Stearns' deadline approach

[Boomer5]

Khris Davis now has 43 home runs since August 6th of last year.

 

I agree with most everything that has been said in this thread about him, but that's a lot of dingers. The most in the Major Leagues.

 

 

But it's pretty much the only thing he does well.

 

If you're going to be limited to one skill, that's a pretty good one to have.

[fondybrewfan]

He's like Russell the Muscle if Russell ever would have gotten consistent playing time.

[pacopete4]

Khris Davis now has 43 home runs since August 6th of last year.

 

I agree with most everything that has been said in this thread about him, but that's a lot of dingers. The most in the Major Leagues.

 

 

But it's pretty much the only thing he does well.

 

And that one thing got his namesake $160+ million from the Orioles this off season.

 

 

This is so wrong I'm not even sure why I'm replying. Oriole Davis is such a superior player. It's not even a comparison really. Not that I love WAR but Khris Davis has a lifetime 5.2 while Oriole Davis matched that last year alone.

[madbad2000]

This is so wrong I'm not even sure why I'm replying. Oriole Davis is such a superior player. It's not even a comparison really. Not that I love WAR but Khris Davis has a lifetime 5.2 while Oriole Davis matched that last year alone.

 

 

Well I'm not sure why you're replying either because it wasn't a matter of whom is the better player. Chris Davis got paid because he has power, plain and simple. The ONE thing he does really, really well. I would gladly take Chris Davis over Khris Davis straight up, no other factors. The fact that Chris puts the ball over the fence (and the Orioles bid against themselves) are the reasons he made $160 million.

[3and2Fastball]

Meanwhile Jacob Nottingham is hitting .237/.304/.339 in AA ball. He's only 21 years old though, so he has time to develop. Definitely not a sure thing

[Austin Tatious]

Meanwhile Jacob Nottingham is hitting .237/.304/.339 in AA ball. He's only 21 years old though, so he has time to develop. Definitely not a sure thing

 

I like Nottingham, and suspect he will get a second year at Biloxi to improve, given his youth.

 

Nevertheless, I think it's prudent to obtain another high value catching prospect.

[And That]

FWIW, the Brewers did use 2 of their first 7 picks in this year's draft on catchers. I'm also a big fan of both Dustin Houle and Max McDowell. I don't know that it is necessary for the Brewers to target catching as a position of need, though if a top flight catcher fell into their lap, they should obviously scoop him up.

[jerichoholicninja]

FWIW, the Brewers did use 2 of their first 7 picks in this year's draft on catchers. I'm also a big fan of both Dustin Houle and Max McDowell. I don't know that it is necessary for the Brewers to target catching as a position of need, though if a top flight catcher fell into their lap, they should obviously scoop him up.

 

Lawrie and Coulter were catchers. What position guys are drafted at doesn't seem to make much difference.

[monty57]

FWIW, the Brewers did use 2 of their first 7 picks in this year's draft on catchers. I'm also a big fan of both Dustin Houle and Max McDowell. I don't know that it is necessary for the Brewers to target catching as a position of need, though if a top flight catcher fell into their lap, they should obviously scoop him up.

 

Lawrie and Coulter were catchers. What position guys are drafted at doesn't seem to make much difference.

 

That's true of most positions, but I think that when they draft them they have a decent idea if they expect a guy to stick at a difficult position or whether they expect to move him at some point. Lawrie and Coulter were drafted for their bats. IIRC Lawrie was moved to speed up his route to the big leagues because he had such an advanced bat, while they never really expected Coulter to stick at catcher.

 

There is a question about Nottingham sticking at catcher, but from some limited reading I've done I think he's doing okay defensively in Biloxi.

[And That]

Non-catchers are rarely converted to the catching position after spending almost any amount of time in pro ball. So drafting a catcher makes it much more likely you'll end up with a catcher than not drafting a catcher. It absolutely makes a difference when an amateur is drafted as a catcher.

[TheCrew07]

There is a question about Nottingham sticking at catcher, but from some limited reading I've done I think he's doing okay defensively in Biloxi.

 

I guess that depends on how you define "okay", there was a discussion regarding his defense in a recent link report.

[FVBrewerFan]

Is on pace for southern league record for errors/passed balls by a catcher "okay?"

[MrTPlush]

If you think Nottingham has a future as a catcher you are sipping really good kool aid or you place no value on defense. Nottingham just isn't going to stick. I'd like for him to, but I feel like the defensive downside isn't something we want behind the dish.

 

12 errors, 17 passed balls, and a only 29% of basestealers caught is pretty pathetic. Over the course of a full MLB workload he would rack up nearly 50 errors/passed balls combined. Someone tell me how that is going to be acceptable?

[MenchHead]

It's not acceptable at the major league level. It's a good thing he's not there yet. He may never be a catcher but the guy is in AA. These players are being acquired for what they can be, not what they are. He'd be way more valuable as a catcher (if he could play the position adequately) but it isn't like we have a log-jam of first base prospects at AAA and AA.

[HighHeat19]

Nottingham = 1st base. 1st base = Nottingham. Nottingham will be a first baseman.

 

On a serious note, Nottingham has proven that he has hit in the past even though his numbers are a little stagnant this year. However, he comes across as a Justin Smoak type. Serviceable but not much else. Hope I'm wrong.

[superfly]

This is so wrong I'm not even sure why I'm replying. Oriole Davis is such a superior player. It's not even a comparison really. Not that I love WAR but Khris Davis has a lifetime 5.2 while Oriole Davis matched that last year alone.

 

 

Well I'm not sure why you're replying either because it wasn't a matter of whom is the better player. Chris Davis got paid because he has power, plain and simple. The ONE thing he does really, really well. I would gladly take Chris Davis over Khris Davis straight up, no other factors. The fact that Chris puts the ball over the fence (and the Orioles bid against themselves) are the reasons he made $160 million.

 

And he's a LH bat. And he plays 1B/OF, not just a run of the mill to poor LF'er.

[madbad2000]

And he's a LH bat. And he plays 1B/OF, not just a run of the mill to poor LF'er.

 

And none of that got him to $160 million. Power...end of story. Those factors are nice and add up to him being a more valuable player than Khris. Again, not the point being made which was obvious all along. Power got Chris Davis more money than he should have, power will get Khris Davis more money than he will likely deserve. Chicks dig the long ball and so do GMs/Coaches.

[CheezWizHed]

If you think Nottingham has a future as a catcher you are sipping really good kool aid or you place no value on defense. Nottingham just isn't going to stick. I'd like for him to, but I feel like the defensive downside isn't something we want behind the dish.

 

12 errors, 17 passed balls, and a only 29% of basestealers caught is pretty pathetic. Over the course of a full MLB workload he would rack up nearly 50 errors/passed balls combined. Someone tell me how that is going to be acceptable?

 

I would guess that brewers will give him another year at least at C to improve before moving him off. The errors an anomaly based on his career. Certainly, PB and CS% are systemic issues.

[FVBrewerFan]

Nottingham is very young for AA, so he does have that going for him. Would have been great if he broke out this year, but I agree let him stick at Catcher next year. Time is still his friend at this point.

[Boomer5]

Nottingham is a very low probability to stay at C. His bat would have to be Schwarber level to even think about putting up with his D at C.

 

I'd think they will put him at 1B pretty soon so he can focus on hitting more. He is young at AA so he has that going for him but so far he's not much of a player.

 

I'd put him in the Kodi category where you don't write him off because of their cost and they are still quite young, but they do need to produce to be truly considered top 10 prospects and not just guys we hope are prospects.

[WV Brew]

I guess it's wrong to point out that Nick Ramirez has a higher OPS than the Sheriff. If he can't make it at catcher, he won't make it at all. Charlie Greene should be down there working with him every day.

[gregmag]

I guess it's wrong to point out that Nick Ramirez has a higher OPS than the Sheriff. If he can't make it at catcher, he won't make it at all. Charlie Greene should be down there working with him every day.

I'd never say it's wrong, but I don't think it's very relevant, because Ramirez is more than four years older than Nottingham. When Ramirez was the age Nottingham is now, he tore up the Pioneer League, then put up a .599 OPS in low A ball, two levels behind where Nottingham (and Ramirez) is now.

 

A couple of people have pointed this out, but Nottingham is young for AA at 21. He hit very well last year, and this is his worst year hitting as a pro. That could mean he won't solve AA, but I'll take that possibility a lot more seriously if he doesn't improve substantially when he repeats the level next year. He has plenty of time to figure it out.

 

He also has time with his defense. BP Milwaukee's midseason prospect report quoted a BP scout as claiming that Nottingham had worked hard and substantially improved his overall defensive package:

 

http://milwaukee.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/07/12/midseason-prospects-3-up-3-down/

 

I'm not holding that out as authoritative, because I don't know how much it should offset his passed balls and errors, but it at least provides a data point in the other direction, which is enough to convince me that the absolute pronouncements above that he won't stick at catcher are premature.

[danzig6767]

Khris Davis now has 43 home runs since August 6th of last year.

 

I agree with most everything that has been said in this thread about him, but that's a lot of dingers. The most in the Major Leagues.

But it's pretty much the only thing he does well.

Davis is hard to figure when it comes to drawing walks. In the minors he drew them at an above average rate, but in the majors he's been so erratic at it. Just look at the last two years

 

2016-- 44 walks in 392 at bats. Very solid.

 

2017-- 12 walks in 330 at bats. Very bad.

 

Given he hits around .250 every year, if he drew walks at the rate he did last year and like he did in the minors, it would keep his OBP in at least a semi-tolerable range to go along with his elite power.

[dacbrewers]

I would be interested to know what percentage of deadline pickups actually helped a team vs. not helping a team.

[pacopete4]

I would be interested to know what percentage of deadline pickups actually helped a team vs. not helping a team.

 

 

Probably would be hard to break down. I mean you have your CC's of the world and then other fillers who help your team but don't carry it.