Jake McKibbin

Anyone can get hot... We gave Jon Singleton less, and he's just had a multi homer game and looked hot with the Astros. It's too small a sample size but I'd definitely say both Santana and Canha early on (more Canha) hit into some hard luck. A foot either side and Santana doubles in Contreras with a rocket in the first today for instance Also I remember something Adam Frazier said about Santana making the rookies hit better last year when he joined the mariners. Said he's an incredible hitting coach still playing and was heavily involved in their hot offensive streak. *Cough* Brice Turang has looked good recently hasn't he?

Unlike last season, the Brewers have plenty of reinforcements ready in the upper levels of their farm system. Their lineup needs a boost. These hitters are ready for the September call. Image courtesy of Mike Krebs, Biloxi Shuckers Unlike last season, the Brewers have plenty of reinforcements ready in the upper levels of their farm system. Their lineup needs a boost. These hitters are ready for the September call. Assuming Craig Counsell will be adding one pitcher and one hitter when the schedule rolls into September, there are a plethora of options available to him. Below we will consider the players battling for a spot, but also include a few long-shot bets as well. Certainly, much strategy will be used to determine which players can add a dimension for the team that it needs. Hitters IF Abraham Toro One thing Counsell values is versatility, and for that reason, as well as several positive experiences so far with the big league club, Toro should be the frontrunner to get the call. Having hit two home runs in his 18 at-bats so far with the Brewers, while performing above expectations at first base, and the ability to adequately play at second or third base, he fits the usual profile of a Brewers late-season callup. He isn’t a quality defender at either of the latter positions, but he is passable, on top of which he’s a switch hitter which opens up a myriad of opportunities in late-game situations to use his bat off the bench. The Brewers roster currently features a lot of outfielders, so it makes sense that an infielder is the likely addition, and Toro’s versatility, on top of his torrid run of form in July where he hit .386/.443/.700, should give him the nod. It may not be the most exciting of picks, but it does just… fit. Tyler Black Tyler Black was only recently promoted to Triple-A Nashville, but he is one of the most exciting hitters in the Brewers system. He has demonstrated outstanding plate discipline and quality bat-to-ball skills. That can be shown in his results. He has a 19.7% strikeout rate and a 15.9% walk rate. The 2021 top pick has also displayed a notable increase in his power production. At the same time, he has maintained his great speed. He had eight triples and a massive 47 stolen bases at Double-A Biloxi prior to his promotion. Coming into the season, he was very raw at the hot corner, but throughout the year, has improved to the point that he is now making difficult plays look routine. He may never be a plus-defender, but he can definitely handle himself just fine at third base. He has spent some time at first base as well. He has shown good range and hands so far in his limited action there. For Black to get the nod, he will have to show his above-average bat translates easily and quickly to Triple-A pitching. His plate discipline should provide a good floor for his production, but it is his power potential that could make the difference between him and Toro. He’ll have a month or so to show he can make a difference at the plate in Nashville. That is where the Brewers need the most help. If his bat plays, he’ll play. Out-of-Left-Field Options Patrick Dorrian Dorrian is unlikely to be the first name on many people’s lists, but he provides something the others may not: Raw Power. He has been hot of late. He hit .286/.391/.571 in July with the Sounds and gone bananas to start August with five home runs so far, hitting .393/.433/1.036 for a monstrous OPS. When he hits balls, they stay hit, and the Brewers could really do with some middle-of-the-order punch to help them put up crooked numbers. Jackson Chourio As mentioned previously, the outfield is filled to the brim in the current roster makeup. However, if he gets a promotion to Triple-A, the organization's top prospect has the ability to be a true difference-maker. He’ll have less time at the top level of the minors compared to Tyler Black, and the power has cooled off a little bit in August, but he could be the type of player that carries the team. He’s that good. Keston Hiura I’d be remiss not to at least mention Hiura, although with Canha, Santana and soon, Rowdy Tellez covering first base, and the outfield sorted, it may be tough to get playing time without the aforementioned players getting DFA’d. His bat has been very different since his return from injury, lacking the power he had to start the season. However, his strikeout rate has stayed low while hitting .278/.394/.442. Of note, that OBP is fueled by a lot of hit by pitches. If he finds the timing he had in April and May, he can carry an offense. If not, it’ll be next year for dear Keston. Are there other hitters that you think warrant consideration for a September call-up? Which of the above names do you think could make the biggest difference to a struggling lineup in September? View full article

Yophery Rodriguez definitely hasn't been as metronomic as he started the year, 2 K's to open the game today. Anthony Flores with seven strikeouts through five innings of work, giving up just two hits and a HBP

While I definitely don't see this happening currently, especially with time dwindling on a promotion to Triple A in time to push his case, this is an unlikely scenario. However he does have the raw ability to force the team's hand, and in a close division race he could be the difference maker. He has that in him, and the energy he'll bring alongside him could change everything this season, like Arozarena did for a pitch first Tampa Bay Rays team That being said, I do agree the Brewers value their 40 man spots, it's potentially a reason why Jarvis was traded given he'd need protection from the rule five draft this year. So we'll see, but if they genuinely think he could make a difference, and he forces their hand, I don't believe the Brewers will stand in his way

As long as he doesn't pass 130 regular season plate appearances, he is in fact still eligible for it next year. Corbin Carroll came up in September last season and is likely to win the title this season

Three years ago, a rookie outfielder who arrived in September became the linchpin of a pennant-winning Rays team. Could the Brewers reprise that drama, with a younger and even more dynamic talent? Image courtesy of © Curt Hogg / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Three years ago, a rookie outfielder who arrived in September became the linchpin of a pennant-winning Rays team. Could the Brewers reprise that drama, with a younger and even more dynamic talent? When rosters expand in September, it isn’t uncommon for top prospects to arrive and grab a cup of coffee in the majors. In this case, however, the Milwaukee Brewers are in a tight playoff run, and anyone they promote needs to be ready to contribute immediately. Still, their outfield has struggled to consistently produce outside of Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick, meaning there is a spot open for Jackson Chourio--should the Brewers feel sure that he’s ready. Here are a few reason to believe that he is:. Chourio’s strikeout rate has decreased over the course of the year, beginning to allay the biggest concern most scouting evaluators have had about his future production. Even against the stickier ball the Southern League used in the first half, he was steadily improving, and he really took off in July, recording a strikeout rate of 10% while winning Minor League Player of the Month honors with a 1.164 OPS; more extra-base hits than strikeouts (just nine in all of July); and a whopping nine stolen bases. In other words, he took off. He’s hitting .323 in August, as well, so the hit tool seems to be seriously improved. He also checks a box the Brewers consider non-negotiable, in that he plays premium defense in center field, or any part of the outfield for that matter. He’s produced an array of highlight-reel catches, and he's developed his arm to the point that he’s recorded four outfield assists from center so far this year. His speed and his excellent routes have been a huge plus, giving him a high floor as a defender. That, along with a 17.1% strikeout rate over the last 90 days, gives an idea of the minimum impact he could have. His ceiling, however, is Sistinesque. He recently set the record for home runs by a teenager in Double A (previously owned by star sluggers Giancarlo Stanton and Fernando Tatis Jr., and has been pummeling balls all season to all parts of the ballpark. It’s truly astonishing the number of line drive home runs he’s hit to the opposite field, and just how hard he hits the ball. Here are his splits over the year: The question, then, becomes how he would handle himself at Triple-A Nashville, where a spot may just have opened up with the trade of Tyler Naquin to the Chicago White Sox. With a ball that was being tested, resulting in MLB-caliber movement on pitches (fastballs were recording almost 20 percent extra induced vertical break), you could say Chourio faced his toughest challenge yet, but it’s also fair to say that while he improved against these tacky balls, he didn’t dominate against them. That brings us to the issues that make it harder to believe in Chourio's instant-impact potential. His biggest weakness is his pitch recognition, not in terms of getting bat to ball, but in terms of making weak contact with pitches that he should be laying off of. He sometimes neglects to work for a pitch on which his terrific bat speed can do more serious damage. This issue was highlighted against the tacky ball, where pitchers got more movement but less control than they were used to, resulting in players like Tyler Black and Jeferson Quero taking a lot of walks, something Chourio didn’t do. Elly de la Cruz spoke of a similar process he underwent at Triple A this year, and it’s probably the perfect spot for Chourio to develop this side of his game, against pitchers with more nous and better control than you’d find at Double A. He has 32 walks and 77 strikeouts so far on the year, good for just a 7.5% walk rate. This has continued in August, with just one walk in 43 plate appearances, compared to seven strikeouts. At the beginning of the year, several teams took the unusual step of promoting prospects straight from Double A, including the Yankees' Anthony Volpe and the Cardinals' Jordan Walker--neither of whom really succeeded in their first turns. Walker got some extreme BABIP luck early on, but was demoted later, before returning as a better hitter. Volpe has struggled most of the season, en route to a .660 OPS. Chourio’s issues with chasing pitches he shouldn’t will be tested and best developed against Triple-A pitchers, and with such a prized asset, it’s unlikely the Brewers will promote him unless he’s in a position where no challenges remain in the minor leagues. With all of this, it’s likely he’ll spend at least a month or so in Triple A, and any promotion thereafter would depend on the results he’s getting at that level. While Chourio is a uniquely exciting prospect, it’s important to remember that there are holes in his approach at the plate that the likes of Tyler Black simply don’t have. That’s a big reason why Black has been promoted ahead of him. Black’s bat and control of the strike zone is next level, and perhaps he looks better poised for a September callup. Chourio’s remaining developmental needs are substantial enough that he would likely be exposed to some extent against the cream of the crop pitchers, and while it may help his development in the long run to get that failure under his belt early, it may not help the Brewers in the short term to let him do so. Much will depend on how he does at Nashville. If he spits on pitches on the edges of the strike zone early in the count, then he could provide the same boost Randy Arozarena gave the Rays in 2020, especially in October. As was true of Arozarena, the power in Chourio's bat is truly astonishing. He's scorching line drives, rather than fly balls, out of the park, and his bat-to-ball skills and defense render him a true star in the making. Let's face it: With this pitching staff, an on-fire Chourio can be the difference-maker the lineup needs. If he has a walk rate of over 10% when his promotion comes, then a further promotion is very much in play, but it’s unlikely he’ll be able to make this adjustment overnight. He’s already doing that so quickly for a 19-year-old, and it’s important to remember his age in this context. The Brewers front office won’t unleash Chourio until he’s ready to take the league by storm. Do you think he’ll be ready by the middle of September? View full article

Not bad thoughts, I think the Brewers would have employee's looking at the differential between players when they're feeling good vs not, there will always be some natural deviation as our bodies aren't machines but I'd imagine the pitching lab does maybe go through this. Regarding physical trainers and therapy you may not need one for each player, but again I'd imagine it's very closely coordinated, particularly in the off season as it's quite tough to work out etc while playing, you'd see notable dropoffs in strength and production Vision wise is an interesting one and I agree with you here, it's something you're not always aware of. What I'd definitely be wanting is regular MRI checkups and scans of the body to pick up weaknesses and imbalances before they become an issue Great first blog my friend, an interesting read

I see what you're saying, but Double A pitchers are more likely to force him into the strike zone. He was getting some truly outrageous whiffs in the A Ball and High A's, so the extra challenge so far, while notable, the Brewers will be confident that by this time next yea he'll have a heck of a lot more command I do worry at times that his action may never be repeatable enough to be a starter, but if he it can be... wow

Now two singles and a walk through two innings, but Lauer has struck out three, finishing the second with a strike em out throw em out double play, great throw by Payton Henry

Wow, Tellez mashed that first pitch, so unlucky to hit the second baseman with the line drive. Apparently just 92 mph but the eye test didn't quite match that? Black walks and steals a base before Hours swings at a pitch so far down and away, he genuinely couldn't have hit it with a bat twice the size. Lauer got in a little trouble early but somehow, a great modern mystery, his stuff plays up as usual and he gets two strikeouts with men on first and second to close the book on the first inning

Does this say he had 13 K's in July but only 9 on the season?

The Brewers failed to score in the bottom of the 10th upon resumption of their game with DSL braves, losing 7-6, without advancing the runner at all

Contrary to some, I actually think this is a great placement for Misiorowski, it's challenging him in a way he wasn't in the A and High A games, the hitters lay off bad pitches better. It's a test, and I feel it's good he have to work on the one downside to his game against opposition that can actually punish him if he is wild. Though hopefully no one gets injured in the process, but I'd expect as a result (similar to Chourio last year getting a taste of Double A) that it'll hold him in good stead by the time he comes around to start next year, hopefully with more refined control of his arsenal and a clearer idea of what he needs to be working on

They're working off four days rest however, I could see this happening, but I'm unsure Counsell will, however I do imagine he'll try and lineup well for the Cubs series. Houser could help out as well while the inning totals are being restored for Woodruff in his next start, but I really don't mind this idea at all, a great eye for the potential with the off days, good job!

I'd say there's always a chance with this pitching staff. Though that Dodgers lineup is monstrous, Freddie Freeman is the most inevitable thing on a baseball field, he just doesn't slump

They did pitch well to him, he wanted one he could pull in the air, but that down and away sweeper he's always struggled with, just good pitching! I love watching these pressure moments, brilliant from Canha (maybe catchable but he ripped it)

It was written for monsaterio.. it comes back from the Nats games 😂

Is this written for Adames?

What a pickup Call him Bob the builder because "Canha fix it? Yes he can!"

Payamps is so good, how on earth did we get him, tell him to throw more sliders and just watch him mow hitters down like this. Insane. I'd have traded Ruiz for this on its own

Had a feeling if someone got on base we might have seen a willy special

Tough luck Sal

That didn't look like a bad hop