Keston Hiura called up, Shaw optioned

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Total eyeroll to this move. Send down one of your few hitters who's been doing well to bring back a guy who has been just about your worst hitter all year.

 

Counterpoint - Travis Shaw has been one of the team's best hitters for two whole seasons previous to the 40-some games he's played this year.

[liveforoctober]

Can someone speak on Hiura's Super 2 status? Doesn't sending him down for a few weeks save us a bunch of future cash?

[MrTPlush]

Travis Shaw was quite the fan favorite the last two years....about to become whipping boy if he doesn't hit.

[jjfanec]

I thought Huira deserved the right to stay up, but I am not going to freak out over the move. I would have a short leash with Shaw though if he looks lost at the plate again.

[MrTPlush]

Can someone speak on Huira's Super 2 status? Doesn't sending him down for a few weeks save us a bunch of future cash?

 

Potentially...like 4 years from now and only hypothetically if he is actually something pretty good. Which despite popular belief...is still too soon to really know. A lot can happen by then.

 

I still think this move is more hoping Shaw gets it going, but obviously the possibility to save future money helps the decision.

[xisxisxis]

At least they didn't release Yelich to make room for Shaw...

[Bulldogboy]

This decision is a slap in the face to the player and the fan base in my opinion. There is no reason that anyone who is responsible for this decision can justify it beyond we just feel Travis has earned the right to be here. What? Earned the right? I am stunned that Stearns would say something so tone deaf to the reality of the situation. They told Nelson when he thought he was ready sorry you ain't ready yet. Now that's a guy who has earned the right. Shaw if hitting sure he is an asset but he hasn't earned Jack this year. The fascination this team has with big one dimensional sluggers is very frustrating and will continue to cost us over the course of the season. Offense overly reliant on home runs? Send down a hitter and call up a home run guy. Need a quality pinch hit ab? Send up Thames or Aguillar to strike out and not move the runners. The same team that has Jacob Barnes on it again is telling us we have no room for Hirua. It is a complete slap in the face. Period.

[mattyo]

I thought Huira deserved the right to stay up, but I am not going to freak out over the move. I would have a short leash with Shaw though if he looks lost at the plate again.

 

If you're calling him up to prove himself once again, you have to give him the ABs in order to do so.

[homer]

I think this decision was made primarily with roster flexibility in mind.

[Eye Black]

If Shaw felt pressure to perform before... that spotlight just amplified significantly.

 

I hope hindsight ultimately shows that they are pushing the right buttons here, but my gut reaction is that they are making a mistake.

[markedman5]

https://www.mlb.com/brewers/news/keston-hiura-optioned-travis-shaw-back-from-il

[KeithStone53151]

I honestly hope Shaw is terrible for the next 2 weeks so we bring Hiura back. I don't want him to hit like 2 HR over the next 2 weeks while striking out 40% of the time and management to think he's close to breaking out. I fear they'll give Shaw way way way too much lee-way in trying to figure it out...and cost us too many games.

 

Come on man..I dont like the move either but how about we don't cheer against the best interests of the team?

 

It is in the best interest of the team. Shaw is not as good as Hiura, even at his best. In my opinion, the Brewers are better with Hiura at 2b and Moose at 3b than Moose at 2b and Shaw at 3b. This is a bad decision that is going to cost us wins. Shaw has done nothing at AAA to indicate he's ready to hit MLB pitching at an acceptable clip. I would rather him tank for 2 weeks and make the correct decision that much more obvious to the decision makers, I think it results in more wins than if Shaw were mediocre(650ish OPS) for 2 months while Hiura destroys AAA pitching.

[jerichoholicninja]

Total eyeroll to this move. Send down one of your few hitters who's been doing well to bring back a guy who has been just about your worst hitter all year.

 

Counterpoint - Travis Shaw has been one of the team's best hitters for two whole seasons previous to the 40-some games he's played this year.

 

I don't have a problem with bringing Shaw back. It's sending down Hiura. I understand the logjam having them both creates but Hiura's slash numbers are all best or close to best on the team.

[mattyo]

I honestly hope Shaw is terrible for the next 2 weeks so we bring Hiura back. I don't want him to hit like 2 HR over the next 2 weeks while striking out 40% of the time and management to think he's close to breaking out. I fear they'll give Shaw way way way too much lee-way in trying to figure it out...and cost us too many games.

 

Come on man..I dont like the move either but how about we don't cheer against the best interests of the team?

 

It is in the best interest of the team. Shaw is not as good as Hiura, even at his best. In my opinion, the Brewers are better with Hiura at 2b and Moose at 3b than Moose at 2b and Shaw at 3b. This is a bad decision that is going to cost us wins. Shaw has done nothing at AAA to indicate he's ready to hit MLB pitching at an acceptable clip. I would rather him tank for 2 weeks and make the correct decision that much more obvious to the decision makers, I think it results in more wins than if Shaw were mediocre(650ish OPS) for 2 months while Hiura destroys AAA pitching.

 

The Brewers are better with Hiura, Shaw and Moose all playing at a high level. You cannot get that if Shaw is not playing at all.

[liveforoctober]

If Shaw felt pressure to perform before... that spotlight just amplified significantly.

 

I hope hindsight ultimately shows that they are pushing the right buttons here, but my gut reaction is that they are making a mistake.

 

Yeah this is a big decision short term with long term implications. Brewers currently up in the central. I hope Shaw rakes!

[KeithStone53151]

 

It is in the best interest of the team. Shaw is not as good as Hiura, even at his best. In my opinion, the Brewers are better with Hiura at 2b and Moose at 3b than Moose at 2b and Shaw at 3b. This is a bad decision that is going to cost us wins. Shaw has done nothing at AAA to indicate he's ready to hit MLB pitching at an acceptable clip. I would rather him tank for 2 weeks and make the correct decision that much more obvious to the decision makers, I think it results in more wins than if Shaw were mediocre(650ish OPS) for 2 months while Hiura destroys AAA pitching.

 

The Brewers are better with Hiura, Shaw and Moose all playing at a high level. You cannot get that if Shaw is not playing at all.

 

Shaw can play at AAA until he can learn to hit meatballs down the middle. 3 weeks ago...he couldn't even do that. I wish I would have seen him take BP I bet he was swinging and missing even at BP pitches.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This decision is a slap in the face to the player and the fan base in my opinion. There is no reason that anyone who is responsible for this decision can justify it beyond we just feel Travis has earned the right to be here. What? Earned the right? I am stunned that Stearns would say something so tone deaf to the reality of the situation. They told Nelson when he thought he was ready sorry you ain't ready yet. Now that's a guy who has earned the right. Shaw if hitting sure he is an asset but he hasn't earned Jack this year. The fascination this team has with big one dimensional sluggers is very frustrating and will continue to cost us over the course of the season. Offense overly reliant on home runs? Send down a hitter and call up a home run guy. Need a quality pinch hit ab? Send up Thames or Aguillar to strike out and not move the runners. The same team that has Jacob Barnes on it again is telling us we have no room for Hirua. It is a complete slap in the face. Period.

 

Keston's 27% K rate is very similar to Shaw's 32% K rate at the major league level this year.

[Eye Black]

I think this decision was made primarily with roster flexibility in mind.

I'm likely going to get destroyed for this opinion, but since they are sending Hiura down anyway I wouldn't hate seeing him get some reps at either first base or left field while back in San Antonio. I think having him with the flexibility to alternate between a couple of defensive positions for at least limited innings would be helpful late in the season. The obvious counter is that he hasn't exactly mastered the second base position yet, so maybe additional reps at 2B are too valuable to waste.

[pacopete4]

I think this decision was made primarily with roster flexibility in mind.

I'm likely going to get destroyed for this opinion, but since they are sending Hiura down anyway I wouldn't hate seeing him get some reps at either first base or left field while back in San Antonio. I think having him with the flexibility to alternate between a couple of defensive positions for at least limited innings would be helpful late in the season. The obvious counter is that he hasn't exactly mastered the second base position yet, so maybe additional reps at 2B are too valuable to waste.

 

I think you answered it yourself. Until he can play 2B reasonably well it’d be hard to have him get reps elsewhere.

[KeithStone53151]

I think this decision was made primarily with roster flexibility in mind.

I'm likely going to get destroyed for this opinion, but since they are sending Hiura down anyway I wouldn't hate seeing him get some reps at either first base or left field while back in San Antonio. I think having him with the flexibility to alternate between a couple of defensive positions for at least limited innings would be helpful late in the season. The obvious counter is that he hasn't exactly mastered the second base position yet, so maybe additional reps at 2B are too valuable to waste.

 

I don't think it would be THAT bad a decision considering, but we have so much roster flexibility that I don't think it's necessary. Thames/Aguilar/Shaw/Moose/Perez/Grandal/in a pinch Braun...can all play 1b. Cain/Yelich/Braun/Gamel/Perez/Thames can all play corner OF. If we were less flexible, it would be a better idea.

[KeithStone53151]

I think this decision was made primarily with roster flexibility in mind.

I'm likely going to get destroyed for this opinion, but since they are sending Hiura down anyway I wouldn't hate seeing him get some reps at either first base or left field while back in San Antonio. I think having him with the flexibility to alternate between a couple of defensive positions for at least limited innings would be helpful late in the season. The obvious counter is that he hasn't exactly mastered the second base position yet, so maybe additional reps at 2B are too valuable to waste.

 

I think you answered it yourself. Until he can play 2B reasonably well it’d be hard to have him get reps elsewhere.

 

I think you are wildly overexagerating Hiura's defense. He's much better defensively at 2b than you're giving him credit. You're talking like he's Braun at 3b.

[brewerfan82]

Total eyeroll to this move. Send down one of your few hitters who's been doing well to bring back a guy who has been just about your worst hitter all year.

I won't argue that Hiura hasn't been very good and Shaw thus far has been very bad, but I don't think the offense depends on Hiura either. Using stats since Hiura's callup (just to use the same sample size that we're judging Hiura on), you could put together a pretty nice lineup without him involved:

 

CF Gamel/Cain - .728/.643 OPS

RF Yelich (L) - 1.018 OPS

LF Braun ® - .786 OPS

3B Moustakas (L) - 1.012 OPS

C Grandal (S) - 1.185 OPS

1B Thames (L) - .878 OPS

SS Arcia ® - .892 OPS

2B Perez ® - .824 OPS

[KeithStone53151]

that lineup doesn't include Shaw. It would certainly look a lot worse putting a 550 OPS hitter in there.

[Lostpawn]

Here’s my unpopular opinion. I don’t think Shaw deserves to lose his job to injury, regardless of how well Kiura was performing. Let’s let Shaw try to work back into a groove, and if he is still not in the groove by the All-Star break, then it’s time to make a decision. Either way, I’m glad it’s not my decision to make!

[jjfanec]

https://www.mlb.com/brewers/news/keston-hiura-optioned-travis-shaw-back-from-il

 

Very candid interview actually. Directly say Shaw needs to perform to keep his spot and that this move will be revisited if Aguilar and/or Shaw continue to struggle. Talks about tweaks Shaw made to his approach so we will see if that helps.

 

Someone earlier said Shaw is a one-dimensional hitter. That isnt true at all. He isnt a high average guy for sure but when at his best he works the count, draws walks and has good power. His OBP the previous two seasons was higher both years than Huira's in his short stint.