2B/3B Options

[clancyphile]

Here's a summary of the in-house 2B/3B options I see the Brewers having for Opening Day:

 

In-House 2B

1. Keston Hirua on Opening Day

2. Travis Shaw on Opening Day

3. Perez/Spangenberg platoon

4. Mauricio Dubon

5. Tyler Saladino

6. Jake Hager

 

In-House 3B

1. Travis Shaw

2. Jesus Aguilar

3. Hernan Perez

4. Tyler Saladino

5. Jake Hager

6. Lucas Erceg

7. Spangenberg

8. Ryan Braun

 

I'm not as familiar with some of the external options. Moustakas at third is one, and there's Harrison, Gonzales, and Dietrich at second on the free-agent side.

 

Of course, a trade could come and scramble that entire picture.

Are you hoping or predicting?

 

Re: the bolded above, Clancy, while I admire your zeal, as my wife says to a couple of our kids, I think you're just plain stuck on a couple things that aren't going to happen (though it's at least nice to see Braun at the very bottom of your 3B list this time...). Aguilar not screwing up in his 14.1 career Brewers innings (and his 2 career Cleveland innings) consisting of 4 total chances at 3B isn't a peek into "what might be," only some sheer good fortune at avoiding the total disaster that could've been. I do think he's more athletic than many give him credit for, but I believe firmly that suggesting he's an everyday 3B is just plain folly -- well, that may be too strong, and I get that it may be fun to consider, but it's just not at all realistic without a slew of injuries, and even then I'd think they'd find other options to plug an everyday hole.

 

Stearns and Counsell have said repeatedly that Hiura's not starting the season in MIL, which would negate any likelihood of your #1 2B option happening, either. So many here would love to see it happen, and there's no guarantee it won't happen this year, but when the Boss Man says it's not happening, is asked again and says it has a "0% chance of happening," it's just not happening.

 

The list was in no particular order.

 

But the fact is, the Brewers have a lot of options in-house. Some more fanciful than others, some better than others offensively. Some trade defense for offense.

 

Right now, if I were Stearns, I'd sign Walker to a two-year $6 million deal with a team option.

[FVBrewerFan]

Dealing for Castro is the last remaining move that would bring a significant RH hitting upgrade over what Brewers have already. Much like Grandal, he's a pricey one year investment but he'll come off the books after this season. Marlins might be reluctant to make another deal with Brewers, but they'll lose him anyway after this season.

While not overly likely to happen, how much fun would it be to see Starlin absolutely mashing against the Cubs left-handed starters while in a Brewers uniform.

 

He's not horrible against RHP either. Take away his awful September and his numbers are pretty nice across the board. I know we can't just eliminate a month or excuse the reasons, but playing out the season for a horrible team can't be good for your focus and energy.

 

I know he didn't play SS last year, but if he could play avg at SS, it would be a another reason to make that trade. It may take a 3 team trade, not sure what the Marlins would want with Thames, other than freeing up some salary. Marlins may also want to hold on until the trade deadline and roll the dice.

[MNBrew]

Well, there goes Neil Walker off the list...

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/01/marlins-sign-neil-walker.html

 

At least a few here are probably relieved.

[TURBO]

Well, there goes Neil Walker off the list...

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/01/marlins-sign-neil-walker.html

 

At least a few here are probably relieved.

 

I'm one of those few...WHEW!

[brewerfan82]

Neil Walker deal is 1 year for $2M:

 

 

[sarcasm]Bullet dodged[/sarcasm]

[brewcrewdue80]

Wow this is at 36pages? Keston Hiura will play for Milwaukee and solve 2b for 7 seasons...more with an extension. He has a 70 rating Hit tool. He's going to be a .300 hitter and better in his years ahead. Aside from Guerrero Jr. he has the best hit tool forthcoming currently. Get on the hype train and prepare for his arrival vs signing/trading for any scrubs.

[Madhawk23]

Wow this is at 36pages? Keston Hiura will play for Milwaukee and solve 2b for 7 seasons...more with an extension. He has a 70 rating Hit tool. He's going to be a .300 hitter and better in his years ahead. Aside from Guerrero Jr. he has the best hit tool forthcoming currently. Get on the hype train and prepare for his arrival vs signing/trading for any scrubs.

 

Yeah, I'm of the opinion now that we are definitely more in play to add another SP, rather than going after any of these remaining 2B options (which are quite limited anyway now). I think DS and Counsell are fine going with a HP/Spang platoon until Keston is ready to come up and contribute (which should happen at some point this summer, barring an injury). I'm not sure if we'll end up winning the Keuchel sweepstakes, but if we do - I'm guessing we'll go out and re-sign Miley. To me, that seems like the likely play at this point.

[Madhawk23]

Wow this is at 36pages? Keston Hiura will play for Milwaukee and solve 2b for 7 seasons...more with an extension. He has a 70 rating Hit tool. He's going to be a .300 hitter and better in his years ahead. Aside from Guerrero Jr. he has the best hit tool forthcoming currently. Get on the hype train and prepare for his arrival vs signing/trading for any scrubs.

 

Yeah, I'm of the opinion now that we are definitely more in play to add another SP, rather than going after any of these remaining 2B options (which are quite limited anyway now). I think DS and Counsell are fine going with a HP/Spang platoon until Keston is ready to come up and contribute (which should happen at some point this summer, barring an injury). I'm not sure if we'll end up winning the Keuchel sweepstakes, but if we do - I'm guessing we'll go out and re-sign Miley. To me, that seems like the likely play at this point.

[rickh150]

Seems a little crazy to me to think that we are going into the season with Arcia OPS (576) and Perez (OPS 676) as our starting middle infielders with Spangeburg? as our reserve. We just picked up a top catcher for the year, yet we are going into the same year with a Brewers 2002 type middle IF? Obvious guy says we still get a guy that can cover more than one IF position on a one or even two year deal. Hiura is a comin we all know, but a little more certainty, depth, and insurance is needed at IF spots for this run this year. That leaves Marwin, Moose, and Harrison as options in FA.

 

Perhaps a trade is coming.

[ebmackenzie]

Seems a little crazy to me to think that we are going into the season with Arcia OPS (576)....

 

Sometimes players grow up. From http://statsswipe.com/expect-orlando-arcia-2019/

 

In the first half of the season he was batting below the Mendoza line at .197 and had a mere 28 wRC+ which was bottom 5 in the MLB. BUT, following a brief stint in Triple A, Arcia seemed to have figured things out. In fact, through the final month of the season Arcia had the 9th best wRC+ (116) among shortstops including 3 points better than Manny Machado (hitting .3089 from August 1st through game #163). All the while Arcia was coming through when the Brewers needed him most, at the end of the season in a close division race. In addition he was arguably the most silent best hitter in the post-season slashing .333/.353/.606 in 34 PA over 10 games ...

 

Another side note is that in the 2nd half of the season he hit .276 against breaking pitches compared to .188 in the first half of the season....Brewers would be thrilled to see a repeat of 2017 where he hit .277/.324/.407, but would be satisfied with Steamer’s current projection of .254/.302/.377 with a 1.1 WAR.

 

His increased launch angle may have contributed to his significant increase in BABIP as well...

Furthermore, he has continued to hit well during winter league ball, all while still only 24.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I still think the Brewers are slow-playing Marwin. He's such a perfect fit for this roster ... I can't believe he isn't being linked to the Brewers more. Perhaps that is right in Stearns' wheelhouse though.

[rickh150]

Unbelievably because I usually figure the Brewers will do less than more, I expect an upgrade in the IF and Miley back in the staff.

[Roderick]

Seems a little crazy to me to think that we are going into the season with Arcia OPS (576) and Perez (OPS 676) as our starting middle infielders with Spangeburg? as our reserve. We just picked up a top catcher for the year, yet we are going into the same year with a Brewers 2002 type middle IF? Obvious guy says we still get a guy that can cover more than one IF position on a one or even two year deal. Hiura is a comin we all know, but a little more certainty, depth, and insurance is needed at IF spots for this run this year. That leaves Marwin, Moose, and Harrison as options in FA.

 

Perhaps a trade is coming.

 

Perez .785 OPS vs Leftys (last two seasons combined)

Spang .775 OPS vs Rightys (last two seasons combined)

 

.775 OPS was above league average production for 2B last year.

 

If they play to that level, great. If not, then Hiura is plan B whenever he adds another year of control. If Hiura isn't ready, then trade in July. Now to get people agitated, we can always find Sogard.

[timpep]

Seems a little crazy to me to think that we are going into the season with Arcia OPS (576) and Perez (OPS 676) as our starting middle infielders with Spangeburg? as our reserve. We just picked up a top catcher for the year, yet we are going into the same year with a Brewers 2002 type middle IF? Obvious guy says we still get a guy that can cover more than one IF position on a one or even two year deal. Hiura is a comin we all know, but a little more certainty, depth, and insurance is needed at IF spots for this run this year. That leaves Marwin, Moose, and Harrison as options in FA.

 

Perhaps a trade is coming.

 

Perez .785 OPS vs Leftys (last two seasons combined)

Spang .775 OPS vs Rightys (last two seasons combined)

 

.775 OPS was above league average production for 2B last year.

 

If they play to that level, great. If not, then Hiura is plan B whenever he adds another year of control. If Hiura isn't ready, then trade in July. Now to get people agitated, we can always find Sogard.

 

Splits are important but it's highly unlikely their overall ops will be anything close to their platoon advantaged split stats.

[KeithStone53151]

In the 3-5 minutes I spent on google looking at this, removing this bone from the wrist likely won't impact his ability to grip/swing the bat. Though discomfort in the wrist could have caused issues for Perez during the 2018 season. This is about that time of year where you find out about nagging injuries guys were dealing with prior season and how they are going to bounce back this year.

 

[clancyphile]

In the 3-5 minutes I spent on google looking at this, removing this bone from the wrist likely won't impact his ability to grip/swing the bat. Though discomfort in the wrist could have caused issues for Perez during the 2018 season. This is about that time of year where you find out about nagging injuries guys were dealing with prior season and how they are going to bounce back this year.

 

 

People would change things to lessen discomfort. How many times does a player swing a bat in the course of a season, between game action (making contact, swinging and missing, fouling stuff off, warming up in the on-deck circle), batting practice, and spring training? Probably well over a thousand.

 

Here's hoping he gets his swing back to a better place.

[Roderick]

In the 3-5 minutes I spent on google looking at this, removing this bone from the wrist likely won't impact his ability to grip/swing the bat. Though discomfort in the wrist could have caused issues for Perez during the 2018 season. This is about that time of year where you find out about nagging injuries guys were dealing with prior season and how they are going to bounce back this year.

 

 

I would like to see Perez play catcher sometime.

[clancyphile]

In the 3-5 minutes I spent on google looking at this, removing this bone from the wrist likely won't impact his ability to grip/swing the bat. Though discomfort in the wrist could have caused issues for Perez during the 2018 season. This is about that time of year where you find out about nagging injuries guys were dealing with prior season and how they are going to bounce back this year.

 

 

I would like to see Perez play catcher sometime.

 

Has a Brewer ever played all nine positions on the field, then been a DH, PH, and PR? If not... Perez could be the first.

 

When I say the Crew should extend Perez, it's because that even though the traditional five tools are average or below average, his versatility is an 80 on the 20-80 scale now that he seems to be adding catcher to the other eight positions he's played.

[KeithStone53151]

Has a Brewer ever played all nine positions on the field, then been a DH, PH, and PR? If not... Perez could be the first.

 

When I say the Crew should extend Perez, it's because that even though the traditional five tools are average or below average, his versatility is an 80 on the 20-80 scale now that he seems to be adding catcher to the other eight positions he's played.

 

You don't want to play a guy like Perez what it would take to extend him. He's really not a very good hitter, and he's solid/unspectacular at most spots on the field. I'm expecting this to be Perez last year with the team, and Dubon to take on his role as a better version of Perez in 2020 and beyond.

[tmwiese55]

I still think the Brewers are slow-playing Marwin. He's such a perfect fit for this roster ... I can't believe he isn't being linked to the Brewers more. Perhaps that is right in Stearns' wheelhouse though.

 

Yea maybe another 1 year overpay type move if he's not seeing what he wants/expected in the market. I'm not super high on him due to i think his one really good hitting year was an outlier and I had him in fantasy last year so I watched him be terrible for half of last year. But, he'd be a perfect to this roster at the moment (and clearly best available option) if you don't have to commit a ton of long term money.

[Eye Black]

If the Brewers did add either Gonzalez or Moustakas I would be sort of into the possibility of occasionally running out a lineup versus RHP that consists of six straight lefty hitters...

 

Possible lineup with Marwin Gonzalez versus RHP:

Cain ®

Yelich (L)

Gonzalez (S)

Shaw (L)

Grandal (S)

Thames (L)

Gamel (L)

Arcia ®

 

Possible lineup with Mike Moustakas versus RHP:

Cain ®

Yelich (L)

Grandal (S)

Shaw (L)

Moustakas (L)

Thames (L)

Gamel (L)

Arcia ®

 

 

*Yes I know these aren’t the optimal lineups (i.e. missing Aguilar and Braun), just an observation of the handedness possibilities.