Why not Taylor in CF in 2016?

[JohnBriggs12]

Why Taylor?

 

Well Broxton has struggled offensively to say the least. At some point even his great defense and speed is not enough, whether that is 40 more or 140 more ABs, if he's still struggling it'll be time for plan B.

 

Options at AAA are all either not on the 40 man (Young, Presley, Peterson) or not true CF (Reed) or both.

 

Granted Taylor would have to be added too, but he'd need to be added after the season anyway. Andy Wilkins is a logical guy to drop. He is completely replaceable. Taylor's a fine CF and it's his natural position.

 

Some will undoubtedly say "You don't want to start Taylor's arby clock now do you?" Well not if they didn't have Phillips behind him. It's all about filling a spot until Phillips is ready sometime in 2017. This year is about looking at guys who may or may not be cornerstone players or have a roll going forward. Taylor has been something Broxton hasn't and that's a top prospect. Plus he's 4 years younger with more room to grow. Right now, he can't possibly be worse with the bat. Taylor is also a RH hitter, so he'd fit with Counsell's pattern of platooning Broxton.

 

When Phillips comes up in 2017, Taylor can be optioned to continue progressing. Why not see where he is right now in this year of evaluation?

 

To be fair to Broxton, it's early and he'll get more time. If he turns it around, great, but if he's still scuffling like this a month from now, I say it's time to give Taylor a look.

[pacopete4]

Your plan is an option but why would we bring a guy up this year who's young and give him all this experience just to option him back down in a year? That part doesn't add up unless he was awful in the MLB.

[pacopete4]

Should just rename this thread how do we fill the glaring hole in CF. maybe in a month this team is playing .500 or better and Phillips is mashing in AA ball. Maybe he's the answer that's closer than expected? Just saying. Arcia too. Maybe he's the answer at SS moving Villar to 3B and now both of our lineup holes are filled.

[MrTPlush]

Tyrone Taylor doesn't deserve a shot. He has done nothing above A+. His OBP skills are awful, he has no power, and doesn't offer much on the base paths. The guy would have to hit .300 just to be worth anything.

 

If he was hitting well I'd say go for it, but he isn't. I am not concerned with sending him down after so much experience because after Brett Phillips hits the majors we may never see Taylor for an extended time at the MLB level. If he was deserving of a shot I would be all for it.

[MilwaukeesBest]

Let's all keep in mind we're like 10 games into the season. Tons of players start slow and get better as the season goes on. This year is all about evaluating the pieces we have in our system and acquiring young talent to fill it with. Giving up on Broxton 16 at bats into a total rebuild year to throw AA Taylor to the wolves makes no sense.

[Jenkins5]

Tyrone Taylor doesn't deserve a shot. He has done nothing above A+. His OBP skills are awful, he has no power, and doesn't offer much on the base paths. The guy would have to hit .300 just to be worth anything.

 

If he was hitting well I'd say go for it, but he isn't. I am not concerned with sending him down after so much experience because after Brett Phillips hits the majors we may never see Taylor for an extended time at the MLB level. If he was deserving of a shot I would be all for it.

 

^ correct

 

So all you have to do is suit up & play bad AA baseball for a year.....show absolutely no ability that you can be an effective baseball player, and have to repeat the level in order to get called up to be everyday CF? Hate on Broxton, Flores, Niuwenhuis & even triple A options but everyone of the have at least experienced some success in AA & AAA. Taylor has not. He looks more like a minor 4th OF than he does MLB starter

[nate82]

If Tyrone Taylor walks a little bit more his MLB comp will be Lorenzo Cain. Cain never was a power hitter in the minors actually some here on the board didn't like Cain when he was coming up and thought he would be a 4th or 5th OF at best because he showed very little power in the minors.

 

Power is not everything especially when you can substitute that with speed and good defense. Cain is always going to be a player who has to rely on speed and contact all while also having a good eye at the plate. Cain before last year didn't hit more than 7 HR in a season and I am going to go with his last season hitting 16 was a fluke and he will return to a 5 HR type player. Age is catching up to Cain now and he has to redefine how he plays but he is still a good player.

 

Taylor hasn't developed the same type of eye at the plate. Taylor is about on the same track as Cain was though Cain suffered through more injuries as he was coming up through the minor league system. At age 22 Cain started out in high A and finished in AAA towards the end of the year. At age 24 Cain repeated AA due to an injury the previous year and finished in the Majors. Taylor should reach the majors by age 23 the same track that Cain was on before he got injured.

 

It is definitely way to early to bring up Taylor to play in the majors. It will only hurt his development as he needs to continue to develop his OBP skills.

[MrTPlush]

At the end of the day if Tyrone Taylor ever wants to be anything useful he will have to improve his OBP skills and throwing him at MLB pitching will only get you Keon Broxton results.

[homer]

Let's all keep in mind we're like 10 games into the season.

 

It's never too early to overreact.

[Funketown]

Taylor has never been quite as good as Cain was in the minors, but he's tracked at 1-1.5 years younger than Cain so that comparison maybe is reasonable if Taylor can draw some more walks.

 

But, given that he's still only 22 and has not yet had success against AA pitching, I just don't see the point of bringing him up outside of the late-season roster expansion. I'd let him have a minimum of 80 games at AA this season and let him stay there the whole year if he doesn't post something like a .280/.360/.440. He can then have his full age-23 season at AAA.

[Jenkins5]

I don't see the Cain comp at all. I've always said he could be a Michael Brantley ceiling type player & in his prime increase power numbers but size & skill set, he is much closer to Brantley. When you compare to Cain it is usually someone who is a big uber athlete who has raw baseball skills....a late bloomer. A Broxton. No one ever doubted power was most likely be part of Cains game.

 

Taylor's career is def not over & last year he struggled as one of the youngest kids in AA. That happens. However, he needs to make adjustments at the plate before he can even be considered for MLB. He has been over matched in AA....that's somehow going to change & improve by promoting him to MLB?

[stalton]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the approach to CF this year was the spaghetti test. Let's throw a few people against the proverbial wall and see who sticks. Unless Broxton can hit lights out, I'm guessing somebody else will get a trial run down the road, especially when down the road there will be injuries somewhere.

[SRB]

I don't see the Cain comp at all. I've always said he could be a Michael Brantley ceiling type player & in his prime increase power numbers but size & skill set, he is much closer to Brantley.

 

Tyrone Taylor, whose peak OBP above rookie ball is .338?? I think any value Taylor has as a potential major leaguer is going to have to come heavily from the fact that he can play good defense in CF. There's no way he becomes an elite, OBP-machine corner OF like Brantley.

[Outlander]

I don't really see the need to bring up Taylor, he obviously still needs to develop and is only 22. Broxton is 26 so not a good comparison. Sure, Maverick is the future but if Taylor can turn things around he could and I stress could be a decent trade asset. If Taylor gets an undeserved promotion I think any value he has goes out the window.

[DHonks]

I'm happy with our trio in CF so far. Broxton and Flores have shown nice range. Given their ages and nice minor league numbers, I'd be happy to let them just keep playing, hoping that one of them starts to play closer to their minor league numbers

[paul253]

I still like Taylor but he has to do more. Michael Reed deserves first shot. I know he's not a true center fielder but if Domingo Santana and Corey Hart can play CF then so can Reed. Reed has a very good career OBP. He'll give you a decent average. A decent number of stolen bases. Ceiling probably isn't as high as Taylor but he's been good. He deserves a shot.

[Jenkins5]

Only has one walk so far but at least he has found his stroke so far this season

[MrTPlush]

Only has one walk so far but at least he has found his stroke so far this season

 

How so? His stat line is horrid.

[Jenkins5]

Only has one walk so far but at least he has found his stroke so far this season

 

How so? His stat line is horrid.

 

10 for 22 with 2BB, 2 2B,2 SB in last 6 games.... Now .333 average with .755 OPS for season... His Ks are not much... Didn't say he was having career performance however, from looks of it, he's starting to come on. Needs more Ks & power but season is FAR from horrid.

[JohnBriggs12]

It's not about Taylor's stat line though it's been fine so far, it's about the CF situation. They had 9 guys "competing" this spring because in reality, they had nobody who was a major league CF. Taylor's one of two they have in AA that projects to be one and while they'd indeed be rushing him some, he does have over 1,800 professional plate appearances and he makes contact, something the 4 year older Broxton doesn't do. So it's not like he's a player in his 2nd pro year who's striking out a lot against low minor league arms.

 

I'd be fine if they want to try Reed first, and see if he's okay defensively there but Taylor should be considered at some point this season.

[homer]

I'd rather he put up a nice half season on offense before even considering bringing him up. Broxton was sent down to gain confidence. You'd hate for Taylor to lose any with a premature promotion.

[MrTPlush]

Only has one walk so far but at least he has found his stroke so far this season

 

How so? His stat line is horrid.

 

10 for 22 with 2BB, 2 2B,2 SB in last 6 games.... Now .333 average with .755 OPS for season... His Ks are not much... Didn't say he was having career performance however, from looks of it, he's starting to come on. Needs more Ks & power but season is FAR from horrid.

 

Look at his stat line before yesterday. It was a joke. If one game can change his stats that much might as well take it with a grain of salt. Probably can't make any judgement after so little games because two 0-4 days and he is back to a bad stat line.

[jerichoholicninja]

I think the question should be "Why Taylor in CF in 2016"? What exactly has he proven more than any of the guys at AAA? I understand EY and Pressley offer nothing for the future of the organization and Reed might not be a CF but bringing a guy up from AA who hasn't put up good numbers since rookie ball seems like the wrong move for all involved.

[Ennder]

Just stop gap it with mediocre talents and don't waste any options imo. No reason to worry about the quality of the CF for 2016.

[FVBrewerFan]

Just stop gap it with mediocre talents and don't waste any options imo. No reason to worry about the quality of the CF for 2016.

 

Right. This is what always seems to get lost in the shuffle. Yes, production at CF and 3B is horrific, but replace those positions with (arguably) a slightly higher WAR, what does that get you? 2 or 3 more wins? Just doesn't matter this year.

 

With that said, if they want to bring up Reed to see if he can play CF, I'm fine with that. Sure, starting his clock maybe a year early, but he's a guy who wouldn't cost very much as a 4th OF down the road in his arby years and beyond.