Tyler Cravy to AAA; OF Alex Presley called up.

[monty57]

I think most would be okay with seeing Taylor later in the year if he is producing this year.

 

No, I don't think most would like to see Taylor up this year no matter what. If he does start hitting, he could be called up to AAA later this year. No reason whatsoever to promote him to MLB from AA if he has a couple hot months hitting the baseball. It just doesn't make any sense for the Brewers or Tyrone Taylor. In fact, I think we'll see Roache in AAA before Taylor.

 

 

I was thinking more of a September call up if he was mashing in AA. I don't think that is too far out there thinking.

 

We have five OF on the MLB roster now, with set-in-stone starters Braun and Santana, veteran stopgaps Presley and Kirk N, and prospect Flores (no options). Liriano (also no options) will likely be back by then, and in the minors we have Broxton, Reed, Roache, Phillips and Wren who are likely higher on the depth chart then Taylor. There's also Young, who isn't a prospect, but who would be called up ahead of Taylor, and there are so many names I'm probably forgetting someone.

 

Taylor has a lot of potential, so let's just let him get his PAs in at AA, where he will hopefully take a step forward. He needs the work there, and we have plenty of OF depth, so there is no need to rush Taylor in any way. I just hope that with all of the OF talent they have accumulated, they are able to get him enough PAs in AA.

[gregmag]

No reason for Reed to be up and playing CF everyday for this club. He's not a CF and to some of us, we value some defense out there. The Brewers aren't playing bad baseball right now and are competing. No reason to throw in the towel on the season and stick a guy out there that doesn't belong being out there.

 

I don't think Reed could do any worse than anyone else they've had in CF so far. If defense is a concern than Broxton should have been called back up. Would have saved the option on him too.

 

Flores and Presley aren't really CF either. Nieuwenhuis is okay defensively there but his swing has some big holes. The problem is not just CF, but every time Counsell wants to rest Braun it's an issue. The drop off is huge and leaves the lineup very vulnerable.

 

But if they want defense and better offense than Broxton provided, why not jump Taylor up from AA and see what he can do? We know he can't do worse than Broxton.

Right: Broxton has (1) hit in AAA better than Taylor has ever hit in full-season ball and (2) improved substantially over the course of his career while Taylor (so far) has hit worse with every promotion, but Broxton stunk up MLB for two weeks to start the year, so we should assume that Taylor would do a better job in MLB right now than Broxton. Small samples are great for reinforcing biases.

[gregmag]

I would have brought up Reed as the RH bat already on the 40-man, but Presley and Kirk N. were brought in as guys who might bring something, but could be cut without remorse if they fail, so I'm not upset with this move. Give him some time to see what he can do, and let him go if he doesn't perform (same as Kirk).

 

This frees up the minor league OF logjam, and I'd rather see the real prospects getting everyday play in the minors than veteran "insurance" like Young and Presley. I'd love for Flores to heat up, as he's the only prospect of the three guys now on the MLB roster, but I really just hope someone plays well enough to "keep the spot warm" for the year until Phillips takes over next season. With Presley out of the way, Phillips or Roache should be able to move up to AAA and get everyday PT there, and Coulter can make the move to AA.

This is a fantastic analysis. I think you're right, that in an important sense high-minors roster spots matter more right now than majors roster spots. Bringing Presley up creates needed space for the guys we're trying to develop. I didn't think about it that way, but it makes perfect sense, and it's consistent with the premium that most of us want the organization to place on player development right now.

[MrTPlush]

I bet Trent Clark could hit better than our CFers have so far...doesn't mean we should promote him. If our MLB ready options are stinking up the joint that is just what we are going to have to watch.

[FVBrewerFan]

This frees up the minor league OF logjam, and I'd rather see the real prospects getting everyday play in the minors than veteran "insurance" like Young and Presley. I'd love for Flores to heat up, as he's the only prospect of the three guys now on the MLB roster, but I really just hope someone plays well enough to "keep the spot warm" for the year until Phillips takes over next season. With Presley out of the way, Phillips or Roache should be able to move up to AAA and get everyday PT there, and Coulter can make the move to AA.

 

I agree with the overall premise, but there's not much of a logjam- not yet at least. As I type this, Coulter is hitting .184. He's not pressing for a promotion. And no OFs in Appleton are pressing for a promotion. Helena hasn't started the season yet, so Clark or anyone else won't be pushing anytime soon. So, if there's any logjam at all it's AA to AAA.

 

Roache and Phillips are fine playing half a season in AA no matter how ell they hit. If one or both "need" a promotion then, well it's easy to find room for them in the Colorado OF. It's really the only reaon guys like Young are around, and they know it too. Just buying time until Phillips comes up.

[pacopete4]

I bet Trent Clark could hit better than our CFers have so far...doesn't mean we should promote him. If our MLB ready options are stinking up the joint that is just what we are going to have to watch.

 

 

If he could, why wouldn't they?

[MrTPlush]

I bet Trent Clark could hit better than our CFers have so far...doesn't mean we should promote him. If our MLB ready options are stinking up the joint that is just what we are going to have to watch.

 

 

If he could, why wouldn't they?

 

Because hitting .220 would be an improvement over what we have now. Do you think they would be good for Trent Clark and his development?

[jerichoholicninja]

Presley had an opt out I believe. I guess it makes sense to bring him up before that and see what he can do. If he sucks you DFA him since he very well could be gone anyway.

[pacopete4]

I bet Trent Clark could hit better than our CFers have so far...doesn't mean we should promote him. If our MLB ready options are stinking up the joint that is just what we are going to have to watch.

 

 

If he could, why wouldn't they?

 

Because hitting .220 would be an improvement over what we have now. Do you think they would be good for Trent Clark and his development?

 

 

I guess I was picturing him hitting .250+ with some decent on base being better than what we have now.

[Thurston Fluff]

I guess I was picturing him hitting .250+ with some decent on base being better than what we have now.

 

We don't know what we have now though. All we know is they started out slow. Given the irregular playing time they had so far in their career at the major league level it shouldn't surprise anyone they are starting out slow. I get pulling the plug a little quicker in a competitive season but to start pulling the plug on these guys after 15 games, in a season like this, is counter productive. To potentially hurt an actual prospect's development, start their clock early and never find out if one of the fringe players has any use at all might be acceptable roster management for a competitive team. Though, even then 15 games is pretty much a knee jerk reaction. It would be downright malpractice for this team, at this stage of the rebuild, to do that.

[MrTPlush]

Some guys just start out struggling. I mean heck Khris Davis is an established MLB player and he is downright dreadful so far.

[FVBrewerFan]

Let's settle down a bit. Hate to speak for others, but MrTplush made a somewhat casual statement about Clark to make a point. I think (hope) we all know there's no reason to debate whether or not to bring up Trent Clark from extended spring training in preparation for rookie ball to start full time in CF for the Brewers.

[monty57]

This frees up the minor league OF logjam, and I'd rather see the real prospects getting everyday play in the minors than veteran "insurance" like Young and Presley. I'd love for Flores to heat up, as he's the only prospect of the three guys now on the MLB roster, but I really just hope someone plays well enough to "keep the spot warm" for the year until Phillips takes over next season. With Presley out of the way, Phillips or Roache should be able to move up to AAA and get everyday PT there, and Coulter can make the move to AA.

 

I agree with the overall premise, but there's not much of a logjam- not yet at least. As I type this, Coulter is hitting .184. He's not pressing for a promotion. And no OFs in Appleton are pressing for a promotion. Helena hasn't started the season yet, so Clark or anyone else won't be pushing anytime soon. So, if there's any logjam at all it's AA to AAA.

 

Roache and Phillips are fine playing half a season in AA no matter how ell they hit. If one or both "need" a promotion then, well it's easy to find room for them in the Colorado OF. It's really the only reaon guys like Young are around, and they know it too. Just buying time until Phillips comes up.

 

Yeah, the way I wrote it made it sound like I expect this immediately, but that's not what I meant. I don't expect any major prospects to move after a couple of weeks, but at some point something had to be done with Young and Presley. Unless something really bad happens, some of the guys in the AA OF will need those AAA OF spots, and Coulter (and probably others) will need to be in AA. Now that Presley is on the Brewers, the path is clear whenever they decide to make the moves.

 

I'd guess that the Brewers hoped they could wait a while before "clearing the logjam," but the under-performance of the MLB CFs, mixed with the decent performance of the majority of the MLB club, caused them to act quickly to see if they can find some kind of a solution.

[Thurston Fluff]

I'd guess that the Brewers hoped they could wait a while before "clearing the logjam," but the under-performance of the MLB CFs, mixed with the decent performance of the majority of the MLB club, caused them to act quickly to see if they can find some kind of a solution.

 

Do you think the CFer's performance or the team's better than expected start played a role in this at all? After all there isn't enough games to know anything about the players and the team is still below .500 and going nowhere this season. I think they just wanted an extra bench player and he was someone who could fill that role without forcing a younger prospect into a part time role. They also didn't have to expose anyone to waivers because they have a couple players who can be moved to the 60 day DL. Moving him to the 40 man was essentially a free move. I think it's possible the glut of talent that needs to be given playing time played a small role but certainly wasn't a driving force. After all those guys haven't had enough time to show anything at their current level either.

[endaround]

This really doesn't make sense. Flores needs PAs. Nieuwenhuis is basically doing as expected (a 79 wRC+ is inline with the 90 or so projected). Presly is just an older Nieuwenhuis.

 

AS for Taylor, Clark, Reed, etc. the idea we should harm actual prospect development for this season and take away PAs to evaluate Flores makes no sense. If you want to call up a Brewer minor leaguer, it should be Wren. He's 25 and stuck in AA. He's likely not an answer but this is the best chance to see if he can be a 5th OFer.

[Crash2303]

eh-hem...hello?

-Ben Guez

[1992casey]

I think that monty57 hit the nail on the head in post 20. Presley and Nieuwenhuis are "guys who might bring something, but could be cut without remorse if they fail." Also, as he said, having them on the Major League roster frees up room for prospects to play.

 

I'd have probably brought up a pitcher, but that doesn't kill the logic behind choosing Presley to beef up the outfield situation.

[Outlander]

eh-hem...hello?

-Ben Guez

If they were looking for a right handed outfielder with no future and they didn't care if he sat on the bench he would have been my choice as well. He could be the 2016 season Nevin Ashley, the career minor leaguer that finally gets his chance in the bigs.

[monty57]

Do you think the CFer's performance or the team's better than expected start played a role in this at all?

 

Of course they do. If Broxton had gotten a few hits, he would be the Brewers' regular CF right now. His 0-for-16 start is the reason a move was made. Meanwhile, Kirk and Flores are cold, so they brought up another LH CF to see if any of them can play adequately.

 

As to the "decent start," as much as I love this rebuild (I've been calling for a youth movement for years), they do still need to appease fans at the MLB level. When the team is in most of the games, and they keep trotting out a CF batting .000 a month into the season, the fans are going to wonder what they heck the team is thinking. They're smartly not going to start the clock on their better prospects, but they're going to do what they can to try to patch the biggest hole they have.