Time to Start Worrying About Villar?

[liveforoctober]

Hmmm....Villar struggling (again) and Sogard soaring.

 

We can't make important decisions based on small samples. Believing that Sogard is a long-term upgrade based on a few games is akin to believing that Nelson is now a stud #1 based on his last couple of outings.

 

Let Sogard ride out this hot streak while half our team is injured, but he'll drop back to what we expected when we picked him up. He's capable of being an okay placeholder, but not someone for the long-term plans.

 

Villar has a chance of becoming an above average MLB player, so we need to ride out his bad start to see if he can get things going. 25% of a season is not enough time to make that determination when he has some history of being better. I could see him getting some extra days off, or moving him down in the order, but he should remain our starting 2B. His potential upside benefit for this team, both now and for the future, is too high for us to replace him with someone with little present value and basically no future value in Sogard.

 

.. and I think this is likely what is being suggested. If we happened to bring Sogard up at the exact time he is seeing the ball extremely well and it coincides at a time when Villar is pressing, then it might be a great time to let Villar breathe a bit. I certainly understand letting someone work their way out of a slump but it is also just as likely that someone could develop bad habits that take months to repair.

 

Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think anyone is suggesting replacing Villar permanently. But a week of limited use or careful use can be constructive.

[RobDeer 45]

Sorry guys, but didn't have time to figure this out. Where did Sogard come from???

[3and2Fastball]

Sorry guys, but didn't have time to figure this out. Where did Sogard come from???

 

Mr & Mrs Sogard

 

AAA call up. Spring Training invite.

 

Villar I think is improving. Defense, hitting, everything seems to be coming together a little. Diaz/Dubon are a year plus away. Hernan could force the Brewers' hand at 2B if Brinson comes up and starts raking. I think Perez is a better overall player than Villar anyways

 

Sogard should remain on the MLB team when Braun comes back

[KCBrewerfan34]

Franklin DFA??

[MrTPlush]

Time to start worrying about something else.

[RobDeer 45]

Sorry guys, but didn't have time to figure this out. Where did Sogard come from???

 

Mr & Mrs Sogard

 

AAA call up. Spring Training invite.

 

Villar I think is improving. Defense, hitting, everything seems to be coming together a little. Diaz/Dubon are a year plus away. Hernan could force the Brewers' hand at 2B if Brinson comes up and starts raking. I think Perez is a better overall player than Villar anyways

 

Sogard should remain on the MLB team when Braun comes back

 

Very nice on the burn! Thanks for filling me in, I appreciate it.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm still worried about Villar. Also worried about Broxton, Arcia, Shaw, and Thames. I will always worry about guys with a limited track record in MLB. Sometimes we forget, it is very difficult to consistently be a really good MLB player. Some of these guys have had hot starts, some not so hot. But we're only at the 1/4 poll, so a long long way to go.

[Ennder]

I guess I don't worry about Villar because he has over 1500 PA of perfectly acceptable offensive production for someone playing 2B. If he plays to his career averages he is a perfectly fine player. That is plenty of PA for me to say the guy has a track record. Plus looking at the stats a lot of this is just BABIP and BABIP happens. Some of it is elevated K but that was more of the case in April

[danzig6767]

I'm still worried about Villar. Also worried about Broxton, Arcia, Shaw, and Thames. I will always worry about guys with a limited track record in MLB. Sometimes we forget, it is very difficult to consistently be a really good MLB player. Some of these guys have had hot starts, some not so hot. But we're only at the 1/4 poll, so a long long way to go.

The two guys i'm confident in going forward are Shaw because he has such a pretty swing, i just wished he walked more and also Thames even though it was obvious his power numbers would come back to earth. I love his patience at the plate and bat speed which i think bodes well to being a productive hitter in general.

 

When it comes to Beoxton i really only worry about his really high K rate. His walk rate is also down quite a bit from last year, but he isn't a total free swinger as some low walk guys are, so i expect the walk rate to get better as the year goes along.

[rcc]

The only thing I worry about is Villar's mental lapses on the field. He's young and impulsive sometimes but he's been better than he was earlier this year with the stupid errors and baserunning mistakes.

[jerichoholicninja]

The only thing I worry about is Villar's mental lapses on the field. He's young and impulsive sometimes but he's been better than he was earlier this year with the stupid errors and baserunning mistakes.

 

Is he though? He got picked off twice in one game last week.

[monty57]

I'm still worried about Villar. Also worried about Broxton, Arcia, Shaw, and Thames. I will always worry about guys with a limited track record in MLB. Sometimes we forget, it is very difficult to consistently be a really good MLB player. Some of these guys have had hot starts, some not so hot. But we're only at the 1/4 poll, so a long long way to go.

 

It is very hard to be consistently good, and from that perspective, I always worry about everyone, especially players with whom we have a guaranteed multi-year commitment.

 

I'm looking at this thread as "are we worried enough that we make somewhat major roster decisions." In that light, right now I'm worried enough about Villar that I'd give him a day off here and there, and may move him down in the rotation, but I would not name someone else as the starter. I agree with you on Arcia, who has still not done anything at the plate to justify being in the majors. Other than injury concerns, there is nothing that would make me consider changing anything about Broxton, Shaw or Thames at this time.

[tmwiese55]

Agree with Monty. Once everyone is healthy again Braun, Broxton, Santana, Thames, Shaw should be more or less set in the lineup every day. If we're continuing to win you can get most of Perez's ABs from SS/2B. And some for Braun's rest days, but most of those should probably go to Jesus' until he cools down. Can maybe get Perez in vs lefties for Shaw too I suppose and whenever there's a lingering injury for someone. Basically, I have a lot of trust in all those guys right now. I still think Villar ends up fine but right now he does look way off in his approach vs last year so there is some coaching needed beyond just letting play through it.

 

Side note question to those more knowledgeable than me, how do you consider Perez to be as a defensive SS? I don't recall.

[JohnBriggs12]

Agree with Monty. Once everyone is healthy again Braun, Broxton, Santana, Thames, Shaw should be more or less set in the lineup every day. If we're continuing to win you can get most of Perez's ABs from SS/2B. And some for Braun's rest days, but most of those should probably go to Jesus' until he cools down. Can maybe get Perez in vs lefties for Shaw too I suppose and whenever there's a lingering injury for someone. Basically, I have a lot of trust in all those guys right now. I still think Villar ends up fine but right now he does look way off in his approach vs last year so there is some coaching needed beyond just letting play through it.

 

Side note question to those more knowledgeable than me, how do you consider Perez to be as a defensive SS? I don't recall.

 

Perez will get as many OF starts as he got before Braun went on DL. Santana runs hot and cold. Broxton needs a day here and there too. Thames will get more rest than he did when he was on fire. Sogard is going to see a lot of middle infield action. Villar is still the starter at 2B but his time as an everyday fixture might be done unless he gets on a big time roll. Sogard earned his place on this roster. Note his zero K's in 17 AB's. Contrast that with what Nieuwenhuis did when he was around. The bench on this team is now a major strength. Franklin could be odd man out, and even he's not been terrible.

[tmwiese55]

Yea Broxton and Santana will still get normal days off like anyone else. I guess what I mean is that for a stretch there when they were struggling it really seemed like we had no idea who would be out there on any given day. Whereas now they've recovered so let's just give them normal starter PT and see what happens. Basically, instead of starting say 7 or 8 out of 10 games like before, 9 out of 10 now like a normal starter. But I'm also not going to get worked up about it either way since Perez is earning ABs, so it is what it is. Please no Franklin/Sogard playing over those guys though.

[liveforoctober]

Please no Franklin/Sogard playing over those guys though.

 

The crash is coming and I get the general point of your post... but until further notice Sogard should be playing over everybody.

[tmwiese55]

Agree, just give him PT over Villar and Arcia right now until he comes back to reality.

[FVBrewerFan]

Then when Sogard cools off, bring up Dejesus and ride him until he cools off. Rinse and repeat.

[rickh150]

Batting Villar 3rd today? Questionable at best.... possibly worst move he's made all year.

[JohnBriggs12]

Does Villar have options left? Seriously, when Braun is activated they'll just option Espino back down but who goes when Guerra is activated a few days later?

[pacopete4]

Villar isn't going anywhere. lol I swear this stuff gets more comical by the day.

[Bombers]

Batting Villar 3rd today? Questionable at best.... possibly worst move he's made all year.

Not to me. The best spot to hit from is between 2 guys hitting well as they can't afford to toy with you and will offer hittable pitches. So if you feel him getting a few better pitches will help it's worth a shot.

 

At the end of the day though he is just cold and might need a minor league appearance to right the ship

[Ennder]

I'd wait until after the next homestand to look at him. He was good at home so far. It really seems like he doesn't like playing in the cold. A large number of his bad games were in cold games.

[BrewCrewForever]

I still believe in Villar and think he's a good player. Maybe not quite as good as his 2016, but much better than his 2017 so far. I would keep playing him but maybe move him down to 8, or even bat pitcher 8 and bat Villar 9. Just until he gets his stuff back together at the plate.

[newrivervalley]

Villar is currently hurting the team, not contributing at all. Send him down to AAA and see if he can turn his play around. Sogard and Perez are capable.