The 2014 season started out so promising for the Milwaukee Brewers, who are now mathmatically eliminated from the postseason. Somethings just were not working in the second half of the season and obviously a couple changes need to be made.
One major hole the Brewers have is at first base. The combination of Mark Reynolds and Lyle Overbay just didn’t work out for the Brew Crew this season. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal wrote about the offensive numbers and how they have suffered at the position.
"“Entering play Thursday, the Brewers had .648 OPS at first base, ranking 28th among the 30 major-league clubs. Milwaukee ranked 27th in slugging (.360) at first base, 29th in batting average (.208) and 29th in RBI (61). And that came after the Brewers had a historically low .629 OPS at the position last season.”"
As it turns out the Brewers have a number of internal options to use at the position. There is call-up Jason Rogers who has the versatility to play first, third and in the outfield. Even though Rogers got the start at first on Thursday, he is seen as more the heir apparent at third base to All-Star Aramis Ramirez and had been playing third base during most of his time at Triple-A Nashville, the Brewers may want to keep him as an option there.
There is All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy who can play firstbase but that would mean that Martin Maldonado would have to take over the majority of playing time at catcher.
It isn’t that Maldonado is incapable of being the Brewer’s everyday catcher, it’s simply that he is not Jonathan Lucroy. Maldonado is hitting .236/.319/.396 with five doubles, four home runs and 16 runs batted in in 2014.
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If we have learned anything this season with Jonathan Lucroy’s name being thrown around in the National League MVP conversation while batting .299/.372/.465 with 52 doubles and being an invaluable defensive assest behind the plate it’s that, well, he should probably stay there.
So while Lucroy and Rogers could be moved to first base for the Brewers they have higher value at other positions at least as of now. The Brewers could go after what is a good free agents class of first baseman this offseason, including players like Victor Martinez, Adam LaRoche and Michael Cuddyer.
Most of those players, however, will likely be kept by their current team or the Brewers could easily be outbid where they needn’t be. As Haudricourt notes Ryan Braun could be the one to move from the outfield to the infield and take over at first base.
This would allow the Brewers to give two-time Gold Glove winner Gerardo Parra, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Arizona Diamondbacks, a permenant spot in the outfield. Thus keeping the young Khris Davis in left and two-time All-Star Carlos Gonzalez in centerfield on a full time basis.
Sounds like a perfect plan to me, however the idea hasn’t made it’s way past preliminary talks according to the club’s manager Ron Roenicke.
"“I haven’t talked enough with (general manager) Doug (Melvin) about it to even know if there would be a reason to do it,” Roenicke said. “Wer haven’t approached (Braun) about it. It’s just kind of what the needs are. We have Parra here now and we need to figure out what to do with him for next year.”"
It’s seems to me that there is a plan and it might just work. The Brewers just don’t seem quite ready to implement it just yet. The idea, however, is very intriguing and could improve the team at each position.