Brewers acquire Eduardo Escobar from Diamondbacks

[DuWayne Steurer]

Yeah. The guy who's going to lose some at bats is Peterson, and that's okay. We rode his bat while it was hot, but I don't think anybody expected him to continue throwing up an .800+ ops over the long haul. Peterson is still a fine tin fitting option. He can still spot start if needed, and be a late inning defense guy.

[rickh150]

Ok… lineups when all are healthy. Pretty exciting on one more good bat will do to a lineup…

Righty starter-

Wong 2B

Yelich LF

Escobar 3B

Garcia RF

Adames SS

Narvaez C

Rowdy 1B

Cain CF

P

Bench- JBJ, Urias, Peterson, Pina, Taylor

 

Lefty starter

Wong 2B

Escobar LF

Adames SS

Garcia RF

Peterson 1B

Narvaez C

Taylor CF

Urias 3B

 

They are going to keep riding Yelich, simply because they have to. This team likely goes nowhere if he doesn't pick things up. They aren't going to start platooning him.

 

Well, now they have options. And no, they do not have to play Yelich just because he is Yelich. And yes, we have been winning without him being great. Lefty starters come by, what, 20% of the time. He could/should have those days to rest his back.

[rickh150]

I heard/read the same about Escobar at 1B. I was doing the lineup by my own gut reaction. If I had to fix my lineup a bit, I’d move Taylor up the order against lefties. He is arguably the best hitter we have against lefties.

[TURBO]

Against a LH starter, Escobar will be playing 1b. I believe Stearns has come out and said as much. He has no experience at 1b but it sounds like they intend to try him there. Nothing has been explicitly stated besides that as far as I know, but I suspect he'll see some time at 3b as well and probably start a bit over half the games the rest of the way and PH whenever he isn't starting. I know Escobar can play 2b/ss, but Urias is a better defender and would probably take one of those spots if giving Adames/Wong a day off. Even Peterson is probably a better option for 2b than Escobar defensively.

 

 

You think we got Escobar to start half the games, and PH the rest?

 

I beg to differ.

 

This guy is going to start every day for the rest of the year barring injury.

[TURBO]

Ok… lineups when all are healthy. Pretty exciting on one more good bat will do to a lineup…

Righty starter-

Wong 2B

Yelich LF

Escobar 3B

Garcia RF

Adames SS

Narvaez C

Rowdy 1B

Cain CF

P

Bench- JBJ, Urias, Peterson, Pina, Taylor

 

Lefty starter

Wong 2B

Escobar LF

Adames SS

Garcia RF

Peterson 1B

Narvaez C

Taylor CF

Urias 3B

 

They are going to keep riding Yelich, simply because they have to. This team likely goes nowhere if he doesn't pick things up. They aren't going to start platooning him.

 

Well, now they have options. And no, they do not have to play Yelich just because he is Yelich. And yes, we have been winning without him being great. Lefty starters come by, what, 20% of the time. He could/should have those days to rest his back.

 

I agree, they don't HAVE to play him just because he is Yelich, but sadly, I think that is what CC will do. He should get more days off, against lefties for certain.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Against a LH starter, Escobar will be playing 1b. I believe Stearns has come out and said as much. He has no experience at 1b but it sounds like they intend to try him there. Nothing has been explicitly stated besides that as far as I know, but I suspect he'll see some time at 3b as well and probably start a bit over half the games the rest of the way and PH whenever he isn't starting. I know Escobar can play 2b/ss, but Urias is a better defender and would probably take one of those spots if giving Adames/Wong a day off. Even Peterson is probably a better option for 2b than Escobar defensively.

 

 

You think we got Escobar to start half the games, and PH the rest?

 

I beg to differ.

 

This guy is going to start every day for the rest of the year barring injury.

 

Agreed. He'll likely bounce around between 3B, 1B and the corner OF spots (maybe even 2B), but he'll be in there pretty much every day. Dude is an All Star and now easily has the team lead in HRs.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I agree, they don't HAVE to play him just because he is Yelich, but sadly, I think that is what CC will do. He should get more days off, against lefties for certain.

 

Right .. I should have clarified that I believe that they are going to ride Yelich every day because they believe his is of utter importance to the team. I don't necessarily agree with that 100%, personally. He'll get rest days, but it will be far from a straight platoon. Of course, they don't face lefties that often, either.

[adambr2]

I mean I think he'll get a day off or two because pretty much everyone does these days. But yeah, I agree he was acquired to start.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Yeah. The guy who's going to lose some at bats is Peterson, and that's okay. We rode his bat while it was hot, but I don't think anybody expected him to continue throwing up an .800+ ops over the long haul. Peterson is still a fine tin fitting option. He can still spot start if needed, and be a late inning defense guy.

 

Peterson will be the spot starter on the roster. But looking at his numbers this year (small sample size acknowledged) as a pinch hitter or substitute, they're not too good:

2021 PH - 12 PA

.100 BA / .250 OBP / .100 SLG

 

2021 SUB - 19 PA

.200 BA / .368 OBP / .400 SLG

 

CAREER PH - 86 PA

.197 BA / .291 OBP / .355 SLG

 

 

Interestingly, it seems like Tyrone Taylor is developing a skill of being a pinch hitter:

2021 PH - 20 PA

.357 BA / .500 OBP / .857 SLG

[includes 1 2B; 2 HR; 3 BB; 4 SO; 2 HBP; 1 SF]

 

CAREER PH - 30 PA

.435 BA / .533 OBP / .870 SLG

[pacopete4]

I think the lineup will continue to be very fluid and change frequently as it pretty much always has. CC is a master of finding plenty of at-bats for guys. I don't think adding Escobar changes that.

[wntrtxn21]

If CC keeps only 13 pitchers:

Against RHP

Wong 2B

Yelich LF

Escobar 3B

Tellez 1B

Garcia RF

Narvaez C

Adames SS

Cain CF

P

Bench: Pina-Peterson-Urias-Taylor-JBJ

 

Against LHP

Wong 2B

Adames SS

Escobar 1B

Garcia RF

Taylor LF

Urias 3B

Cain CF

Pina C

P

Bench: Yelich-Narvaez-Tellez-JBJ-Peterson

If CC keeps 14 pitchers then Peterson is gone.

[timpep]

Cooper Hummel has been freed!

 

Yeah, but not the way I was hoping...

 

Unless Escobar extends, I think this rental is going to be about as bad as the Garrett Cooper dump over the long haul.

 

So, pretty much irrelevant?

 

I agree.

 

Although I'm guessing Escobar will be a hell of a lot more helpful than Ty Webb.

 

I mean Cooper only has 1.2 WAR this year but that's 2 more than the -.8 put up by Keston.

[KeithStone53151]

It remains to be seen for sure, but I really don't think he'll necessarily start every day. Doing so moves Urias/Tellez into a platoon of sorts between 1b/3b, with Urias playing against LHP and Tellez against RHP. I think Urias is starting to break out a bit and is a better defender than Escobar, I don't know that his playing time will be cut quite that drastically...or at least I don't think it should. As much as this was overall a good acquisition, his numbers don't jump out at me enough that mandates him starting most days over the guys we currently have.

[KeithStone53151]

Agreed. He'll likely bounce around between 3B, 1B and the corner OF spots (maybe even 2B), but he'll be in there pretty much every day. Dude is an All Star and now easily has the team lead in HRs.

 

You're better than that argument. He's a participation trophy all-star. Every team gets one and he's the best choice on a team with really no good choices. 22 HR is a great stat but he's also got a 300 OBP and sub 800 OPS. That's not a stat line that forces his way into the lineup everyday, especially as a mediocre defender.

[StearnsFTW]

Yeah, but not the way I was hoping...

 

Unless Escobar extends, I think this rental is going to be about as bad as the Garrett Cooper dump over the long haul.

 

So, pretty much irrelevant?

 

I agree.

 

Although I'm guessing Escobar will be a hell of a lot more helpful than Ty Webb.

 

I mean Cooper only has 1.2 WAR this year but that's 2 more than the -.8 put up by Keston.

 

Ok. I mean there's really no chance he would've been a Brewer this year anyway, but even so He's had 3 war in 5 years. Basically irrelevant.

[clancyphile]

Cooper Hummel has been freed!

 

Yeah, but not the way I was hoping...

 

Unless Escobar extends, I think this rental is going to be about as bad as the Garrett Cooper dump over the long haul.

 

So, pretty much irrelevant?

 

I agree.

 

Although I'm guessing Escobar will be a hell of a lot more helpful than Ty Webb.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coopega03.shtml

 

Career OPS of .807, playing half the time in Miami.

 

Held his own at first base and right field and also saw action in left.

 

Look at the OPS numbers from 2020 and 2021. Compare that to what we're getting from first base those years.

 

Pretty consequential difference.

 

Now, figure that Hummel was a switch-hitter who could handle both corner positions, didn't embarrass himself at first, and could also catch.

 

If he produces like Garrett Cooper...

[SRB]

Escobar was traded for to be the more or less everyday starter along with Adames and Wong, and his track record outside of the 2020 Covid season shows that he is now one of the best starters on the team. I would be truly shocked if that is not the case.

[umphrey]

I feel like he’s getting overrated a little bit here now. Offensively he has been worse than Wong Adames Tellez (MIL stats only) Peterson (small sample) and about equal to Urias. So while there are a ton of ways for him to get playing time, he’s not a must start.

 

1B is built on small samples, he’s a better defender than Urias, Wong has been injury prone, could play some OF, potential L/R matchup play, etc.

[iKezims]

I feel like he’s getting overrated a little bit here now. Offensively he has been worse than Wong Adames Tellez (MIL stats only) Peterson (small sample) and about equal to Urias. So while there are a ton of ways for him to get playing time, he’s not a must start.

 

1B is built on small samples, he’s a better defender than Urias, Wong has been injury prone, could play some OF, potential L/R matchup play, etc.

 

The comment I am about to make is very non-analytical - but I imagine it is hard to stay motivated at a 100% level when your team is literally 40 games under .500. We could have picked apart Adames' numbers from TB this season too and that would have made us all look silly now.

[umphrey]

I feel like he’s getting overrated a little bit here now. Offensively he has been worse than Wong Adames Tellez (MIL stats only) Peterson (small sample) and about equal to Urias. So while there are a ton of ways for him to get playing time, he’s not a must start.

 

1B is built on small samples, he’s a better defender than Urias, Wong has been injury prone, could play some OF, potential L/R matchup play, etc.

 

The comment I am about to make is very non-analytical - but I imagine it is hard to stay motivated at a 100% level when your team is literally 40 games under .500. We could have picked apart Adames' numbers from TB this season too and that would have made us all look silly now.

 

Adames was struggling in TB but Urias was struggling worse in addition to being a terrible defender at SS, not to mention the black hole that was 3B at the time. So it’s a completely different situation.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Agreed. He'll likely bounce around between 3B, 1B and the corner OF spots (maybe even 2B), but he'll be in there pretty much every day. Dude is an All Star and now easily has the team lead in HRs.

 

You're better than that argument. He's a participation trophy all-star. Every team gets one and he's the best choice on a team with really no good choices. 22 HR is a great stat but he's also got a 300 OBP and sub 800 OPS. That's not a stat line that forces his way into the lineup everyday, especially as a mediocre defender.

 

When you have been starting guys like Keston Hiura and Jackie Bradley Jr. regularly, it sure as heck does. This makes the regular, every-day lineup better. There is little doubt there.

[timpep]

 

The comment I am about to make is very non-analytical - but I imagine it is hard to stay motivated at a 100% level when your team is literally 40 games under .500.

 

 

If you're playing a game and having fun you'll do better. If you hate your job you won't try as hard. People will say "these guys are professionals" and that's true, but they're still people. I agree with you completely that motivation can be a big factor. I'm sure some people are affected more or less than others but it's a factor.

[KeithStone53151]

Agreed. He'll likely bounce around between 3B, 1B and the corner OF spots (maybe even 2B), but he'll be in there pretty much every day. Dude is an All Star and now easily has the team lead in HRs.

 

You're better than that argument. He's a participation trophy all-star. Every team gets one and he's the best choice on a team with really no good choices. 22 HR is a great stat but he's also got a 300 OBP and sub 800 OPS. That's not a stat line that forces his way into the lineup everyday, especially as a mediocre defender.

 

When you have been starting guys like Keston Hiura and Jackie Bradley Jr. regularly, it sure as heck does. This makes the regular, every-day lineup better. There is little doubt there.

 

Hiura hasn't started since 7/20, and JBJ primarily plays CF(a position Escobar doesn't play) in the absence of Cain until recently. Those aren't great choices to drive your point home.

 

And Escobar definitely improves the everyday lineup, no question...but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be in there everyday. I think it's a relative given that he'll regularly play 1b against LHP assuming he transitions smoothly to 1b. The biggest question comes from how much he plays against RHP. That playing time comes at the expense primarily of Urias/Peterson/Tellez, and i'm not convinced he's significantly better or even a better option than Urias/Tellez. I suspect it's more of a rotation, and mostly between Urias/Escobar with Peterson plugging occasionally but mostly getting the short end of the stick. The biggest value I see from Escobar is a significantly improved bench. We don't miss much of a beat with an infield injury, and whoever doesn't start of Peterson/Tellez/Escobar/Urias on a given day will be the guys taking key at bats late in game versus potentially Shaw/Reyes/Hiura.

[RollieTime]

Nice get! Can’t have enough quality bats. I wouldn’t be surprised to see some Urias in the outfield due to injuries, Yelich missing time for Covid, etc. Escobar might play a little outfield too. Being a switch hitter is a plus. This helps come playoff time to have quality pinch hitters and when we play in the World Series and don’t have Reyes or somebody else taking that DH spot.

[brewers888]

Nice acquisition picking up a much needed threat against left handed pitching. Not thrilled with the low OBP that Escobar brings but everything else is a plus.