2013 Brewers Bench

[DR28]

Any ideas on who will fill out our Bench? I know Maldonado, Gamel & Schafer are locks but the last two spots I have no idea... I could see Donnie Murphy winning the backup IF spot.

 

Locks

Maldonado

Gamel

Schafer

 

My thoughts on the last 2 spots...

Donnie Murphy

Power-hitting OF/Pinch Hitter

[jerichoholicninja]

Bianchi has to be a lock. They need another short stop.

[DR28]

Bianchi has to be a lock. They need another short stop.

 

Murphy plays 2B, SS & 3B.

[MNBrew]

I'm not convinced Donnie Murphy's any better a player for the bench than Jeff Bianchi. Given those options, I still hope Alex Gonzalez re-signs because he wouldn't be overly expensive (compared to the contract he'd sign to be a starting SS), he's got tons more experience, he's got an incredible glove, and he's a better hitter. I think he'd be easily passable enough at 3B & 2B, and Taylor Green's also plenty capable at 2B & 3B.

 

I like a season-opening bench of...

 

Schafer (OF, obviously)

Gamel (corner IF & corner OF)

Green (3B, 2B, 1B, & corner OF in a pinch)

Gonzalez (SS & other IF spots)

Maldonado ©

[djoctagone]

bianchi is out of minor league options. if he doesn't break camp with the club, a spot on the 40-man opens up for a minor leaguer like donnie murphy.

[yoshii8]

I'd go with Bianchi (ss/2b), Gamel (1b/3b/OF), Maldanado ©, Schaefer (OF), and let Green, Gindl and Khris Davis battle it out for the last spot in spring training.

[Dragonbait]

I believe Bianchi could also be our Emergency Catcher, but I could be wrong about that.

[markedman5]

I hope the last guy is a right handed hitter with some pop who can give Aoki a rest against at least some lefties.

 

I suppose it could be a first baseman and you could then move Hart out there but my guess is the Brewers would probably like to let Corey just settle in and first now that he has made the switch.

[JohnBriggs12]

Bianchi is a pretty good player. He was a high pick (50th overall) by the Royals in 2005. He was well on his way after hitting .315/.356/.441 as a 22 year old at high A and AA in 2009. Then he got hurt and missed all of 2010, after which the Royals got Escobar from the Brewers, making him expendable. He regressed some in 2011 but wasn't awful repeating AA. Then last year between AA and AAA, he hit 325/.379/.429. The Brewers have themselves a nice player here and he's only 26. I think he'll do fine.

[Warning Track Power]

Barring a dramatic falloff in Spring Training, I think the bench could be almost carved in stone already:

 

C: Maldonado

1B/OF: Gamel

SS: Bianchi

OF: Schafer

2B/3B/1B: Green

 

I for one would like to see a RH power hitting bat off the bench because frankly I don't see the Brewers using Maldonado or Bianchi given the inability of the other backups to play C or SS. I just wish we could combine Green and Bianchi into one player that can play all IF positions like a Hairston or Counsell could, which would then open a spot for this RH hitter.

[joepepsi]

Barring a dramatic falloff in Spring Training, I think the bench could be almost carved in stone already:

 

C: Maldonado

1B/OF: Gamel

SS: Bianchi

OF: Schafer

2B/3B/1B: Green

 

I for one would like to see a RH power hitting bat off the bench because frankly I don't see the Brewers using Maldonado or Bianchi given the inability of the other backups to play C or SS. I just wish we could combine Green and Bianchi into one player that can play all IF positions like a Hairston or Counsell could, which would then open a spot for this RH hitter.

 

I like this bench but it's missing the Branyan/Kotsay/Ishikawa/Kapler PH Veteran Gamer guy that Doug likes to have. There's that old school belief the VG is better as a PH'er than an inexperienced kid. If he adds someone like through an NRI or cheap one year, I expect Schafer or Green to start in AAA, depending on the VG's defensive skillset.

[jerichoholicninja]

That's a good point. The Brewers haven't signed their token old, washed up guy who will inexplicably get too much playing time yet.

[markedman5]

I don't think they need Green. Bianchi can play SS, 2nd or 3rd and Gamel can play first and probably some outfield or 3rd in a pinch.

 

Give me a righthanded hitter for the last spot.

[JohnBriggs12]

Green is not a lock by any means. Bianchi is highly likely to stick given his lack of options and ability to play SS. Murphy is in the mix with Green for the 25th spot.. There's still some decent veteran RH bats out there in the FA market. Gonzalez has been talked about. Theriot, Cedeno, Freddie Sanchez, and my personal pick, Jeff Baker are others. Some of those guys if not all will have to accept minor league deals. That'll all get sorted out by ST.

[MNBrew]

Barring a dramatic falloff in Spring Training, I think the bench could be almost carved in stone already:

 

C: Maldonado

1B/OF: Gamel

SS: Bianchi

OF: Schafer

2B/3B/1B: Green

 

I for one would like to see a RH power hitting bat off the bench because frankly I don't see the Brewers using Maldonado or Bianchi given the inability of the other backups to play C or SS. I just wish we could combine Green and Bianchi into one player that can play all IF positions like a Hairston or Counsell could, which would then open a spot for this RH hitter.

Gonzalez is your RH power guy, your late-signing veteran & clubhouse guy, and addresses SS coverage w/ a far better glove than Bianchi. He's also not a $4M/yr. guy (like last year) at this point, maybe only half that, so it's no wonder he has the standing offer from Doug Melvin.

 

It's also conceivable that since Green has at least one if not two options (since he wasn't added to the 40-man 'til late 2011 and never off the 25-man 'til optioned at the end of ST last year, thus using only his 1st option), Bianchi could stick even if Gonzalez signed.

[RobDeer 45]

If we grabbed Gonzo, do you think that could be an issue for Segura? If he starts off slow, people will be calling for Gonzo.

 

I think that can go both ways, gives us a great backup if Segura struggles, but could maybe cause issues for him too. Just throwing that out there.

[joepepsi]

I would like to see Green get a legitimate shot to contribute to the team, but I wonder if he won't spend the year in AAA. He didn't have a particularly good season last year. I wouldn't surprised if the organization feels he's expendable, or at least not the sort of talent that you keep a spot open for.

 

He's a 1B only in Ron Roenicke's eyes. Few teams keep a backup 2B/3B that doesn't play ss, unless it's a platoon situation. Brewers' 2B/3B guys play everyday, and Bianchi can back them up on Sunday afternoons.

 

As I see it, Green will never get a chance until Weeks or Ramirez is gone. By then, Bianchi may have already established himself on the team.

[MNBrew]

If we grabbed Gonzo, do you think that could be an issue for Segura? If he starts off slow, people will be calling for Gonzo.

 

I think that can go both ways, gives us a great backup if Segura struggles, but could maybe cause issues for him too. Just throwing that out there.

If our best backup SS option is Bianchi or Donnie Murphy, then we're potentially in a deep mess if Segura struggles. I think having Gonzalez around is a very wise move, esp. from the standpoint of QUALITY DEPTH, which, as we learned at the SS position last year, you can never have enough of!

 

If Segura's so fragile that he can't handle the presence/pressure of a veteran backup, that's pretty darn shaky makeup and could possibly indicate future "high maintenance" tendencies. But I haven't heard any of those sorts of rumbles. To me, if Segura's good enough, he'll earn the spot and also work hard to earn it back if he gets sat down for a couple games.

[djoctagone]

it'd be easier for us to predict the brewers' bench if we knew if any of the non-roster invitees had opt-out clauses in their minor league contracts.

 

for example, if donnie murphy doesn't have an opt-out clause, he's part of the organization for the entire season. bianchi (he of the 40-man roster but out of minor league options) has to make the team out of spring training, or we risk losing him from the organization entirely.

[patrickgpe]

i hope gonzalez comes back but if he doesn't I'll assume Murphy takes the utility IF role and we have a bench of: maldonado, murphy, gamel, schafer. I am assuming one more guy is brought into camp, like what they did with morgan 2 years ago who will be given a chance to make the team.

[valpocrewsader]

I am assuming one more guy is brought into camp, like what they did with morgan 2 years ago who will be given a chance to make the team.

 

You're assuming we'll be trading a semi-respectable prospect for a highly-skilled (but cancer-ish) MLB starter in his prime? That would be intriguing for sure, but it seems to be an awfully specific and optimistic asumption to make. Not trying to be confrontational, just genuinely curious as to what kind of deal you think is out there to land us a quasi-difference maker like Morgan.

[djoctagone]

assuming that alex gonzalez comes in next week on a major league deal, the bench appears to be forming.

 

maldonado, schafer and gonzalez appear to be locks. gamel moves from the bench to a starting role.

 

green and bianchi might have an in.

 

any player signed to a minor league deal might have an in.

 

there seems to be a lot of focus on how the brewers will back up at first base, and how they'll back up the middle infield.

 

with hart out for two months, and gamel primarily at first, are the brewers too thin in the outfield with just schafer? does gindl make the club as a backup outfielder?

[ilikewisco]

Though they would almost need to carry another catcher, I would love to see Maldonado get some starts at 1st while Hart is out.

[umphrey]

Though they would almost need to carry another catcher, I would love to see Maldonado get some starts at 1st while Hart is out.

 

Why? His bat wouldn't play there, and his defense would be bad due to physical size and inexperience.

[ilikewisco]

I'm sure he could handle first fine. I would just like to see if his bat is as good as it was last year or if he is really just a back up/all defense catcher.