Cheap 1B options

[sveumrules]

With Hosmer & Kendrys locked in at 1B & DH for the Royals I'd see what they want for Balbino Fuenmayor.

[gregmag]

No one is expecting this team to compete but that doesn't mean they shouldn't make smart moves and sign discounted players and try to win some games. Some of you guys I just do not understand, at all.

 

I understand them fully. The money is completely fictitious to them...the players are merely names. With no actual responsibility or feet being held to the fire you can type until your heart is content that losing 100+ games a year is acceptable. Who's going to fire them for suggesting it?

 

The funny part is merely a few hundred miles to the west the Twins have had 4-5 years of absolute terrible baseball, and despite an unexpected good showing last year the fanbase did not come out in droves. As a matter of fact, they had LESS FANS ATTEND GAMES even though they contended for a playoff spot than they did in 2014. They have had LESS FANS ATTEND GAMES every single year since their 2010 playoff sweep to the Yankees, which is about 33% less (3.1 million vs 2.2 million). Did I mention their stadium is brand new and one of the best in the league? Oh right, that didn't seem to help draw the fans in either.

 

Apathy is the absolute worst thing a fanbase can have happen to it, and what the folks that sit behind their keyboards and make imaginary minor league trades, draft picks, and fire everybody on roster that isnt 22 years old don't understand is that the Brewers do not have a strong devoted base of fans to draw from. If the team loses 90 games for 4-5 years there will be no Brewer fans at the games, and they may not come back. Sure there will be a few diehards, but it would take another several years of winning just to bring the old fans back, let alone create new ones. You can do a rebuild, but it cannot last too long. This needs to be done in 1-2 years or they will have serious issues on their hands paying the bills. MA can't just pull money out of his bee-hind despite what some seem to believe.

You're sitting at your keyboard typing inconsequential message board posts too, just like the rest of us. Please spare us the pretense that you have some special wisdom or superior moral fiber, because all I'm seeing is an argument, and not an especially persuasive one.

 

Do you really think you're special or unusual on this board for wanting the team that's the board's sole subject to thrive? If I thought you were right that weakening the major league roster right now to strengthen the prospect talent base would send the franchise into a death spiral of fan apathy, then I'd sure agree that we shouldn't do it. But I don't, because the premise is highly speculative, utterly unspported, and logically unlikely.

[3and2Fastball]

The Brewers should trade for Jason Rogers.

 

Wish they could get the Keon Broxton version of a 1st baseman.

 

 

These kind of posts are why I love Brewerfan.net

 

Thank you for the smiles a long the way.

[pogokat]

Stearns recent pattern suggests former highly regarded prospect coming off a disappointing season or two (Cecchini, Villar) or older prospect with skills but a wart or two (Broxton, Flores). I don't know what first baseman fits that formula, but it'll probably be someone like that.

 

As for Alvarez, I like the idea a lot, but since it doesn't really matter, I think if I was stearns I'd wait the market out completely and sign whichever 1b is still looking for a job in February.

[bensheeps]

[sarcasm]Now that they have Rogers cleared, guess it's time to get Chris Davis signed. Hopefully Counsell is able to fill out the scorecard correctly so as not to make an error batting Chris and Kris back-to-back.[/sarcasm]

[pacopete4]

[sarcasm]Now that they have Rogers cleared, guess it's time to get Chris Davis signed. Hopefully Counsell is able to fill out the scorecard correctly so as not to make an error batting Chris and Kris back-to-back.[/sarcasm]

 

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a trade for Freddie Freeman myself.

[And That]

Stearns recent pattern suggests former highly regarded prospect coming off a disappointing season or two (Cecchini, Villar) or older prospect with skills but a wart or two (Broxton, Flores). I don't know what first baseman fits that formula, but it'll probably be someone like that

Just scanning the 2014 top 10 prospect lists from BA, the following guys come to mind, to varying degrees:

 

-Matt Skole, Nationals

-Kyle Parker, Rockies

-Jon Singleton, Astros

-Max Muncy, A's

[patrickgpe]

The Brewers should trade for Jason Rogers.

 

Wish they could get the Keon Broxton version of a 1st baseman.

 

 

These kind of posts are why I love Brewerfan.net

 

Thank you for the smiles a long the way.

 

i wasn't really joking. my point was that they should try to find a guy in his mid 20's with some potential rather than a guy on the wrong side of 30 on a 1 or 2 year deal to try to squeeze a few extra wins on the season. I like the suggestion of Fuyenmayor from KC, its the least KC could do for us after us helping them with a title.

[pogokat]

Jon Singleton makes a whole lot of sense---the astros connection is legit

[sveumrules]

Another guy I was intrigued by was Dean Green in the DET system. Kid can rake and is blocked for the foreseeable future by Miggy/VicMart. Scouting reports seem to indicate he's pretty brutal in the field though and may be a DH only kind of guy, but I can't imagine him being any worse/more comical than Prince at first.

[pacopete4]

Another guy I was intrigued by was Dean Green in the DET system. Kid can rake and is blocked for the foreseeable future by Miggy/VicMart. Scouting reports seem to indicate he's pretty brutal in the field though and may be a DH only kind of guy, but I can't imagine him being any worse/more comical than Prince at first.

 

 

Makes you wonder why he wasn't included in the Krod deal? Or why he wasn't the player targeted. Maybe the Tigers aren't willing to move him yet or the Brewers have no interest? Seems like someone the Brewers should've been interested in looking through the stat lines.

[And That]

Jerry Sands was just DFA'd by the Indians. He's generally hit in the upper minors, but hasn't been able to translate it to the big leagues. Has some OF experience as well.

[3and2Fastball]

The Brewers should trade for Jason Rogers.

 

Wish they could get the Keon Broxton version of a 1st baseman.

 

 

These kind of posts are why I love Brewerfan.net

 

Thank you for the smiles a long the way.

 

i wasn't really joking. my point was that they should try to find a guy in his mid 20's with some potential rather than a guy on the wrong side of 30 on a 1 or 2 year deal to try to squeeze a few extra wins on the season. I like the suggestion of Fuyenmayor from KC, its the least KC could do for us after us helping them with a title.

 

 

No, I got it. And what you are saying makes sense. I just enjoyed the timing of your post.

[bill hAll Star]

The Brewers should trade for Jason Rogers.

 

Wish they could get the Keon Broxton version of a 1st baseman.

 

 

These kind of posts are why I love Brewerfan.net

 

Thank you for the smiles a long the way.

 

i wasn't really joking. my point was that they should try to find a guy in his mid 20's with some potential rather than a guy on the wrong side of 30 on a 1 or 2 year deal to try to squeeze a few extra wins on the season. I like the suggestion of Fuyenmayor from KC, its the least KC could do for us after us helping them with a title.

 

If they get someone in the late 20s/early 30s, it's going to be solely to move him at the deadline or next year. Of course there's a miniscule chance that they completely turn Alvarez's career around and sign him to a 3-year extension or something (not saying I'd want that), but this will simply be a reclamation project of a veteran with a ton of potential.

 

I can pretty much guarantee you that the 1 or 2 veterans they'll add in the next few weeks/months will have nothing to do with moving the needle from 65 wins to 67 wins.

 

I prefer this method given that chances are if they get the "Keon Broxton" at 1B, he very likely will end up being a AAAA player anyways. They can go ahead and try to grab the Keon Broxtonof 1B in a trade or something and let him play a platoon role or come up after Alvarez is dealt.

[JohnBriggs12]

Why not make a run Daniel Murphy to play 1B? He wants a 4 year deai. That would take him through 2019 when he'll be 34. If the Brewers are looking at 2018 as the year they can start making a push and they should as its a year that coincides with some potential for Cubs to fall back a bit (Arrieta and Lackey will be FA. Lester and Zobrist will be nearing the end).

 

Of course convincing a guy like Murphy that Milwaukee is a spot he'd want to come is a monumental task at this point.

[homer]

Maybe this has been covered earlier in the thread, but I don't think the 1st base option has to be "cheap". I'd almost prefer a guy that is a veteran that they can then flip at the deadline for more nuggets.

[pacopete4]

Murphy is going to get money he doesn't deserve. He's a solid starter and nothing more and being 30 already doesn't give us hope that there is even more there. Hard pass.

[Devinep]

Why not make a run Daniel Murphy to play 1B? He wants a 4 year deai. That would take him through 2019 when he'll be 34. If the Brewers are looking at 2018 as the year they can start making a push and they should as its a year that coincides with some potential for Cubs to fall back a bit (Arrieta and Lackey will be FA. Lester and Zobrist will be nearing the end).

 

Of course convincing a guy like Murphy that Milwaukee is a spot he'd want to come is a monumental task at this point.

 

Murphys a solid bat for a 2B or 3B, but that's what gives him value. He doesn't hit well for an everyday 1B.

 

I may have mentioned it before, but as for a cheap option with flip potential, John Jaso would be a good option I think.

 

 

I'd still love to hear an explanation as to why Braun can't make the move, not just that they won't make that move

[pacopete4]

I'd still love to hear an explanation as to why Braun can't make the move, not just that they won't make that move

 

 

Other than CC telling people that it's not an option I don't think you're going to get an explanation. Maybe he doesnt want to make yet another position change? Maybe he's no good there? Who knows. I guess does it really matter? It's just not happening now. (Or maybe ever.)

[Devinep]

I'd still love to hear an explanation as to why Braun can't make the move, not just that they won't make that move

 

 

Other than CC telling people that it's not an option I don't think you're going to get an explanation. Maybe he doesnt want to make yet another position change? Maybe he's no good there? Who knows. I guess does it really matter? It's just not happening now. (Or maybe ever.)

 

I guess I'd like to know mostly for curiosity's sake, since it would seemingly solve the outfield crowding and 1B opening with one move that also wouldn't cost anything. Plus Braun in the OF will get worse as he ages. With that much sense in the surface, it would be interesting to hear the reason that option won't be done

[pacopete4]

I'd still love to hear an explanation as to why Braun can't make the move, not just that they won't make that move

 

 

Other than CC telling people that it's not an option I don't think you're going to get an explanation. Maybe he doesnt want to make yet another position change? Maybe he's no good there? Who knows. I guess does it really matter? It's just not happening now. (Or maybe ever.)

 

I guess I'd like to know mostly for curiosity's sake, since it would seemingly solve the outfield crowding and 1B opening with one move that also wouldn't cost anything. Plus Braun in the OF will get worse as he ages. With that much sense in the surface, it would be interesting to hear the reason that option won't be done

 

 

What if he's as terrible at 1B as he was 3B? Now our best hitter on the team also loses value. Also, I don't know if I believe in this "logjam" in the OF like most. Davis is as good as gone when they find a team in the AL that wants a bat. Guys like Santana, Reed, Phillips and the rest haven't proven a lick. Where he needs to be is back in LF where he belongs.

[1992casey]

What if he's as terrible at 1B as he was 3B?

 

I think that might be the fear. But it wouldn't do the team or the player any good for Counsell or Stearns to come out and say, "We think he's going to suck."

[gregmag]

We've talked about this before, but wasn't his problem at 3b more his arm than his feet? He has said he'd play anywhere but 3b -- which is hyperbole, but it suggests he'd be willing to move, and 1b is the only plausible move for him.

 

I care about this issue more if a lot of our OF prospects pan out, and we'll learn a lot more about that this season. Brew4U is of course right that the young guys haven't proven anything in the majors, but that fact doesn't add much to the discussion; you certainly don't ignore prospects when you're making a medium- or long-term plan, especially when you have so many in the pipeline.

 

Bottom line: IF keeping Braun in the OF ends up diminishing the value of our young OFs, and / or requires us to spend useful assets to fill 1b, and IF Braun can play a decent 1b, then I think he should move there. We'll know more about the first two things as time passes; we'll never know about the third unless they try it (or say why they aren't trying it).

[MrTPlush]

About 2/3 of his errors were throwing errors, but even then in his shortened season he still had 9 fielding errors. Going to 1B also doesn't disregard throwing the ball. Throws across the diamond exist, tricky throws to second exist, and being a cutoff man also exists.

 

I'm not sure he would be below average or a total liability. We won't know that until he attempts to play there. Ryan Braun isn't the most athletic defender. He was garbage at 3rd, took him years to figure out LF decently, and after a move to RF he looked 100x worse than in LF.

[pacopete4]

And playing bad in the field can also bring down your confidence all together which can affect your bat. Possibly bringing his value down again. It's just not a wise move unless he actually can play there. Far too often people just assume it's an easy position to play so anyone can move there and that's just not true.