).

 

a 40-man spot could be opened up for velez by transferring tom gorzelanny to the 60-day disabled list.

[torts]

i was kinda hoping he was coming up instead of Herrera, still hoping he gets brought up some how

[Roderick]

a 40-man spot could be opened up for velez by transferring tom gorzelanny to the 60-day disabled list.

 

Hellweg can be placed on the 60 day DL at any time, he is having surgery today I think it said on the minors message board.

[djoctagone]

a 40-man spot could be opened up for velez by transferring tom gorzelanny to the 60-day disabled list.

 

Hellweg can be placed on the 60 day DL at any time, he is having surgery today I think it said on the minors message board.

that is true about hellweg, but then he'd be accruing major league service time and major league salary. gorzelanny is already accruing major league service time and salary, and if a move is going to be made just to accommodate a utility player like velez, it shouldn't come at such a cost.

 

my thinking is that velez would be a short-term fix for the brewers as they battle through injuries, and he'd be outrighted back to the minor leagues if they needed room when gorzelanny returned to the 25-man roster. of course, by that point (june?), the brewers could be prepared to jettison rickie weeks.

[endaround]

Velez has a BABIP of .444. If you are going to make 40 man room it should be for Green who is killing RHers.

[brewmann04]

I hope Green continues to hit and play good at 3rd base.

[HiAndTight]

Velez has a BABIP of .444. If you are going to make 40 man room it should be for Green who is killing RHers.

 

 

Whatever they do, they need to do it quickly. That they've managed to get two wins while being handcuffed with regard to the bench shouldn't give them confidence moving forward.

 

Braun should go to the DL and Green should be brought up, and I would have liked to have seen Segura sent down as well with Gindl getting the nod.

 

Let these guys heal so that they're(namely Braun) isn't dealing with this injury longer than he has to.

[SoupTown]

Strange thought: could a guy be sent down (10 days) and heal for a week. Then play a couple AAA games then come back. If a guy has options like Braun is that like a 10 day DL

 

15 day DLs for 5 day injuries are awful. And having a short bench for 5 days is awful

[djoctagone]

keep an eye on velez in the tampa bay organization. he signed a minor league deal with them.