Depth

[logan82]

He was never completely healthy and 77 games is to small of a sample to draw any meaningful conclusions. Making any kind of judgement based on last year is misguided at best.

[djoctagone]

The point wasn't 1b exclusively. Its [sic] in general how little Infield depth we have. I apologize if that didn't come across clearly.

the brewers must have felt the same as you . . . hence, nick franklin.

[Boomer5]

Depth at the MLB level is irrelevant right now. The team isn't going to contend, so if they have to go with a DeJesus or a Franklin for 20 games, so be it.

 

If you go with a 13 man staff, you arent going to have a big bench, so you have back up OF, C, PH type and INF, and manage the game enough to PH/Double switch when you need to and that's that. You worry about the rest of the schedule tomorrow if you have an injury because a loss today wont matter.

[djoctagone]

The value of Yadiel Rivera is in the fact he still has options(I believe) and can come up when a middle infielder injury happens and be sent down all year long. I'm guessing Nick Franklin doesn't so he wouldn't hold that same value. Even then though we have so much versatility I don't know if we need a guy in AAA to bounce around and even then we can find any scrub to suck like Rivera.

 

If he does have an option(s) then I don't really get the need for Rivera entirely.

franklin is out of options.

 

rivera--currently optioned--will burn his final option this year if he spends more than 20 days optioned to the minor leagues.

 

unless you count ryan cordell (who is getting some action at third base), there are no other optioned infielders on the 40-man roster.

 

this is indeed a lack of infield depth.

[RobertR]

The value of Yadiel Rivera is in the fact he still has options(I believe) and can come up when a middle infielder injury happens and be sent down all year long. I'm guessing Nick Franklin doesn't so he wouldn't hold that same value. Even then though we have so much versatility I don't know if we need a guy in AAA to bounce around and even then we can find any scrub to suck like Rivera.

 

If he does have an option(s) then I don't really get the need for Rivera entirely.

franklin is out of options.

 

rivera--currently optioned--will burn his final option this year if he spends more than 20 days optioned to the minor leagues.

 

unless you count ryan cordell (who is getting some action at third base), there are no other optioned infielders on the 40-man roster.

 

this is indeed a lack of infield depth.

 

It may be a lack of depth, but I'm fairly certain they can find a no hit utility infielder somewhere if they need to. Heck, Counsell could come out of retirement.

 

They're not contending anyways and it's not like they'll be unable to field a team.

[adambr2]

The value of Yadiel Rivera is in the fact he still has options(I believe) and can come up when a middle infielder injury happens and be sent down all year long. I'm guessing Nick Franklin doesn't so he wouldn't hold that same value. Even then though we have so much versatility I don't know if we need a guy in AAA to bounce around and even then we can find any scrub to suck like Rivera.

 

If he does have an option(s) then I don't really get the need for Rivera entirely.

franklin is out of options.

 

rivera--currently optioned--will burn his final option this year if he spends more than 20 days optioned to the minor leagues.

 

unless you count ryan cordell (who is getting some action at third base), there are no other optioned infielders on the 40-man roster.

 

this is indeed a lack of infield depth.

 

It may be a lack of depth, but I'm fairly certain they can find a no hit utility infielder somewhere if they need to. Heck, Counsell could come out of retirement.

 

They're not contending anyways and it's not like they'll be unable to field a team.

 

Exactly. What does it matter right now? The DeJesus, Franklin, Rivera types are a dime a dozen. If you don't have one on your 40, won't take much paperwork or time on the phone to get one.

[djoctagone]

The point wasn't 1b exclusively. Its in general how little Infield depth we have. I apologize if that didn't come across clearly.

then please consider editing the topic title of your post. "lack of infield depth" perhaps?

feeling a little better now that nick franklin (out of options) and eric sogard (one option remaning) are on the 40-man and 25-man?

[adambr2]

It's also a good reminder that 40 man depth isn't really that crucial when filling out your bench.

 

There are numerous players that aren't even on the 40 (DeJesus, Wren, Cooper, Nieuwenhuis, Dubon), that could easily be added and be added to the bench in a pinch if needed. Notwithstanding bench fodder guys who hit the waiver wire every week like Franklin.

[Oxy]

[liveforoctober]

So play GM for me. I know Sogard has an option left and Franklin doesn’t … can Sogard play left at all? I know it is a 10 at bat hot streak … but when Braun comes back what are the reasons to keep Franklin over Sogard at this point? We brought in Franklin to be Scooter with versatility, but it seems Sogard is that guy instead of Franklin, no?

[pacopete4]

With having Thames and Perez on the roster, I'm not sure having Franklin's versatility to play OF is that big of a deal. If Stearns feels that Sogard will bring this team a better bat to the lineup and bench, then he should be the one to stay up. Franklin hasn't done enough to warrant keeping him just because he can stand out in LF and catch routine fly balls.

[DuWayne Steurer]

The problem here is playing the extreme small sample/hot bat game. Sogard has 1300 plate appearances in MLB, with a .615 OPS. He's had a great week, but if he gets 200 plate appearances and puts up a .700 OPS going forward, I'd be supremely shocked.

 

That's not so much I'm saying Franklin should stay as I'm just saying Sogard is what he is.

[pacopete4]

The problem here is playing the extreme small sample/hot bat game. Sogard has 1300 plate appearances in MLB, with a .615 OPS. He's had a great week, but if he gets 200 plate appearances and puts up a .700 OPS going forward, I'd be supremely shocked.

 

That's not so much I'm saying Franklin should stay as I'm just saying Sogard is what he is.

 

While true most of the time, it is not an always. Thames is a perfect example of why someone should never be written off if they are willing to continue to work extremely hard at their craft. Not saying Sogard is another guy that we'll catch lightning in a bottle, but you just never know.

[tmwiese55]

The problem here is playing the extreme small sample/hot bat game. Sogard has 1300 plate appearances in MLB, with a .615 OPS. He's had a great week, but if he gets 200 plate appearances and puts up a .700 OPS going forward, I'd be supremely shocked.

 

That's not so much I'm saying Franklin should stay as I'm just saying Sogard is what he is.

 

While true most of the time, it is not an always. Thames is a perfect example of why someone should never be written off if they are willing to continue to work extremely hard at their craft. Not saying Sogard is another guy that we'll catch lightning in a bottle, but you just never know.

 

I generally agree first comments on him being what he is. But you're right, you can get Brady Clark like hot streak that gets you some extra wins. I guess for me it would come to simply who you think is better right now for the next weeks and who has more positional flex and I'd think they'd prefer someone with SS/IF capabilities as a priority, so who do they think is better SS/IF

[DuWayne Steurer]

The problem here is playing the extreme small sample/hot bat game. Sogard has 1300 plate appearances in MLB, with a .615 OPS. He's had a great week, but if he gets 200 plate appearances and puts up a .700 OPS going forward, I'd be supremely shocked.

 

That's not so much I'm saying Franklin should stay as I'm just saying Sogard is what he is.

 

While true most of the time, it is not an always. Thames is a perfect example of why someone should never be written off if they are willing to continue to work extremely hard at their craft. Not saying Sogard is another guy that we'll catch lightning in a bottle, but you just never know.

 

As long as we're talking about the last spot on the bench, I don't really care. This isn't a developmental spot, or a position that should (hopefully) get more than 150 - 200 plate appearances, so I don't really care who's getting the at bats, really. Sogard is basically Neftali Perez, and he's having a very nice hot streak. If this was the 4th outfielder, or the main backup infielder (Perez), I'd have a bit more of a beef with carrying a guy like Sogard long term, and expecting him to suddenly be something he's not, based on 13 plate appearances.

[adambr2]

With having Thames and Perez on the roster, I'm not sure having Franklin's versatility to play OF is that big of a deal. If Stearns feels that Sogard will bring this team a better bat to the lineup and bench, then he should be the one to stay up. Franklin hasn't done enough to warrant keeping him just because he can stand out in LF and catch routine fly balls.

 

Plus, Franklin plays an atrocious LF anyway. I thought Franklin was actually versatile, not Scooter Gennett versatile.

[Roderick]

The problem here is playing the extreme small sample/hot bat game. Sogard has 1300 plate appearances in MLB, with a .615 OPS. He's had a great week, but if he gets 200 plate appearances and puts up a .700 OPS going forward, I'd be supremely shocked.

 

That's not so much I'm saying Franklin should stay as I'm just saying Sogard is what he is.

 

While true most of the time, it is not an always. Thames is a perfect example of why someone should never be written off if they are willing to continue to work extremely hard at their craft. Not saying Sogard is another guy that we'll catch lightning in a bottle, but you just never know.

 

Yeah, Sogard had surgery in 2016. So maybe he has the same deal as that little kid that hurt his arm, and could throw heat after his arm was healed. Or maybe they put some bionics in while doing surgery.

 

Sogard's daughter

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2017/05/17/brewer/327389001/

[djoctagone]

considering that the brewers have spent a chunk of the season without a true backup center fielder, the club has certainly operated on thin ice with a short bench. hernan perez can certainly be the backup center fielder, but then you lose a backup infielder.

 

this is compounded with travis shaw's absence tonight. as pointed out in the start of this thread, the club isn't deep at all with infielders on the 40-man, and two of the 25-man infielders are struggling mightily (jonathan villar and eric sogard).

 

will be ideal to see yadiel rivera (out of options in 2018) outrighted this month and mauricio dubon (and possibly ivan de jesus, jr.) called up to give the club more depth on the infield.

[djoctagone]

we'll see how long the club goes with 13 position players, but at least for now, on the 25-man roster, the brewers have plenty of infield depth. the brewers made quick use of that depth yesterday by starting neil walker at third, and have stated that he could see action at first as well as his primary position of second base.

 

but still, there is a true lack of reserve depth on the 40-man roster for infielders (only yadiel rivera) . . . part of that is due to the unusual practice of carrying four catchers on the 40-man and part of that is due to thus far (knock on wood) being able to handle day-to-day injuries (i.e. travis shaw) with other infielders on the 25-man.

[FVBrewerFan]

Wouldn't surprise me if they continue to carry 13, they may shuffle who those 13 are a bit. But with the off days, a couple pitchers capable of going more than one inning, etc. I think they stick with 12 pitchers. Plus, closing in on the end of the year means you ask starters to go deeper if they're pitching well, have that reliever throw an extra inning, etc. Not there's no more concern about limiting innings on everyone's arms, but that does get more relaxed for the stretch run.

[MNBrew]

I just started at the start of the thread then skipped to these last few posts. I have 2 reactions:

 

1. I totally agree that (reasonably safely) reliable minor-league depth is thin at best in the Brewers' top levels of the minors.

 

2. With 8 proven major-league infielders now on the 25-man roster, IF depth at AAA thankfully shouldn't be much of a concern for the balance of this year.

 

Re: #2, I would be quite surprised if Stearns doesn't beef up IF depth at AAA more going into next year, whether via trades, signings, younger players developing, and so forth.

[djoctagone]

obviously, the brewers feel confident enough moving forward with the versatility of hernan perez, eric sogard, jonathan villar and neil walker to remove yadiel rivera from the 40-man.

 

the brewers were fortunate enough to have healthy infielders on their roster pretty much the entire season.