When will Sal Frelick be called up?

[Thurston Fluff]

38 minutes ago, Playing Catch said:

I thought the Steamer 600 projections for the Brewers were really, really interesting. IF the Brewers have similar projections, and IF they view him as an "every day" player (as much as they view anyone as an every day player), I believe he'll start on opening day, because they would feel that he is their best option.

In my opinion, we tend to over-emphasize service-time manipulation. It absolutely happens, and the Brewers have certainly done it, but they've also clearly made decisions based on winning, as well.

I agree the service time thing may be getting overdone. Arcia was brought up before he was truly ready IMHO and he wasn't being brought up because they needed him to compete for a playoff spot. If they were going to manipulate service time he would have been a prime candidate to keep in the minors for at least another year. I think Arcia is also a good example of what can happen if you rush a player up too fast.

[Brewcrew82]

4 minutes ago, Thurston Fluff said:

I agree the service time thing may be getting overdone. Arcia was brought up before he was truly ready IMHO and he wasn't being brought up because they needed him to compete for a playoff spot. If they were going to manipulate service time he would have been a prime candidate to keep in the minors for at least another year. I think Arcia is also a good example of what can happen if you rush a player up too fast.

Also worth noting that the Brewers will receive draft pick compensation if Frelick is on the OD roster, and finishes in the top 3 of the ROY vote (which he is more than capable of doing as a top 30 prospect with a 70 grade hit tool). 

[kalle8]

Welcome Sjin Wook Lee, very glad to have another oversea fan.

I tried to find out (without success) why Frelick was about to play for Italy, and now that I listend to his interview I'll root for him even more.

I am italian and my Granpa was from Makarska, Croatia.

Also Brewers farmer Vassallotti is playing for team Italy, I will watch the games and report...

[Outlander]

With Taylor maybe not ready for opening day would like to see them go with Frelick from the start. If both Mitchell and Frelick are playing well then it is a good problem to have. If one is struggling then can option that player down once Taylor is back. There are a lot of X factor articles around here but Frelick could be a true X factor if given the chance to play. Naquin is another journeyman that isn't going to get them anywhere.

[DR28]

57 minutes ago, Outlander said:

With Taylor maybe not ready for opening day would like to see them go with Frelick from the start. If both Mitchell and Frelick are playing well then it is a good problem to have. If one is struggling then can option that player down once Taylor is back. There are a lot of X factor articles around here but Frelick could be a true X factor if given the chance to play. Naquin is another journeyman that isn't going to get them anywhere.

Naquin is a nice bat as left hand side of platoon in RF.

[Playing Catch]

Without considering any other factors but "who is the best option for the roster right now," I think Naquin is gunna keep Frelick on the farm for the foreseeable future. Naquin has enough of a track record to be expected to outperform Frelick this season as a platoon option. This disappoints me only because I am excited to see Frelick.

[TURBO]

I'm telling you guys, if Frelick has a GREAT spring, he will start on the opening day roster.  Especially if Taylor is out for a significant period of time.

There is nothing wrong with starting two rookies in the OF if they have earned it.

So far so good!

[nate82]

I still think June is the earliest we see Frelick but I wouldn't mind being wrong on this. 

[wibadgers23]

The only reason Frelick would start the year in AAA over Naquin is for service time purposes, not because Naquin is any better. Frelick is obviously MLB ready. I think Frelick gets the call sometime in May.

[Brewcrew82]

Yeah. Pretty much zero baseball reason for Frelick to be in AAA at this point. He could hit at the top of the order right now. 

[MVP2110]

1 hour ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Yeah. Pretty much zero baseball reason for Frelick to be in AAA at this point. He could hit at the top of the order right now. 

He played in 46 games in AAA last year, I agree he's probably ready for the Major Leagues but I think there is a very real reason to want to see him in AAA for a month regardless of service time reasons

[Brewcrew82]

5 minutes ago, MVP2110 said:

He played in 46 games in AAA last year, I agree he's probably ready for the Major Leagues but I think there is a very real reason to want to see him in AAA for a month regardless of service time reasons

Maybe. But I don't see it following the Tyrone Taylor injury. 46 games of extremely high level hitting is more than enough imo, particularly for a prospect with his hit tool. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Yeah. Pretty much zero baseball reason for Frelick to be in AAA at this point. He could hit at the top of the order right now. 

Who would you bump from the lineup to play him?

[Brewcrew82]

55 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Who would you bump from the lineup to play him?

I’d put him in for the injured Tyrone Taylor and bat him leadoff. Otherwise, we’re looking at a lot of Tyler Naquin/Brian Anderson…

[Brock Beauchamp]

22 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

I’d put him in for the injured Tyrone Taylor and bat him leadoff. Otherwise, we’re looking at a lot of Tyler Naquin/Brian Anderson…

I mean, sure, but is Taylor not going to be in the OD lineup?

[Brewcrew82]

4 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I mean, sure, but is Taylor not going to be in the OD lineup?

 

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Given the narrow window left with Burnes and Woodruff, I thought it was absurd to play with service time window with Frelick because they had the almighty Tyrone Taylor. Now Taylor might be out of the picture for OD, and people are acting like Tyler Naquin can just be penned in as the solution. Let's face it, this team's best case scenario is one with Frelick living up to expectations. So what sense does it make to keep pushing his debut back given the short time left with this pitching. Do we want to go for it or not while we have these guys? Rip off the bandaid and get to the point where Frelick is one of the best bats in the lineup before Woody and Burnes are pitching elsewhere.

[DR28]

14 hours ago, TURBO said:

I'm telling you guys, if Frelick has a GREAT spring, he will start on the opening day roster.  Especially if Taylor is out for a significant period of time.

There is nothing wrong with starting two rookies in the OF if they have earned it.

So far so good!

I wouldnt be so sure of that... If TT starts season on IL, Naquin will take his roster spot.

[brewcrewdue80]

Naquin isn't on the 40 man. Damn sure hope they don't jettison a player on the 40man for Naquin over doing so for Frelick. 

I will say this though. Joey Wiemer is legit competition on Frelick being the prospect chosen to play opening day.

Scanning the 40man position players to remove, Je'Von Ward, Blake Perkins, Payton Henry, Owen Miller, and Blake Perkins are probably an easy removal.

I mean looking at those 5 it is reasonable to choose Naquin to maintain service time. Though the ROY voting could ruin that manipulation in first place. 

Experience is the best option if the front office intends to trade any of the big 3 this offseason. If they only want 1 more shot with those guys seeing ML pitching  vs AAA pitching will have these guys be more helpful on a playoff run.

Now if the front office has the QO plan keeping the talent for 1 extra year to come together, it's understandable to hold back a couple weeks or 2months. They will still have over 1 year experience.

[Brock Beauchamp]

8 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

 

Oh, I'm aware of Taylor's status, just saying it's not a sure thing either way yet.

[MVP2110]

15 minutes ago, brewcrewdue80 said:

Scanning the 40man position players to remove, Je'Von Ward, Blake Perkins, Payton Henry, Owen Miller, and Blake Perkins are probably an easy removal.

Huh? Not sure who you meant as Ward isn't on the 40 man and you listed Perkins twice

[Outlander]

40 man roster spots shouldn't be an issue with all of the 40 man guys out of options and Wilson eventually going on the 60 day IL.

[Brewcrew82]

I suppose we could get by with Naquin for a few weeks. But if Taylor is going to be out for longer they should really go with Frelick, who is as ready as it gets from a hitting standpoint. 

The FO would be walking a very fine line between trying to go for it and trying to manipulate service time and save $ if it decided to keep Frelick down until June. If Frelick is as good as we think he is, we can offer him an early extension anyways a la the Braves. Not to mention we could potentially be in line for draft pick compensation. There’s a time to play games as a small market; this isn’t one of those imo.

[Brock Beauchamp]

4 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

I suppose we could get by with Naquin for a few weeks. But if Taylor is going to be out for longer they should really go with Frelick, who is as ready as it gets from a hitting standpoint. 

The FO would be walking a very fine line between trying to go for it and trying to manipulate service time and save $ if it decided to keep Frelick down until June. If Frelick is as good as we think he is, we can offer him an early extension anyways a la the Braves. Not to mention we could potentially be in line for draft pick compensation. There’s a time to play games as a small market; this isn’t one of those imo.

I'm generally okay with service time manipulation but start becoming irritated if it bleeds into super two manipulation.

I totally get wanting that extra year of control but keeping a guy down just to save a few bucks, I can't get behind that.

[homer]

4 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm generally okay with service time manipulation but start becoming irritated if it bleeds into super two manipulation.

I totally get wanting that extra year of control but keeping a guy down just to save a few bucks, I can't get behind that.

I agree. GM's get roasted in the moment because it appears like it's hurting your team but no one says anything X years down the line when the team has an extra year of control.