Domingo Santana Called Up; Cravy to DL [LATEST: Santana starts at CF in debut, 8.21.15]

[bork]

How has he looked in CF?

[CheezWizHed]

http://a2.img.mobypicture.com/9e50f66ad1a4d36b9678ebfa1eb5adb2_large.jpg

 

Just get him a chicken and he'll be fine...

[DuWayne Steurer]

In 63 PA's as a Brewer now, Santana has only struck out 13 times. I know it's a pretty small (really small) sample size, but that's a really reasonable K rate. I expect him to strike out a lot (and it doesn't bother me one bit), but so far I'm super impressed with this guy.

 

Also, this, in regards to him playing CF every day next year:

 

If #Brewers still have OFs Khris Davis, Ryan Braun and Domingo Santana in '16, asst GM Gord Ash said Santana might be given shot to stay CF.

[tmwiese55]

That opposite field HR yesterday was impressive. Tough pitch and didn't get a great swing on it and it still went out. So far so good with him.

[torts]

is it me, or do you feel like Houston got fleeced after every game?I know the MiLB are still a year away from the bigs, but this rules.

[jerichoholicninja]

Has he pulled a ball yet? Every hit of his I've seen is the other way. His swing just doesn't look like it gets any extension but when you can hit an inside pitch out of the park in Miami I guess you don't need extension.

[monty57]

is it me, or do you feel like Houston got fleeced after every game?I know the MiLB are still a year away from the bigs, but this rules.

 

I know these types of trades will never be popular, but I love them. The ability to trade away good, "proven" MLB guys with limited team control for multiple talented but unproven prospects with six years of cheap team control each is a tool teams like the Brewers need to take advantage of if they want to remain relevant.

 

By the time Gomez is signing his monster contract that the Brewers wouldn't be able to touch, hopefully Santana will have proven himself worthy of a pre-arby extension that is well within the Brewers' budget and will keep him with the team for a long time. And he's not even supposed to be the Crown Jewel of this trade... at the same time the above is happening, Phillips will be receiving his Rookie of the Year award :-)

 

And yes, hopefully 5-7 years from now, Santana will have played well enough that we can have the conversation of how many good prospects we will receive for him in trade. Such is the life of a small market team in today's baseball.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Has he pulled a ball yet? Every hit of his I've seen is the other way. His swing just doesn't look like it gets any extension but when you can hit an inside pitch out of the park in Miami I guess you don't need extension.

 

 

He's had a couple of basehits to LF, but it appears all of his homeruns have been to center or RF. He doesn't have a pretty swing, but he has so much raw power that if he barrels up on a ball, he can drive it out regardless.

[dlk9s]

I really haven't watched any games, as I don't live in Wisconsin and it certainly wasn't worth the money to get MLB.tv this year, but I'm wondering if Santana's tendency to go the other way simply has to do with him waiting back on pitches. It has been said that he is very patient at the plate, which would make me think that he sees the ball well and can let it travel through the hitting zone an extra split-split-split second. He clearly has bat speed.

[reillymcshane]

In 63 PA's as a Brewer now, Santana has only struck out 13 times. I know it's a pretty small (really small) sample size, but that's a really reasonable K rate. I expect him to strike out a lot (and it doesn't bother me one bit), but so far I'm super impressed with this guy.

In addition to the reasonable strikeout rate (and obvious power), Santana has 8 walks already. That's a great sign.

[LouisEly]

His first HR was a line drive to LF in Philly, about 20 feet right of the foul pole. Left the yard in about two seconds.

 

They said last night that Santana has seen more pitches per AB than any Brewers player since his callup. It seems like his strikeouts have mostly been looking on pitches on the edges. He had a good walk rate in the minors, and coupled with seeing more pitches than average I would assume that his strikeouts are mostly looking. He's not a hacker that whiffs on three pitches with the third being 10" off the plate. I'd rather guys strike out looking on a pitch on the edge than whiff or hit a weak grounder on a pitch 10" off the plate.

[Jenkins5]

Now he's really starting to heat up! OPS is over 1.000! He's walking a ton, hits are starting to flow in! He has me excited!

[Bombers]

is it me, or do you feel like Houston got fleeced after every game?I know the MiLB are still a year away from the bigs, but this rules.

Agreed. This trade is currently looking very favorable to the Brewers. Considering we haven't even seen the top prospect from the trade in Phillips.

[Boomer5]

Its quite a statement when you can feel great about a trade when we gave up a guy who threw a no hitter.

[Bombers]

Has he pulled a ball yet? Every hit of his I've seen is the other way. His swing just doesn't look like it gets any extension but when you can hit an inside pitch out of the park in Miami I guess you don't need extension.

I decided to compare Santana's swing to Braun's in my quick analysis because I would agree that Santana's swing does look different an everyone is raving about his bat speed. (Side note; I think Braun has one of the most perfect swings I have ever seen. The position of his body at point of contact just looks perfect to me) ... Anyhow, I just watched 3 of Santana's HR's (all opposite field) and compared it to a HR from Braun. From what I can tell, when Santana and Braun reach the point of contact their right arm is angled, left arm is almost extended, hips are open, knee is locked, and closely after the swing their arms reach full extension. From that, you would say their swing is identical but it isn't at all. Santana stands very tall before and during his swing and keeps his hands lower. Braun stands tall before the swing but during the swing, he gets into a more natural hitters stance with his leg stride. He also keeps his hands held high.

 

Outside of those differences, I do think Santana swings "hard" vs Braun who has a more natural glide through the zone. Braun really sits back on the ball and springs on it using all of his kinetic energy. Santana just seems to stand tall and use his length to get leverage, swing hard and really help him drive the ball to the opposite field. Two different swings but getting very similar results. This could be quite the tag team for the next few years.

[Bombers]

Its quite a statement when you can feel great about a trade when we gave up a guy who threw a no hitter.

lol. True story

[pacopete4]

If #Brewers still have OFs Khris Davis, Ryan Braun and Domingo Santana in '16, asst GM Gord Ash said Santana might be given shot to stay CF.

 

Scary and exciting all in one sentence. In one way I wish they would move on from Davis, put Braun back in left and move Santana in right and wait for Phillips to take over CF with a stopgap. But on the other hand, three guys that could potentially hit 30+ home runs in our OF? You don't see that too often anymore.

[jerichoholicninja]

Has he pulled a ball yet? Every hit of his I've seen is the other way. His swing just doesn't look like it gets any extension but when you can hit an inside pitch out of the park in Miami I guess you don't need extension.

I decided to compare Santana's swing to Braun's in my quick analysis because I would agree that Santana's swing does look different an everyone is raving about his bat speed. (Side note; I think Braun has one of the most perfect swings I have ever seen. The position of his body at point of contact just looks perfect to me) ... Anyhow, I just watched 3 of Santana's HR's (all opposite field) and compared it to a HR from Braun. From what I can tell, when Santana and Braun reach the point of contact their right arm is angled, left arm is almost extended, hips are open, knee is locked, and closely after the swing their arms reach full extension. From that, you would say their swing is identical but it isn't at all. Santana stands very tall before and during his swing and keeps his hands lower. Braun stands tall before the swing but during the swing, he gets into a more natural hitters stance with his leg stride. He also keeps his hands held high.

 

Outside of those differences, I do think Santana swings "hard" vs Braun who has a more natural glide through the zone. Braun really sits back on the ball and springs on it using all of his kinetic energy. Santana just seems to stand tall and use his length to get leverage, swing hard and really help him drive the ball to the opposite field. Two different swings but getting very similar results. This could be quite the tag team for the next few years.

 

Santana's swing remind me of Jason Heyward's. Heyward has a terrible looking swing because he brings the bat head through so early and makes contact generally at his front hip or further back. If you watch Braun, he makes contact in front of his body when he pulls or goes up the middle. Both Heyward and Braun are pretty good hitters, so different strokes for different folks I guess but I've always thought Heyward was losing a lot of power by not getting extension, maybe Santana too. But what do I know, I'm a pitching coach, not a hitting coach.

[Thurston Fluff]

is it me, or do you feel like Houston got fleeced after every game?I know the MiLB are still a year away from the bigs, but this rules.

 

I have a feeling Houston fans are thinking the same thing. They got two major league players under team control for more than a year. One is a bona fide all star while the throw in of the deal has been nothing short of spectacular for them.

[MadScientist]

is it me, or do you feel like Houston got fleeced after every game?I know the MiLB are still a year away from the bigs, but this rules.

 

I have a feeling Houston fans are thinking the same thing. They got two major league players under team control for more than a year. One is a bona fide all star while the throw in of the deal has been nothing short of spectacular for them.

 

Which means a hopefully fair trade. Good MLB players for talented MiLB players. Houston may wish they had Santana or Phillips back when Gomez is gone after next year, but that's the nature of baseball. It will still take a few years to know how well the Brewers actually did, but I'm hopeful that we won't be looking back and saying the Brewers got fleeced.

 

Fiers wasn't exactly the throw-in. From the talk of how the trade went down it was basically Fiers for Phillips, and Santana + the pitchers for Gomez.

[SoCalBrewfan]

I've said it before, but what is the internet for if not repetition? Melvin always seemed to look for fair trades; he gave up talent to get talent, and if I remember correctly he said at some point that dealing fairly with other GMs meant that other teams would continue to be willing to deal with Milwaukee...fleecing someone or dealing damaged goods might give you a short term win, but burns bridges and makes it harder to get good deals down the road.

 

Fiers is a not insignificant talent and has four years of control, one of which is essentially free...I'll miss him even though trading him was the right thing to do. I could see Houston sign him to a multiyear deal to buy out arby, honestly. Still, the return for Milwaukee looks promising right now, and it's not too much of a stretch to see all four of those guys playing a major league role in '17 if not sooner. Classic trade that helps two teams in different stages of contention.

 

I would, however, prefer a true defensive CF next year, which would require trading at least one of Davis, Lind, Braun and a possible change of position as well. (Braun to LF or 1B, Davis to 1B?) The infield is probably more important, but I'm a big fan of putting a good defense behind our young pitchers.

[1992casey]

Since we're into repeating, I'll repeat that Melvin has said that the #2 objective in a trade is to make the other team better.

[markedman5]

Davis has said on more then one occasion that he tried to play first base in the past and it did not go well at all.

 

He isn't the answer there.

[monty57]

Davis has said on more then one occasion that he tried to play first base in the past and it did not go well at all.

 

He isn't the answer there.

 

Agree. I think Lind will be traded in the offseason and one of Santana or Braun will be moved to first. Santana seems like he should be a decent OF, but that big frame would be a nice target at 1B. Leave Davis in LF where is bad defense does the least harm, and let some warm body fill in at CF until Phillips is ready. Since he is going to knock Santana out of CF anyhow, I would rather have the good player (Braun or Santana) make the position change in the offseason rather than mid-season.

[MNBrew]

Re: potential position moves, 3 starting LFs (kinda) all in the starting lineup, and all that.... I get the feeling that if Melvin's still the running the show this winter, we'll hear a lot of "We're not motivated to move him" regarding Khris Davis and/or Adam Lind.