Frelick working on second and third base with Dustin Pedroia

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Anticipating somewhat of a logjam in the OF Frelick has been working with former Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia...

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But if the Brewers like what they see of Frelick in the infield, he could become one of their many possibilities at third base. He also could fill in at second, moving in from the outfield if Murphy wants to remove Brice Turang for a right-handed pinch-hitter.

 

Quote

 

Frelick said the idea of him playing infield this spring resulted from a simple request by the Brewers for him to keep taking groundballs. He didn’t need to be told that adding versatility would increase his value to the team. It’s why he always practiced in the infield.

General manager Matt Arnold gave Murphy the go-ahead to proceed with the experiment. The Brewers do not expect Frelick to be Mookie Betts, who moved seamlessly between right field, shortstop and second base for the Dodgers last season. But Murphy is confident Frelick will not be overwhelmed.

“If anyone could make that transition,” Murphy said, “it could be him.”

 

 

https://theathletic.com/5281943/2024/02/17/milwaukee-brewers-sal-frelick-infield/

[Playing Catch]

WHA???

I really didn't see this happening.

[torts]

I expect him to be mookie betts

[igor67]

Did clancy get hired by the Brewers?

[Lathund]

Article mentions that he played infield in high school, summer league and has kept taking groundballs regularly, so it's not like he's starting from scratch. Him being able to play LF, CF, RF, 2B and 3B would certainly help a ton with roster flexibility and avoiding a "logjam" if most/all of the OF prospects make it (Not that said logjam would be a bad thing, never a bad thing to have too many good players). 

[TrackCoach]

I have had the pleasure of coaching a few "pure athletes" over my career.  These athletes seem to excel no matter the situation/position/event you put them in.  While this is a whole different level of professional sports, if there is a Brewer that seems to fit that role it is Sal.  I welcome them at least thinking outside the box and building the line up flexibility.

[TURBO]

Well, I doubt his bat plays at 3B.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'd prefer Frelick focus on how not to hit like a pitcher vs LHP at the mlb level before learning new defensive positions.

[wallus]

I would guess he will be the "emergency" infielder similar to an emergency catcher. That could come in handy if you decide to keep an extra outfielder vs an infielder.

[eddiemathews]

Mod edit: this was pulled from a duplicate thread.

I generally don't look to Fansided for new info, but Reviewing the Brew says that Sal has been working with Dustin Pedroia for playing second base. I've heard this discussed among fans as a logical move, but this is the first I've heard of it actually happening. His quickness, arm, and "grit" seem to make him a prime candidate, and the plethora of outfielders also make it seemingly a no-brainer. I'd be surprised if he would be ready for prime time this year, but you never know.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

40 minutes ago, wallus said:

I would guess he will be the "emergency" infielder similar to an emergency catcher. That could come in handy if you decide to keep an extra outfielder vs an infielder.

The article goes into how this is more than simple "emergency" prep which the Brewers routinely do with multiple players. What the article doesn't go into is what would trigger the move to the IF. A trade opening up an IF need? A trade opening up an IF need and the logical 1st option falters? Or a dream scenario where all of Yelich, Chourio, Mitchell, Frelick, and Wiemer all not only produce and stay healthy, but all perform so well that they need a solution as to how to get all 5 in the everyday lineup. Could be as simple as that somewhat hopeful and slim scenario. That's a lot of lucky health and achieved potential though.

Finally it could all be about building trade leverage by demonstrating they have places to put this glut of OFs and thus don't need to sell any of them at a discount due to a perceived logjam. Honestly, this would be my guess.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Updated the thread title from the one put forth by whomever merged the two threads.. They're having Frelick learn 3rd every bit as much as 2nd. It's 2B/3B as my original topic title indicated. One could even argue that 3rd is the more open position presently. Frelick IS working on both 2nd and 3rd. He's been working on it with Dustin Pedroia at the Brewers prompting and direction. The Brewers came to Frelick with this, not the other way around.

[Brewcrew82]

TBH only move I really need to see Frelick make is to the leadoff spot so Yelich can bat in the 3 hole.

[wallus]

1 hour ago, True Blue Brew Crew said:

The article goes into how this is more than simple "emergency" prep which the Brewers routinely do with multiple players. What the article doesn't go into is what would trigger the move to the IF. A trade opening up an IF need? A trade opening up an IF need and the logical 1st option falters? Or a dream scenario where all of Yelich, Chourio, Mitchell, Frelick, and Wiemer all not only produce and stay healthy, but all perform so well that they need a solution as to how to get all 5 in the everyday lineup. Could be as simple as that somewhat hopeful and slim scenario. That's a lot of lucky health and achieved potential though.

Finally it could all be about building trade leverage by demonstrating they have places to put this glut of OFs and thus don't need to sell any of them at a discount due to a perceived logjam. Honestly, this would be my guess.

When I see SF play those positions in even a Spring Training game, then I will take it more seriously. 

[Jastro]

 

[Platoon Power]

This move tells me the Brewers aren't trading Adames and are only expecting to carry Monasterio as the lone backup infielder.  If your other bench players are a backup catcher, Wiemer/Mitchell and Bauers then you need an emergency infielder to come from your outfield.  

[RobertCrawley]

Just sign Dustin. He's only 40.

[Austin Tatious]

Frelick has the athleticism and arm to play third or second but does he have the accuracy to first on his throws?  That’s a totally different skill set than from the outfield.  I think it’s great that it’s come this far because our decision makers think he can do it.  

[jay87shot]

Frelick has the ability to be a gold glove OF. I doubt he plays any serious amount of infield. 

5 hours ago, Platoon Power said:

This move tells me the Brewers aren't trading Adames and are only expecting to carry Monasterio as the lone backup infielder.  If your other bench players are a backup catcher, Wiemer/Mitchell and Bauers then you need an emergency infielder to come from your outfield.  

This, as an emergency IF it makes sense to get some reps but my guess is he would be a full year or more away from being able to play the IF consistently. It would be great if he could be a quality 2B or 3B but it would probably be easier to just trade an OF than move a guy to a position they have barely played in 6 years.

[SRB]

Good! Probably still a long shot to pan out, but I've always been surprised teams don't do this more often. Playing defense is incredibly hard, but if a guy already has the athleticism and intangibles to be an elite defender at one position, I feel like more often than conventional wisdom would suggest he could move to other non-catcher positions and still be good. Maybe the Betts situation has broken through the orthodoxy that only gritty super-utility infielders can do this.

[liveforoctober]

23 hours ago, Fear The Chorizo said:

I'd prefer Frelick focus on how not to hit like a pitcher vs LHP at the mlb level before learning new defensive positions.

Would you like him to be in the cage for 19 hours a day or should he not do other baseball activities while he is not in the batter's box?

[HarryDoyle]

Hey everybody, would you do this trade?

 

[Playing Catch]

24 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Hey everybody, would you do this trade?

 

I would be bitterly disappointed with this trade. There are a LOT of paths Zavala, the prospect could take that would make this a bad trade. There is only one path Zavala the prospect could take that would make this work, and that would be if he was able to hit with enough power to validate his average corner-OF defense, which is not what scouts are expecting from him.

[CheeseheadInQC]

40 minutes ago, HarryDoyle said:

Hey everybody, would you do this trade?

 

I wouldn’t. I like the plate discipline, but that contact rate scares me. Even if the ceiling is slightly higher than Frelick, the floor is just so much lower.

[sveumrules]

I’m not sure what “(tier 1) prospect” is supposed to mean, but by my definition the only tier 1 prospect in the Padres system would be Salas.

I’d say Merrill is a clear tier below Salas and easily a tier above everyone else. If one wanted to put De Vries in this tier too I could see it on upside, but he’s still so far away.

Third tier for me would be the pitchers - Snelling, Lesko, Iriarte and Thorpe. This would be the most aggressive placement I could see giving to Zavala but considering the hit tool and corner OF risk, I’d have him as a tier four prospect at best, or not nearly enough to get Frelick by himself.