Kolten Wong to Brewers

[liveforoctober]

I don't want to go back over the 10 pages .. but has it been mentioned that Wong might be a classic "lefty who hits better at Mill.. err, AmFam Field" candidate? If he is a 6-10 HR kind of guy .. maybe he becomes an 9-14 HR guy in Milwaukee?

 

Contact hitter, great defense, and a veteran with playoff experience; if he can add a little more pop to his bat... great piece.

[brewerfan82]

Yep! You can find a couple posts with hit charts including a couple with his home hits overlayed on AmFam Field here: viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40251&start=160

[CheezWizHed]

Keston is 6 foot... Most 1B are like 6'1 to 6'3... Is a couple inches that big of a deal?

 

Hes a short 6' Ive seen other listings he is 5' 11" you can't tell me he doesn't look smaller than listed.

 

This may not bring a trade but use a Hiura option. If he doesnt look the best during ST Hiura should take a return to the minors. Bat in ST notwithstanding.

 

Maybe this solves the lineup to have Wong leadoff-L, Cain -R, and Yelich-L 3rd

 

Not a chance in hell Hiura goes back to the minors...

 

[sarcasm]Perhaps we can sign Travis Shaw for 1B, he is 6'4". Then Huira can go back to the minors.[/sarcasm]

[SRB]

Honestly, for all this discussion about Hiura, I would not be at all surprised if he stays at 2B and Wong moves full-time to 3B.

[KeithStone53151]

Regarding hiura, I don't know that he's destined for first base...but his problems in the field tend to be errant throws more than anything. Bad at 2b does not automatically mean bad at 1b. He has a better chance of making the transition than an outfielder as he has more familiarity in the infield.

[adambr2]

Honestly, for all this discussion about Hiura, I would not be at all surprised if he stays at 2B and Wong moves full-time to 3B.

 

You have literally one of the best if not the best defensive 2B in baseball and you're going to move him to a position he's never played in his career to keep an absolute defensive butcher at his position?

 

I don't think so.

[DHonks]

Kolten Wong has career .855 OPS at American Family Field.

 

That seems good.

 

Can he bat against our pitching?

[Jaylyn]

Good move, a little unexpected. Like the improvement to defense. Does he bat leadoff?

[AKCheesehead]

Aside from his vs LHP/RHP splits, Wong is remarkably consistent across the other variables shown in his splits on b-ref.

[SeaBass]

Hard to believe Hiura is taller than Fielder...not that it matters. Yet telling a bad fielder to just go play 1B is pure folly. It’s not a given he can play adequate there.

If I had to play a bad fielder and my choices were 2nd base or 1st base I'd choose 1st base every time. Stand there like a tree and catch balls that are thrown to you is 90% of the job description.

[brewcrewdue80]

The mention on his height is based on that he hasn't shown to be the best with the glove or defensively.

https://ucirvinesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/keston-hiura/156 His College listed him at 5'11" Somewhere between being drafted and professional for Brewers he became listed at 6' Maybe he's 5'11 1/2"? And they rounded up, but he a small stature 6'.

 

Pretty sure when talking about a 1b or 3b acquisition mention thought or hope was it to be a left handed bat? Wong qualifies as a LH bat added to the roster.

[owbc]

It seems to me that Hiura’s height issue will be mitigated by the fact that he won’t have to catch any throws from himself.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Hard to believe Hiura is taller than Fielder...not that it matters. Yet telling a bad fielder to just go play 1B is pure folly. It’s not a given he can play adequate there.

If I had to play a bad fielder and my choices were 2nd base or 1st base I'd choose 1st base every time. Stand there like a tree and catch balls that are thrown to you is 90% of the job description.

Exactly. "1b is not that hard. Tell em 'Wash'..."

"It's incredibly hard"...

"Hey, anything worth doing is, and we're gonna teach you"

[Lathund]

I think it would be very short sighted to look to sell low on Hiura just because there isn't a flawless solution positionally for 2021. Firstly I think people make way too big a deal about height at 1B. Sure, it's nice to have, but how many plays are really decided by whether someone is an inch or two taller? Not enough to outweigh a good enough bat there. Hiura main issue was throwing, and as a 1B he'll be doing a lot less of that. Maybe he'll be good, maybe not, but if he's decent you get to fit another good bat in there who is controllable for 5 more seasons. It's much better to have a butcher at 1B than at 2B anyway. He'll also still be playing some 2B due to injuries/rest/certain lefties and I think 10 DH games too.

 

There's even a chance there will be a DH still for 2021, that issue isn't closed even if teams will be operating as if there won't be one. Owners are trying to use a fairly minor concession (Universal DH) to get what's for them a major win (expanded playoffs, which brings in a ton of money for them), if they make a more realistic proposal and give the players something they want, it can still happen.

 

I still expect the 2022 CBA to have a universal DH, so Keston's position is only a 1 year problem. And if he's even barely servicable at 1B it won't even be a problem. Having "too many" good players is never a real problem. Hold on to Hiura, and let his bat rebuild value.

[MrTPlush]

I've had Wong on my Dynasty league for a few years Now.

 

He is a 25 to 30 Stolen Base Guy that gives Some Home Runs (About 15) and his Batting Average is good enough to be where you need to be in a fantasy league. Overall he's not a bad player and I'm kind of excited to see what he could do here,

 

He has never stolen 25 bases in his career. He had 24 in 2019, but prior to that the previous three years combined he had 21 steals. In 2018 he only had 6 steals and was caught 5 times.

 

I’m not sure why everyone keeps thinking he steals a bunch of bases, he doesn’t. I’m guessing best case would be about 15 steals. I’d be taking the under though.

[Outlander]

Yeah, if he hits 15 HR and steals 25 bases that will be a career year and a heck of a signing.

[Eye Black]

Hey! I actually got this one right back on Nov. 2.

 

viewtopic.php?f=66&t=39968&start=80#p1324959

 

I said sign Wong and move Hiura to 1B.

 

The blind squirrel finds a nut!!

 

Of course, we never signed Tommy La Stella or Robbie Ray. And Wong got more than I anticipated (I had 2-years, $16M) - but hey, it's fun to have gotten one slightly out-of-the-box idea correct.

Bravo, that’s certainly an impressive prognostication.

[bork]

Is it a concern that he's only played over 130 games twice in his career?

 

I see a number of minor strains and injuries in 2017-2018, but no DL stints over the past 2 years.

[Eye Black]

Is it a concern that he's only played over 130 games twice in his career?

 

I see a number of minor strains and injuries in 2017-2018, but no DL stints over the past 2 years.

I’m not sure the Brewers will be counting on him to start many more games than that. I think he’ll likely be out of the lineup against LHP starters more often than not.

[clancyphile]

For Wong, playing half his games at American Family Field should boost his offense.

 

Hiura... maybe he is slated for first. not the first time you fix one position by moving a player from another one. How many times did Molitor move in his career? He was a 2B, then made moves to CF, 3B, and 1B to fill holes in the lineup before he settled in as a full-time DH.

 

I wouldn't feel the Crew is FORCED to trade Hiura... but they DO have the option of making a deal if someone blows them away. Hiura-for-Otani, but Otani at first, maybe?

[DR28]

Good move, a little unexpected. Like the improvement to defense. Does he bat leadoff?

 

I think so.

 

Wong

Cain

Yelich

Hiura

 

I definitely like that top 4 in the lineup!

[RobDeer 45]

I think you try Hiura at first. I really don't think a couple inches will matter that much if his glove is good. If his glove is bad at first, then it could be a mess. Maybe he has a good wing span which would give more range for a target????? HA! I would be hesitant to trade him off of a bad year unless you feel like you're getting close to full value. Worth an experiment.

[brewtank34]

I’m not sure if it is the homer in me that is starting to get used to the idea of Keston at 1st or if it just reality sinking in that we don’t have any better options.

[pacopete4]

It's first base. It really isn't that hard. He will be fine there. Will he be a game-changing defensive 1B? No, probably not. But if he hits the way he can, it will all be fine and dandy.

[JohnBriggs12]

The move to first base could cost Hiura a ton in future earnings. It's one thing being a great hitter for a 2nd baseman, it's quite another to be a premier offensive first baseman. In 2020, he was basically Chris Carter offensively.