Parra to Try Out 1B

[Bombers]

At first I thought it was a joke. Parra is at 1B taking grounders. I am sure all guys do weird things in Spring / goofing around. Then the tweets came later in the day:

 

@AdamMcCalvy: Gerardo Parra wasn't just messing around at 1B in drills this morning. RR says he could play there in a game soon.

 

@Todd_Rosiak: Roenicke on Parra: “He looks really good over there. He played there before he signed. We’ve been talking about it."

 

Label me confused. I mean unless Lind and Clark are both hurt I just don't see how yet another lefty would ever play there. Much less one who has never played there in the Pro's

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I'd rather see Khris Davis try 1st base. He should have been working on it all off season.

[3and2Fastball]

wow....

 

I'm thinking this means that Lind is injured fairly significantly

 

The Brewers are on pace to have the worst OPS at 1B All-Time in a decade if this kind of thing continues

[Woozee]

I don't think there is much to this. Roenicke is just feeling out his roster's depth and how roles can change for players during the season in the case we're stuck in worst-case scenarios.

 

Let's hope Lind holds up. *fingers crossed*

[MrTPlush]

I'd rather see Khris Davis try 1st base. He should have been working on it all off season.

 

Khris Davis can't play anwhere but LF. Been there done that he is strictly a LF...everything has been tried.

[SoupTown]

Lind, Jimenez, Lucroy, Clark, Rogers, Peterson, Parra, Maldonado

 

What another great plan and forward thinking by the Crew management. I guess they sleep well at night saying 'well, that problem is well and truly covered'

[DocLuna7]

I mean, I know that Gold Gloves are a bit overrated but Parra did win a Gold Glove in the OUTFIELD right?

[clancyphile]

If Lind is hurt, put Lucroy at first full-time, Maldonado behind the plate, with Adam Weisenburger as the second catcher.

[Bombers]

I mean, I know that Gold Gloves are a bit overrated but Parra did win a Gold Glove in the OUTFIELD right?

It's gold and can catch balls anywhere.

 

If it were me I would put him at 3rd. Forget the gold, he has a canon. Let's have the only LH throwing 3rd baseman in the league. In the voice of Marty Riggs in leathal weapon (Mel Gibson): You want to get nuts, come on let's get nuts

[clancyphile]

I mean, I know that Gold Gloves are a bit overrated but Parra did win a Gold Glove in the OUTFIELD right?

It's gold and can catch balls anywhere.

 

If it were me I would put him at 3rd. Forget the gold, he has a canon. Let's have the only LH throwing 3rd baseman in the league. In the voice of Marty Riggs in leathal weapon (Mel Gibson): You want to get nuts, come on let's get nuts

 

Gerardo PArra at third would make Ryan Braun look like a Gold Glover at the hot corner.

 

That said, Don Mattingly once played third base in the `80s...

[bjkrautk]

I've been wondering if Davis would be the one to try 1b. Because Lind is an obvious lift when facing a LOOGY in close & late situations...Khris Davis would have been the natural fit as a PH. If Parra can play 1b, it means he can stay in the game in that situation (with Davis staying in to play LF).

 

It's not as great a situation when Parra is on the bench....it would make more sense to put Rogers in (assuming he is on the 25-man), but a little versatility is a good thing.

[SoupTown]

I am becoming worried by Lind. Management sure are not acting like they trust their trade one bit.

 

My current hope (it changes daily) is that Clark does a Davis on us and hits like 9 home runs this spring and makes the 25 man. I really, really, really, really want a first baseman playing first. And if Lind's back is too dicky, then we will not want to spend the $8/$9 mill on him next year.

[clancyphile]

I am becoming worried by Lind. Management sure are not acting like they trust their trade one bit.

 

My current hope (it changes daily) is that Clark does a Davis on us and hits like 9 home runs this spring and makes the 25 man. I really, really, really, really want a first baseman playing first. And if Lind's back is too dicky, then we will not want to spend the $8/$9 mill on him next year.

 

Honestly, I do not think that Lind's back is the end of the world.

 

It's a huge downer, and it means the Brewers will be seeing a lot more Lucroy at first, but it's not the end of the 2015 season if the Crew decides to give Adam Weisenburger some serious reps behind the plate.

[JohnBriggs12]

Meanwhile nobody in camp is raking more than Matt Clark so far. That's not surprising considering what he did at Nashville in half a season last year. If you want to experiment with positions, why not put Clark at 3B? At least he throws RH. There's been guys who've played there that didn't have cannons for arms. At least see if he can make accurate throws.

[brewmann04]

John not sure Clark has the footwork for 3rd? but like him as a power guy off the bench.

[pacopete4]

Why does Parra trying to make himself more valuable by seeing if he can fill in at 1B have anything to do with Lind? I'm glad a guy on our team is trying his hardest to see if he can get on the field anywhere he can. Kudos to Parra!

[JohnBriggs12]

John not sure Clark has the footwork for 3rd? but like him as a power guy off the bench.

 

If he's one of the best power options on the team, they need him in the lineup somewhere. He's an athlete isn't he? Are you telling me he can't learn the footwork to play 3B? This isn't "Dancing with the Stars". I'll buy that his arm is lacking strength or isn't accurate and his range is limited but footwork? A professional athlete can learn that through repetition.

 

I'm not saying it's a realistic option but compared to the suggestion of putting a left handed throwing Parra there, it's at least feasible.

[monty57]

It never hurts for players (particularly backups) to get some work in at other positions to see if they can help out there at some point in the season. That said, I think one of Clark/Peterson and one of Jimenez/Rogers are likely to make the team. so I would rather see these guys playing first base instead of Parra. But, Roenicke has said that he wants to get Parra a lot of PAs this year, and I think he means it. I just hope Lind is healthy, because if Parra becomes our everyday 1B vs RHP we're probably in trouble.

[Bombers]

It never hurts for players (particularly backups) to get some work in at other positions to see if they can help out there at some point in the season.

I agree, flexibility is a good thing. However, why are we not trying Braun at 1B? I don't think Parra will be head and shoulders better than Braun at 1B. But Parra is better than Braun in RF. So if they are equal at 1B, then shouldn't Braun be getting some reps at 1B? And in the end, Braun is headed to 1B at some point anyhow. With his injury issues, he is going to end up playing it at some point in his career.

[torts]

I support this, but in my mind, Parra plays more because of his superior defensive abilities than his batting abilities. Its a shame Davis cant play anywhere but LF... if the OF was Parra, Gomez, Braun and Shaffer as the 4th? YES PLZ.

[Warning Track Power]

Good Lord what a cluster...it's unbelievable what has occurred with Brewer 1B since Fielder left. Hart hurt. Gamel hurt. Yuni B. Alex Gonzalez. Hunter Morris falling apart. Overbay/Reynolds and now Lind. You can't prevent the injuries from occurring but you can prevent the Yuni B., Gonzalez and now, the Parra situations of the world. Like others have said, why don't we just use a 1B at 1B? Clark, while no world beater, pencils in just fine as a #7 hitter if Lind can't play.

[bill hAll Star]

If somebody was removed from the outfield not-named Parra, you'd need to have RH bat out there to at least partially platoon.

 

Parra is a very good hitter against RH and poor against LH.

[MrTPlush]

Maybe it is just me, but I think you guys are reading too much into it. Not surprising Roenicke wants everyone on the team to play everywhere. That is just his managing style.

 

It is spring training people and from the sounds of it he is an emergency option. Something we need if we are going to have Lucroy playing at first.

[monty57]

Something we need if we are going to have Lucroy playing at first.

 

In that light, the question is "would you rather have Parra hitting against RHP playing 1B, or Maldonado batting basically every day at catcher while Lucroy is our everyday 1B?" If that's the choice, I'd probably take Parra playing 1B vs RHP. But, I'd still hope one of Rogers/Clark/Peterson/Jimenez could play 1B instead of either Parra or playing Lucroy there every day. Of course, a healthy Lind is our best option, so I just pray he's healthy as none of the other options are very good.

[brewmann04]

I think Matt Clark should make this team just because of his power but not seeing 3rd as an Option.