Santana activated, Broxton to AAA [Latest, post 21: Santana back to DL, Broxton back up]

[logan82]

Was hoping for a big year from Santana where he got 500 at bats and clearly showed that he'd be a major building block going forward.

 

So did the Brewers. Drafting Corey Ray in the 1st Round isn't at all about Santana particularly, but is telling in some regard. There are other obvious factors to drafting an OF #1:

 

Brett Phillips is hitting only .249/.337 in AA

 

Ryan Braun may be traded

 

Michael Reed is only hitting .227 in AAA

If they are drafting based on anything happening with current MLB players, they should be fired. The draft should be done based on the best player they can get, especially in the first round. Guys that are drafted are to far away to make much impact by the time current MLB players are leaving.

[igor67]

Even moreso if you are drafting an OF, a pitcher or a middle infielder. In the first round the talent should be enough that you could easily move him or other top notch players to other positions in the middle IF or OF. And with pitchers if you are worried about playing time for a 6th starter because he is a number 1 or 2 type starter you'll be OK.

[pacopete4]

I have more faith in Reed than Phillips at this point

 

You might be the only one. You have more faith in a 24 year old that is OPS'ing just above .700 in the PLC and that plays half their games in Colorado Springs but a 22 year old OPS'ing almost .800 (.883 vs RHP) in AA is not superior?

[reillymcshane]

Ok, I'll be the piñata here and float out the "Braun to 1st base" idea. Any upside for this for the 'Crew in 2017?

I think it would be great, but he has to show he can do it. He was painfully bad at 3B, but I don't think that precludes him from being a decent 1B. I know some people will kick and scream at the idea because of his time at 3B, but I wouldn't mind him giving it a try. That's assuming we intend on keeping him.

[reillymcshane]

Phillips has 67 K in 203 PA in AA. He has to improve that one stat or he will never make it to the majors. Everything else looks ready but he cannot strike out that much.

 

Reed is a bit more interesting. He is showing absolute elite ability to take walks in AAA but he is also striking out way too much. I have more faith in Reed than Phillips at this point.

Phillips' is striking out 37% of the time. That's unsustainable. I haven't really seen him (other than highlight videos), but I suspect he's selling out for more power. Hence the spike in Ks and drop in BA (to go with he rise in HRs).

 

He definitely needs to adjust something.

 

Reed perplexes me. I always liked the guy since I love OBP. I thought he'd step up this year, but instead he's gone backwards. The walks are awesome, but the strikeouts and low BA aren't going to cut it.

 

Both guys have been disappointments for me this year. Not awful or anything, like Lopez, who has just tanked. But I had hoped for better from both of them.

[Outlander]

The Brewers are pretty weak in the outfield right now so don't see a need to move him to first until at least 2018. Of course trades could change all if that.

[reillymcshane]

The Brewers are pretty weak in the outfield right now so don't see a need to move him to first until at least 2018. Of course trades could change all if that.

You're totally right. You don't need to move him. He probably has more value (in the trade market) as an OF, so best keep him there if that's the end game. And like you said, it's not like anyone is knocking at the door to take his spot.

[brewcrewdue80]

For those who are in denial of the talents...One Monte Harrison

Just 5HRs in 6games this past week.

BA had a prospect hot sheet mentioning him after his 2nd 2HR game in 5games(which he followed with the 5th HR next game) And in it, it had some quote of Harrison who said he's changed his 2strike approach to foul off pitches until he gets one he likes and that has raised his avg up now to .211/.274/353 from game 31: .154/.235/.202 to game 54. 23games.

Trent Clark while batting .219 has a .383OB. It's after just 18games his first at the A level. So, if he hit a stride like Harrison's in next 5 games his stats would likely be .270/.415. So Yes, I think the Brewers have a lot of upcoming OFs. Harrison is still 1 year younger than Ray, Clark is 2years younger. Doesn't even include Demi O who Raked last year.

 

These guys are developing are we about to have a Clark/Harrison/Ray OF in WI?

[Outlander]

These guys are in low A, a number of years away and Harrison is certainly high bust potential as well as reward.

[FVBrewerFan]

Let's focus on developing a CF who can hit above Mendoza line before we worry about creating an opening in LF. Really, all the guys who have played CF this year have been bad. Plus we don't know what we have yet with Sunday in RF. Long way off from anyone pushing Braun out of LF.

[rickh150]

Play Broxton almost every day. The three-headed lefthanded outfielder should get some at bats, not most of the at bats, filling in elsewhere. Why Counsell is jerking this guy around is beyond me.

[AdvantageSchneider]

Play Broxton almost every day. The three-headed lefthanded outfielder should get some at bats, not most of the at bats, filling in elsewhere. Why Counsell is jerking this guy around is beyond me.

 

Because he's 7 for 55 with 30 ks? How many times should we send him up there before we realize he can't hit?

[1992casey]

How many times should we send him up there before we realize he can't hit?

 

We can do it a lot given that this team isn't expected to compete. Keon's hit well in the minors the past two-plus seasons. I think we can afford to wait out a decent sample in the majors.

[SomewhereInTime]

Yeah but you can do more harm than good just trotting him out there every day. He's struck out 30 times in 63 PA's. Regardless of the rebuild plans, the Brewers shouldn't be giving AB's to young guys struggling this badly.

[trwi7]

Yeah but you can do more harm than good just trotting him out there every day. He's struck out 30 times in 63 PA's. Regardless of the rebuild plans, the Brewers shouldn't be giving AB's to young guys struggling this badly.

 

So we should be giving them to guys like Nieuwenhuis and Presley instead? Older guys that are struggling as well?

[Outlander]

The only guy with potential that would even be considered is Michael Reed and he is having a difficult time hitting in AAA so not likely to happen. All the other guys are veterans that don't bring much to the table. It would be nice if Liriano was an option right now but he is not so Broxton it is against the lefties. He is 26, so might as well give him the opportunity now, there is no harm being done.

[JohnBriggs12]

How many times should we send him up there before we realize he can't hit?

 

We can do it a lot given that this team isn't expected to compete. Keon's hit well in the minors the past two-plus seasons. I think we can afford to wait out a decent sample in the majors.

 

His "hit well in minors" is a stretch. He hasn't been bad but he's still fanned 143 times in just over 500 ABs in AAA. You can live with that for a 30 HR a year guy. While he's shown some power, he be better off shortening his swing and putting the ball in play.

[jerichoholicninja]

Yeah but you can do more harm than good just trotting him out there every day. He's struck out 30 times in 63 PA's. Regardless of the rebuild plans, the Brewers shouldn't be giving AB's to young guys struggling this badly.

 

So we should be giving them to guys like Nieuwenhuis and Presley instead? Older guys that are struggling as well?

 

I agree with you (they've all been pretty bad but at least Kirk and Alex have had stretches where they weren't terrible) but Keon has no clue what's going on at the plate right now. Guerra and Davies have had better AB's the last two nights than he has.

[brewerfan82]

Yeah but you can do more harm than good just trotting him out there every day. He's struck out 30 times in 63 PA's. Regardless of the rebuild plans, the Brewers shouldn't be giving AB's to young guys struggling this badly.

 

So we should be giving them to guys like Nieuwenhuis and Presley instead? Older guys that are struggling as well?

 

I agree with you (they've all been pretty bad but at least Kirk and Alex have had stretches where they weren't terrible) but Keon has no clue what's going on at the plate right now. Guerra and Davies have had better AB's the last two nights than he has.

We already sent him down to AAA to figure things out this year and he raked (.269/.365/.521/.886 7 HR, 7 2B, 1 3B, 16 SB in 119 ABs). He came back up and he looks lost again. I'm not sure what sending him back down will do for him, it seems to be a mental block at the big league level that he needs to get over and he can't do that in the minors. JJ Hardy started off his career with a .143/.284/.179/.462 line in 56 at bats (Broxton's batting .179/.289/.205/.494 since coming back up), so it's not unheard of for players to start slow and then pick it up.

 

We have the luxury of allowing guys to figure things out at the major league level this year and I have no concern about him blocking time from the older options on the current roster. So my vote is to keep him here and get him as many at bats as possible to sink or swim in. He still only has 57 career MLB at-bats, give him a couple hundred to show some improvement.

[danzig6767]

Yeah but you can do more harm than good just trotting him out there every day. He's struck out 30 times in 63 PA's. Regardless of the rebuild plans, the Brewers shouldn't be giving AB's to young guys struggling this badly.

So we should be giving them to guys like Nieuwenhuis and Presley instead? Older guys that are struggling as well?

I agree with you (they've all been pretty bad but at least Kirk and Alex have had stretches where they weren't terrible) but Keon has no clue what's going on at the plate right now. Guerra and Davies have had better AB's the last two nights than he has.

We already know that Nieuwenhuis is a 5th OF type, so what exactly is the harm in letting Broxton getting a few hundred consistent at bats vs big league pitching?

 

If he can't improve over that time, then at least we'll have a better idea that he just can't handle it vs only giving him random at bats against lefty starters. I'd rather watch him hit under .200 over a few hundred at bat during the rest of the season than see Nieuwenhuis play mostly instead given it's already clear that he's a spare part player with no upside.

[Boomer5]

Kirk, Pressley , and Flores have no meaningful ceiling in CF. I'm not sure Broxton does either but if they are going to give anyone 200 abs in the next few months in might as well be the guy with the raw talent.

[jerichoholicninja]

We already sent him down to AAA to figure things out this year and he raked (.269/.365/.521/.886 7 HR, 7 2B, 1 3B, 16 SB in 119 ABs). He came back up and he looks lost again. I'm not sure what sending him back down will do for him, it seems to be a mental block at the big league level that he needs to get over and he can't do that in the minors. JJ Hardy started off his career with a .143/.284/.179/.462 line in 56 at bats (Broxton's batting .179/.289/.205/.494 since coming back up), so it's not unheard of for players to start slow and then pick it up.

 

We have the luxury of allowing guys to figure things out at the major league level this year and I have no concern about him blocking time from the older options on the current roster. So my vote is to keep him here and get him as many at bats as possible to sink or swim in. He still only has 57 career MLB at-bats, give him a couple hundred to show some improvement.

 

I don't know what you do with him but I don't how you can keep trotting him out there when he's so clearly over his head right now for whatever reason. His .384 OPS is lower than Walsh's was when he was DFA'd. He's struck out in just under half of his PA's. For me it's not even the stats, just watch him. I honestly felt bad for him last night he looked so terrible. If he were a big time prospect I think you let him figure it out but he's not.

[ewitkows]

Any word on when Santana is coming back?

[adambr2]

Any word on when Santana is coming back?

 

Sounds like he hasn't been cleared to resume baseball activities and isn't expected back until after the AS break.

[BrewCrewForever]

Hope Santana gets 100%, would like to see him at least get a good two months in of playing everyday fully healthy.