New Rosenthal article with a bunch of Brewer tidbits

[Terok Balefire]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7890610?MSNHPHMA

 

Yes, the Brewers are serious about batting the pitcher eighth and Jason Kendall ninth. The team's assistant scouting director, Tony Blengino, and statistical analyst Dave Lawson suggested that such an arrangement could help the club score 25 to 30 more runs.

Manager Ned Yost first began toying with Kendall and Rickie Weeks as dual leadoff hitters when he was considering batting Ryan Braun second. Mike Cameron will hit in the No. 2 hole instead after he completes his 25-game suspension, but Yost still likes the idea of Kendall hitting ninth.

The plan, Yost says, makes sense only because Kendall is a unique hitter - one with a career .375 on-base percentage and extreme ground-ball tendencies. Hitting him behind the pitcher would help prevent him from grounding into double plays.

The article also mentions Braun's transition to LF and how he should do well, but what I like is that the article at the end mentions LaPorta and how a scout thinks he is a beast and should rise to the big leagues fast.

[wallus]

I would have to believe that the plan would be to put Hart in center next year and LaPorta in left. Now that would be the best outfield in baseball.

[1992casey]

I've moved some posts to the Designated Lineup Thread.

[logan82]

Yup, bringing up LaPorta is going to be a big discussion next offseason.

[Time for a Miller]

Ohhh no we're going to have to many outfielder's. I thought Hart would be in CF this year actually. I think next offseason we'll wait till the all-star break or May and call LaPorta up if he is doing well in AAA by the end of this year. I can't believe I don't remember this, but do we have an option for Cameron for next year? If we do we might pick that up and have a quality player for April and then a very nice bench player the rest of the way.

[pogokat]

yeah, there's a 10 million dollar option on cameron

[DrWood]

Yup, bringing up LaPorta is going to be a big discussion next offseason.

 

I predict it might be a big discussion around the middle of July.

[logan82]

DrWood wrote:

I predict it might be a big discussion around the middle of July.

I hope not. At some point we are going to have to start leaving guys down in the minors who may be ready to play in MLB.

[Gopher74]

DrWood wrote:

I predict it might be a big discussion around the middle of July.

I hope not. At some point we are going to have to start leaving guys down in the minors who may be ready to play in MLB.

I'm sorry, I don't follow this logic. Why would it be in any way a bad thing if LaPorta performs to a level this year that makes it a reasonable and viable questions as to whether we'd be better served calling him up right now?

 

I just don't see how his success could be looked upon as anything but positive?

 

[RightFieldCoder]

The big pressure to bring up Braun last year was half due to Braun dominating AAA and half how badly our MLB 3B was doing. If there is pressure to bring up LaPorta this year it would mean someone in the outfield is doing bad. That is not good for our MLB team.

[BrewCrewForever]

LaPorta in LF

Hart in CF

Braun in RF

 

That would be sweet.

[YoGo24]

Would Braun really move again? That would be one great outfield though.

[DrWood]

The big pressure to bring up Braun last year was half due to Braun dominating AAA and half how badly our MLB 3B was doing. If there is pressure to bring up LaPorta this year it would mean someone in the outfield is doing bad. That is not good for our MLB team.

If LaPorta's OPS is north of 1.200, he'd be useful, pretty much regardless of any reasonable output of the ML guys.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd say the chances of Matt posting a 1.200 OPS at Nashville this year are small enough to not even worry about it.

[DrWood]

I'd say the chances of Matt posting a 1.200 OPS at Nashville this year are small enough to not even worry about it.

Oh ye of little faith. Open "The Door"--I think that's the translation of LaPorta.

 

[Fatter than Joey]

Oh ye of little faith. Open "The Door"--I think that's the translation of LaPorta.

 

For LaPorta to come this year would put him on a faster track than Braun -- that's probably not reasonable to expect.

[sbrylski]

Oh ye of little faith. Open "The Door"--I think that's the translation of LaPorta.

 

For LaPorta to come this year would put him on a faster track than Braun -- that's probably not reasonable to expect.

Less time in the system as Braun, but Braun was drafted as a junior and LaPorta as a senior. I think we'll see LaPorta this season, but not until September. (Hopefully, sooner means injuries.)

 

[Fatter than Joey]

Braun had only ~100 less ABs at the college level. I don't think LaPorta is as refined as Braun

[sbrylski]

Braun had only ~100 less ABs at the college level. I don't think LaPorta is as refined as Braun

108 less ABs, 182 less PAs, and 50 less games. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

[endaround]

LaPorta won't even be in Nashville until July. Let the guy actually hit AA pitching before sitting Ryan Braun so he can play in Milwaukee

[1992casey]

If there were a compelling case to add LaPorta to the 40-man before September, fine. If there's temptation to call him up in September just to be here, save the roster spot for flexibility over the winter.