1B in 2015

[JohnBriggs12]

Mike Carp is also a minor league FA. Interesting how two names much talked about a year ago as options for the Brewers, Carp and Hart, are now both on the scrap heap.

 

I wouldn't object to bringing either or both in on minor league deals, as long as it's not assumed they make the team as they did last year with Overbay.

[Bombers]

Van Slyke is an interesting talent..... he would be a tremendous pickup for the Brewers, even if he is much better vs LHP than RHP

I am also intrigued by him. I wonder what it would take. What does LA need? Catcher sucks for them. (They had a .181 batting average this year) So including Maldy could be a start. But they will probably just sign Russell Martin back. BP help, but what could we trade. Jeffress? I just don't see the Dodgers wanting prospects when they are so close.

[reillymcshane]

Mike Carp is also a minor league FA. Interesting how two names much talked about a year ago as options for the Brewers, Carp and Hart, are now both on the scrap heap.

 

I wouldn't object to bringing either or both in on minor league deals, as long as it's not assumed they make the team as they did last year with Overbay.

What happened to Carp last year? A .175 BA and zero HR. Crazy awful. I guess a minor league deal isn't bad, especially if it's open competition.

[fondybrewfan]

I think I want a more proven commodity for next year if I am the Brewers; because I am sure MA's goal is going to compete. I just don't think DM is going to be willing to take a flier on Van Slyke, Carp, Paulsen, etc. He is going to get someone that has done it before; even if that means it costs more in dollars or prospects.

[lcbj68c]

Can Yasmany Tomas play first base?

[JohnBriggs12]

I think I want a more proven commodity for next year if I am the Brewers; because I am sure MA's goal is going to compete. I just don't think DM is going to be willing to take a flier on Van Slyke, Carp, Paulsen, etc. He is going to get someone that has done it before; even if that means it costs more in dollars or prospects.

 

I think most agree with that assessment but beyond LaRoche and Morse who's likely to re-up with Giants and maybe Cuddyer if healthy, it's slim pickings in the FA market and they already tried once to pry Morneau away from Colorado and failed. So it's worth noting what fall back names are out there. Clark may well be a better option as the fall back. If they were to sign a RH bat like Morse or Cuddyer as opposed to LaRoche, either of those two can play corner OF if needed and Clark could figure in backing up at 1B and PH.

[JohnBriggs12]

Report is Toronto is getting calls on Adam Lind, including some from NL teams. I would assume Brewers would be one of those teams. Lind would fit nicely at a relatively modest price compared to what it might cost for LaRoche. Might need to find a platoon partner, though they may have that guy in Rogers who can also fill in at 3B a couple days a week for the aging Ramirez (assuming he's back tho I hope not) or Halton who tore up lefties at Nashville in 2014 (.342/.387/.509).

[reillymcshane]

Report is Toronto is getting calls on Adam Lind, including some from NL teams. I would assume Brewers would be one of those teams. Lind would fit nicely at a relatively modest price compared to what it might cost for LaRoche. Might need to find a platoon partner, though they may have that guy in Rogers who can also fill in at 3B a couple days a week for the aging Ramirez (assuming he's back tho I hope not) or Halton who tore up lefties at Nashville in 2014 (.342/.387/.509).

I've heard Lind is a terrible defender at 1B. I know fielding isn't the top priority for 1B, but having lived through Fielder and Francisco at the position in recent years, I just hate having more of the same. Still, I haven't seen the guy (that I recall) in the field. So I'm just going by what I have read.

[TooLiveBrew]

Report is Toronto is getting calls on Adam Lind, including some from NL teams. I would assume Brewers would be one of those teams. Lind would fit nicely at a relatively modest price compared to what it might cost for LaRoche. Might need to find a platoon partner, though they may have that guy in Rogers who can also fill in at 3B a couple days a week for the aging Ramirez (assuming he's back tho I hope not) or Halton who tore up lefties at Nashville in 2014 (.342/.387/.509).

I've heard Lind is a terrible defender at 1B. I know fielding isn't the top priority for 1B, but having lived through Fielder and Francisco at the position in recent years, I just hate having more of the same. Still, I haven't seen the guy (that I recall) in the field. So I'm just going by what I have read.

Seeing his name again prompted me to look up how he finished the year -- .220/.291/.456/.747. After a first-half .828 OPS, he crashed & burned to the tune of .561 in the second half. So for the year in total, he was the same guy that made us Brewers fans want to punch walls.

[BrewBalls]

Report is Toronto is getting calls on Adam Lind, including some from NL teams. I would assume Brewers would be one of those teams. Lind would fit nicely at a relatively modest price compared to what it might cost for LaRoche. Might need to find a platoon partner, though they may have that guy in Rogers who can also fill in at 3B a couple days a week for the aging Ramirez (assuming he's back tho I hope not) or Halton who tore up lefties at Nashville in 2014 (.342/.387/.509).

I've heard Lind is a terrible defender at 1B. I know fielding isn't the top priority for 1B, but having lived through Fielder and Francisco at the position in recent years, I just hate having more of the same. Still, I haven't seen the guy (that I recall) in the field. So I'm just going by what I have read.

His UZR/150 was -14.8 last season. He definitely is a terrible defender at 1B. There is a reason guys like Lind, Kendreys Morales and Billy Butler are full time DHs. Their value is lost once they put on a glove.

[JohnBriggs12]

Report is Toronto is getting calls on Adam Lind, including some from NL teams. I would assume Brewers would be one of those teams. Lind would fit nicely at a relatively modest price compared to what it might cost for LaRoche. Might need to find a platoon partner, though they may have that guy in Rogers who can also fill in at 3B a couple days a week for the aging Ramirez (assuming he's back tho I hope not) or Halton who tore up lefties at Nashville in 2014 (.342/.387/.509).

I've heard Lind is a terrible defender at 1B. I know fielding isn't the top priority for 1B, but having lived through Fielder and Francisco at the position in recent years, I just hate having more of the same. Still, I haven't seen the guy (that I recall) in the field. So I'm just going by what I have read.

His UZR/150 was -14.8 last season. He definitely is a terrible defender at 1B. There is a reason guys like Lind, Kendreys Morales and Billy Butler are full time DHs. Their value is lost once they put on a glove.

 

 

Lind has not been a full time DH. He's started 280 games at 1B over the last 4 seasons. We're not talking Francisco like incompetence here. Lind has 19 errors in 304 games there, while Francisco has 12 in just 87 games. Brewers won a lot of games with Fielder playing 1B. His defense wasn't an issue and rarely is. Lack of range at 1B isn't that big an issue. Many of the balls they can't get to, the 2B does. I'm more concerned about ability to dig out throws in the dirt.

 

If the Brewers were that concerned about defense at 1B, they wouldn't play Lucroy there. Lind's as good as Lucroy there. Speaking of Lucroy, he'd figure in as a platoon option there vs. lefties too.

[JohnBriggs12]

Report is Toronto is getting calls on Adam Lind, including some from NL teams. I would assume Brewers would be one of those teams. Lind would fit nicely at a relatively modest price compared to what it might cost for LaRoche. Might need to find a platoon partner, though they may have that guy in Rogers who can also fill in at 3B a couple days a week for the aging Ramirez (assuming he's back tho I hope not) or Halton who tore up lefties at Nashville in 2014 (.342/.387/.509).

I've heard Lind is a terrible defender at 1B. I know fielding isn't the top priority for 1B, but having lived through Fielder and Francisco at the position in recent years, I just hate having more of the same. Still, I haven't seen the guy (that I recall) in the field. So I'm just going by what I have read.

Seeing his name again prompted me to look up how he finished the year -- .220/.291/.456/.747. After a first-half .828 OPS, he crashed & burned to the tune of .561 in the second half. So for the year in total, he was the same guy that made us Brewers fans want to punch walls.

 

What relevance are Francisco's splits to the discussion about Lind? When I first read your post I thought you were talking about Lind. Lind's splits were fine in the 2nd half.

[TooLiveBrew]

What relevance are Francisco's splits to the discussion about Lind? When I first read your post I thought you were talking about Lind. Lind's splits were fine in the 2nd half.

Well I responded anecdotally about the post reilly made. I think you mistook my post for one by Reilly.

[DHonks]

Any chance that Victor Martinez wants to play the field rather than DH'ing all the time?

[JohnBriggs12]

Blue Jays picked up Smoak which adds to the speculation that Lind will be moved. MLBTR suggests he could be had for a pitching prospect whose ceiling is as a 4th or 5th starter and who's fairly close to big leagues. I think the Brewers have several guys that fit that description (Jungmann, Cravy). I like the idea of Lind myself because offensively he's as productive as LaRoche is, at least vs RHP, at half roughly half the cost which would leave them with money to spend elsewhere. Now he probably needs a RH platoon partner but finding a decent RH bat to platoon at 1B doesn't seem so daunting and they also have in house candidates.

[BrewBalls]

Blue Jays picked up Smoak which adds to the speculation that Lind will be moved. MLBTR suggests he could be had for a pitching prospect whose ceiling is as a 4th or 5th starter and who's fairly close to big leagues. I think the Brewers have several guys that fit that description (Jungmann, Cravy). I like the idea of Lind myself because offensively he's as productive as LaRoche is, at least vs RHP, at half roughly half the cost which would leave them with money to spend elsewhere. Now he probably needs a RH platoon partner but finding a decent RH bat to platoon at 1B doesn't seem so daunting and they also have in house candidates.

My biggest concern with trading for Lind is the large drop off defensively from someone like LaRoche. Unless we can use the saved money to upgrade 3B (i.e. Sandoval or Headley), I think it becomes more of a lateral move which doesn't improve the team enough to be contenders in 2015 at which point I prefer we trade a couple assets and restock our upper minors with top tier talent.

[TURBO]

Royals are letting Billy Butler go... I would think DM will kick the tires at least.

[jerichoholicninja]

Royals are letting Billy Butler go... I would think DM will kick the tires at least.

 

The guy just tanked so badly last year compared to the rest of his career and is really only a DH. When you factor in defense he's probably no better than Mark Reynolds. Baseball reference has him at negative defensive WAR every year of his career. Being only 29 should push a few clubs to try and sign him long term and hope 2014 was a bad year taking away any hope the Brewers could get him for cheap or at least what he is actually worth.

[fondybrewfan]

LaRoche has got to be the odds on favorite at this point. He is a nice lefty bat that will take a walk and coming off a pretty darn good year. If LaRoche will take a 2 year contract DM better make a really hard push.

[WV Brew]

LaRoche was awful against left handers last year. Splits:

 

.280/.390/.501

.204/.284/.336

 

They could use Rogers in a platoon although his splits were pretty even last year. But do you pay big bucks for a platoon player?

[fondybrewfan]

I would pay $10 to $12 a year for LaRoche if he is going to OPS 900 against righties (What maybe about 75% of 1B ab's would be against righties?). Rogers would probably be a fine platoon mate.

[BrewBalls]

I can see Rogers spelling LaRoche maybe once every couple of weeks just to keep him fresh but I doubt they will look into a straight platoon. LaRoche still put up better numbers versus left handed pitching than Reynolds.

 

LaRoche: .240/.298/.420 .718 OPS

Reynolds: .173/.277/.296 .573 OPS

 

Still appears to be a solid upgrade over last season. Also I'm not convinced Rogers' offensive production will be much higher than a .725 OPS to warrant the need to platoon LaRoche.