Sogard optioned to AAA.....Nick Franklin contract purchased...Vogt to 60 day DL [Update: Franklin leaves 1st game w/injury]

[Fear The Chorizo]

Never want to wish a player injured or make fun, but franklin getting hurt tonight has a whiff of the baseball gods telling Stearns in their own way that he picked the wrong scrub MIF to call up.

[reillymcshane]

At this point I want the club to just say to Villar, "Hey, the job is yours. Prove us you deserve to have it. We won't mess with you for a couple of months."

 

And if they aren't willing to do that - well, what's the point of having Villar? If they don't trust him or don't believe in him - then just move on from the guy. They replaced Sogard with Nick Franklin - saying it was for his left handed bat. Well that's what Villar does best - hits left-handed. So I'll say again, why keep Villar if you don't believe in him?

 

If that's the case just move on. Bring up Nate Orf or try and get Neil Walker or someone like that and call it a day. This refusal to make a decision at 2B just seems to be helping no one.

[reillymcshane]

Orf is hitting .353 on the road this year - so he's hitting everywhere - not just Colorado Springs.

 

His slugging percentage drops off on the road - .412 vs .574 - but he still has an OBP of .400+.

 

I don't see the guy having an OPS of more than .700 or so - but if he gets on base 35% of the time and plays good defense - that could really help us.

[rickh150]

Orf and Wren are two players that have the deck stacked against them.

 

Wren wins the gold because he has been a fairly good hitting outfielder and has like 6 or 7 guys ahead of him, even though he hit last season, in spring training, and this season thus far at AAA. He likely never makes the club no matter what..... REGARDLESS of what he does on the field.

 

Orf gets the silver because for as good as he has been, that is how bad our second basemen have been this season. When seemingly the choice is getting more and more obvious to bring him up, they find ways to overlook him bringing up Franklin on Tuesday and probably another retread on Wednesday not named Orf. A better name might help his chances....

 

I'll give Aguilar the bronze because his at bats still seem limited with Braun playing more 1B now that Thames is hurt. Just let the man play.

[djoctagone]

the sky sox are in nashville. no direct flights to milwaukee. there's a southwest plane in air right now en route to chicago midway.

[JohnBriggs12]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

[xisxisxis]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

I think it’s called compensation.

[coolhandluke121]

Stearns values major league experience over anything.

 

That's not really true. He values it as a tie-breaker when there's no obvious option anyway. For every example of the favoritism you accuse him of, you can give a better explanation, such as needing to keep guys with options in the minors for depth, wanting to preserve options, having innings limits or service time considerations for young guys, or the inexperienced guy just not having the track record to suggest he might be an upgrade.

[Baldkin]

the sky sox are in nashville. no direct flights to milwaukee. there's a southwest plane in air right now en route to chicago midway.

 

Southwest flies direct to MKE from Nashville.

[3and2Fastball]

I really feel for Vogt. Class act and the kind of personality any clubhouse could benefit from. I hope he makes it back and if not, I could see him as a tremendous coach or manager somewhere

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/AdamMcCalvy/status/993972983352963072/video/1

[homer]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

 

Yeah he didn't work as assistant GM of the Astros.

[FVBrewerFan]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

 

Yeah he didn't work as assistant GM of the Astros.

 

Doesn't matter. That young whipper-snapper doesn't know what he's doing. He seems to value rookies over guys with some MLB experience. Arcia, Phillips, Suter, Hader, Williams, Woodruff, Lopez, etc.

[JohnBriggs12]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

 

Yeah he didn't work as assistant GM of the Astros.

 

Assistants are yes men. Oh he learned how to operate a team no doubt, but there's something to be said for a guy who can draw on more than the last 8 or so years in the game. He was hired because he's a bright young guy with an Ivy League education, which is the current trend as teams look for the next Theo Epstein. Not to say that's bad, just ironic given his aversion to overlooked guys playing their way to the big leagues by producing numbers in the minors. He did the same thing basically with Garrett Cooper last year, who did well in his brief trial with Yankees and had earned the starting RF job this spring for the Marlins before getting hurt. Brewers pigeonholed him as a AAA first baseman even though he was the best hitter at CS last year.

[stoutdude04]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

 

Yeah he didn't work as assistant GM of the Astros.

 

Assistants are yes men. Oh he learned how to operate a team no doubt, but there's something to be said for a guy who can draw on more than the last 8 or so years in the game. He was hired because he's a bright young guy with an Ivy League education, which is the current trend as teams look for the next Theo Epstein.

 

Would you rather we hired a dumb guy that has been around the league for years and is in the same old rut?

 

Also, funny that you contradicted your first comment by mentioning that he learned to operate a team...

 

Edit: Just looked up Stearns' career(on wiki) and it says he's been involved with a professional team since 2007, so it's not like he doesnt have more experience than just the assistant GM position.

[DocLuna7]

Saladino recalled for Franklin who heads to DL per McCalvey.

[Thurston Fluff]

No matter how bad their results were in the big leagues, Stearns values major league experience over anything. Kind of ironic, since he was hired with virtually nothing more than an ivy league education.

 

There are a lot of young guys on this team playing important roles. I think Stearns may be less inclined to bench roles for young players. As far as him being hired with little more than an ivy league education then obviously all that is necessary to rebuild a team in basically two years is an ivy league education. Frankly I don't think Ivy league educations are that good so he must have learned something since his college days.

[monty57]

I think Stearns is trying to reform this team from Melvin's team to his team. Melvin liked power - pitchers with big fastballs, and hitters who could knock the ball out of the park. Stearns prefers all-around players, sacrificing power for things like defense and discipline for hitters and control for pitchers.

 

I think the whole reason he re-signed Sogard is that he was one of the few guys last year who was not a high-strikeour / big-power guy. Unfortunately, he's just not that good a player, and it will take some time to get a team full of guys with that approach who also have talent. We are still early in our "rebuild/retool" process, and filling up a franchise with "your guys" takes years of drafting, trading, and development.

 

I just worry that the good year last year has made almost everyone (fans and management) forget how early we are in the rebuild, and that there is still a lot of work to do. We are a team with talent but some big holes, and a farm that is deep but lacking a lot of "superstar talent." I hope we can make the playoffs this year, but if we're not at the top of the playoff race in July I would rather "sell" and bring in more young talent than "buy" and miss the playoffs.

[coolhandluke121]

I think Stearns is trying to reform this team from Melvin's team to his team. Melvin liked power - pitchers with big fastballs, and hitters who could knock the ball out of the park. Stearns prefers all-around players, sacrificing power for things like defense and discipline for hitters and control for pitchers.

 

I think the whole reason he re-signed Sogard is that he was one of the few guys last year who was not a high-strikeour / big-power guy. Unfortunately, he's just not that good a player, and it will take some time to get a team full of guys with that approach who also have talent. We are still early in our "rebuild/retool" process, and filling up a franchise with "your guys" takes years of drafting, trading, and development.

 

I just worry that the good year last year has made almost everyone (fans and management) forget how early we are in the rebuild, and that there is still a lot of work to do. We are a team with talent but some big holes, and a farm that is deep but lacking a lot of "superstar talent." I hope we can make the playoffs this year, but if we're not at the top of the playoff race in July I would rather "sell" and bring in more young talent than "buy" and miss the playoffs.

 

Great post. Could not be more spot on. Thank god the front office hasn't shown the same impatience as many fans here. If people could just get it out of their heads that they're supposed to be one of the 3 or 4 best teams in the NL at this point in their development, while still having one of the lowest payrolls and one of the best minor league systems, they'd realize what a great job the front office doing.

 

It's a testament to their scouting that they found so many players capable of having one or two career years and developing as an asset, but people are actually holding it against them by expecting it to continue. It's not their fault that not all those guys are going to be able to repeat those career years; it's to be expected. Honestly if fewer players had had random career years, people would understand how much they've improved the team. The fluke quality of last year has caused many to have completely unfair expectations and ignore all the progress they continue to make.

 

Last year they played above their heads and ended up with a worse win % than they have now, arguably playing quite a bit below their heads. That means the front office improved the team quite a bit, actually.

[tmwiese55]

I generally agree with the last few posts. I agree last year was fluky and it was proven with how bad the offense cratered at the end. I was glad they didn't blow their load at the deadline since there really wasn't a great option to add. Turns out Verlander had a ton left in the tank, but who would have guess that and he likely declines the trade anyway. I was also completely fine with not spending the money on Darvish/Arrieta/Cobb. The one year type thing thrown at Cobb, sure I'd do stuff like that I suppose. It's also why I was generally down on a 5 year deal to a 32 yr old outfielder. Though I love him as a player right now. Yelich, made great sense to me and don't think we overpaid (I was likely less high on Brinson than most) and he's so young and controlled that he's kind of the perfect guy to get if you're the Brewers, so I get pouncing on that. No way I wanted to give up our young SP prospects who are so close to MLB for Archer, I would have understood one and hoped it was Ortiz. And of course I'd have rooted for the best if they did go that route. But glad they played the long game with the SP prospects, small market like MKE needs to hold those guys like grim death. Basically unless you're in clear 'win the title' mode, which with LAD/WAS/CHC looking like juggernauts going into the season this wasn't the time.

 

My involvement in this whole talk was trotting out known crappy guys, generally having the idea of throw something else against the wall and see if it sticks rather Franklin types. I would've taken the same attitude on Drake. Grand scheme, this is obviously a very small thing and a blip on the radar. I'm fine with the overall approach they're taking for long term building and happy with the progress.

[coolhandluke121]

I generally agree with the last few posts. I agree last year was fluky and it was proven with how bad the offense cratered at the end. I was glad they didn't blow their load at the deadline since there really wasn't a great option to add. Turns out Verlander had a ton left in the tank, but who would have guess that and he likely declines the trade anyway. I was also completely fine with not spending the money on Darvish/Arrieta/Cobb. The one year type thing thrown at Cobb, sure I'd do stuff like that I suppose. It's also why I was generally down on a 5 year deal to a 32 yr old outfielder. Though I love him as a player right now. Yelich, made great sense to me and don't think we overpaid (I was likely less high on Brinson than most) and he's so young and controlled that he's kind of the perfect guy to get if you're the Brewers, so I get pouncing on that. No way I wanted to give up our young SP prospects who are so close to MLB for Archer, I would have understood one and hoped it was Ortiz. And of course I'd have rooted for the best if they did go that route. But glad they played the long game with the SP prospects, small market like MKE needs to hold those guys like grim death. Basically unless you're in clear 'win the title' mode, which with LAD/WAS/CHC looking like juggernauts going into the season this wasn't the time.

 

My involvement in this whole talk was trotting out known crappy guys, generally having the idea of throw something else against the wall and see if it sticks rather Franklin types. I would've taken the same attitude on Drake. Grand scheme, this is obviously a very small thing and a blip on the radar. I'm fine with the overall approach they're taking for long term building and happy with the progress.

 

Good post. Cain is very rare IMO in the sense that I don't usually support deviating from the vision, but he's good enough to justify it. Plus he showed no signs of declining athleticism last year and played a career high # of games.

 

I still say guys like Orf are probably just as much "known trash" as Sogard and Blanco, and Drake was probably their 11th or 12th priority as a reliever but held on because Boone was hurt and Suter had to start for most of the year. So I just can't complain at all about having a few bad players under the circumstances. I'm glad they've given guys like Drake, Sogard, and Villar a chance to replicate some recent success (Villar's 2016, Sogard's first half last year, Drake's good periphals and career LOOGY numbers). I think that's what they should be doing with the last 3-5 spots on the roster until they have clearly better realistic options without paying a premium.