Spring Training Battle: 3B (and SS and UT)

[sveumrules]

Has anyone seen anything about how Reyes is on defense?

 

FanGraphs had this in his 2019 prospect write up...

 

"Defensively, he’s perfectly fine at third base and in the outfield corners, and fringy at second base; we’d rather not have him play shortstop."

[monty57]

Has anyone seen anything about how Reyes is on defense?

 

FanGraphs had this in his 2019 prospect write up...

 

"Defensively, he’s perfectly fine at third base and in the outfield corners, and fringy at second base; we’d rather not have him play shortstop."

 

Thanks! I figured that with the Brewers' emphasis on defense this offseason he probably wasn't a complete butcher or they wouldn't be playing him there, but his time playing there in the majors doesn't make him look like he's overly good defensively.

 

To the reference to "the next Hernan Perez," I think Perez was a good defender who made good contact at the plate, but swung at everything. Reyes plays passable defense, but has a good eye at the plate and has consistently (through the minors anyhow) had a pretty good OBP and seems to be a decent overall hitter with good plate discipline. Basically, the comparison to Perez ends at "they both play a lot of positions," as they are not really comparable players.

 

I don't know if he'd be a good enough bat as a left fielder (and certainly wouldn't get much PT there with Milwaukee), so he needs to be good enough defensively at other positions to earn MLB playing time.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

 

Is Arica on outside looking in now? Arcia, urias and Robertson seems to be a bit much. Especially if shaw and voggy make the team.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

 

Is Arica on outside looking in now? Arcia, urias and Robertson seems to be a bit much. Especially if shaw and voggy make the team.

 

Robertson has seen some time in the OF during spring training, so it wouldn't surprise me if they only keep four true OFers, and consider Robertson/Arcia the 5th OFer. It was starting to look like a spot was coming down to either Vogelbach or Fisher, and Fisher's injury muddles that up. Might come down to Vogelbach or McKinney now.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

Makes sense. Somehow I missed the OF option with Robertson. He’s shown some good quality thus far.

[markedman5]

If anyone is on the outside looking in it has to be Urias.

 

He has been injured....shown nothing..... and has options.

[pacopete4]

Yeah, Urias shouldn't sniff our opening day roster.

[DR28]

Yeah, Urias shouldn't sniff our opening day roster.

 

Totally disagree... We didnt trade for him, to be in AAA.

[stoutdude04]

Yeah, Urias shouldn't sniff our opening day roster.

 

Totally disagree... We didnt trade for him, to be in AAA.

 

If he isnt the best player right now, then he shouldn't get at bats.

[monty57]

Yeah, Urias shouldn't sniff our opening day roster.

 

Totally disagree... We didnt trade for him, to be in AAA.

 

If he's not ready, then he's not ready. I'd rather have him work things out in AAA, so he will be a better player for the years of service the Brewers have him. No sense rushing him just because he was a key part of a trade.

 

If I had to bet, I'd say that he will be on the Brewers' opening day roster, but I think the Brewers would get more total value out of him if they let him spend some time in AAA this year. Not only is he not ready for the majors, but the Brewers would get an extra year of his prime if he spent this year in AAA.

[DR28]

Yeah, Urias shouldn't sniff our opening day roster.

 

Totally disagree... We didnt trade for him, to be in AAA.

 

If he's not ready, then he's not ready. I'd rather have him work things out in AAA, so he will be a better player for the years of service the Brewers have him. No sense rushing him just because he was a key part of a trade.

 

If I had to bet, I'd say that he will be on the Brewers' opening day roster, but I think the Brewers would get more total value out of him if they let him spend some time in AAA this year. Not only is he not ready for the majors, but the Brewers would get an extra year of his prime if he spent this year in AAA.

 

Not ready!!! What does he have left to prove???

 

2051 ABs in the minors with a .308/.397/.433/.830 slash.

 

No idea how he's not ready.

[markedman5]

He has to win the job. He hasn’t hit in the majors ......at least not yet.....in 402 PA....’not a big sample but not a few weeks either.

 

He came into spring training knowing that he would have the chance to win the job......he got hurt and has looked bad at the plate in the limited chances he’s had.

 

Maybe he starts to swing the bat here the next few weeks but for a guy with no major league success he has to show something before you keep him.

 

It’s not just that he hasn’t gotten hits......nothing but strike outs and weak contact.

 

Having options is a good thing.......No need to play him until he gives some indication he is a better option then Arcia......the minor league stats are nice but that was a few years ago now......let him find a grove again.

[umphrey]

Urias has crushed AAA pitching for about 900 PAs and blocking him with a bottom 5 hitter in all of MLB is insane

[pacopete4]

Blocking him? He’s not even playing. This is back to back springs he’s become unavailable. Say what you want about Arcia but he’s always good to go. Urias better get it going or he really will be a AAAA type player.

[umphrey]

Blocking him? He’s not even playing. This is back to back springs he’s become unavailable. Say what you want about Arcia but he’s always good to go. Urias better get it going or he really will be a AAAA type player.

 

RotoWire News: Urias (hamstring) is in the lineup at shortstop for Sunday's spring game against the Mariners, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. (3/14/2021)

[FVBrewerFan]

Urias has crushed AAA pitching for about 900 PAs and blocking him with a bottom 5 hitter in all of MLB is insane

 

David Freitas crushed AAA pitching too.

[trwi7]

Urias has crushed AAA pitching for about 900 PAs and blocking him with a bottom 5 hitter in all of MLB is insane

 

Unfortunately for Urias, he's not going to get to play 4,000 feet above sea level like he did in AAA.

[monty57]

I have high hopes for Urias, but the reason to play him can't be "We traded away some good players to get this guy, so he's going to be in the majors." He's only 23 years old, and hasn't had success at the MLB level. If the Brewers would be better off sending him to AAA, then they should do it. A lot of players stumble when they hit the big leagues, regroup in the minors, and go on to have good MLB careers. They need to make the decision based on what's best long-term for the team and the player, not based on fan perception or PR.

 

It's probably a coin flip as to which of Urias or Arcia will have the better year in 2021, so play Arcia/Robertson at SS now and save a year's service time so we have Urias for another year of his prime, when hopefully he's an All-Star. At some point, Urias will be forced to "put up or shut up," but we're not really at that point yet.

[pacopete4]

I have high hopes for Urias, but the reason to play him can't be "We traded away some good players to get this guy, so he's going to be in the majors."

 

This is exactly where I am at. If that is the reason we are playing him, it isn't in his best interest and it sure isn't in the team's best interest of trying to win ball games.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I love Urias's upside, but this scenario is specifically why I'm happy the Brewers haven't given up on Orlando Arcia yet. I'd love for Urias to be able to go down to AAA and rake for a month, then come back up. Unfortunately that isn't an option this year with the AAA season not getting going till May. Hopefully Urias starts stinging the ball in the 2+ weeks we have left to Spring Training, but if he needs to go down to get consistent ABs, it by no means is proof that the Brewers whiffed on that deal. Urias is 23, and I suspect he's gonna get a lot of chances to succeed with the Brewers.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

The Brewers have officially agreed to add Travis Shaw to the 40-man roster:

 

Looks like Shaw is going to at least be the big side of a 3B platoon, at least to start the year. Nice to have that squared away. Hopefully Shaw can reward the Brewers' faith in his ability to rebound.

[CheezWizHed]

Urias has time to get ready for the season, but if we started today, I don't know how he wouldn't be sent to AAA to start. He has been injured and hardly played anything. But I'm pretty certain that if he is ready, he is going to get every chance at SS.

 

Urias hasn't shown much at the MLB level, but he is pretty much the same as Arcia to this point. Both can still improve, but I'd bank more chance of Urias doing it than Arcia at this point:

 

Career:

Urias: 226/315/320/635 73 OPS+

Arcia: 244/295/366/660 73 OPS+

 

Arcia was better last year, but Urias' hammate injury and COVID analysis might have been pretty impactful:

Urias: 239/308/294/602 64 OPS+

Arcia: 260/317/416/734 95 OPS+

[jerichoholicninja]

We've seen enough of Arcia's little league swing and noodle bat, let's give someone who at least has some sort of track record of being able to hit the ball at some point in their life a chance.

[DR28]

We've seen enough of Arcia's little league swing and noodle bat, let's give someone who at least has some sort of track record of being able to hit the ball at some point in their life a chance.

 

Exactly.... Everyone wants to give keep giving Arcia ABs and send Urias down to AAA... I dont get it, Urias needs to grow in Milwaukee not in Nashville.

 

Plus Urias can't be sent down anyway since AAA won't be starting until like May.

[pacopete4]

Arcia has "grown-up" on the big stage and has probably paid for it in his process of becoming an MLB player. He was forced up young. He has now shown indications of improvement. It would also be nuts to ignore that and move on from him without actually seeing if something has changed.