Matt Joyce

[JohnBriggs12]

Joyce will be a FA, and is coming off a nice bounce back season. Brewers could use an offensive upgrade from Nieuwenhuis as a LH bat to spell Braun and do some platooning with Santana in RF and be a premier LH pinch hit option and DH in AL parks. With Perez showing he can handle CF in a pinch and CFs galore in high minors making Nieuwenhuis' defense less critical, Joyce might make a nice addition.

[MrTPlush]

If we were competing...maybe. I think he is too expensive for the current state of the ballclub.

[jerichoholicninja]

Well every season is special so...no.

[CheeseheadInQC]

While there's a lot to like about Joyce's bat if 2015 was an aberration, he's almost certainly going to be paid at least like a full platoon guy, and therein lies the problem.

 

I can understand that you don't want to bottom out during a rebuild, but at some point you have to accomplish the goals of a rebuild regardless, and part of that is determining who is part of your long-term plans. With the number of outfield prospects that the Brewers have who are going to be pushing for MLB playing time pretty soon, next season is crucial to making a determination on Santana, and you can't do that if he is relegated to the right-handed half of a righty-lefty platoon.

 

Also while this might mean a little less playing time for the backup center fielder, I think they'll have one on the roster regardless, whether it is Nieuwenhuis or possibly Wren. The one whose roster spot this would doom would be Liriano, although he's not a lock anyway.

[homer]

I think they should be targeting guys primed for bounce back that they can flip for prospects. Guys with past success coming off injury are usually the best bet or the 26 - 27 year old AAA guy who is blocked at the majors.

[LouisEly]

I've proposed going after Joyce in years past and would not be opposed at all, as good LH bats can be flipped at the deadline if Brinson et. al. are ready for a shot. It would likely mean Braun being traded and Puig not being a Brewer in 2017.

 

Per homer's comments, I proposed Zach Walters on a minor league deal w/NRI. Walters is a switch-hitter but much stronger from the left side than right. He'll be 27 at the beginning of next season and, IMO, would make a great backup/utility guy as he can play both OF and IF.