Harold Hutchison

Frelick's hit tool is assessed as a 70 in MLB pipeline's Top 10 OFs, and is considered the best among OFs, so I'd say a lot of scouts see him as a potential batting champion.

The real issue, I think, is rising expectations. When they came in, the club was rebuilding following two playoff runs in four years (2008-2011). Stearns and Counsell carried out a remarkable turnaround for what is the longest sustained success in Brewers history (from 2017-2022, the team either finished above .500, made the playoffs, or both). Naturally, many people want to see the team make that next step, to make it to the World Series or better yet, win it. That can be tough - because for many folks, they don't see a lot of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes or understand the harsh realities of baseball economics. Then again, when it comes to sports in general, these executives and the managers/coaches are all under a lot more pressure than many fans realize. There is NOT a lot of job security or job openings, and the stress can be a killer in more ways than one. The best teams build a culture that everyone - on the field and off the field - buys into.

The real issue, I think, is rising expectations. When they came in, the club was rebuilding following two playoff runs in four years (2008-2011). Stearns and Counsell carried out a remarkable turnaround for what is the longest sustained success in Brewers history (from 2017-2022, the team either finished above .500, made the playoffs, or both). Naturally, many people want to see the team make that next step, to make it to the World Series or better yet, win it. That can be tough - because for many folks, they don't see a lot of the stuff that goes on behind the scenes or understand the harsh realities of baseball economics. Then again, when it comes to sports in general, these executives and the managers/coaches are all under a lot more pressure than many fans realize. There is NOT a lot of job security or job openings, and the stress can be a killer in more ways than one. The best teams build a culture that everyone - on the field and off the field - buys into.

Oglivie's highs were higher, and given the era, I gave him the edge. You could go either way - but Oglivie had three All-Star Game appearances and a Silver Slugger, Jenkins just had the one All-Star Game appearance and that and the eras ultimately tipped it for me.

True, but the trade tree for Briggs ended up bringing the Brewers one of the three best first basemen they ever had.

Right field is in the pipeline...

Left field sometimes gets a bad rap – often being compared to where the crazy ideas come from. For the Brewers, though, left fielders have included some dominating defense and outstanding offense from players who locked the position down for years, many of whom were superb sluggers. The top five served as the primary starters for 33 seasons – out of 54 in Brewers franchise history, showing that even in the doldrums, left field was rarely a worry for Brewers fans. So which left fielders were the best for the Brew Crew? Let’s take a look. 5. John Briggs .258/.358./441 with 80 HR and 259 RBI in 5 seasons with the Brewers Briggs was the primary starter in left field for three seasons and part of two others with the Crew. He delivered some power from the left side of the plate, saw time at first base, and did so over four decades before Eric Thames did the same. Briggs was traded to Minnesota for Bobby Darwin, who went to Boston for Bernie Carbo, who the Brewers dealt back to Boston with George Scott for Cecil Cooper, who ranked third on the list of best first basemen for the Crew. 4. Greg Vaughn .246/.333/.459 with 169 HR and 566 RBI in 8 seasons with the Brewers Greg Vaughn held down left field for six seasons – and lived up to his first-round draft status. He made two All-Star Game appearances as a Brewer but was dealt in 1996 while having one of his best seasons, with the Brewers receiving Bryce Florie, Ron Villone, and Marc Newfield in return. While he spent a lot of time in left field and at DH, Vaughn made occasional appearances in center and right field. 3. Geoff Jenkins .277/.344/.490 with 221 HR and 733 RBI in 10 seasons. In the doldrums of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Geoff Jenkins spent eight seasons as the primary left fielder. Injuries cost him a lot of games from 2001-2003, depressing his numbers some, but he and Ben Sheets carried the Brewers during a hard time, and Jenkins made the All-Star Game in 2003. He left as a free agent for the 2008 season and won a World Series with Philadelphia later that year. 2. Ben Oglivie .277/.345/.461 with 176 HR and 685 RBI in 9 seasons Acquired in a trade after the 1977 season, Ben Oglivie ended up being a steal for the Brewers (especially after Jim Slaton returned to the Crew as a free agent before 1979). Almost immediately, he forced his way into the lineup and was the primary left fielder for six seasons (but also saw a lot of time as designated hitter and in right field). He also served as the primary DH in 1986, where he was solid. He made three All-Star Game appearances, won a Silver Slugger, and had one top-15 MVP finish. 1. Ryan Braun .296/.358/.532 with 352 HR and 1154 RBI in 14 seasons Ryan Braun was the primary starter in left field for ten seasons, the most of any Brewer, but he also held down right field for two seasons, served as the primary DH in 2020, and won Rookie of the Year at third base in 2007. The all-time franchise leader in home runs, he also topped the team in some sabermetric categories, most notably the power-speed number and adjusted batting wins. Braun has some what-ifs (an injury that affected him after 2013, the move to left field instead of sticking at third), but he was a superb player. Honorable Mentions Khris Davis delivered offense for two seasons as the primary left fielder before an ill-advised deal to Oakland. Carlos Lee was acquired for Scott Podsednik and held down left for almost two seasons before he was dealt in a deal that flopped for the Crew. Christian Yelich is entering his fourth season as the primary left fielder, and while not at his 2018-2019 offensive performance, he was a Gold Glove finalist in 2022. View full article

Baseball Prospectus had Frelick, Mitchell, and Wiemer all in their Top 100 (plus Jackson Chourio). Frelick and Wiemer were in Baseball America's Top 100 before 2022 (https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/affiliate.cgi?id=MIL&year=2022). And Mitchell didn't do too shabby in his 2022 cup of coffee. If Winker does well, and Frelick and Wiemer struggle, keep the latter two in AAA. But if they both do well, then of the outfielders on the Brewers 26-man, Winker probably is the best to move, because then Yelich can DH, and the Crew would have three lefties and two righties, all of those players would provide superb defense. I'm just saying if Frelick and Wiemer force the issue (and given their Top 100 status, that is a strong possibility), then the Brewers need to figure out how to get them to the MLB team.

In this case, I say the Crew should get what it can. The Astros could very well decide to wait out 2023, then sign Stearns and leave the Crew nothing.

Because I'd consider an OF group of Frelick-Wiemer-Mitchell-Taylor-Yelich to be stronger than Frelick-Wiemer-Mitchell-Winker-Yelich. In the first group, the Crew has Frelick-Mitchell-Wiemer starting in the OF, Taylor as the 4th OF, and Yelich as 5th OF/DH. The second option is Yelich-Mitchell-Wiemer, with Frelick as 4th OF and Winker as 5th OF/DH. I think the first group works better, both in terms of balance and in terms of defense.

If Frelick/Wiemer struggle, they stay in AAA, and the Crew doesn't flip Winker. I'm just saying, if Frelick/Wiemer force the issue with superb play in Nashville, it's foolish NOT to call them up, and to move Winker to get some asset for the future.

To put it bluntly, at some point, Frelick and/or Wiemer are going to force their way to the majors at some point in 2023 - very likely by the All-Star break, if not sooner. The question, therefore, is how to maximize the team's potential down the road? Do we just keep Winker on the bench, and see him walk as a free agent with no compensation, or do we try and get something for him that could help the team? The latter option makes a lot more sense to me. Now, Anderson could stick around, leading to Brousseau's DFA, simply because Anderson does have the positional versatility Winker lacks. But if Frelick/Wiemer are tearing the cover off the ball, yeah, I'd move Winker.

Over the years, the shortstop position has seen some iconic players across Major League Baseball. The Brewers have seen some great ones in their time, and some of that wasn’t so long ago. While some dominated the diamond with defense, others overpowered opposing teams offensively. Which shortstops have been the best in Brewers' history? 5. Bill Spiers .256/.306/.338 in six seasons, three as primary shortstop When Gary Sheffield went on the disabled list in 1989, Bill Spiers took over as the primary shortstop and didn’t give the job back. Spiers' calling card was more defense, but he also flashed some speed. The last three seasons in Milwaukee saw Spiers split time with others at shortstop, and he also played in the outfield and infield. 4. Willy Adames .256/.325./.483 with 51 HR and 156 RBI in two seasons Willy Adames has not been in Milwaukee for two full seasons, and he’s already on the charts. One reason is the raw power he displayed – 51 homers and 57 doubles in that time, and he already has displaced a Brewers legend in one statistical category. He’s also provided excellent defense. He could rocket up the charts should the Brewers manage to extend him. 3. Jose Valentin .240/.323/.421 with 90 HR and 343 RBI in eight seasons, six as primary shortstop Jose Valentin was part of the return for Gary Sheffield in a trade before the 1992 season. A switch hitter with power and speed, he held down shortstop for six seasons, a total exceeded by only one other Brewer as the primary starter. The Brewers traded him before 2000, which led to him delivering five more outstanding seasons with the White Sox. 2. J.J. Hardy .262/.328/.438 with 75 HR and 265 RBI in five seasons, four as primary shortstop JJ Hardy was less well-known or as hyped as Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder, but combined with them and Ryan Braun as a devastating 1-2-3-4 punch at the top of the order from 2007-2008. Hardy provided power and defense and even drew occasional walks before he was traded for Carlos Gomez. Ultimately, Hardy's trade tree brought Josh Hader and Adrian Houser to Milwaukee several years after his departure from the Brewers. 1. Robin Yount .286/.331/.427 with 129 HR and 713 RBI in 11 seasons as primary shortstop .285/.342/.430 with 251 HR and 1,406 RBI in 20 seasons overall Could anyone else claim the title as the best shortstop of all for the Brewers? Yount made three All-Star Game appearances and had four top-20 MVP vote finishes as a shortstop. He posted one of the best offensive seasons of all time in 1982 after his offensive breakout in 1980, but he provided excellent defense from his rookie year in 1973. Honorable Mentions Orlando Arcia was a good-field, no-hit shortstop from 2016-2020, but his 2018 post-season is one of the best in team history. Jose Hernandez delivered two superb seasons at shortstop for the Crew. Pat Listach won the 1992 AL Rookie of the Year award before becoming a utility player after 1993. Bill Hall had a memorable season in 2006 after JJ Hardy was injured but was solid in part-time work. Dale Sveum posted a monster 1987 season before a gruesome injury near the end of 1988 derailed his career. Jean Segura had a great 2013 season for the Crew, but personal tragedy made a change of scenery inevitable. Brewer Fanatics, who are your top five shortstops in Brewer history? View full article

At this point, I think Frelick is in AAA, until they flip oneof Hiura/Winker. As things stand now, here's how my 26-man breaks down the position player starts: c: Contreras (95), Caratini (67) 1b: Tellez (135), Hiura (27) 2b: Turang (110), Urias (25). Toro (15), Hiura (12) ss: Adames (135), Turang (17), Urias (10) 3b: Urias (85), Anderson (67), Toro (10) lf: Yelich (110), Hiura (15), Winker (25), Anderson (7) cf: Mitchell (115), Taylor (37), Turang (10) rf: Taylor (95), Anderson (60), Yelich (7) dh: Winker (80), Hiura (35), Contreras (25), Yelich (22)

Harper really was an incredible offensive asset - and I'd have loved to have seen a player with that profile on the 2017-2022 Brewers.

At times, the Brewers have seen some of their best players man the hot corner. At other times, it has been a revolving door where nobody nailed down the position. The recent signing of Brian Anderson, a one-time Marlin, brings into focus the best the Brewers have had at third base over the years. 5. Tommy Harper .264/.354/.410 with 54 HR and 175 RBI over three seasons Harper was arguably the first superstar of the Brewers. During his three seasons manning the hot corner, he posted one 30-30 season while also leading the league in steals (with a record that still stands today in Brewers history) with the Seattle Pilots in their lone 1969 season. Harper brought outstanding on-base skills to the table and handled second base and all three outfield positions. He was dealt to Boston in the deal that brought George Scott to the Brewers. 4. Aramis Ramirez .284/.342/.473 with 65 HR and 262 RBI over four seasons Ramirez was a free-agent signing, and for most of four seasons, he held down the hot corner for the Crew. His first season was the best by far, but he provided solid offensive production during the rest of his tenure until he was traded for Yhonathan Barrios. 3. Don Money .270/.338/.421 with 134 HR and 529 RBI in 11 seasons, five as primary third baseman Don Money was the primary third baseman for five years, held down second base for another, and was a valuable utility player for five other seasons, playing all over the infield. He brought power to the table. Two of his four career All-Star Game appearances came as the Crew’s primary third baseman, along with a top-30 finish in MVP balloting. 2. Jeff Cirillo .307/.383/.449 with 73 HR and 418 RBI in 8 seasons, five as primary third baseman Jeff Cirillo had two stints in Milwaukee. In his first, he proved to be one of the best pure hitters the franchise had ever seen. He made contact, and while he never was a home run threat, he hit many doubles and was able to coax walks before his involvement in a fateful three-team trade before the 2000 season. In his second stint with the team. He saw a return to that form and proved a valuable utility player for two years. 1. Paul Molitor .303/.367/.404 with 160 HR and 790 RBI in 15 seasons, six as primary third baseman The Ignitor ranks as one of the iconic players in franchise history, with a heartbreaking departure via free agency. Injuries robbed him of the 1984 season and parts of others, but when he was on the field, Molitor could crush a home run but also made his mark on the base paths with a franchise record 412 steals. Molitor also held down second base for three seasons, then spent time at first base, center field, and designated hitter. Honorable Mentions While his decision to let Molitor walk in free agency was infamous, Sal Bando served as the primary starter at third base for three seasons for the Crew. Travis Shaw averaged four wins above replacement as the primary third baseman in 2017 and 2018. Ryan Braun posted one outstanding offensive season as the primary third baseman. Since his move to left field, the Brewers had seven primary starters throughout his career, plus others who rotated in. Until Shaw’s arrival, Braun outproduced every primary starter at third base on offense. View full article

I'm thinking of him as playing some at third, some in left field, and some in right field. He's even seen limited action at second and third. So, part of me wonders if Anderson isn't the new Jace Peterson. cf: Mitchell ss: Adames lf: Yelich c: Contreras dh: Winker 3b: Urias 1b: Tellez rf: Taylor 2b: Turang bench: Caratini (C), Anderson (3B/LF/RF/1B), Hiura (1B/LF/2B), Toro (2B/3B/1B)

Having really only followed the Brewers from 1984 on, I never felt impressed by Gantner. Weeks, far and away was the most impressive. You just KNEW something good could happen at the plate in any given AB. Vina was scrappy. Molitor... well, imagine if he'd never moved from second. The rest... hard to really set anyone apart. Urias could be one contender. Turang another. Hiura had a shot after 2019... but slumped a lot in 2021 after showing power in 2020 (wonder if he'd not fallen for the launch-angle fad, if he'd have been better).

I don't think so. Ideally, the Brewers are in a situation where they can bolster the team's long-term prospects by flipping Anderson and Winker for a couple of lottery tickets and/or PTBNLs, and not miss a beat because Frelick/Wiemer/others force their way to the majors due to excellent performance. It's not just about 2023 - it's also about finding the next Freddy Peralta, Fernando Vina, or Manny Pina - all of whom provided or key contributions to the Brewers.

Best case - Anderson hits well, but Wiemer/Owen Miller/Toro also do so well they make it easy for the Crew to flip Anderson at the deadline for a lottery ticket or two - even in a pennant race. Middle case - Anderson hits well, holds down RF and/or 3B. Worst case - Anderson slumps, Brewers DFA him.

Several Brewers have dazzled at second base in the 54 seasons the franchise has existed. Some of the fans’ favorite Brewers held down the keystone of the infield, whether it was outstanding offense, dazzling defense, or just solid standbys. Which ones were the best? Without further ado, we should jump into the list. 5. Jim Gantner .274/.319/.351 with 47 HR and 568 RBI in 17 seasons "Gumby" was the primary starter at second base for nine seasons and added two more as the primary third baseman for the Brewers. Gantner made contact and provided web gems decades before YouTube existed, but his offensive limitations were evident simultaneously. He never won a Gold Glove or made the All-Star Game, and for three full seasons (1988-1990), he did not hit a single home run. But Gantner’s longevity puts him in the top five. 4. Ronnie Belliard .263/.341./.396 with 30 HR and 170 RBI in 4 seasons In three seasons as the primary starter at second base, Ronnie Belliard delivered a lot of doubles and very solid on-base skills. Belliard wasn’t flashy on offense, but he was solid. His biggest problem – he followed Fernando Vina, a fan favorite. The Brewers let Belliard walk as a free agent after the 2002 season, and he ended up providing solid production for the Rockies, Guardians, Nationals, and Dodgers after he left Milwaukee. 3. Paul Molitor .300/.349/.428 with 24 HR and 144 RBI in 3 seasons at 2B .303/.367/.411 with 160 HR and 790 RBI in 15 seasons Brewers fans can always wonder what would have been had Paul Molitor never been moved from second base. In the three seasons he played at second base, he was second place for Rookie of the Year, 20th place for MVP, and received the first of five selections for the All-Star Game. While his greatest glory for the Brewers came at third base and designated hitter, Molitor was an excellent second baseman. Brewers fans can only wonder what might have been had he not been moved to center field and eventually third base. 2. Fernando Vina .286/.349/.389 with 22 HR and 164 RBI in 5 seasons Fearless Fernando – best known for taking on Albert Belle in an infamous collision – was no slouch at second base. Acquired as a player to be named later in the trade that sent Doug Henry to the Mets, his superb on-base skills and speed (26 triples and 57 steals) provided the offensive spark, and he secured an All-Star Game appearance. He secured two Gold Gloves following a trade to the Cardinals, where he posted a .794 OPS in three consecutive postseasons. 1. Rickie Weeks .249/.347/.424 with 161 HR and 474 RBI in 11 seasons Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder famously hit their first major-league home runs in the same game, and for 11 seasons, Weeks provided outstanding offense for the Brewers. Injuries limited his overall success with the team, and he had only one All-Star appearance. The second overall pick in the 2003 draft, Weeks could obliterate opposing pitchers at the plate or burn other teams on the base paths (126 stolen bases). Far and away, Weeks was the best to play second base for the Brewers. Honorable Mentions Ron Theobald delivered outstanding OBP skills during two seasons as the primary second baseman before a sudden retirement. Willie Randolph was a one-season wonder for the Crew in 1991. Kolten Wong provided two outstanding seasons for the Brewers before being traded to Seattle. What are your thoughts, Brewer Fanatics? Give us your top five second basemen in franchise history. View full article