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Snoebird

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Everything posted by Snoebird

  1. Snoebird
    It's mid-April, so none of us is taking "the problem at third base" very seriously. Third base has been a turnstile for a half-dozen years, so any idea is worth debating. I saw an interview in which Sal said Matt Erickson endorsed him because his "lower half" would allow him to play third base. As for Lara's situation, I think Arnold is keeping him in the minors because he wants to check out the new guys as potential depth pieces.
  2. Snoebird
    From our friends at AI: Frelick has been highly receptive to playing third base, embracing the challenge to add versatility to his game. Initiated by Brewers manager Pat Murphy in 2024, the experiment saw Frelick learning the position during spring training, with coaches praising his athleticism, footwork, and dedication to adapting to the new role. Willingness and Attitude: Frelick viewed the transition as an opportunity to grow, stating that versatility is crucial. Murphy described him as having an "it" factor and being fully embraced by the move. Performance in 2024: After training there, the Brewers were comfortable with him at third, with CBSSports.com indicating he was a candidate for regular, not just emergency, time there.
  3. Snoebird
    How many dead spots in the lineup would you prefer? Frelick, Ortiz and Renigfo is one more than the Crew had last year. You eliminate one (Renigfo) by trying Sal at third, all the while hoping that he'll regain his mojo at the plate. And you find a place on the major league roster for one of the very few minor league position players (Lara) who deserves one. Plus, you get Perkins' weak bat off the 26-man roster in favor of more playing time for Lockridge, whose defense has surpassed Perkins'.
  4. Snoebird
    It looks like it's going to be awhile before one of the Brewers' prospects is ready to take over third base, so let's double down on Brewer-ism -- i.e. versatility -- and take Sal Frelick up on willingness to man the hot corner. I think we all agree that Sal can do anything he puts his mind to, especially on defense. So let's give him a whirl at third and open up right field for the hottest prospect and potential Frelick II -- Luis Lara. Keep Rengifo on the roster as a third base option and replace Blake Perkins with Lara, who played right field for the Sounds last night as a possible teaser of this move.
  5. Snoebird
    The arrival of ABS to MLB would benefit Lara as well. Perkins just ain't cutting it anymore.
  6. Snoebird
    Mitchell was the player the Brewers missed most last year, even though a lot of fans don't recognize it. The outfield badly lacked slugging, and I don't just mean home runs. The sooner we can see Chourio and Mitchell side by side, the better.
  7. Snoebird
    If you would like to demonstrate your disappointment with "Wisco," do a quick search for Wisco 99 retro T-shirts, buy one and wear it to the ballpark on Fridays. The gas station chain was very popular in the '50s, as were the Braves, and Wisco became a Braves sponsor before being bought out by the Pure Oil Co. in '58. Coincidentally, Wisco 99's logo background is orange.
  8. Snoebird
    If Perkins continues to look overmatched at the plate, it wouldn't hurt to consider Luis Lara as a call-up. He's always been an exceptional defender and a base-stealing threat, and it looks like he's added some power to his swing. Could be a spark plug for the lineup.
  9. Snoebird
    Rengifo's right-handedness is pretty important with the Brewers lacking Chourio and Vaughn. That might not be the case in a month. So, he has about a month to earn his keep.
  10. Snoebird
    Garrett Mitchell is an ignitor, and we got to see him at his best in Game 1 of the twin bill. He'll set a good example for Chourio when both are fully healthy. The switch to Spencer Allen as the first base coach has enhanced the running game, and he deserves a separate story. But the bigger picture is that this team is a collective stress test. Teams that can't match the Crew's fundamental skills will suffer for it.
  11. Snoebird
    This is a textbook rise in productivity according to the age curve that Mark Attanasio mentioned in his preseason Q&A. He said the peak age is 28. Given that, I would think that the team would be hesitant to trade Turang while he's still on the rise. And as a fan, I wouldn't want the Brewers to have to face Turang at his peak.
  12. Snoebird
    The Brewers had the worst defense-against in MLB last season. They also had the most infield hits, by far, in the league. We just saw Tampa Bay's best hitter, Junior Caminero, commit three errors to help the Brewers pull away to an 8-2 victory. They are winning without two of their most important sluggers, Chourio and Vaughn. All of which means replacing the defense of Ortiz and Turang with more offense-minded players will threaten the team's MO as a run prevention team. Matt Erickson will have his work cut out for him.
  13. Snoebird
    Madison has become the tech hub of the Midwest, which is powering its population growth. It's a city that is constantly reinventing itself. What "cost" are you referring to? A Triple-A ballpark could run $75 million and be a shared cost. And a ballpark could be part of the remake of South Park Street.
  14. Snoebird
    That's old-time thinking. You would be creating an echo chamber for Brewer baseball in Madison, which is at an ideal size and distance from Milwaukee. The boomers who moved out to lakes country would love to have the option of going east or west to see the Brewers. I live in the Twin Cities and can take a light rail train to Target Field or CHS Field. Rob Manfred was the impetus for the Twins placing their Triple-A team in St. Paul and the Astros' affiliate in suburban Sugarland.
  15. Snoebird
    The surge of prospects post-lockout will indeed be mind-boggling. We're getting a hint of that this year with the pitching staff going deep into Nashville. Which raises an important sidebar: Mark Attanasio is trying to show his appreciation for the state funding he'll receive for stadium upkeep by adopting a city connect jersey that bears the dreaded "Wisco." How about doing something great by reaching out to Madison Mayor Satya-Rhodes Conway and the American Family Insurance board to express interest in building a Triple-A stadium for the soon-to-be-moved Sounds? Madison is increasing its density by the day with apartments and would make a great International League market as a rival for the Des Moines Cubs, St. Paul Saints and Omaha Storm Chasers. The city could use the summer entertainment option as well as a stadium of that size for all sorts of events. Attanasio wouldn't have to buy the Sounds; I'm sure Diamond Properties would love to be in that market. But given how much the Brewers lean on players with options, we would all become very familiar with the makeup of the Madison Blue Crew. He would want to be in on that success story.
  16. Snoebird
    Wilken and Fischer were drafted as third basemen. Add in Burke, Adams, Boeve and Bitonti, and that would be quite a surplus of first basemen/DHs.
  17. Snoebird
    I think we would have to assume that Made and Pena will occupy second base and right field when they hit the majors. The veterans likely will be traded one by one, starting with Contreras, as they approach free agency. Mark Attanasio said in a recent Q&A that the team is "working around an age curve of 28."
  18. Snoebird
    It is more than likely that the Brewers' corner infield positions will soon be manned by young sluggers, such as Fischer, Wilken and/or Burke. That will put more of an onus on the shortstop to be elite defensively on this run prevention team. And, with uncertainty rising over the defensive range of the team's next second baseman, I'm good with Pratt long term if his teammates supply the bulk of the slugging.
  19. Snoebird
    This deal tells Pratt to start acting like a big leaguer in all the right ways and forget about Jesus Made. Focus on trimming your shortcomings, stay healthy and pay more attention to what's going on in Milwaukee. Ortiz has morphed into being strictly a singles hitter, so Pratt could get himself into position for a call-up with a little more offensive production.
  20. Snoebird
    Absolutely. But what does this contract mean for Brice Turang, and has he been offered an extension worthy of his credentials?
  21. Snoebird
    Keith Law, who studies prospects for a living, said of Made's weight gain that "not all of it was good," and I'd have to agree. I would doubt that Made could range nearly as far as Ortiz does, or as far as Pratt could with that slender frame. And for all of Made's hitting potential, we have to remember that the Brewers are a run prevention team first and foremost. The shortstop is the key to run prevention.
  22. Snoebird
    Perhaps the specter of Made hanging over him is precisely why the Brewers chose to reinforce their commitment to Pratt. It might also carry a message to Made that his 27-pound weight gain from last season gives the Brewers pause that he can handle shortstop. If Made hits the majors in better shape, the Brewers could consider trading their defense-first shortstop to a needy team. Either way, both players should be incentivized by this move.
  23. Snoebird
    The icing on the cake was Joey Wiemer tormenting the Cubs for the second time this weekend as a late addition to the Nats' roster. The Cubs couldn't get him out.
  24. Snoebird
    They have a 33-year-old unrostered first baseman in their dugout, but he too is a left-handed hitter: Daniel Vogelbach.
  25. Snoebird
    Tyler Black has experience at first base, but he would overload the lineup with left-handed hitters. How William Contreras reacts to playing first base will reflect on his willingness to give up his favorite position to heir apparent Jeferson Quero.
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