1st base

[alwz4gbp]

Yes, I know it's early in the season and that there is a lot of baseball left.  That being said, how much longer can we put up with Hoskins playing everyday with Bauers as his back up?  It's just a lose/lose right now.  By the end of this month, I expect them to toss Bauers overboard, tell Hoskins to grab some bench and at least give Martinez a decent look.  He'll have a "decent" sample size at AAA by then and maybe the kid deserves a shot and right now, he's mashing.  Hoskins just looks lost and Bauers is what he is.  That is to say a strike out machine who is easily replaceable.   

[Frisbee Slider]

This has been the slowest 14 game start in Hoskins career.

His walk rate in 2025 is 16% which is very good. Too soon to abandon Rhys but we should want him to heat up by May.

[patrickgpe]

Ernesto Martinez Jr was just named IL player of the week for last week. 

[ecjimg]

My guess is that Ernesto is just one of those guys that they wont give a shot unless there's an injury to Hoskins or Bauers. Another asset they could have lost in the rule 5.

[nate82]

5 minutes ago, ecjimg said:

My guess is that Ernesto is just one of those guys that they wont give a shot unless there's an injury to Hoskins or Bauers. Another asset they could have lost in the rule 5.

Doubtful on that.  I think they are just giving Hoskins until sometime in May to figure it out.  It doesn’t make much sense to bring up Ernesto and just have him sitting on the bench 90% of the time.  It is Hoskins that is blocking Ernesto and not Bauers.

[sveumrules]

10 minutes ago, ecjimg said:

Another asset they could have lost in the rule 5.

Pretty rare for teams to select a 1B in the R5.

15 picks in 2024, 10 picks in 2023 with zero 1B.

1B Ryan Noda was one of 15 picks in the 2022 R5 and he put up 122 wRC+ | 2.1 WAR with OAK in 2023 but struggled last year and is currently in AAA with the Angels.

No R5 in 2021 on account of the lockout, but 18 picks in 2020, 11 picks in 2019, 14 picks in 2018 all with no 1B taken.

Mike Ford was one of 18 R5 picks in 2017 but was returned. So out of the last 101 R5 picks only two have been 1B.

[liveforoctober]

41 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Doubtful on that.  I think they are just giving Hoskins until sometime in May to figure it out.  It doesn’t make much sense to bring up Ernesto and just have him sitting on the bench 90% of the time.  It is Hoskins that is blocking Ernesto and not Bauers.

I probably agree that Hoskin gets the rest of the month to figure things out.

After that, he may find himself with a lingering quad issue or something that lands him on the DL for 3 weeks so Ernesto can come show the team if he is going to be overmatched. 

[Jopal78]

3 hours ago, nate82 said:

Doubtful on that.  I think they are just giving Hoskins until sometime in May to figure it out.  It doesn’t make much sense to bring up Ernesto and just have him sitting on the bench 90% of the time.  It is Hoskins that is blocking Ernesto and not Bauers.

Hoskins is making 22 million dollars this year. At that price, he’s going to get every chance to get it going and more. It would be extremely out of character for the Brewers to do anything else. Lorenzo Cain was the  every day centerfielder in 2022 till the middle of June.

[nate82]

36 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

Hoskins is making 22 million dollars this year. At that price, he’s going to get every chance to get it going and more. It would be extremely out of character for the Brewers to do anything else. Lorenzo Cain was the  every day centerfielder in 2022 till the middle of June.

Right but at some point they have to move on or at a minimum use Hoskins as a platoon only.  That’s where Ernesto would come in.  It just doesn’t make sense right now to send Bauers down and bring up Ernesto when he wouldn’t be playing all the time against RHP.  I think they will give Hoskins to sometime in May to figure it out and if he doesn’t then Ernesto comes up to platoon with him.  Bauers is just there because the Brewers don’t really care if he gets AB’s or not.  The Brewers do care that Ernesto is getting consistent AB’s.  

[Jim French Stepstool]

26 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Right but at some point they have to move on or at a minimum use Hoskins as a platoon only.  That’s where Ernesto would come in.  It just doesn’t make sense right now to send Bauers down and bring up Ernesto when he wouldn’t be playing all the time against RHP.  I think they will give Hoskins to sometime in May to figure it out and if he doesn’t then Ernesto comes up to platoon with him.  Bauers is just there because the Brewers don’t really care if he gets AB’s or not.  The Brewers do care that Ernesto is getting consistent AB’s.  

I believe this is pretty close to what they're thinking. Bauers & Martinez are the LHHs in the equation so that sucks for Bauers, who has performed decently in his limited time. IMO they'd like to see Martinez build a little more toward the nice start he's had rather than yank him up here quickly. 

I'm thinking Hoskins is given until June at the earliest.

[Jopal78]

1 hour ago, nate82 said:

Right but at some point they have to move on or at a minimum use Hoskins as a platoon only.  That’s where Ernesto would come in.  It just doesn’t make sense right now to send Bauers down and bring up Ernesto when he wouldn’t be playing all the time against RHP.  I think they will give Hoskins to sometime in May to figure it out and if he doesn’t then Ernesto comes up to platoon with him.  Bauers is just there because the Brewers don’t really care if he gets AB’s or not.  The Brewers do care that Ernesto is getting consistent AB’s.  

 I don’t know, maybe at some point if Hoskins doesn’t get it going, but there’s zero chance Hoskins moves to a platoon role by May,

[brewmann04]

I looking at Martinez will be up by mid season. But my concern is the left side of that infield 

[jay87shot]

As much as I would like to see EMJ in Milwaukee, if he takes Bauers spot there really isn't much playing time. If Rhys, Yeli, or an OF'er get hurt that would be different.

It is Durbin time. Any eta on Mike Boeve in AAA?

[mudbutt]

8 hours ago, jay87shot said:

As much as I would like to see EMJ in Milwaukee, if he takes Bauers spot there really isn't much playing time. If Rhys, Yeli, or an OF'er get hurt that would be different.

It is Durbin time. Any eta on Mike Boeve in AAA?

I would expect EMJ to take Bauers roster spot but not his role.  Given EMJ is a lefty I would expect more of a 50/50 split in playing time and if EMJ produces, Hoskins is the platoon player against lefties.

Also a great update here on EMJ about how his power and contact rate is off the charts so far this year:

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/ernesto-martinez-jr-ian-seymour-headline-10-statcast-standouts-april-14/

[patrickgpe]

On 4/14/2025 at 1:45 PM, ecjimg said:

My guess is that Ernesto is just one of those guys that they wont give a shot unless there's an injury to Hoskins or Bauers. Another asset they could have lost in the rule 5.

The issue is that he is an UFA after this season if the brewers don't add him to the 40. There isn't a rush to do it right now, but I'd like for him to get a chance if Hoskins continues to struggle. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

13 hours ago, jay87shot said:

 

 Any eta on Mike Boeve in AAA?

It's tricky to get info on injured minor leaguers, which is frustrating. Would love to hear something on Quero as well.

[BrewCrewBlueDevil]

Martinez is 2026.  If he does not do well Boeve will be on his way along with Pratt in 2027.  I am speculating......

C- Contreras 

1B- Martinez

2B- Turang

3B- Pratt

SS- Ortiz

LF- Chourio

CF- Mitchell

RF- Frelick

DH- Yelich

[ghostdrew]

10 minutes ago, BrewCrewBlueDevil said:

Martinez is 2026.  If he does not do well Boeve will be on his way along with Pratt in 2027.  I am speculating......

C- Contreras 

1B- Martinez

2B- Turang

3B- Pratt

SS- Ortiz

LF- Chourio

CF- Mitchell

RF- Frelick

DH- Yelich

What makes you think Pratt is playing 3rd

[Brian]

On 4/14/2025 at 11:31 AM, alwz4gbp said:

Yes, I know it's early in the season and that there is a lot of baseball left.  That being said, how much longer can we put up with Hoskins playing everyday with Bauers as his back up?  It's just a lose/lose right now.  By the end of this month, I expect them to toss Bauers overboard, tell Hoskins to grab some bench and at least give Martinez a decent look.  He'll have a "decent" sample size at AAA by then and maybe the kid deserves a shot and right now, he's mashing.  Hoskins just looks lost and Bauers is what he is.  That is to say a strike out machine who is easily replaceable.   

Since Rhys is a Right handed batter and Jake is a Lefty just do what the Brewers have done for years with with pitching matchups.  Jake for righty pitchers Hoskins for lefty's.  I agree, at least make it fare for Jake. Ernesto will be next if neither one of them produce after all star break. 

[Brian]

Also,  The Miami Marlins may trade ace pitcher Sandy Alcantara at the trade deadline, according to various sources and we need pitching in the worst way. 

[TURBO]

4 hours ago, BrewCrewBlueDevil said:

Martinez is 2026.  If he does not do well Boeve will be on his way along with Pratt in 2027.  I am speculating......

C- Contreras 

1B- Martinez

2B- Turang

3B- Pratt

SS- Ortiz

LF- Chourio

CF- Mitchell

RF- Frelick

DH- Yelich

Pratt at 3B?  You got some inside information no one else has?

He's our future SS, simple as that.

[Team Canada]

24 minutes ago, TURBO said:

He's our future SS, simple as that.

Yeah, I think you'd just slide Ortize back to 3B when Pratt comes up.

[nate82]

28 minutes ago, Team Canada said:

Yeah, I think you'd just slide Ortize back to 3B when Pratt comes up.

Made is probably the future SS for the Brewers.  Pratt at 3B is not a crazy idea and some scouts believe he may have to move over to 3B if he gets bigger. 

[Jopal78]

There’s the problem with drawing conclusions after just a couple weeks of games. Hoskins has a good series against the Tigers (6 for 10 with  2 homeruns) and suddenly the Big Fella has got a .753 OPS