Is the LaPorta in MLB talk premature?

[Robideaux]

I'm not saying that he is not a good player or that he doesn't have the potential to turn in to a very good major league player, but I keep seeing over and over again that the Brewers shouldn't pursue player X or make this or that defensive switch, etc. because LaPorta's going to be taking over soon.

 

What exactly has LaPorta done that makes him a sure thing? Isn't it entirely possible that LaPorta goes the route of Antone Williamson, Joey Meyer, or Billy Jo Robidoux? Or less dramatically, what if he is simply the next Gabe Gross?

 

I sure hope he achieves greatness, and I can't help but be impressed with him thus far, but I really hope the Brewers don't pass on an opportunity to improve the club based on the assumption that LaPorta is going to be the next Pat Burrell.

 

I know, as Brewers fans, we have been conditioned to always look to the future. But I think that when you don't have the resources to keep all your star players post-arbitration, you are faced with a finite window of opportunity to win a championship. In my estimation, that window is now. They need to do everything they can to put themselves in a position to win this year and the next. I'm not saying to mortgage the future, but rather to bring in the best players we can, for now and perhaps into the future. If in two years, LaPorta is banging on the door, but we have a good young OF entrenched in Left Field, we can deal with that then. Too much talent is rarely a bad thing.

[homer]

For 2008 I think it's definitely premature....and given his recent trials and tribulations in AZL any talk about playing in the bigs should probably be tempered for a little while.

[pogokat]

If laporta follows the Braun model, he'll be up in early 2009..

 

since he's not the hitter braun is, he definitely shouldn't be rushed quicker

[Thurston Fluff]

For LaPorta to be in the picture he'd have to be so good that the team had no choice but to promote him. Ryan Braun type of good. They have to start to sprinkle these guys in when they are ready instead of letting them learn on the job. The team has to have a few cheap productive players to offset the pay increases Prince, Hardy, Weeks, Hart, Parra, Villy and YoGa will start to receive the next couple years.

[Fatter than Joey]

For 2008 I think it's definitely premature....and given his recent trials and tribulations in AZL any talk about playing in the bigs should probably be tempered for a little while.

 

Yeah I agree --- I can't believe LaPorta is being considered an option for 2008 -- unless there are big injuries

[SoCalBrewfan]

To me, the Brewers are better off not rushing LaPorta. The rationale has to do with his salary as well as his development...bringing a player up prematurely means wasting service time on development, when there's a perfectly reasonable job for Laporta on a farm team. However, it's very reasonable IMO to be thinking in terms of short-term solutions in LF right now...one or two years. My reasoning is that between current major leaguers Braun and Hall (obviously both playing other positions right now), and minor leaguers including LaPorta as well as a few others, they have internal candidates for LF that make a long-term contract to a mediocre free agent undesirable.

[TheBrewer]

To me he should be no early than a September Callup to get a look at him, no sooner. People are pretty much saying that LaPorta is going to be a stud and will be our corner OF for years to come. Many prospects seem to flame out or don't develop as quickly. Obviously we've had pretty good success with our prospects but nonetheless it'll take time for LaPorta. Notice right now in the AFL he's batting I believe .230 in 85AB. Small sample size, but look what Braun did last season. Every player though is different, develops at a different pace, develops differently etc.

 

I could see him in the future though as a rich mans Adam Dunn. Not to jinx him or go against what Im' saying, but after development and time, I do believe he could be a stud, but it takes time. When I say rich mans Dunn, I'm thinking not the best defense, 40HR's annually maybe higher during his peak, and a better BA maybe around .260-.280.

[dadofandrew]

No doubt, many are spoiled by the lack of a learning curve Braun showed. Ryan is a once a decade freak, so if Matt can be a .330/.450 rookie in 2009, it'll be great.

[Fatter than Joey]

Not to mention Braun played one whole year in the minors

[ILuvDaBush]

I'm planning on a LaPorta September call-up and anything else is gravy to me. And while his numbers may have fallen off as of late in the AFL, he started out on fire, and I would imagine he has since been focusing more on his defense. Does no one remember when Corey made the switch to the OF? Watching him this year, it is hard to recollect the young cornerstone misplaying flyballs at Miller some 2 years ago in ST against the Pale Hose.

[endaround]

Until college players hit AA its way too early to say anything. Up until that point they can really only show if they are a bust not if they are ready to make a major league team.

[Fatter than Joey]

Until college players hit AA its way too early to say anything. Up until that point they can really only show if they are a bust not if they are ready to make a major league team.

 

Agreed -- Even as great as Braun was/is, he spent one whole season in the minors (parts of 3 seasons). I just don't think LaPorta is as good as a hitter -- (not that being less than Braun is bad)

 

The only way I think LaPorta gets a Sep. call-up would be if the Brewers were 15-20 games out in Sep., or Corey Hart/Prince was out for the year, (or some other sort of extreme injury).

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm sure one reason the Brewers took the very rare step of drafting a 4 year college player that high in the draft was that he presumably was closer to the major leagues than virtually anyone available.

 

That being said, I don't see how he fits in on the 2008 roster barring injury. He's a righthanded hitting slugger. Last I checked, at least 4 other guys now in the lineup fit that category to some extent: Braun, Hardy, Hart, and Hall. Now if anyone of those guys goes down with a serious injury, you could plug LaPorta in LF, and you have the flexibility with Hall to cover all the other positions.

[Robideaux]

Until college players hit AA its way too early to say anything. Up until that point they can really only show if they are a bust not if they are ready to make a major league team.

I guess that's really what I was trying to say. I don't think that the Brewers should count on LaPorta turning into an above average major league player when they are making personnel decisions this off-season. It's just too early to know what kind of player he will eventually become.

With that in mind, I'm not just looking for a "stop-gap" to fill the Menchkins platoon, I'm hoping the Brewers find an "Answer." It just seems foolish to place limitations on who you are going after based on the concern that you will block a player who we can't even know for certain at this point that will make it to the major leagues.

 

Basically, if the talent that it would take to acquire them was roughly equivalent, I would much rather go get Carlos Quentin than Randy Winn.

[JohnBriggs12]

Robideaux,

 

Why would a team that considers itself a prime contender take a risk in handing a starting job to unproven Carlos Quentin, who couldn't win a regular job on the offensively challanged D-Backs over a solid veteran like Winn? The Brewers have studs in place already they don't need a "boom or bust" candidate. They need solid predictable pieces around those studs. Winn is among those who fit that category. Quentin was not an answer in Arizona and likely wouldn't be one in Milwaukee.

[Thurston Fluff]

With that in mind, I'm not just looking for a "stop-gap" to fill the Menchkins platoon, I'm hoping the Brewers find an "Answer." It just seems foolish to place limitations on who you are going after based on the concern that you will block a player who we can't even know for certain at this point that will make it to the major leagues.

 

I guess it depends on how you define stop gap. Carlos Lee could have been considered a stop gap player since he was here for a short time with the idea he would hold the fort until Hart was ready to play. In any event I agree with you stop gap shouldn't mean Craig Counsell as everyday shortstop type player. Even if they get someone with a longer contract it doesn't mean he couldn't be traded when a better alterantive comes up.

[Robideaux]

JohnBriggs12,

 

How predictable is Winn? He was horrible in 2006. He was pretty good last season. He is going to be 34 this year. That's a point where a player can experience a statistical nosedive at any time. For what it's worth, ZiPS has Winn pegged at .282/.338/.429 for next season. He's also going to make a lot of money over the next two years.

 

For the sake of argument, lets say Winn has a .770 OPS next season. Is that worth 8 million dollars and whatever we have to give up to get him. Can't we get the same production out of Menchkins just by standing pat, and use that money to patch up the bullpen.

 

I'd prefer to take a chance on Quentin, who made 381k last season. He flamed out last season, but his rookie season was very good, and his minor league track record is stellar. He is going to be 25.

 

Most of all:

If Winn flames out we are stuck with an albatross of a contract on an aging player. The money we dumped into him was not spent on the bullpen or any other way to improve the team.

 

If Quentin flames out, we are out less than $500,000. Then Gross takes over. You don't hand Quentin the job, but make him earn it. You take that saved money and dump it into other areas.

[TooLiveBrew]

How predictable is Winn? He was horrible in 2006. He was pretty good last season.

 

Agreed, Robideaux. Why people assume that a minor leauge player has no track record is beyond me.

[dadofandrew]

Even veterans do not have consistent year-to-year stats, variance of 10% is normal. Minor injuries, bad luck, and slumps can knock a guy down a bit, and have many saying "he's done". That's a good time to buy.

[1992casey]

Matt shouldn't be on the September, 2008, roster unless he can be useful to the major league club before then. It's a waste of a 40-man roster spot over the winter. Even if he's earmarked to break camp with the team in 2009, he can be added to the roster at the absolute last minute.

 

As of now, I think that 2009 might be jumping the gun. Even if Matt shows he's ready, I don't see a problem at all if the Brewers acquire someone on a two year contract.

[Tbadder]

Worst case scenario: LaPorta = Dave Kingman

 

Best case: LaPorta = Adam Freakin Dunn except with far fewer walks

 

Lets see if he can hit in AA first, and then lets see if his inability to hit lefties in Hawaii is real.

 

I personally don't want to hear his name as he seems any thing but a lock to me.