Keston Hiura called up, Shaw optioned

[ThisIsMyCrew]

I’d love to see Doubon and Hiura get called up for Shaw/Aguilar/Arcia and provide a jolt to this team. Could be our middle infield for years to come!

[JohnBriggs12]

Who saw this stretch of games against some of the worst teams in baseball going this badly? They had to think going without Hiura during this stretch wasn't going to hurt them. It can be argued it hasn't, having Hiura doesn't mean the pitching would be any better. Might they have won one or two games they've lost? Hard to say. I suspect they'd be right where they are now even with Keston.

 

This isn't a computer game and these aren't robots. Sending Hiura down was akin to tapping the breaks on a race car. It's like the play the other night when after taking the lead on Grandal's dramatic 7th inning HR, they failed to turn a sure out into an out when various players didn't take charge on a popup. It wasn't that they gave an extra out which is bad enough, but it erased the good feeling after just taking the lead. Two days before he was sent down, Hiura had won an emotional game with a huge home run. That's the kind of win that teams turn into winning streaks.

 

Timing is everything in sports. Players know better than anyone, sometimes including management, who belongs on the field. The rest of the team saw Hiura going down as an extra burden on them.

[TURBO]

Moving Hiura down for Shaw was a complete and total failure.

 

Everyone knows it.

[SeaBass]

Who saw this stretch of games against some of the worst teams in baseball going this badly? They had to think going without Hiura during this stretch wasn't going to hurt them. It can be argued it hasn't, having Hiura doesn't mean the pitching would be any better. Might they have won one or two games they've lost? Hard to say. I suspect they'd be right where they are now even with Keston.

 

This isn't a computer game and these aren't robots. Sending Hiura down was akin to tapping the breaks on a race car. It's like the play the other night when after taking the lead on Grandal's dramatic 7th inning HR, they failed to turn a sure out into an out when various players didn't take charge on a popup. It wasn't that they gave an extra out which is bad enough, but it erased the good feeling after just taking the lead. Two days before he was sent down, Hiura had won an emotional game with a huge home run. That's the kind of win that teams turn into winning streaks.

 

Timing is everything in sports. Players know better than anyone, sometimes including management, who belongs on the field. The rest of the team saw Hiura going down as an extra burden on them.

Oh you've talked to the rest of the team? Boy Hiura must have made himself the undisputed leader of the team awful fast to have such an effect by his absence. Yelich means nothing I guess, he only had a 18 game hit streak during this stretch.

 

Edit: I wasn't suggesting the team wouldn't be better with Hiura, I think they would. There have simply been too many failures for any one member of the team to overcome during this stretch. That's all I was getting at.

[JCREW]

I'm pretty sure (according to JosephC's calculations) that tomorrow will be the day when Stearns is out of excuses for Hiura being in the minors. Can anybody think of a legitimate excuse that Hiura won't be in the starting lineup against Seattle's lefty on Tuesday?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm pretty sure (according to JosephC's calculations) that tomorrow will be the day when Stearns is out of excuses for Hiura being in the minors. Can anybody think of a legitimate excuse that Hiura won't be in the starting lineup against Seattle's lefty on Tuesday?

 

Oh sure ... there are plenty of excuses, but I don't know if any of them are legitimate. Hernan Perez has been slumping pretty bad the last couple weeks, and while Travis Shaw hit a dinger yesterday, he's been ice cold for the most part as well, and shouldn't really be facing lefties even if he were hitting his weight. I expect Hiura or Dubon to come up today or tomorrow and see time at 2B. Saladino has been solid in AAA as well, even though he's been a little colder lately.

[Lathund]

I'm pretty sure (according to JosephC's calculations) that tomorrow will be the day when Stearns is out of excuses for Hiura being in the minors. Can anybody think of a legitimate excuse that Hiura won't be in the starting lineup against Seattle's lefty on Tuesday?

 

Whether there are excuses or not, it doesn't seem like he will be, with him starting both games of the doubleheader in Omaha today. I mean it's still possible, but you'd think he wouldn't play today if he was planned to get called up.

 

 

 

As far as who makes way, there are pros and cons to both Shaw and Aguilar. For Shaw the obvious one is that he has options, you don't lose him permanently by taking him off the 25-man. He gets the chance to find his swing again in a lower pressure environment; I can't imagine that the current situation is ideal for him either. Aguilar has the disadvantage of only playing 1B. Carrying a bench bat who's the short side of a platoon, who can't pinch run and whose only position can be played by at least 5 other players on the roster is a bit of a luxury even when he's hitting fairly well. When he's not? Well.... I wish Aguilar had an option, would be so much easier. He wouldn't have been a Brewer in the first place if he did though. He is not the pre-ASB guy from 2018, but I do think he can be a decent major leaguer so I'm not happy about losing him (likely) for nothing. But that's the way I'd go I think.

 

Either way, I don't see how we can keep both any longer. I can understand (Even though I disagree with it) the logic of wanting Shaw to get right and having the belief that he can, combined with as the GM of a small-market team needing to factor in Super 2 to some extent. But enough is enough; Shaw and Aguilar aren't hitting, Perez and Arcia have been ice cold during this stretch, and Cain and Piña are far below their career norms. If it was just Aguilar/Shaw slumping the team could handle that, but it's more than half the team! Hiura might be past the super 2 cutoff, and even if he isn't there's still the opportunity of sending him down at a later point when it matters less, or better yet signing him to an extension, making the super 2 discussion irrelevant. Albies, Kingery, Acuña, Jimenez... seems to be much more potential upside than downside in signing him to something similar.

[Outlander]

I'm guessing Hiura is still up tomorrow, starting Tuesday and Wednesday.

[HarveysWBs]

Your daily reminder that the young man is down on the farm doing heavy chores: last night’ doubleheader (conclusion of a suspended game) saw Hiura go 4-8 overall with a bomb, 4 RBIs, and two walks.

[pacopete4]

Trent Grisham looking ready to take Cain’s job while we are at it.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Trent Grisham looking ready to take Cain’s job while we are at it.

 

David Freitas continues to tear the cover off the ball. I bet Yasmani is looking over his shoulder.

[pacopete4]

Trent Grisham looking ready to take Cain’s job while we are at it.

 

David Freitas continues to tear the cover off the ball. I bet Yasmani is looking over his shoulder.

 

nice.

[shanedog19]

Hiura with his 19th bomb tonight. Is tomorrow the day we see him back up with the big league club?

[treego14]

Hiura with his 19th bomb tonight. Is tomorrow the day we see him back up with the big league club?

No, Shaw is just fine. Give him time. Wins/losses are not that important right now.

[OnTheBlack]

Hiura with his 19th bomb tonight. Is tomorrow the day we see him back up with the big league club?

No, Shaw is just fine. Give him time. Wins/losses are not that important right now.

 

 

Yeah, they decided to stick with the guy who's put up ~8.5 WAR the last two years after he struggled and was banged up. It hasn't worked out.

[rickh150]

Well, it is a little troubling to see Hiura in the minors now when we all feel he could be helping the club, especially against these lefties starters. And we know there is urgency to win this season with 1 year contracts to Moose and Grandal. If Hiura is safely past Super Two territory, let's get him up for good tomorrow. I'm fine with a 12.man staff until the All Star break.... we ping pong genough pitchers back and forth to make that work.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I agree ... the justification for sending him down was somewhat sketchy to begin with, and continues to trend in that general direction with every hit he has in AAA. I typically am happy with the moves this team makes, but it's getting to the point now where it makes very little to no sense to not have Hiura up helping this team. Especially with the pitching issues they've been dealing with lately, any added offensive production can't help but be a positive.

[tmwiese55]

There was plenty of logical reasons to give his Shaw a chance. Personally I would've let Shaw play in AAA for a bit instead of rushing back so quickly. But it was fine. But it just hasn't worked out. You did right by him and there's no way he can be bitter that he wasn't given a chance or anything. But at this point I think you just have to swap them and let Shaw play everyday in AAA to get right. You've given him plenty of rope and the result is 174 avg and barely 300 obp since he's been back. Jesus has been respectable of late and of course can't be optioned, so I think this is the move any day now.

[wntrtxn21]

Well, it is a little troubling to see Hiura in the minors now when we all feel he could be helping the club, especially against these lefties starters. And we know there is urgency to win this season with 1 year contracts to Moose and Grandal. If Hiura is safely past Super Two territory, let's get him up for good tomorrow. I'm fine with a 12 man staff until the All Star break.... we ping pong genough pitchers back and forth to make that work.

 

If CC keeps getting horrendous starts from his pitchers, he'll need an 8 man pen for the foreseeable future. The pen is being taxed to the limit with 8 guys with all the short starts. Nothing I've seen indicates things are going to get significantly better any time soon. Remember, once sent down, a pitcher has to wait at least 10 days before recall. Claudio, Hader, Jeffress, Albers, Guerra, Nelson are not going to be sent down. If CC went with a 7 man pen only one arm would be yo-yoing. With the pen needing to cover 4-6 innings nearly every day, CC would run out of options quickly. If Hiura comes back up, a position player (Shaw or Aguilar) will have to be removed.

[OldHeidelberg]

Now I am thinking they are keeping him down a little longer to make it not quite so obvious that it was about Super 2. It's getting ridiculous, the team has been scuffling and in my mind he is clearly an upgrade.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Hiura only went 3-4 with a bomb and a double yesterday, so I guess there's room for improvement down on the farm...sheesh

 

They've tried to get past his super 2 cutoff during a seemingly easy stretch of games before the AS break, while hoping shaw and jesus could get going. Neither have set the world on fire at the plate and the team has floundered through june and missed a good opportunity to grab the division while the cubs have also scuffled. Time to get the more talented player on the mlb roster!

[shanedog19]

Dubon and Hiura have a chance to be a dynamite middle infield for 10+ years. I am terrified Stearns is going to trade one or both without ever letting this combo happen at the big league level.

[Beer Out West]

Dubon and Hiura have a chance to be a dynamite middle infield for 10+ years. I am terrified Stearns is going to trade one or both without ever letting this combo happen at the big league level.

 

I am terrified that you're right and that this is going to happen.

 

What reason could they possibly have at this point to not bring Hiura up? Shaw just isn't getting it done, I understand sticking with a guy who has done a lot for you in the past, but this is absurd. We need all hands on deck. Hiura provided that intangible spark when he was up, so why isn't he back now? This is mind boggling. You don't give up a young primo offensive 2B for anything except an amazing deal. Oi.

 

I'm scared where this is going. Stearns is really blowing this, imo.

[pacopete4]

Sky is falling...

[tmwiese55]

Next to no way Hiura gets traded guys, relax on that. There's just almost no way it happens since there is no true ace level pitching available. Sure, I could see Dubon being used now since his shine is probably strong (same way that tried to sell high on Brinson). that could totally happen. But my guess is they plan on Perez being gone next year and Dubon taking that spot. Plus, with Arcia still not a great hitter who knows how committed they are to him longer term