Spring Training game thread

[liveforoctober]

3 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Does Bauers start in Left opening day?

Shane Smith on the hill for the Sox so it is either he or Mitchell getting the at bats I would guess.

I see no reason not to have Bauers in the lineup against a RHP after this spring.

Frelick

Chourio

Yelich

Contreras

Turang

Vaughn

Bauers

Rengifo

Ortiz

I actually like that lineup a lot.

 

[liveforoctober]

Here's a little nugget on Lockridge from a Yahoo sports article posted today:

– Speaking of Lockridge, the Brewers gave him an inning at first base to end the second exhibition against the Reds. He was getting some work in at the cold corner pre-game and it could be a spot for him to see some action this year, with Murphy noting that they need a third first baseman in the event they have to pinch-run for Andrew Vaughn. This would be similar to Andruw Monasterio’s role at first base we saw last year.

From the same article:

– As for Christian Yelich, he spent last year primarily as the DH with only a small handful of starts in the outfield. That could change this year, according to Murphy. Now another year removed from back surgery, physically he’s capable of handling that kind of workload, but it will largely hinge on what happens in that centerfield platoon between Mitchell and Lockridge.

Murphy noted that if that centerfield group isn’t “offensive enough” that they could put Yelich in the outfield more often, signaling that Jackson Chourio would move from LF to CF similar to how he did last year in the absence of Mitchell.

[SeaBass]

13 hours ago, liveforoctober said:

What is going on with Bauers? Why is he Barry Bonds right now?

Check his hat size.

11 hours ago, wallus said:

Barry Bonds wishes he could hit like Bauers right now.

Cue the Chuck Norris jokes (RIP to a legend).

Jake Bauers' chief export is home runs.

[Underachiever]

10 hours ago, liveforoctober said:

Here's a little nugget on Lockridge from a Yahoo sports article posted today:

– Speaking of Lockridge, the Brewers gave him an inning at first base to end the second exhibition against the Reds. He was getting some work in at the cold corner pre-game and it could be a spot for him to see some action this year, with Murphy noting that they need a third first baseman in the event they have to pinch-run for Andrew Vaughn. This would be similar to Andruw Monasterio’s role at first base we saw last year.

Hey Yahoo, and everyone else, can we stop with "cold corner" as a term? It's stupid. According to the Google, it started gaining use in 2012. I hadn't heard it until this winter. It doesn't describe first base at all. The only reason that first base isn't the hot corner is that there are fewer LH hitters. There is more action at first base in every single game than at second and third combined. Grumble grumble.

Fight me.

[Roderick]

12 hours ago, liveforoctober said:

From the same article:

– As for Christian Yelich, he spent last year primarily as the DH with only a small handful of starts in the outfield. That could change this year, according to Murphy. Now another year removed from back surgery, physically he’s capable of handling that kind of workload, but it will largely hinge on what happens in that centerfield platoon between Mitchell and Lockridge.

Murphy noted that if that centerfield group isn’t “offensive enough” that they could put Yelich in the outfield more often, signaling that Jackson Chourio would move from LF to CF similar to how he did last year in the absence of Mitchell.

That 3rd outfielder better really be struggling for them to bring Yelich in to play the OF.  I will bet he has back issues and can't hit if he ends up there a good chunk of the season.  Don't mess with a good thing.  If anything Yelich can take more days off against tough lefties this season.

[liveforoctober]

12 minutes ago, Roderick said:

That 3rd outfielder better really be struggling for them to bring Yelich in to play the OF.  I will bet he has back issues and can't hit if he ends up there a good chunk of the season.  Don't mess with a good thing.  If anything Yelich can take more days off against tough lefties this season.

.. and even then I don't see the merit. If Bauers' bat is truly his bat of the 2nd half last year .. he needs to be in the lineup anyway. So against RHP just put Bauers in left and Chourio in center and against LHP Lockridge should man center. Unless we think Yelich -> Bauers is a drastic downgrade defensively.

[mudbutt]

Brewers were willing to start Bauers twice in LF in the playoffs so yeah agreed he should start in LF against RHP until performance from him or others dictates otherwise.

[Turning2]

7 hours ago, Underachiever said:

Hey Yahoo, and everyone else, can we stop with "cold corner" as a term? It's stupid. According to the Google, it started gaining use in 2012. I hadn't heard it until this winter. It doesn't describe first base at all. The only reason that first base isn't the hot corner is that there are fewer LH hitters. There is more action at first base in every single game than at second and third combined. Grumble grumble.

Fight me.

I find "bat to ball skills" annoying. Just say contact. 

[Tedaldtada]

Sproat and Harrison both looked the part yesterday.

I’m still fascinated by these games where one guy gives you 9–15 outs, then another gives you 9–15, and someone else finishes the last 1–6. The Brewers are one of the few teams actually built to do this. Their entire staff—yes, even Megill and Uribe—has shown the ability to handle more than a single inning.

One way to win on the margins is by being the team that keeps its pitchers the healthiest. And “healthy” isn’t just avoiding the IL or surgery; it’s making sure your best arms are primed for peak performance after six months of wear and tear.

The things that really stress pitchers—working deep into games, pitching on back‑to‑back days, grinding through long innings, taking the ball on short rest—should be reserved for October, when the risk/reward calculus finally tilts in your favor. During the season, teams often break those rules just to scratch out wins. But if you build enough depth, maybe you don’t have to.

A positionless pitching staff—one that extends beyond the 13 guys on the MLB roster to include another 10+ arms in AA/AAA who can be optioned, shuttled, or acquired as needed—opens the door to some genuinely interesting regular‑season load‑management strategies. It’s a different way of thinking about pitching, but the Brewers might be one of the few clubs actually equipped to pull it off. 

[markedman5]

19 hours ago, liveforoctober said:

Shane Smith on the hill for the Sox so it is either he or Mitchell getting the at bats I would guess.

I see no reason not to have Bauers in the lineup against a RHP after this spring.

Frelick

Chourio

Yelich

Contreras

Turang

Vaughn

Bauers

Rengifo

Ortiz

I actually like that lineup a lot.

 

I got the sense from the last few spring lineups that Turang is likely to hit at or near the top of the order.

[liveforoctober]

1 hour ago, markedman5 said:

I got the sense from the last few spring lineups that Turang is likely to hit at or near the top of the order.

Definitely, I would be a little shocked if he wasn't leading off to be honest and I'm good with it.

His offensive skillset is entering special territory and while I think he is a great lead off guy, I think he could be a major run producer for us hitting #5? 

[ClosetBrewerFan]

10 hours ago, Underachiever said:

Hey Yahoo, and everyone else, can we stop with "cold corner" as a term? It's stupid. According to the Google, it started gaining use in 2012. I hadn't heard it until this winter. It doesn't describe first base at all. The only reason that first base isn't the hot corner is that there are fewer LH hitters. There is more action at first base in every single game than at second and third combined. Grumble grumble.

Fight me.

Let me fix that for you.  i think you were missing a photo 😄

[Team Canada]

1 hour ago, liveforoctober said:

Definitely, I would be a little shocked if he wasn't leading off to be honest and I'm good with it.

McCalvy projected Chourio-Turang-Contreras-Yelich, which feels quite likely to me.

[nate82]

2 minutes ago, Team Canada said:

McCalvy projected Chourio-Turang-Contreras-Yelich, which feels quite likely to me.

I would prefer a Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start lineup over a right, left, right, left lineup.