2018 Brewers 25 Man Roster [Latest: Starting rotation set, post #445]

[TJseven7]

Drake has to go. I can't stand the thought of watching him implode even one inning. This team needs to set the best roster it can, not worry about anyone's feelings, service time, or "vetness", or anything else. Roster up your best guys and go to war.

 

Williams should have his spot.

 

Agreed but until Logan is back he's probably our Loogey.

[markedman5]

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Woodruff......lol

 

"Brandon is a young starting pitcher who we feel needs to experience the big leagues," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Certainly, he has room for growth, but we think he's getting better and we need to see that at the big league level. He's ready to win games for us, I think."

[82brewcrew82]

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Woodruff......lol

 

"Brandon is a young starting pitcher who we feel needs to experience the big leagues," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Certainly, he has room for growth, but we think he's getting better and we need to see that at the big league level. He's ready to win games for us, I think."

No worries. I'm told we have plenty of starting pitching.

[coolhandluke121]

With how erratic relievers are from year to year, Drake is about as likely to be successful as half the relievers in baseball. I'm not saying he's going to be good. Just saying if he's on the roser to start the season I'm not all that worried. If he sucks rocks for a month the damage would be no worse than any number of supposedly good relievers around the league will be then he gets replaced.

 

He might even be more likely to have a successful year if he's used correctly. I don't understand why people are ready to riot over a guy with a 3.60 career FIP.

 

Actually, I think I do understand. It's because he had a few very memorable implosions at a bad time. An early-season game against SD comes to mind, for example. He's like the antithesis of Aguilar, who is beloved by some because of a few memorable home runs in key situations, in spite of his otherwise pathetic credentials. Drake is hated because of a few unforgettable mistakes in key situations, in spite of his otherwise respectable credentials.

 

With Boone hurt and Hader/Suter being more long relief guys than lefty specialists, they definitely have a spot for Drake. I'm confident that the front office is taking an objective approach to Drake's status, and I think there's a decent chance he makes the team, at least for a while.

[82brewcrew82]

With how erratic relievers are from year to year, Drake is about as likely to be successful as half the relievers in baseball. I'm not saying he's going to be good. Just saying if he's on the roser to start the season I'm not all that worried. If he sucks rocks for a month the damage would be no worse than any number of supposedly good relievers around the league will be then he gets replaced.

 

He might even be more likely to have a successful year if he's used correctly. I don't understand why people are ready to riot over a guy with a 3.60 career FIP.

 

Actually, I think I do understand. It's because he had a few very memorable implosions at a bad time. An early-season game against SD comes to mind, for example. He's like the antithesis of Aguilar, who is beloved by some because of a few memorable home runs in key situations, in spite of his otherwise pathetic credentials. Drake is hated because of a few unforgettable mistakes in key situations, in spite of his otherwise respectable credentials.

I think the issue with Drake is that he allows A LOT of base runners. That tends to make folks pretty nervous. I really have no issue if he makes the team as the second lefty because the person that would have been in that role is out for six weeks. Having said that, not sure why anyone would have an issue with Aguilar. He was pretty darn good last year. Judging him on his career prior to last year is pretty useless.

With Boone hurt and Hader/Suter being more long relief guys than lefty specialists, they definitely have a spot for Drake. I'm confident that the front office is taking an objective approach to Drake's status, and I think there's a decent chance he makes the team, at least for a while.

[TJseven7]

"He might even be more likely to have a successful year if he's used correctly. I don't understand why people are ready to riot over a guy with a 3.60 career FIP. "

 

Don't care about his FIP one bit but as for using him properly... yeah we could do him some favors by doing that.

[tigerbrew]

Barring any trade or injury, I'm going with this pitching staff on opening day.

 

Rotation

Anderson

Davis

Chacin

Suter

Guerra

 

Bullpen

Yo

Albers

Hadar

Logan

Knebel (closer)

Hoover

Jeffress

Taylor Williams

 

Isn't Logan already injured? Thought something happened with him the same day Miley got hurt, but haven't heard an update on him.

 

Yeah, I didn't notice that Logan was out for 6 weeks. I'd switch Logan with Barnes.

 

Sad that Guerra has been optioned to the minors, seems unfair considering he has pitched better than Woodruff in spring training.

 

Wow, Yo didn't make the team too. Really sad, he was one of my favorite Brewers prospects and did well for the Brewers when he came up. With Yo and Guerra out, I think this means that Woodruff will make the team.

[wildcat83]

Brewers starting rotation to start the year per Tweet...

 

Starting rotation to open the season: RHP Chase Anderson, RHP Jhoulys Chacín and LHP Brent Suter at San Diego and RHP Zach Davies in the home opener vs. St. Louis.

It also appears Brandon Woodruff will start in the bullpen, but will likely be the 5th starter once necessary.

 

If Woodruff is the 5th starter why keep him in the pen? Are they actually going to use him in the first week? If not it would make far more sense to send him down until needed. Even making 1 start in CO to stay stretched out and on schedule would make sense.

[wildcat83]

It sounds like Aguilar is going to make the team, which is pretty surprising/odd. Looking more likely that Taylor Williams gets a bullpen spot though, which I like.

 

Aguilar may only be safe until the 5th starter is needed.

 

Choi is interesting to me. If you compare him to Aguilar by minor league stats, which is the largest sample size, he has been vastly better. Choi a career 305 avg, 402 obp, and 900 ops. Now they may have spent more or less time in hitter friendly leagues or cities or whatever. I didn't take the time to compare that in depth.

[TJseven7]

Choi is added evidence to those who call Aguilar dime a dozen.

[TURBO]

As Brewer fans, we, more so than anyone, know that good MLB 1B are NOT a dime a dozen.

[DuWayne Steurer]

As Brewer fans, we, more so than anyone, know that good MLB 1B are NOT a dime a dozen.

 

What are you talking about man!?

 

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/mlb/players/full/6218.png&w=350&h=254

[TJseven7]

As Brewer fans, we, more so than anyone, know that good MLB 1B are NOT a dime a dozen.

 

Aguilars not good. He's ww fodder that was cut because he wasn't good. Platoon 1bs or backup 1bs are dime a dozen. They are valued as such league wide.

[wildcat83]

As Brewer fans, we, more so than anyone, know that good MLB 1B are NOT a dime a dozen.

 

Aguilars not good. He's ww fodder that was cut because he wasn't good. Platoon 1bs or backup 1bs are dime a dozen. They are valued as such league wide.

 

Guys who can successfully pinch hit, especially for power, are not dime a dozen. Aguilar has a lot of value to this team, I was actually thinking out loud that Choi may actually have more. Depending on the validity of those minor league stats compared to Jesus.

[TJseven7]

303/362/875 in 301 PA didn't even get a MLB offer. Platoons even stronger by a tick.

265/331/837 in 311 PA is valuable?

 

Doesn't make sense to me.

[Lathund]

With how erratic relievers are from year to year, Drake is about as likely to be successful as half the relievers in baseball. I'm not saying he's going to be good. Just saying if he's on the roser to start the season I'm not all that worried. If he sucks rocks for a month the damage would be no worse than any number of supposedly good relievers around the league will be then he gets replaced.

 

He might even be more likely to have a successful year if he's used correctly. I don't understand why people are ready to riot over a guy with a 3.60 career FIP.

 

Actually, I think I do understand. It's because he had a few very memorable implosions at a bad time. An early-season game against SD comes to mind, for example. He's like the antithesis of Aguilar, who is beloved by some because of a few memorable home runs in key situations, in spite of his otherwise pathetic credentials. Drake is hated because of a few unforgettable mistakes in key situations, in spite of his otherwise respectable credentials.

 

With Boone hurt and Hader/Suter being more long relief guys than lefty specialists, they definitely have a spot for Drake. I'm confident that the front office is taking an objective approach to Drake's status, and I think there's a decent chance he makes the team, at least for a while.

 

I think he had a decent chance even with Boone Logan in there, now I'd look at Drake as a virtual lock. I think you're spot on with the assesment that a few visible blowups have shaped opinion on him. His peripherals are really good; FIP/DRA has him as one of the best on the staff. That's with more than 1/3 of batters faced being RHB. I'll take the .685 OPS against LHB any day. He also ran a high BABIP at .349, although that's likely also a product of giving up a fair bit of hard contact (Wouldn't surprise me if that's largely against RHB though, I can see the splitter teeing them up nicely...) There are several factors that suggest that the way he already pitches should see better results going forward; none of it a guarantee of course, but it's intriguing. If used almost exclusively against lefties, he's already a useful reliever. If they think there are further adjustments to be made, he can be more than that.

 

Mind you, I don't think he's some kind of star, or more than one of the last guys in the pen. But there's enough potential upside there to have him on the roster to start the season, and not guarantee that someone claims him on waivers, getting nothing in return. He's a bit of an unusual pitcher with the reverse splits, the splitter, the odd mechanics. Clearly the FO sees something, I say let it play out to see if that something is there. In a season where we had Marinez, Torres, Peralta, Feliz, Scahill, Wang and others I never understood the constant hate.

[coolhandluke121]

Having said that, not sure why anyone would have an issue with Aguilar. He was pretty darn good last year. Judging him on his career prior to last year is pretty useless.

 

If you come right out and say that his 4,000+ career MiLB plate appearances are "useless" for evaluative purposes and all that matters is his ~300 plate appearances last year, then you're proving my point about the irrational affinity people have for him. And it's not like he was even that good last year. An .837 OPS for a 1B who does nothing at replacement level except *maybe* slugging and who plays on the dime-a-dozen side of the platoon isn't worth jack squat.

[coolhandluke121]

I think you're spot on with the assesment that a few visible blowups have shaped opinion on him.

 

Yep. First impressions die harder than they should in the face of more comprehensive data, and some of those May/June implosions were brutal. Nobody is denying that, but all average relievers have lots of brutal outings and it's part of the volatility of the role. There's no need to tar and feather him. He's going to play a role and help the team IMO.

 

And Aguilar is the converse. He's just not good at all, but some of those big pinch-hits were unforgettable, and his series in Colorado, against their primary rival for the 2nd wild card, was monumental. I get it; I wanted to buy an Aguilar jersey too after that series. But that was not really a good indication of his chances of success moving forward, and they need a 13th pitcher much more than they need him. I'd be fine with giving a guy like Chris Carter a minor league deal in case Braun gets hurt, and I'd rather keep Choi than Aguilar by a mile.

 

By the way, Aguilar's OPS last year not counting his 6 pa's at Coors? A measly .797, under somewhat favorable platoon splits no less.

[82brewcrew82]

I think you're spot on with the assesment that a few visible blowups have shaped opinion on him.

 

Yep. First impressions die harder than they should in the face of more comprehensive data, and some of those May/June implosions were brutal. Nobody is denying that, but all average relievers have lots of brutal outings and it's part of the volatility of the role. There's no need to tar and feather him. He's going to play a role and help the team IMO.

 

And Aguilar is the converse. He's just not good at all, but some of those big pinch-hits were unforgettable, and his series in Colorado, against their primary rival for the 2nd wild card, was monumental. I get it; I wanted to buy an Aguilar jersey too after that series. But that was not really a good indication of his chances of success moving forward, and they need a 13th pitcher much more than they need him. I'd be fine with giving a guy like Chris Carter a minor league deal in case Braun gets hurt, and I'd rather keep Choi than Aguilar by a mile.

 

By the way, Aguilar's OPS last year not counting his 6 pa's at Coors? A measly .797, under somewhat favorable platoon splits no less.

Aguilar would far from the first player to carve out a niche as a decent player with less than stellar minor league numbers. So, yes, I tend to give more credence to what a guy did last year in the majors than what he did in the minors. For example, do you trust Drake's minor league walk rate or his not so good major league walk rate? No one is saying that Aguilar is an every day stud all of a sudden but in the role he was given last year, he played well. Drake is a LOOGY and using him consistently against RH pitching is a bad idea but setting him up to succeed makes him a decent option. Sure we can cherry pick out certain stretches to make a point but at the tend of the day it all counts. I'm sure we can pluck out a stretch for Drake that makes him look pretty bad as well. I know we all have our pet players that we like and the players we like to demonize. The fact is that guys like Drake and Aguilar are marginal roster players. The absence or existence of either on the roster probably has very little impact on the team either way.

 

Heck, if Logan is healthy Drake is probably off the roster.

[JohnBriggs12]

Drake might be classified as a loogy, because he's much better vs. LH hitters than RH hitters, but that doesn't make him a good loogy or even a roster worthy loogy. He's a marginal major league pitcher by any measure. LH hitters batted .247/.308/.377 against him. You have to be better than that to be trusted to get one top LH bats out in high leverage situations late in games. I can deal with him being the last man in the pen I suppose, but I'd be looking for an upgrade.

[TJseven7]

Having said that, not sure why anyone would have an issue with Aguilar. He was pretty darn good last year. Judging him on his career prior to last year is pretty useless.

 

If you come right out and say that his 4,000+ career MiLB plate appearances are "useless" for evaluative purposes and all that matters is his ~300 plate appearances last year, then you're proving my point about the irrational affinity people have for him. And it's not like he was even that good last year. An .837 OPS for a 1B who does nothing at replacement level except *maybe* slugging and who plays on the dime-a-dozen side of the platoon isn't worth jack squat.

 

His 4000 milb PA project him at best to be exactly the guy he was in 300 mlb pa. That's the strange part of this. Its not like he was a 320/400/900 guy in the minors who looked shabby in his first mlb stint. He's been this guy at every single level. Incredibly consistently ho hum. That's a replacable 1b.

 

The stance of he wouldn't be the first guy to have weak milb numbers and carve out a spot on an mlb roster... sure but there are a long long list of guys who didnt, or started to and then vanished.

[homer]

Last year was a weird year in baseball. Juiced ball maybe? Launch angle revolution? Who knows, but a lot of guys "found" power they didn't know they had. Remains to be seen if that's a trend or an aberration.

[wildcat83]

303/362/875 in 301 PA didn't even get a MLB offer. Platoons even stronger by a tick.

265/331/837 in 311 PA is valuable?

 

Doesn't make sense to me.

 

Who is the top slash line?

[Lathund]

303/362/875 in 301 PA didn't even get a MLB offer. Platoons even stronger by a tick.

265/331/837 in 311 PA is valuable?

 

Doesn't make sense to me.

 

Who is the top slash line?

 

I figured I'd try to find that out, and the first name that came to mind was Adam Lind. And it was!

[DR28]

I wouldnt mind adding Dan Jennings as our 2nd lefty, he's not gonna make Rays bullpen.

 

Anything to get rid of Drake.