2014 Brewers Roster News

[RobDeer 45]

I thought we could maybe use a thread to discuss what is being done with the roster and what we think should be done. I didn't want to start a thread with the "i" word so thought this might be better!

 

I've heard a few things, but could we actually see Braun in the lineup or pinch hit, as early as tonight? Seems too soon. I really want him to be 100% healthy before coming back. I was almost hoping he'd go on the 15 day so we could get a bench guy up.

 

What's the latest on the other guys? ARam, Shafer, Segura?

[brwrsfan]

I have no real updates, other then they have to do something. At some point, one of these guys has to go on the DL, especially if Ramirez needs time off.

 

Schafer played in Brevard last night, so barring a setback, he's ready to return when he's eligible on 5/3 (Saturday).

 

Not sure if this goes in this thread or not, and I realize injuries are hard to control, but DM really put them in this spot by building a roster that has 2 guys that can only play 2b and 2 that can really only play 1b (though Reynolds can and might have to play 3b tonight but that's really not ideal any more). They need to just let Weeks go. We need more versatility on the roster (not to mention someone that can actually do even ONE thing productive).

[RobDeer 45]

I'd rather have Yuni on the roster than Weeks (not in blue).

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'd be shocked if ARam is available to play tonight, so if no roster moves would be made and assuming Segura and Braun aren't available, that leaves RR with 22 players which includes a rule V guy they're obviously trying to avoid using during competitive game situations. LuCroy has to get a night off from catching, and even though Davis came through with a big hit late last night I think he's probably due for an offday, too.

 

There needs to be one or two of the walking wounded placed on the DL, and I think bringing up another OF or reliever could do the team alot of good...Schafer's still a few days away, but calling up Gindl to give RR some flexibility for the OF would help in the short term. With no off days for the next 9 games and the extra inning game last night, I think bringing Wooten or Figaro up and going with 13 pitchers would be an option, too.

 

Weeks is killing roster flexibility right now, but what hurts the most is having Braun out with Schafer on the DL...they need another OF available so Herrara can fill the role of backup everything again - sticking him out in RF and essentially losing his bench spot really hurts right now.

 

Looking at the current Brewer 40-man roster right now, and something needs to change with that, too - position player-wise, they have two 1B and an OF and that's it. The rest are pitchers. With Hellweg getting surgery on his arm, what options do the Brewers have in the short term to free up his roster spot for Taylor Green, while still having him under team control? Can they 60-day DL him?

[SRB]

I hope they don't give up on the Wang experiment just due to the current (temporary) roster crunch. Could see him getting cut for a call-up ahead of Weeks though.

 

Can't they just back-date Braun's DL stint so he's be eligible to return in a few days? Not sure the rules on that.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I hope they don't give up on the Wang experiment just due to the current (temporary) roster crunch. Could see him getting cut for a call-up ahead of Weeks though.

 

Can't they just back-date Braun's DL stint so he's be eligible to return in a few days? Not sure the rules on that.

 

Yes, they can retroactively DL him...the fact the Brewers seem to do this so often is part of the reason the roster's in such a predicament. With both pitchers and position players, it seems like they wait too long to make roster moves, and it leads to them playing with less than 25 available players way too often. Part of the reason this happens with position players is likely because they have very limited options on the 40-man to replace players if they do get injured.

[djoctagone]

With Hellweg getting surgery on his arm, what options do the Brewers have in the short term to free up his roster spot for Taylor Green, while still having him under team control? Can they 60-day DL him?

yes, under these conditions.

[Fear The Chorizo]

That's got to happen with Hellweg sooner than later then...the 40 man needs position players in a bad way, even if they are just filler until key guys are available again

[brwrsfan]

Hellweg is almost certainly heading for the 60 day DL, Gorzelanny could be heading there too...he's already halfway to the 60 days as it is. That would give two spots, at least for the time being. And as I keep asking for, Weeks can be DFA'd at any time for another spot. Other than Weeks though, that won't free up 25 man roster spots. They either need to DL someone or have someone play through some pain. Can't go through games, especially against the Cardinals with 22 guys (and really 21 since we'll never use Wang).

[Roderick]

I wish they would have used the concussion 7 day DL for Segura right from the get go. I would have thought that would have passed the smell test.

[monty57]

I wish they would have used the concussion 7 day DL for Segura right from the get go. I would have thought that would have passed the smell test.

 

Yeah, that'd be hard to argue against. Can they retro-active this one, maybe say he felt dizzy?

 

There's not an ideal situation right now, but they may have to 15-day DL someone. Between Ramirez, Braun and Segura, all things being equal, the easy option is Segura, as the dropoff from him to Bianchi is less than the dropoff for the other two to their replacements. That would allow us to bring up Rogers or Gindl (both on the 40-man) to start in RF, freeing up Herrera for the "go anywhere" utility role.

 

1B Overbay/Lucroy

2B Gennett/Weeks

SS Bianchi

3B Reynolds

LF Davis

CF Gomez

RF Gindl or Rogers

C Lucroy/Maldonado

 

Certainly not ideal, but hopefully it's only for a few days before Braun and Ramirez are able to get back out there.

 

 

Question about last night: Didn't Roenicke pinch hit with Overbay, then put Maldonado at 1B at the bottom of the inning when Ramirez was hurt? Couldn't he have just kept Overbay in at 1B?

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Question about last night: Didn't Roenicke pinch hit with Overbay, then put Maldonado at 1B at the bottom of the inning when Ramirez was hurt? Couldn't he have just kept Overbay in at 1B?

 

According to TH twitter (sorry, don't have link)...he already signaled for Thornburg when he found out Ramirez was out so OB was out of game. I had thought they didn't double switch at the time so it was too late since Ramirez got hit after OB's at bat. Nothing RRR could do.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Regarding the 7-day DL for concussions, I would think there has to be medical evidence from a non-partial doctor's assessment in order for a team to put a player on it. It can't just be because something looked bad or because a guy got hit in the head on the baseball field. I would hope any time a player suffers some form of head injury that he's evaluated and if there are signs of a concussion, he's automatically put on that 7-day DL. Take the decision on what to do with a head injury away from both the player and management.

 

I actually think it would benefit Segura's balky shoulder in the long run to be put on the 15-day DL, and also give him plenty of time for the headwound to heal.

[TURBO]

It seems all of us knew that keeping 2 players that could only play one position (Weeks 2B and Overbay 1B) for our bench was going to be trouble. How the Brewers themselves could go into the season this way, and not think there could be a serious problem if injuries occur is beyond me. It is a lot like going into last year with no 1B on the roster. There really is no excuse...

 

Sometimes, the way this team is ran is just completely, absolutely clueless. Very frustrating as a fan.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I don't see how Weeks can last the season on the roster. They can't go on with 2 1B and 2 2B on the roster. Need more flexibility than that. Overbay at least provides a LHH alternative at 1B, which no one else on the roster can do. Whereas, someone like Bianchi or Herrera could take some starts against LHP at 2B. Doesn't have to be Weeks. I'd like to see Scooter get some opportunities too. Wouldn't be a bad thing to just play him everyday. Herrera needs to stay on the roster due to his flexibility. Solves a lot of problems.

[monty57]

Question about last night: Didn't Roenicke pinch hit with Overbay, then put Maldonado at 1B at the bottom of the inning when Ramirez was hurt? Couldn't he have just kept Overbay in at 1B?

 

According to TH twitter (sorry, don't have link)...he already signaled for Thornburg when he found out Ramirez was out so OB was out of game. I had thought they didn't double switch at the time so it was too late since Ramirez got hit after OB's at bat. Nothing RRR could do.

 

Thanks SoCal. I figured there had to be a reason, but was too tired as it was going on last night to reason it out :-)

[lcbj68c]

Herrera needs to stay on the roster due to his flexibility his being a better player than Rickie Weeks. Solves a lot of problems.

 

Fixed

[JohnBriggs12]

Well Braun was in the on deck circle last night and they said they could have used him. I'd hate to have him sit on the DL for a week when he's healthy enough to play. Segura is said to be close to returning too and was even going to take BP tonight. If that's the case, he could PH. I wouldn't expect to see either in the field. but one AB?

[SRB]

Why is Weeks's "inflexibility" such a big deal? Even with Braun/Segura/A-Ram out at once (a worst case scenario) we have enough backup starters on the bench to cover (Herrera/Bianchi/Reynolds, with Overbay at 1B). You're probably not going to start Weeks anywhere but 2B, but if you have a late-inning emergency it's not like he couldn't play anywhere on the field except C/SS.

 

Herrera and Bianchi already offer us the level of flexibility that most major league benches have. I don't see how Weeks being a 2B (instead of a more traditional fourth/fifth OF spot) is a bad thing. In fact it's probably a net benefit, because he could play OF in a pinch, whereas someone like Schafer could never play a credible 2B.

[HiAndTight]

Regarding the 7-day DL for concussions, I would think there has to be medical evidence from a non-partial doctor's assessment in order for a team to put a player on it. It can't just be because something looked bad or because a guy got hit in the head on the baseball field. I would hope any time a player suffers some form of head injury that he's evaluated and if there are signs of a concussion, he's automatically put on that 7-day DL. Take the decision on what to do with a head injury away from both the player and management.

 

I actually think it would benefit Segura's balky shoulder in the long run to be put on the 15-day DL, and also give him plenty of time for the headwound to heal.

 

 

 

Yeah, but it's such an inexact science that if he says he has a headache and was dazed the Doctor certainly would have said he had a possible concussion, thereby making him eligible for the 7 day DL. That one seemed to be an obvious one to me. I can't fathom why they didn't do that. And since he didn't have a concussion according to the team, if he did need to pass some test to come off of it(and I don't believe they do like they need to in football) he obviously would have passed it.

 

That seems like bad roster management.

 

 

Ryan Braun has to go to the 15 day DL. I can't understand why they'd want to start to screw around with this. He's got an issue with his thumb that feels better the more time off he's got, and now with the dreaded oblique injury, the same type of injury that Chris Davis just went on the 15 day DL for, I fear they're going to rush him back and he's going to have to end up taking off games here and there for it.

 

Gindl or Hermedia take the place of Braun and Velez in place of Segura.

 

Certainly not optimal, but at least it's something.

[HiAndTight]

Herrera needs to stay on the roster due to his flexibility his being a better player than Rickie Weeks. Solves a lot of problems.

 

Fixed

 

 

He's really not. Herrera is not a better major league baseball player than Rickie Weeks.

[djoctagone]

if the brewers overtax their bullpen again today, it's quite possible that the brewers may add another arm (at least until logan schafer returns).

 

wang seems to be safe. herrera seems to be safe (if only because of his versatility in covering for so many banged up players at the moment). henderson could be optioned, but he's already proven that he's worked his stuff out. if the brewers are thinking about adding another arm, a position player has to go--and all signs are pointing to weeks.

[jerichoholicninja]

Or they could...gasp! actually put Wang into a game.

[djoctagone]

elian herrera optioned. unless replacing an injured position player, he must remain in the minor leagues for at least 10 days. rob wooten returns to help an overworked bullpen. one would expect the pitching staff to go back to 12 when logan schafer is activated in a couple days.

[Fear The Chorizo]

So I take it that they think Braun may play tonight? I'm hoping that's the case, because the other scenario would be ARam returning to play 3rd and the Brewers starting Mark Reynolds in RF. I'll be ticked if Braun's unable to play the next few games and then finally gets DL'd...although I guess Herrara could be immediately recalled in that situation, or Gindl could get moved up and actually provide some semblance of a corner OF bat.

 

Overall I'm ok with carrying 13 relievers, because it's likely to only be for a couple games until Schafer's back, and it's happening at a time when the pen needs the extra arm.