What is Hernan Perez?

[Warning Track Power]

With the resigning of Eric Sogard, the at-the-moment presence of Jonathan Villar and Keon Broxton, the emergence of Brett Phillips, the impending arrival of Lewis Brinson and Ryan Braun not going anywhere, what is Hernan Perez's role on this team moving forward? As I look at the team today, it appears C, 3B, SS, 1B and the OF are covered by 10-11ish players depending on the breakdown and that excludes 2B. Granted Perez could fill the hole at 2B but him as an everyday player is not my idea of a good idea. Sogard, Villar and Perez appear to be in a battle for roster spots given the need to carry at least 2 of Phillips/Broxton/Brinson. So that brings us to the roster as constructed today:

 

C: Pina, Vogt/Bandy

1B: Thames/Aguilar

2B:

SS: Arcia

3B: Shaw

OF: Braun, Santana, Phillips, Broxton/Brinson

 

Hernan Perez the past two years, in 836 ABs has produced the following:

 

AVG: .266

OBP: .296

OPS: .717

HR: 27

RBI: 107

SB: 47

 

While not starting material, certainly a useful player, even if the OBP is low.

 

The tricky part for me becomes where his role is moving forward. Playing in the OF should be a non-starter at this point. With Braun, Santana, Phillips likely starting there and Broxton or Brinson being the fourth, barring injuries, there really is no reason Perez should ever see the OF. 1B should be out with Thames and Aguilar. SS is not really his strong suit either. Which leaves him as a backup to Shaw or a potential timeshare at 2B. Is Perez the backup at 2B, 3B, SS, emergency 5th OF and 25th man? If Villar is the 2B to begin the year and Sogard is the backup does Perez get squeezed out? Tough choice here but today it appears the choice is between Sogard and Perez.

[mrn1ceguy]

We have one too many people between Perez, Villar, Sogard, Aguilar and Broxton (or anyone they would be backing up like Braun/Santana/Phillips/...). Based on who is moved, you could end up with the follwoing 12-man position player setups.

 

If Broxton is traded & 4 man bench, you have:

 

C: Pina, Vogt/Bandy

1B: Thames, Aguilar

2B: Villar, Sogard

SS: Arcia, Sogard

3B: Shaw, Perez

OF: Braun, Santana, Phillips, Perez

 

If Villar is traded & 4 man bench, you have:

 

C: Pina, Vogt/Bandy

1B: Thames, Aguilar

2B: Perez, Sogard

SS: Arcia, Sogard

3B: Shaw, Perez

OF: Braun, Santana, Phillips, Broxton

 

If Aguilar is traded (and Braun learns 1B) & 4 man bench, you have:

 

C: Pina, Vogt/Bandy

1B: Thames, Braun

2B: Villar, Sogard

SS: Arcia, Sogard

3B: Shaw, Perez

OF: Braun, Santana, Phillips, Broxton

 

If Perez is traded & 4 man bench, you have:

 

C: Pina, Vogt/Bandy

1B: Thames, Aguilar

2B: Villar, Sogard

SS: Arcia, Sogard

3B: Shaw, Sogard

OF: Braun, Santana, Phillips, Broxton

 

If a starter is traded (let's go with Santana) & 4 man bench, you have:

 

C: Pina, Vogt/Bandy

1B: Thames/Aguilar

2B: Villar/Sogard

SS: Arcia/Sogard

3B: Shaw/Perez

OF: Braun, Broxton, Phillips, Perez

 

And in every scenario above, Broxton could be traded as well to make room for Brinson but I think that's less likely during the off season. Also, if someone else is signed to play 2B, then a trade of Villar or Perez in addition to any other trade would be needed at that point.

[patrickgpe]

I like Hernan as the super utility guy. If you need to give an OF or IF a day off, he is a great option. Those guys are rare and very valuable.

[Outlander]

For 2018 I could live with a Perez/Sogard platoon at second. I think we are getting close to the point where one of Perez/Villar has got to go and I like Perez a little more because he can play solid defense at second, third and corner outfield.

[trwi7]

A versatile player that Counsell plays way too much.

[FVBrewerFan]

A versatile player that Counsell plays way too much.

 

Agreed. As a bench player, he is valuable. As a quasi-starter, he is not.

 

I'm not going to predict if/how he fits beyond that, because you can bet there will be more changes to the roster between now and April.

[MrTPlush]

I like Hernan Perez and I hope they keep him around. I'd rather trade away a Villar/Broxton. They would bring back more in a trade too which is a bonus. Perez and his ability to play virtually anywhere is really nice and he provides a decent stat line.

[monty57]

I think the Brewers re-signed Sogard because they realize that they have too many high-K, "all or nothing" guys. That can lead to the offense going flat for extended periods when too many of those guys are set at "nothing" as they were during parts of the second half of 2017. They need a few guys who can make contact and get on base so the sluggers can knock them in.

 

I think they'll find a 2B who can lead off and get on base, while Sogard gets a lot of PAs as a utility IF. That means one of Perez and Villar will be traded. Perez has value on the trade market, while Villar does not, so Perez is the likely guy to go, while Villar will be a utility guy fighting for playing time.

 

Perez could spur interest from a number of teams, as versatility is becoming important around the league. The Brewers need pitching, so hopefully he can be part of a deal that brings back either a starter or a reliever.

[JohnBriggs12]

Villar and Broxton are the odd men out. Villar will either be traded or non-tendered, and Broxton is almost sure thing to be dealt. The re-sign of Sogard, a lefty hitter, almost assures they won't deal Hernan.

 

I think Perez is a much better hitter than he showed in 2017 particularly down the stretch. Remember he played a full season of winter ball (where he was a batting champ), then played in the World Baseball Classic then a complete major league season. He simply wore down.

 

He could be a RH platoon partner with either Sogard at 2B, or with Phillips in the CF, assuming Broxton is dealt until Brinson arrives. Anywhere a guy's down with an injury, he can fill in.

[Humans Need Water]

Villar was solid in 2015 and close to AS production as a 25yr old in 2016 then has a terrible first half/pretty decent second half and all of a sudden he holds "no" value and should be traded (or worse - not even offered a contract) even though he's a switch hitter, plays several positions defensively, has solid power for MI, steals a lot of bases with 3yrs of cheapish control being productive in 2.5 of past 3yrs? Ok. He's starting and bouncing back. Perez and Sogard aren't capable of reaching his abilities.

 

Brinson had a better AAA than Phillips, was POY, is very highly regarded for a reason and happens to be MLB ready. Thinking Broxton or Perez should be the 4th OF over Brinson (or Phillips if Brinson is starting) is insane. Braun/Brinson/Santana/Phillips "should" be your OF so Perez isn't needed, especially since Thames can play both corners a couple games per month if absolutely needed (acting as a 5th). Sogard is solid defensively at 3 spots, is lefty, good bat to balls skills, consistently has good ABs and gets on base. He's not going to repeat last year but he'll be valuable in this role. Aguilar is a righty bat with power who also typically has good ABs. Obviously a backup catcher is needed.

 

If they want to keep 13 pitchers then Broxton and Perez should be traded. Perez is fine defensively and has extreme versatility but he's taking steps backwards/laterally offensively and still doesn't get on base. His defensive versatility shouldn't keep him here when he won't be seeing any OF time unless there's a significant injury and even then he's the 4th OF. If there's an injury to the IF and you need a righty bench bat then you briefly turn to AAA (same with OF - it's why they're there) until Dubon is ready, which might be by mid-season.

 

Extreme defensive versatility is valuable, especially to contending teams. Perez can be a stop gap and super utility for someone and has 3yrs cheap control. Broxton plays all 3 spots well, brings excellent speed with 20/40 ability from the CF spot if playing close to full time and has 5yrs cheap control (he definitely has the ability to be a regular). This is what you use to target arms in the upper minors or MLB that are under-performing to their ability. We landed our best pitcher in 2017 by trading Segura after multiple brutal offensive seasons and our 3rd best pitcher by trading a quality 4th OF (Gerardo Parra). We also have the system depth to add to a package with these guys (if needed) because clearly Perez doesn't have the upside Segura did. But maybe someone believes they can get him to draw more walks making him a starting MI then. Both players are entering their prime as well.

 

Not a big Joe Maddon fan but his response to the Cubs system being gutted after the Quintana trade was spot on. "The best farm system is your MLB team."

[Thurston Fluff]

I like Perez and think he fits in well with how the Brewers like to use their players but I doubt he has much trade value. There are guys like that on every team. Hell we have three. Teams don't waste resources trading for something fairly easy to get on the open market or waiver wire. So keep him around and let the chips fall where they may. Chances are one of those guys ends up injured or simply doesn't perform and we will need the ones who don't wash out to contribute.

[jerichoholicninja]

If a "starting" 2B is acquired for next year (Kinsler, Walker, etc.) then I can't see Perez, Sogard, and Villar all being on the same team. Seems like too much redundancy.

[clancyphile]

Assume these starters:

c: Pina

1b: Thames/Aguilar

2b: Walker

ss: Arcia

3b: Shaw

lf: Braun

cf: Phillips/Brinson

rf: Santana

 

Then assume Vogt, Brinson/Phillips, Aguilar/Thames, Perez, Sogard, and Villar on the bench.

 

It means a rotation of five (Anderson, Davies, Suter, Woodruff, Jungmann) and a bullpen of six (Knebel, Swarzak, Jeffress, Hader, Barnes, Hughes), but I'd take that 25-man any time.

[Devinep]

Assume these starters:

c: Pina

1b: Thames/Aguilar

2b: Walker

ss: Arcia

3b: Shaw

lf: Braun

cf: Phillips/Brinson

rf: Santana

 

Then assume Vogt, Brinson/Phillips, Aguilar/Thames, Perez, Sogard, and Villar on the bench.

 

It means a rotation of five (Anderson, Davies, Suter, Woodruff, Jungmann) and a bullpen of six (Knebel, Swarzak, Jeffress, Hader, Barnes, Hughes), but I'd take that 25-man any time.

 

They’re absolute not gonna use a 6 man bench, nor should they

[coolhandluke121]

Is Perez the backup at 2B, 3B, SS, emergency 5th OF and 25th man?

 

I hope so. I think he could have a couple good years in his prime and I like his versatility. Aguilar is the guy I don't want, and Braun would be playing about 100 games at 1b if there was any justice in the world. That would allow you to have Perez, Thames/Braun, Vogt, and Sogard on the bench, with Keon in AAAA for OF depth depending on whether you have 12 pitchers or 13. I think that gives you slightly more overall talent if you count versatility as talent, which you should.

 

More importantly, I think it's more likely that Broxton and Perez develop some trade value compared to Aguilar. I can't see him sustaining plus production for 1b.

[reillymcshane]

What is Hernan Perez?

 

He's the guy that I really like and think is a very nice asset to the team -- but he's also the guy who frustrates me because of his inability to take a walk. It just drives me nuts because if he just was a little better at it, he could improve his game a lot.

 

That said, he is a nice utility guy. I don't view him as a starter - but he certainly can hold the fort down at multiple positions for extended times if necessary. I think that's a great skillset to have.

[coolhandluke121]

What is Hernan Perez?

 

He's the guy that I really like and think is a very nice asset to the team -- but he's also the guy who frustrates me because of his inability to take a walk. It just drives me nuts because if he just was a little better at it, he could improve his game a lot.

 

That said, he is a nice utility guy. I don't view him as a starter - but he certainly can hold the fort down at multiple positions for extended times if necessary. I think that's a great skillset to have.

 

Just as a cautionary tale, guys like Gomez and Segura were similarly impatient and generally awful at the plate for years before making small but crucial improvements in that regard, and look where it got them. When you have the kind of talent that they had, and that Hernan and Arcia have, it might be wise to be just as patient with them as you hope they will eventually be at the plate. The gap power, bat speed, hand-eye coordination, speed, and defense are terrific for their positions. It's better than hoping for a career scrub who brings no other value, like Matt Clark or Jesus Aguilar, to be good, and much better than over-paying for someone who might be worse than those guys in a year or two anyway.

 

ETA: Broxton might be in a similar category too, except it's not so much patience as it is holes in his swing. Can he fix those?

[bill hAll Star]

Assume these starters:

c: Pina

1b: Thames/Aguilar

2b: Walker

ss: Arcia

3b: Shaw

lf: Braun

cf: Phillips/Brinson

rf: Santana

 

Then assume Vogt, Brinson/Phillips, Aguilar/Thames, Perez, Sogard, and Villar on the bench.

 

It means a rotation of five (Anderson, Davies, Suter, Woodruff, Jungmann) and a bullpen of six (Knebel, Swarzak, Jeffress, Hader, Barnes, Hughes), but I'd take that 25-man any time.

 

If Stearns/Attanasio go into the season with Jungmann and Suter as known commodities in the 5 man rotation with a $70 million payroll, we can just pack this thing up and rebuild again. I guess you're adding Walker so we'll say $80-85 million.

 

Suter has probably earned some confidence but I'm not there yet with him. If an injury occurs, it could get real nasty with rotation depth.

 

You have a small bullpen with Suter who only is a 5 inning guy and I would assume Jungmann should only go 4-5 innings most games if he's even an MLB pitcher (I don't think he is). Woodruff might also be a concern to go deep into games.

[KeithStone53151]

Assume these starters:

c: Pina

1b: Thames/Aguilar

2b: Walker

ss: Arcia

3b: Shaw

lf: Braun

cf: Phillips/Brinson

rf: Santana

 

Then assume Vogt, Brinson/Phillips, Aguilar/Thames, Perez, Sogard, and Villar on the bench.

 

It means a rotation of five (Anderson, Davies, Suter, Woodruff, Jungmann) and a bullpen of six (Knebel, Swarzak, Jeffress, Hader, Barnes, Hughes), but I'd take that 25-man any time.

 

If Stearns/Attanasio go into the season with Jungmann and Suter as known commodities in the 5 man rotation with a $70 million payroll, we can just pack this thing up and rebuild again. I guess you're adding Walker so we'll say $80-85 million.

 

Suter has probably earned some confidence but I'm not there yet with him. If an injury occurs, it could get real nasty with rotation depth.

You have a small bullpen with Suter who only is a 5 inning guy and I would assume Jungmann should only go 4-5 innings most games if he's even an MLB pitcher (I don't think he is). Woodruff might also be a concern to go deep into games.

 

In no universe is Jungmann or Suter going to open the season in the starting rotation with Hader in the pen, barring them showing up to camp with a drastic uptick in velocity/stuff. I know many of you don't like Hader in the rotation...that's fine. But Hader won't be stuck in the bullpen over the likes of Jungmann or Suter...guys with number 5 upside and downside of having stuff that would get shelled up in Appleton. Hader is getting that 5th spot unless we add significantly from outside the organization, and I honestly find that more likely than not.

[pacopete4]

Having Jungmann and Suter in the rotation with Hader in the pen? What would be the point? He'd never see a lead to keep anyways.

[monty57]

Suter is nice to have in a similar fashion to why Perez is nice to have, and that's versatility. Suter can be used as long man in the pen, he can be a "normal" middle reliever pitching vs righties or lefties for an inning, he can be brought in to face a lefty, or he can fill in for a starter when one goes down.

 

He could get a spot in the rotation, but I think he's much better used as a swing guy. Jungmann on the other hand has to prove that he belongs in the majors before he's given anything.

 

I'd guess Hader will be a starter and we'll find a starter through trade or free agency. But this thread is about Perez, so I'll stop there.

[coolhandluke121]

But this thread is about Perez, so I'll stop there.

 

Maybe Perez could be the 5th starter.