Chris Carter designated for assignment

[MKE81]

With young OFs starting to come up during this year, it makes sense to move the defensively inept Santana to 1B.

 

Play Perez or someone in RF for a few weeks until Brinson can be brought up to play CF and move Broxton to RF

Defensively inept? False. Santana is a better RF than Perez and it's not close. I'm not against Santana going to 1b but it'll be because there's a hole there, he's a massive target and the RFs coming up are above average/plus defensive OF (Phillips/Cordell).

[clancyphile]

Reason they didn't do it sooner? Protect another rule 5 eligible player? That's my only question. Stearns doesn't want these Joey Meyer, Rob Deer, Mark aBrouhard type guys. Carter served the purpose cheaply for a year, obviously couldn't trade him at the deadline last season, move on.

 

The timing royally stinks on those grounds alone. Carter's roster spot could have protected Wei Chung Wang.

 

This was poor 40-man roster management.

[JimH5]

With young OFs starting to come up during this year, it makes sense to move the defensively inept Santana to 1B.

 

Play Perez or someone in RF for a few weeks until Brinson can be brought up to play CF and move Broxton to RF

Defensively inept? False. Santana is a better RF than Perez and it's not close. I'm not against Santana going to 1b but it'll be because there's a hole there, he's a massive target and the RFs coming up are above average/plus defensive OF (Phillips/Cordell).

 

By both Fangraphs and B-Ref, Santana is a below average defender. He has 4 OF assists in 111 starts. I honestly can't remember even one highlight level play by him. His one redeeming quality is that he's not Ramon Flores.

[MrTPlush]

Adam Lind is likely available. 1 yr at $4-5 million would get it done. Would need a RH platoon partner though. Perez?

 

I think they will prefer someone more durable and younger.

[MrTPlush]

I love Carter as much as the next guy, but at a nice cheap price like we signed him for last offseason.

[MKE81]

With young OFs starting to come up during this year, it makes sense to move the defensively inept Santana to 1B.

 

Play Perez or someone in RF for a few weeks until Brinson can be brought up to play CF and move Broxton to RF

Defensively inept? False. Santana is a better RF than Perez and it's not close. I'm not against Santana going to 1b but it'll be because there's a hole there, he's a massive target and the RFs coming up are above average/plus defensive OF (Phillips/Cordell).

 

By both Fangraphs and B-Ref, Santana is a below average defender. He has 4 OF assists in 111 starts. I honestly can't remember even one highlight level play by him. His one redeeming quality is that he's not Ramon Flores.

Yes because defensive WAR/metrics/rankings/etc aren't known to be garbage, or at least nowhere near advanced as the offensive side and even those don't paint a complete picture. OF assists? Mind = blown. He is an average defensive OF with a legitimate RF arm. Inept isn't close to fitting the description

[Outlander]

Santana is horrible in the field and would love to try him at first.

[markedman5]

He has a good arm but his range seems really limited to me.

[FVBrewerFan]

If you don't like defensive metrics (I don't either) then use the eye test. He was bad last year. I think he can be better, but if they keep him 1B would make a lot of sense with all the OF options coming up being better defensive players. Braun too, same story really.

[MrTPlush]

Domingo Santana's fielding is definitely below average. Poor jumps, iffy routes, fielding of grounders is sketchy, lazy at times, not that fast, and not very accurate with his arm. His arm is strong, but it doesn't come into play often and even when it does his throws are typically off. I thought when we got him he was considered this solid defender with a highlight reel arm, but he has been the total opposite. In my opinion he is below average, but not so bad he is a liability.

[HighHeat19]

There is no doubt that Stearns, through his acquisitions, favors OF's who can run and play defense. I really see this as opening for Domingo. Let him learn the ropes at 1st in a rebuilding year.

 

If not Domingo, then maybe Braun, maybe Perez. First base is not a worry for a rebuilding team.

 

Tradeability....Stearn's would of taken a single A box of peanuts for him, hell anything. GM's know the Brewers had no reason to keep him. Stearns was prolly exploring options back in June already.

 

8 million saved = 8 million towards a productive player when it counts. Yu Darvish next winter?!?!

 

Signing Carter is what Dougie would have done. Stearn's has us on the right path. Personally, every move Stearns has done has made sense even if it doesn't at the time.

[MrTPlush]

Signing Carter is what Dougie would have done.

 

Well I mean if we were trying to compete they probably would try to bring Carter back.

[brewcrewdue80]

There is the fact that Santana dealt with shoulder injuries this season and elbow. Not throwing his 6'5" body in to walls or diving for catches may have had some to do with his defense this year, attempting not to injure himself more. There could also be attributed being a rookie basically in experience roaming the Outfield.

 

I like the idea of getting Santana over to 1b the most. You can provide Perez with OF starts when not in the infield. But, there still is that Dodger/Braun trade to wonder on a certain 1b prospect.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Carter still ends up in Milwaukee and paying him 5-6million. Obviously depends if there are any teams with interest in signing him for what Milwaukee isn't willing to offer to him.

[AdvantageSchneider]

There is no doubt that Stearns, through his acquisitions, favors OF's who can run and play defense. I really see this as opening for Domingo. Let him learn the ropes at 1st in a rebuilding year.

 

I think I was reading an article on fangraphs that the offensive production for OFs was down last year and it appears to be a trend that teams are going with smaller faster OFs that have more range but less pop. So Stearns is not alone.

[Greenleaf1]

Lots of guys in the organization could fill this hole cheaply. My guess is Cooper, Pinto, Perez, Maldonado/Pina/Susac (if they're all still with the team), and others get time there during spring training. Maybe pick up a few other guys to minor league deals and let them fight it out for who can plug the hole for a non-competing year.

 

I like the idea of giving Santana some reps there too, but not sure I'm ready to say I want him starting there in 2017. He was finally starting to figure it out for real at the end of this year, I'd like him to focus on the plate in 2017 and get comfortable there without having to learn a completely new position.

[CheezWizHed]

I wouldn't be surprised if Carter still ends up in Milwaukee and paying him 5-6million. Obviously depends if there are any teams with interest in signing him for what Milwaukee isn't willing to offer to him.

 

I would imagine that something like this was offered in pre-arbitration discussions, but was rebuffed. So he will test the market and them be open to return if he can't find a buyer. He may be a one-trick pony, but there were only 10 first basemen that had an OPS over 800. Carter was 8th (821). That has value even if you value OBP over SLG (he was 15th on OBP).

 

It would be interesting to find out if Santana can actually play 1B defensively. Some guys can't handle being that close to the batter. And he doesn't strike me as a "quick twitch" guy... But if he can do it defensively, that would probably be the best (and biggest) option.

 

But I wouldn't be shocked if CC is resigned at a lower price, too.

 

Either way, I'm not heartbroken. CC was fun, but not a long term piece.

[pacopete4]

While it does stink that we won't get to watch those towering bombs of last year, this move makes all too much sense. Some fans will whine and complain because it is a money saving move in a year where they don't have much money spent but it all adds up in the end and could be put towards a more productive player. It will be interesting to see if Domingo is asked to try to play there or not. Some players are very hesitant to do this type of thing but I only see the positive in it. Maybe he becomes a decent defensive first basemen and all of a sudden you are more valuable because you can play a corner OF and a 1B. Doesn't hurt to try it.

[Lee16]

Meet your new 1st baseman for the next 3 years, Eric Thames!

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/11/brewers-sign-eric-thames.html

[monty57]

I'm sure the picture will be more clear after the winter meetings conclude. It's likely that Braun is traded, and if so we will get some "salary relief" veterans coming back. If one is a first baseman, that answers that question. Or, if one is an OF, then moving Santana to first base makes a lot of sense.

 

I like Carter, but I am assuming that they have a plan in place. I really don't think they'd save a few million to get someone like Lind at $5M instead of Carter at $8M. They likely have a younger target in mind, or they could be non-tendering Carter with the feeling that they can re-sign him to a $5-6M deal. Let the fun of offseason speculation commence!

[JohnBriggs12]

Now we know the reason they non-tendered Carter.

 

They just signed Eric Thames to a 3 year deal!!!!

[jerichoholicninja]

Looks like Carter was actually DFA'd and not non-tendered, meaning there is still a chance he could be traded. No likely, but still possible.

[TURBO]

Now we also know the reason the Brewers are not doing a HR leader Chris Carter bobblehead this summer...They knew it all along...

[JohnBriggs12]

Looks like Carter was actually DFA'd and not non-tendered, meaning there is still a chance he could be traded. No likely, but still possible.

 

Rockies have big hole at 1B. Carter's Coors Field line? A cool .345/.367/.897 with 4 HR in 30 PA. No doubt they'll have interest, just will it be enough for them to want to trade for him rather than risk they'd lose him to another team if they wait until he hits FA.

[yoshii8]

Former prospect who blew up in Korea, and is still in the prime of his career. Why not? I'm all aboard the Eric Thames train. It helps that he can play corner outfield also.

[sveumrules]

Thanks for everything Chris, really enjoyed your stoic demeanor especially when contrasted against your truly majestic bombs. Hopefully we can work out a deal sending you to Colorado so the bombs can continue in their majesty, humidor be darned.