Aaron Hill favorite to start at 3B?

[TURBO]

"Brewers manager Craig Counsell considers Aaron Hill the favorite to start at third base this season."

 

"Aaron is going to spend quite a bit of time there, especially in the spring," said Counsell. "How the season plays out, you're a little more open to but now I'm thinking Aaron at third base." Hill logged 33 starts at third base last year compared to 38 at second base. His primary competition at third will come from former Red Sox infielders Will Middlebrooks and Garin Cecchini.

 

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Feb 22 - 1:15 PM

 

 

I see absolutely no reason to start him at 3rd base. What does it prove? It will not allow us to see what Will Middlebrooks or Garin Cecchini have to offer us in the future. I know, I know, some of you will pull the "flip card" and say if he has a good first half we can "flip" him for something at the deadline. If flipping players was half as easy as most here think, it would happen a lot more often.

 

I myself am hoping he just outright gets cut before opening day. He serves no purpose other than to not allow us to get a good look at guys who MIGHT actually have a future with this team.

 

Rant over.

[brewmann04]

They have to hope he gets hot and they can move him for something down the line.

[pacopete4]

"Brewers manager Craig Counsell considers Aaron Hill the favorite to start at third base this season."

 

"Aaron is going to spend quite a bit of time there, especially in the spring," said Counsell. "How the season plays out, you're a little more open to but now I'm thinking Aaron at third base." Hill logged 33 starts at third base last year compared to 38 at second base. His primary competition at third will come from former Red Sox infielders Will Middlebrooks and Garin Cecchini.

 

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Feb 22 - 1:15 PM

 

 

I see absolutely no reason to start him at 3rd base. What does it prove? It will not allow us to see what Will Middlebrooks or Garin Cecchini have to offer us in the future. I know, I know, some of you will pull the "flip card" and say if he has a good first half we can "flip" him for something at the deadline. If flipping players was half as easy as most here think, it would happen a lot more often.

 

I myself am hoping he just outright gets cut before opening day. He serves no purpose other than to not allow us to get a good look at guys who MIGHT actually have a future with this team.

 

Rant over.

 

 

Sorry, just not going to happen. You're not going to have prospects, younger guys at every position. They are going to give Hill a crack at starting and it happens to be at 3B because Scooter is on this team and cannot play anywhere else. If Cecchini hits, he will get his opportunity to play but Hill is going to get a shot at redeeming himself.

[Lee16]

Well, if the options are Hill, Middlebrooks and Cecchini for 3B, you would have to go with Hill as the favorite, he's the only one to have done anything in the league so far as the other two are just a lot of potential right now. I don't see a way you could give either one of those two any kind of edge right now so I think Counsell played it safe and gave the edge to Hill, hoping one of the others will beat him out during spring and Hill can play the super-sub role.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Maybe it is just that I'm not as optimistic about Middlebrooks as some seem to be, but I have no problem with this. Middlebrooks has some pop, but after the last few seasons, I'm not sure what the chances are that he hits enough to put it to use. And Cecchini is coming off a disastrous AAA season and likely trying to rediscover his previous batting style. That seems like something best done in the minor leagues. I'd be less surprised if he was the opening day third baseman in Biloxi than I would be if he was the opening day third baseman in Milwaukee. It's not that Hill has a future in Milwaukee. It's that I don't know that the other options do either.

[3and2Fastball]

If Hill plays at 3B, who is going to platoon with Scooter at 2B?

[CheezWizHed]

Maybe there is more to the quote, but nothing in the OP says that CC thinks he will be the starter. Just that he will focus at 3B.

 

I would imagine that Hill is the safety net at 3B. You know within a certain range what he will give you and the top 2/3rds of that range is "acceptable" for a starter on a rebuilding team. For Cecchini or Middlebrooks, I'd say 1/3 to 1/2 of the possible outcomes are "acceptable".

 

If Cecchini plays at the same level as Hill, I'd bet that Cecchini is starting. But if Cecchini and Middlebrooks flop, you have Hill as another ok option.

 

CC never said Hill was going to start.

[sveumrules]

Rule 5 pick Colin Walsh. Career minor league OBP of .395 with a .447 mark last year.

[CheezWizHed]

If Hill plays at 3B, who is going to platoon with Scooter at 2B?

 

Walsh. And I'd prefer this to Hill. But I'm sure if something happens moving Hill to 2B isn't hard.

[MVP2110]

Would think walsh will platoon with scooter. This is the obvious move. Let Cecchini start in AAA and gain good confidence back.

[JohnBriggs12]

If Hill plays at 3B, who is going to platoon with Scooter at 2B?

 

Either Hernan Perez or Colin Walsh could be in line as platoon mate for Scooter. My guess is Perez because he also can play SS and 3B. Hill is the logical choice to play 3B. By playing him everyday, he could rebound to close to the player he's been and be a piece that can be moved. Further they seem likely to carry 13 pitchers meaning they'll only carry one backup middle infielder. There are 3 guys in camp that can play all over, Rivera, Hernan Perez, and Jake Elmore. Rivera's bat is suspect so that makes Perez or Elmore the likely backup/2B platoon middle infielder. Villar figures to be SS to start the season backup up by Perez. When Arcia is called up, Villar could move to 3B and that would relegate Hill to 2b platoon.

 

Middlebrooks is a flier. He's probably going to have to earn a job with a strong spring or by raking at AAA. He's probably got an out clause in his AAA contract. No way Cecchini figures in considering his bad 2015. He's got an option left too.

[djoctagone]

cecchini can be optioned in 2016. if middlebrooks' contract is selected and he's added to the roster, he would be out of minor league options.

[MrTPlush]

Going into spring training the veteran has the job... not really all that surprising. Should be that way...make the younger kids work harder to get the job.

[TURBO]

Maybe there is more to the quote, but nothing in the OP says that CC thinks he will be the starter. Just that he will focus at 3B.

 

I would imagine that Hill is the safety net at 3B. You know within a certain range what he will give you and the top 2/3rds of that range is "acceptable" for a starter on a rebuilding team. For Cecchini or Middlebrooks, I'd say 1/3 to 1/2 of the possible outcomes are "acceptable".

 

If Cecchini plays at the same level as Hill, I'd bet that Cecchini is starting. But if Cecchini and Middlebrooks flop, you have Hill as another ok option.

 

CC never said Hill was going to start.

 

 

"Brewers manager Craig Counsell considers Aaron Hill the favorite to start at third base this season."

 

Maybe I'm reading to much into it, but to me, that statement says that Hill will be the starter...

[monty57]

And Cecchini is coming off a disastrous AAA season and likely trying to rediscover his previous batting style. That seems like something best done in the minor leagues.

 

I'm crossing my fingers that Cecchini figures things out and can become the Brewers' 3B for the next 5-6 years. You make a good point that if he needs to correct his swing, it may be best done at AAA, but I hope he eventually hits Milwaukee. One of the things that for me will make this down year more tolerable at the MLB level will be watching young guys who might be a part of the future. Hill will not be a part of the future, so I really have no interest in watching him play.

[MrTPlush]

Hill is just his favorite right now. The full team has yet to report at this point. There is a LOOOOONG time before opening day. I don't think it is a big deal really and even if he starts the season as the starter it isn't a huge concern. I don't think he will hit enough to start every single day. Other guys will have an opportunity to prove themselves and if they can't win a 3B job from Aaron Hill I guess I won't care too much.

[1992casey]

I'm kind of crossing my fingers on Cecchini too, but I guess there's no rush.

 

I guess it makes sense to start Hill at 3B and make it his job to lose. The Brewers will have to pay him no matter what. If he happens to produce, he becomes worth a little in a trade.

 

Even if Hill's the usual 3B starter, I don't see a problem if he's part of the plan at 2B on Scooter's days off. There are lots of options at both positions, and guys are going to need playing time.

[sveumrules]

I'd say you are reading too much into it. The quoted passage says...

 

"Brewers manager Craig Counsell considers Aaron Hill the favorite to start at third base this season."

 

Reading the actual blogpost at JSonline I do not see that quote contained anywhere therein & the headline currently reads "Aaron Hill will get chance to be Brewers third baseman."

 

Now if it said "Brewers manager Craig Counsell declares Aaron Hill the opening day third baseman this season." I could see potential cause for concern...

[Outlander]

I would be fine with it. Cecchini had a disaster year last year and needs to work things out and hopefully gain confidence. If he mashes then he can always be brought up. Same thing with Hill, if he is brutal then the Brewers have a couple of options to bring up. Gives more playing time to Walsh as well, somebody they can't just let play in the minors.

[Boomer5]

If you take away the names and just look at performance, Hill is the obvious choice to start. Maybe when Cecchini shows something at CS, maybe he comes up later. Middlebrooks is just a name at this point. I doubt they are expecting much from him. How he has fallen from a few years back.

 

Hill-Villars-Scooter-Carter.

 

That infield says it all.

[And That]

I'd rather have Cecchini playing in AAA. He was so bad last year, I think it would be easier to instill confidence in Colorado Springs than against MLB pitching.

[danzig6767]

They have to hope he gets hot and they can move him for something down the line.

Even if Hill has a pretty good first half of the season, we aren't going to get some highly thought of prospect at the deadline.

 

This is just Counsell pretty much saying, for now at least, Hill is the favorite to start the season at thirdbase unless someone else steps up and takes the job away. I'm not going to care much either way this early in the process. Guys like Cecchini and/or Middlebrooks likely will get a chance at some point to show they deserve at bats.

[CheezWizHed]

Maybe there is more to the quote, but nothing in the OP says that CC thinks he will be the starter. Just that he will focus at 3B.

 

I would imagine that Hill is the safety net at 3B. You know within a certain range what he will give you and the top 2/3rds of that range is "acceptable" for a starter on a rebuilding team. For Cecchini or Middlebrooks, I'd say 1/3 to 1/2 of the possible outcomes are "acceptable".

 

If Cecchini plays at the same level as Hill, I'd bet that Cecchini is starting. But if Cecchini and Middlebrooks flop, you have Hill as another ok option.

 

CC never said Hill was going to start.

 

 

"Brewers manager Craig Counsell considers Aaron Hill the favorite to start at third base this season."

 

Maybe I'm reading to much into it, but to me, that statement says that Hill will be the starter...

 

You realize that you are quoting the title of an article written by a journalist and not a quote from CC himself, right? Everything quoted from CC just says that he will get a lot of work at 3B. But frankly, given who we have on the 40-man, I wouldn't be shocked that he is the favorite today. But as others have said, with a long way to go before opening day.

[jerichoholicninja]

Middlebrooks isn't even on the 40 man and Cecchini still has options. I think it's pretty obvious neither of them will the 3B on opening day.

[MKE81]

Why anyone would think Hill wouldn't start at 3b is beyond me. Hill/Villar/Scooter/Carter is what we'll see. I could also see Hill sliding over to 2b vs Lefties with Perez filling in at 3b if Counsell wants to keep right handed bats in lineup. If planning on trading Hill by the break it'll boost his value if he's playing 2b and 3b (assuming he's actually performing rather decently in first half). I think Walsh needs to make this team given his approach, high OBP and ability to step in at 2b/3b/1b. Perez offers versatility over Middlebrooks. I wouldn't be surprised if Stearns adds another guy to the mix who can play multiple spots including SS to compete with Perez. There is absolutely no reason to even consider Cecchini for the starting 3b job - not sure why people keep including him in the mix. He needs to have a successful year at AAA and get back to his old habits so he can be the 3b of the future (hopefully)