Spring Training thread

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Drake getting shelled makes me happy... Less chance he ends up on the roster.

 

If he makes it over a guy like Taylor Williams, just .... ugh!

[TJseven7]

Hot take, Drake blows.

[TURBO]

Zach Davies (oblique) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Friday.

 

That's positive news given that he was just diagnosed with a left oblique strain on Wednesday. "I’m not concerned," Davies told reporters Thursday morning in Brewers camp. "I’m pretty confident." The 25-year-old right-hander might be ready for the first week of the regular season.

 

Source: Todd Rosiak on TwitterMar 8 - 10:47 AM

 

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Stephen Vogt (shoulder) did plyometric throwing drills Thursday morning in Brewers camp.

 

"Today was a huge, huge step in the right direction," Vogt said after the workout. He was diagnosed with a strained right shoulder in late February, but the Brewers seem to think the veteran catcher will be ready for the start of the regular season.

 

Source: Adam McCalvy on TwitterMar 8 - 10:56 AM

[TURBO]

Drake getting shelled makes me happy... Less chance he ends up on the roster.

 

In a perfect world, yes.

 

In Brewer Nation, not so much.

[brewcrewdue80]

Guerra with three scoreless in his last outing. Don’t be shocked if we break camp with Miley and Guerra in the final two spots, with Suter making the team and ready in reserve. Woody goes to triple A, which gives us a seventh viable starter, and that’s before Nelson comes back. I’d send Yovani packing.

 

Burnes and Ortiz are coming along too in the next wave.

 

If we have key injuries or a couple of starters really struggle, then we can look at a mid-season acquisition.

 

I’d still like a pitcher, but I’d be in the camp where it’s a top guy or bust. Top guys command cash. I can’t figure the Brewers being a big factor in 2019 free agency. I think if you can meet Arrieta halfway, it might just work. He’s obviously been unreasonable and Boras has misread the market. With all the analytics on pitchers over 30 and all the lessons learned, that looks like a pipe dream now. How about 3/$80? If no one gives him 5/$130, maybe we work something out.

 

There is the Woodruff Team control clock to always consider if they did start him in the minors. He must be around 60 days that you rewind starting in the minors. I don't think you plan on that, but since his ST results are on the bad side, Stearns may have set up the rotation with Miley/Gallardo as a plan B on doing so. Adding a year of control could increase his trade value I suppose. It's not like 6years and he's under 30 as he's 25 for 2018.

[Greenleaf1]

Drake getting shelled makes me happy... Less chance he ends up on the roster.

 

If he makes it over a guy like Taylor Williams, just .... ugh!

 

I think Drake really served his purpose as a lefty specialist well last year but Counsell probably expected too much of him against righties which I think is why he has left such a sour taste in some peoples' mouths.

 

That said, when they signed Boone Logan I think the writing had to be on the wall for Drake. Why hold onto 2 lefty specialists plus Hader/Suter? If Drake can't get righties out, there's absolutely no reason to have him on the team. He's shown flashes of really good stuff but no consistency and he probably knows he's on the outside looking in this Spring and that could be contributing to his bad results because he's pressing.

 

But yeah, if that 8th bullpen spot came down to Williams vs. Drake and Williams is still dealing, I don't think we have to worry about Drake making the team.

[KeithStone53151]

Drake getting shelled makes me happy... Less chance he ends up on the roster.

 

If he makes it over a guy like Taylor Williams, just .... ugh!

 

He's shown flashes of really good stuff but no consistency and he probably knows he's on the outside looking in this Spring and that could be contributing to his bad results because he's pressing.

 

When has there been a flash of really good stuff? He's a 31 year old journeyman that throws 2 pitches, a 91-92 mph fastball and a splitter. The fastball is below average at best, the splitter is probably an above average pitch...maybe it flashes plus. 1 below average pitch and 1 above average-plus pitch is not good stuff by any measure.

 

You're point about the writing being on the wall is a good one. I suspect we are keeping Drake with hopes of getting him through to AAA. Odds of him making the team are virtually zero, barring about 4 bullpen injuries.

[Greenleaf1]

When has there been a flash of really good stuff? He's a 31 year old journeyman that throws 2 pitches, a 91-92 mph fastball and a splitter. The fastball is below average at best, the splitter is probably an above average pitch...maybe it flashes plus. 1 below average pitch and 1 above average-plus pitch is not good stuff by any measure.

 

You're point about the writing being on the wall is a good one. I suspect we are keeping Drake with hopes of getting him through to AAA. Odds of him making the team are virtually zero, barring about 4 bullpen injuries.

 

I was definitely referring to the splitter. He had times early last year where that seemed like a really solid out pitch, but he's just not very consistent with it.

 

Can't imagine Drake gets claimed at this point so sending him to AAA wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

[RollieTime]

Glad to see that Shaw has been putting together nice at bats and showing that his power surge from last season is not a fluke. It’s very early into spring training, but it is great to see that his production is carrying over into 2018 very well. He played all of 2017 with his heart on his sleeve not knowing what would happen to his daughter after birth and in the upcoming surgeries. Not only is it great that his daughter is doing well, but his results on the field could be even better in 2018 having a more clear mind and normal lifestyle knowing that his child is doing much better.

 

I am not sure if this has been posted somewhere else, but it is definitely worth the read.

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.jsonline.com/amp/920849001

[TJseven7]

Yes ST but its nice to see Pina having a solid go of things. An increase from villar and a repeat from pina would go a long way.

[adambr2]

Yes ST but its nice to see Pina having a solid go of things. An increase from villar and a repeat from pina would go a long way.

 

Manny Pina is going to be just fine IMO. He performed well enough in the minors that many actually predicted he would perform well as a rookie.

 

He has a nice combo of bat and glove. Not a world beater but should be a solid 2-2.5 WAR catcher for 2-3 more years.

 

Problem is having a serviceable enough backup where Pina only needs to catch 100 games or so.

[wildcat83]

Yes ST but its nice to see Pina having a solid go of things. An increase from villar and a repeat from pina would go a long way.

 

I think Villar will be much closer to the Villar of 2016. There are a LOT of regression candidates though as well.

[NOMAAM]

Liz, Hoover, Ramirez, Williams all should have a better chance of making the 25 man than Drake.

[markedman5]

First time seeing Gallardo. Looks like They have changed his wind up. Similar to Jimmy Nelson now.....

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

First time seeing Gallardo. Looks like They have changed his wind up. Similar to Jimmy Nelson now.....

 

Just gave up a hard HR to Khris Davis in the 1st. I don't think the ball got more than 10 feet off the ground. Just hammered.

 

Not looking good for Yo, part II.

[MoreTrife]

Yes ST but its nice to see Pina having a solid go of things. An increase from villar and a repeat from pina would go a long way.

 

I think Villar will be much closer to the Villar of 2016. There are a LOT of regression candidates though as well.

 

 

Unfortunately I think a BIG candidate to regress is Shaw. Revert back to 500 PA 2016 BOS Shaw.

[adambr2]

I really wish we had AJ Puk instead of Corey Ray.

[Warning Track Power]

I really wish we had AJ Puk instead of Corey Ray.

Especially when Puk was your guy, like he was mine, going into that draft. How the Brewers passed on Puk at 5 will stick with me for their careers.

[pacopete4]

I really wish we had AJ Puk instead of Corey Ray.

Especially when Puk was your guy, like he was mine, going into that draft. How the Brewers passed on Puk at 5 will stick with me for their careers.

Whoever decided Ray over Puk should be let go of their duties in the drafting department.

[brewmann04]

It was a bad move by the crew missed the boat

[Never Outhustled]

I really wish we had AJ Puk instead of Corey Ray.

Especially when Puk was your guy, like he was mine, going into that draft. How the Brewers passed on Puk at 5 will stick with me for their careers.

Whoever decided Ray over Puk should be let go of their duties in the drafting department.

 

That's already been done, and it's no coincidence that the replacement is an analytics guru. Ray was statistically the worst top 5 drafted college hitter in the last 20 years.

[brewmann04]

It was a bad move by the crew missed the boat

[TJseven7]

Alas, you sunk my battleship!

[pacopete4]

Per Adam McCalvy- The Brewers renewed Travis Shaw's contract. He's the only player on the 40-man who did not agree to the team's terms.

MLB.com article- "It's a business. No hard feelings on my end, and I don't think there are any hard feelings on their end," said Shaw, who tied Eric Thames for the team lead with 31 home runs in 2017, while leading the club in RBIs, doubles, hits, extra-base hits and total bases.

 

Players in their pre-arbitration seasons have little or no leverage in negotiating salaries. The Brewers and many other clubs set such salaries with a non-negotiable formula that rewards big league performance, and in most cases, players agree. When they do not agree, a club can "renew" a player's contract at a salary of the club's choice, provided it is above the Major League minimum.

 

Shaw's agent, Joe Bick, said it was only the third time in 40 years of representing players that he took a renewal. He declined to disclose Shaw's salary figure. The Brewers don't release salary information.

 

"I wish their scale was better. I wish their formula was better. But it is what it is," Bick said. "For a player in Travis Shaw's position, the only way you can protest is take a renewal."

 

Shaw enters the season with two years and 88 days of Major League service, and is on track to be arbitration-eligible next winter. So far, there have been no talks about a multi-year deal.

Thought it was interesting because we have had many discussions about the current system and how these guys play for “peanuts” at the beginning.

[pacopete4]

Stearns on Yelich trade and Cain signing

 

If you have Twitter it’ll work. Maybe someone else could find the mlb link for those that don’t have Twitter. It was a good listen about the day of the trade and how one move didn’t hinge on the other. You can tell that Stearns is very happy with getting both. Also interesting that he and other front office guys are in the clubhouse and have an office there to interact with the players and work with Counsell.