Infield- 2016 and Beyond

[FVBrewerFan]

How do you see the IF shaping up after this season? ARam gone at 3B- so that's wide open. Lind just a place holder at 1B, and he can be moved easily in a deal. Then, you have Sardinas and Arcia waiting in the wings.

 

Obviously, Scooter and Segura's performance will have a lot to do with any long term plans, but how do you see the IF in 2106,2017?

[jerichoholicninja]

First base is really the only place without any ready options. With Segura, Scooter, Sardinas, Gomez, Arcia, and Rivera that's plenty of options for 2B, 3B, and SS. Maybe Braun or Coulter gets moved to first to round it out.

[SRB]

First base is really the only place without any ready options. With Segura, Scooter, Sardinas, Gomez, Arcia, and Rivera that's plenty of options for 2B, 3B, and SS. Maybe Braun or Coulter gets moved to first to round it out.

 

None of those players have enough offense to be good everyday 3B. Scooter, maybe, but I'm not sure he has the arm for 3B. 2015 will be an important season because it is arguably a make-or-break year for Scooter (whether he can hit LHP and be an everyday player) and Segura (whether he can hit any pitching...). If both of them flounder or look like platoon players, we could have Sardinas at 2B and Arcia at SS as early as 2016. I think Braun will finally move to 1B at some point in his career, though Lind could be back in 2016, so maybe not until 2017.

 

Still need to bring in an external 3B though. (I'm on the Alex Guerrero bandwagon at the moment, as posted elsewhere.)

[jerichoholicninja]

I agree none of them have the offense to play 3B but they are the best the organization has right bow and I think there is a very good chance one of them sees significant time there next year.

[Ennder]

Segura is good enough defensively to stick at SS. Scooter is a career platoon player IMO so he needs a backup. I don't see a full time 1B or 3B on the 40 man to be honest so those will probably continue to be stop gap guys for a couple more years.

[SoupTown]

"I don't see a full time 1B or 3B on the 40 man "

 

I sure hope ONE of Jimenez, Clark, Rogers can actually be an 'averagish' guy at league min for a couple of years.

[igor67]

I haven't done a complete analysis, but there is a decent sized crop of mid rotation guys who will be starting in AA at some point this year. If one combines that with Aram retiring it's not too hard to see some substantial dollars being freed-up to possibly add veterans at 1st/3rd. It's far from a guarantee, but a solid to good year of development on the farm and it is possible to envision the team continuing in the mold of the last few years. They'll need to take some risks at some point unless someone really surprises because the eventual decline of Braun, loss of Gomez and probably Lucroy are important obstacles to being competitive in future years.

[Outlander]

They could also use some minor miracles such as Lara turning into a phenom and a major leaguer in a couple of years to fill 3B.

[JohnBriggs12]

Keep an eye on how 3B Taylor Smith-Brennan does this year. He's shown patience (89 walks last year) and has reached double digit HR totals the last couple years.

[bjkrautk]

"I don't see a full time 1B or 3B on the 40 man "

 

I sure hope ONE of Jimenez, Clark, Rogers can actually be an 'averagish' guy at league min for a couple of years.

 

This is why I'd love to see Rogers make the team and start ~3 times / week at the corner positions (vs. left-hand starters @ 1b, and making sure A-Ram doesn't have to play day games after a night game). I'd rather see him as a super-sub this year than playing every day in AAA, just to get more of a template for how he does against major-league pitching than his 10 plate appearances last year. This approach helps keep Ramirez from getting run-down over the course of the season, which is an added benefit.

 

If they don't give someone the opportunity to become the heir apparent for 3b in 2016, it's going to mean an expensive free agent signing or losing something of value in a trade. Rogers is already 27, so it's not like service time is going to be a major issue going forward; he's under team control through his peak seasons.

[reillymcshane]

If Jimenez plays decently this year as a part time player, the club probably goes with him at 3B next year. He reportedly is good defensively, which means he doesn't have to have to hit a ton to be of some value. A lot just depends on how he looks in 2015.

 

If Jimenez looks bad, a lot depends on club expectations for 2016. If Milwaukee is looking to contend, they probably go after an aging veteran for a year (Freese, Uribe, McGehee). If we bomb in 2015 and are looking to rebuild, we probably target a 3B prospect in trades (using expendable vets as trade bait).

 

Of the middle IFs, Arcia looks like the gem of the bunch, but he's still got to prove himself in the upper minors. Of Segura, Scooter and Sardinas, none of these guys are locks. They each have warts. All could get better, or all could get worse. The key is that you have quantity. If one falters, the other will slide in for them. The good thing is that there's a good chance at least a couple can succeed, thus covering the positions for a while (and at a good price).

 

At 1B, if the club is looking to contend in 2016, Lind could be held over. If we go into a rebuild, it's anyone's guess. Maybe Rogers or Clark is given the chance. And let's not forget Braun. At some point he could be shifted to 1B. We have him through 2020. Shifting him to 1B might open a spot for someone like Coulter in a couple of years (or Clint could be shifted to 1B).

 

So much depends on how the team does. If they ever go into a rebuild mode, we could cash out some veterans and get some younger prospects. However, I don't see this happening. I think we have enough talent to get to .500 this year, which means we'll go for it again next year.

[jerichoholicninja]

This is MLB Trade Rumors list of potential 3B free agents for the upcoming offseason.

 

Joaquin Arias (31)

Mike Aviles (35)

Gordon Beckham (29)

Willie Bloomquist (38)

Kevin Frandsen (34)

David Freese (33)

Jonathan Herrera (31)

Maicer Izturis (35) – $3MM club option with a $1MM buyout

Don Kelly (36)

Jeff Keppinger (36)

Casey McGehee (32)

Aramis Ramirez (38)

Sean Rodriguez (31)

Juan Uribe (37)

 

There is no one on that list worth any free agent money. Maybe Freese returns to the numbers he put up in his early Cardinal days. Maybe McGehee strings together 2 good seasons in a row. Otherwise it's just trash. The 2016 3B is either currently in the organization or will be traded for, but he won't (shouldn't) be any of those free agents.

[CheezWizHed]

Wouldn't it be time for Yuni-B to return? Or did we finally break the cycle by not bringing him in on the odd numbered years for this year?

[Mr Southpaw]

Can Segura play 3rd and up his slugging a bit?

[brewcrewdue80]

The middle Infield is set. Scooter/Sardinas/Segura/Arcia. It's the Corner Infield positions to really wonder about. I'm going to believe that Lind is here in 2016 with the Lucroy platoon mate still. So 1b would be set. 3b is the question. I thought Sardinas was being a thought of at 3b or Segura. Mainly for the defense/solved problem. As Jericho posted the FA 3b class and really a bunch of 3b for teams in baseball are terrible options. So I'd rather have the defense+youth to grow in Sardinas or Segura vs adding a vet who is past a ceiling and only works with a floor...of the aging kind, which is usually going to be worse defense.

 

What if Milwaukee moves Arcia to 3b during the season? I mean the guy is the SS of the future for Milwaukee, but, I'm so, so, so high on this guy's ability that I truly think he's going to force himself on to the roster in 2016. And say come end of 2015 season they tell him, it's at 3b.

 

You'd obviously have a who's getting moved Segura/Scooter/Sardinas offseason and in truth, that will play itself out over the course of 2015. Pretty much taken care of the question today.

[Austin Tatious]

Honestly, I can see Segura moving to 3rd and letting Sardinas and then Arcia take short. Let's hope Segura has a decent year with the stick, and it may just work for him to move. There just aren't a ton of young 3b available. That is, unless Jiminez explodes, which I doubt.

[pacopete4]

If Segura is our 3B of the future we are in trouble.

[SRB]

If Segura starts hitting well enough to be a desirable everyday 3B, then he will be an All-Star-caliber player at SS and we shouldn't be moving him for Arcia or Sardinas.

[jerichoholicninja]

The Brewers are basically headed towards another Hardy/Escobar situation with Segura and Sardinas/Arcia. If Segura turns it around with the bat he's your SS but Sardinas and Arcia are both a better defensive option at SS and the best thing for the team would be to move Segura to 3B (or maybe 2B). However, if Segura does in fact turn it around is he going to accept a "demotion" to another position for an unproven rookie?

[SoupTown]

I hope we can pull a prospect for prospect trade or even an MLB guy for prospect trade.

 

We seem to have bundle of projected good+ middle infielders. Surely one of the other 29 teams has a bundle of corner infielders. Who knows who the 'winner' will be in such a trade, but to trade Sardinas for a similarly quality 3rd baseman... or even Segura for a similarly qualified 3rd baseman (when you are happy Sardinas or Aricia is ready, seems a no brainer to me)

[JohnBriggs12]

It's a good situation. Look at the Cubs who have Castro, Baez and Addison Russell. The last time the Brewers were faced with this was oh, back in the late 70's when they had Molitor and Yount both of whom were SS at the time. Young fans probably don't realize this, but in 1978 Yount was contemplating a pro golfing career and reported late, which opened up the SS job to a rookie named Paul Molitor who started the first 30 or so games that year at SS. Once Robin came to his senses, Molitor was shifted to 2B.

 

I'd take Segura's 2013 production at 3B in a heartbeat. The jury is still out whether last year was the outlier or not. He had a lot going on off the field.

[TooLiveBrew]

It's a good situation. Look at the Cubs who have Castro, Baez and Addison Russell. The last time the Brewers were faced with this was oh, back in the late 70's when they had Molitor and Yount both of whom were SS at the time. Young fans probably don't realize this, but in 1978 Yount was contemplating a pro golfing career and reported late, which opened up the SS job to a rookie named Paul Molitor who started the first 30 or so games that year at SS. Once Robin came to his senses, Molitor was shifted to 2B.

 

I'd take Segura's 2013 production at 3B in a heartbeat. The jury is still out whether last year was the outlier or not. He had a lot going on off the field.

I think this is a huge point, and it's why I'm not prepared in any way to declare what Segura "is" as a hitter yet. He's probably not a .800+ OPS bat every year, but I also will be surprised if he's actually terrible.

[clancyphile]

Of course... if Braun's back to his 2007-2012 form, he could always move back to the hot corner. There are some outfield prospects, and enough to make things interesting...

 

As Ironhide said in the original Transformers, "It's an option..."

[pacopete4]

It's a good situation. Look at the Cubs who have Castro, Baez and Addison Russell. The last time the Brewers were faced with this was oh, back in the late 70's when they had Molitor and Yount both of whom were SS at the time. Young fans probably don't realize this, but in 1978 Yount was contemplating a pro golfing career and reported late, which opened up the SS job to a rookie named Paul Molitor who started the first 30 or so games that year at SS. Once Robin came to his senses, Molitor was shifted to 2B.

 

I'd take Segura's 2013 production at 3B in a heartbeat. The jury is still out whether last year was the outlier or not. He had a lot going on off the field.

I think this is a huge point, and it's why I'm not prepared in any way to declare what Segura "is" as a hitter yet. He's probably not a .800+ OPS bat every year, but I also will be surprised if he's actually terrible.

 

 

A corner IF that has a OPS of .750 is not an option.(and even that seems high for him) It just isn't. This team will suck badly if Segura is our 3B. I don't care how good Arcia or Sardinas is if it means Segura at 3B our offense will suck. Plain old suck. Your 3B has to be getting into the .850 range constantly with over .900 here and there. If he's not, then you need to find someone who can.

 

I don't think Segura is terrible. Just a terrible, horrible, abysmal choice for 3B on any major league club. Heck, his OPS wouldn't be good enough for college teams.

[jerichoholicninja]

It's a good situation. Look at the Cubs who have Castro, Baez and Addison Russell. The last time the Brewers were faced with this was oh, back in the late 70's when they had Molitor and Yount both of whom were SS at the time. Young fans probably don't realize this, but in 1978 Yount was contemplating a pro golfing career and reported late, which opened up the SS job to a rookie named Paul Molitor who started the first 30 or so games that year at SS. Once Robin came to his senses, Molitor was shifted to 2B.

 

I'd take Segura's 2013 production at 3B in a heartbeat. The jury is still out whether last year was the outlier or not. He had a lot going on off the field.

I think this is a huge point, and it's why I'm not prepared in any way to declare what Segura "is" as a hitter yet. He's probably not a .800+ OPS bat every year, but I also will be surprised if he's actually terrible.

 

 

A corner IF that has a OPS of .750 is not an option.(and even that seems high for him) It just isn't. This team will suck badly if Segura is our 3B. I don't care how good Arcia or Sardinas is if it means Segura at 3B our offense will suck. Plain old suck. Your 3B has to be getting into the .850 range constantly with over .900 here and there. If he's not, then you need to find someone who can.

 

I don't think Segura is terrible. Just a terrible, horrible, abysmal choice for 3B on any major league club. Heck, his OPS wouldn't be good enough for college teams.

 

Um, what? Last year there were only 17 MLB players that put up an OPS over .850 and only 1 of them was a 3B. All MLB 3B put up a .715 OPS last year.