Lewis Brinson

[pacopete4]

What happens if Lewis Brinson hits his way onto this team faster than some expect? We still have Braun and both Broxton and Santana both need ample amounts of playing time in their own rights.

[pogokat]

Keon Broxton is being hyped a ton all over the internet right now, and he had a great hot streak at the end of the season, but his best possible outcome is Mike Cameron. Truth be told, there's a solid chance that Keon opens the season 15/100 with 35 k's and we never see him in Milwaukee again. He's going to get his chance to begin the season as a starter in the majors, but he's got some pretty major weaknesses in his game that are not necessarily outweighed by his strengths.

 

Brinson obviously has some weaknesses as well, but his ceiling is much higher than Broxton's. I think Keon's length of opportunity is shorter than many realize. He needs to start hot and stay that way, or he will lose his spot to Perez/Brinson/Phillips/etc...

[logan82]

Best case is Mike Cameron. That would be terrible.

[FVBrewerFan]

Even if Brinson really rakes, no issue having him stay in CS for the first half of the season. Then, injuries happen and poor performance happens so it could be resolved rather naturally. Worst case, you have have 4 really good OF for half a season. Enough ABS to go around for 3 months. All RH which isn't ideal, but fine for 2017.

 

2018 will be tougher if Braun is not traded and Phillips is ready. Now you have 5 with Ray on the way. I still think Santana or Braun need to buy a 1B glove, otherwise it's time to trade someone.

[wallus]

As long as we play UW-M pitching all season, he will be amazing!

[pogokat]

Best case is Mike Cameron. That would be terrible.

 

I think most people were hoping even Mike Cameron himself would turn out to be more than Mike Cameron during his career.

[adambr2]

I'll be the guy to say it, but Brinson isn't sniffing the opening day 25 man no matter how good of spring he has.

 

He's only got 2 months of AAA time under his belt here, so they've got more than enough reason to take their time with him. And, elephant in the room, its best not to start his service time clock til at least midseason.

[dlk9s]

Not everyone is going to become a superstar, shoo-in HOF'er (plus the Brewers couldn't afford a team full of those guys). If Broxton becomes Mike Cameron, that would be pretty good.

[adambr2]

Not everyone is going to become a superstar, shoo-in HOF'er (plus the Brewers couldn't afford a team full of those guys). If Broxton becomes Mike Cameron, that would be pretty good.

 

Cameron was like a 4-5 WAR player for most of his career. If either Broxton or Brinson copies his career, that would be great.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Prime Mike Cameron would probably be a top 3 center fielder in baseball right now, so that isn't exactly a negative. Given a lot of their acquisitions, I wonder if the Brewers are basically trying to get to the point where they have three center field types who each have some pop.

[pacopete4]

I'll take Mike Cameron in CF. Heck yes.

 

 

I wasn't starting this thread thinking opening day and I sure as heck wasn't starting it because he smacked two bombs off a college kid yesterday. This guy just may be completely healthy and ready faster than possibly expected and right now, it's jammed out there.

 

I do agree to some extent that Broxton needs to begin the year off well or he may be the odd man out. I guess same could be said for Santana but he's younger so longer leash.

[danzig6767]

Not everyone is going to become a superstar, shoo-in HOF'er (plus the Brewers couldn't afford a team full of those guys). If Broxton becomes Mike Cameron, that would be pretty good.

Cameron was like a 4-5 WAR player for most of his career. If either Broxton or Brinson copies his career, that would be great.

No kidding. Cameron in his prime was an elite defensive CF and an .800 OPS hitter. Yea he struck out a lot, but he also walked a lot. Besides that, he was very consistent. Over an 11 year stretch, his worst OPS was .759.

[jerichoholicninja]

I'll be the guy to say it, but Brinson isn't sniffing the opening day 25 man no matter how good of spring he has.

 

He's only got 2 months of AAA time under his belt here, so they've got more than enough reason to take their time with him. And, elephant in the room, its best not to start his service time clock til at least midseason.

 

Ya, the only way I see Brinson on the team is if there are injuries to both Keon and Kirk and even then I would think Reed or Cordell makes the team unless they both totally bomb. No reason at all to start his clock yet especially with such minimal AAA experience.

[sveumrules]

Brinson obviously has some weaknesses as well, but his ceiling is much higher than Broxton's.

 

What makes Brinson's ceiling much higher than Keon's? Sure, he's younger but I think both players have very similar skillsets; low contact, good power, plus speed.

 

I'm with adambr2, if either (or hopefully both) turn out anywhere near Mike Cameron we'll be very lucky.

[JohnBriggs12]

It's not an either/or situation with Broxton and Brinson. Santana has to hold off Brinson as well. If Santana's off to a slow start, Brewers won't hesitate going with both Brinson and Broxton in the same outfield with Braun.

[3and2Fastball]

Brinson had a great catch in yesterday's game on a line drive in the gap. I see Brinson's ceiling comp as being Mike Cameron, not Broxton. 25-30 HR, 100 RBI, excellent defense, 20 SB's type of guy

[LouisEly]

Best case is Mike Cameron. That would be terrible.

No kidding. Through age 36 Cameron was a 46.5 career bWAR player. I'll take that from Brinson any day, much less Broxton.

[sveumrules]

I think aside from the general eye test similarities the Broxton/Cameron comps come from the fact that Keon's triple slash last year was just about a dead ringer for Cameron's career line...

 

Cameron career: 249/338/444 107 wRC+

Broxton in 2016: 242/354/430 109 wRC+

 

Granted it's mostly pointless to try & draw any meaningful conclusions comparing a 7884 PA sample against a 244 PA sample but WAR actually liked Keon's defense/baserunning more than Cameron's as Mike's career is at 3.9 WAR/600 PAs while Broxton's 2016 was a 5.1 WAR/600 PA pace.

[reillymcshane]

Best case is Mike Cameron. That would be terrible.

 

I think most people were hoping even Mike Cameron himself would turn out to be more than Mike Cameron during his career.

I loved Mike Cameron.

[reillymcshane]

I'll be the guy to say it, but Brinson isn't sniffing the opening day 25 man no matter how good of spring he has.

I generally agree with this. We are still in a 'let's figure out what we have' with Broxton and Santana. Let them play 1/2 a season and see how they do. Let Brinson rake at AAA - if he does, we have a great problem of figuring out what to do with all our players.

 

Obviously, and injury or trade could change things sooner - even before opening day. But for now, let the process play out.

 

I'm just loving the idea of an outfield with Brinson and Broxton. Then down the road, you add in Ray. That would be one of the best defensive outfields in baseball.

 

But for now, let's just hope these guys keep developing with the bat.

[CheezWizHed]

I'm not sure either Brinson or Broxton has the ceiling of Cameron. I've never seen either of them untuckem'. Forget the batting line, ruffling the Cardinal's feathers is what I look for in a young player.

[3and2Fastball]

Just a small sample of watching him but I really like what I've seen of Brinson. He has a good approach at the plate. I think he can put up a couple of 35 HR seasons in his prime years if he stays healthy.

[And That]

Has Brinson looked considerably more filled out to anyone else this spring? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember him being closer to Keon Broxton in build than he is.

[yfinn6]

Has Brinson looked considerably more filled out to anyone else this spring? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember him being closer to Keon Broxton in build than he is.

 

I thought he was closer to Monte Harrison than Keon Broxton, but I'm just going with the tiny bits and pieces I saw of him in 2016. I haven't seen him in the spring yet.

[MrTPlush]

Has Brinson looked considerably more filled out to anyone else this spring? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember him being closer to Keon Broxton in build than he is.

 

No, looks about the same.