Travis Shaw can opt out of his minor league contract with the Brewers tomorrow but it seems very likely that the team will include Shaw on its Opening Day roster, according to Tom Haudricourt and Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Officially selecting Shaw’s contract would guarantee the veteran a $1.5MM salary for the coming season, and the Brewers would have to make another corresponding move to open up a 40-man roster spot. The left-handed hitting Shaw is expected to get the bulk of playing time at third base when a right-hander is on the mound, with Orlando Arcia, Daniel Robertson, and (if not at shortstop) Luis Urias all getting at-bats against southpaws.
More from the city of Giannis, Liberace, Laverne and Shirley…
- Today’s Cactus League game with the Mariners saw both Derek Fisher and Adrian Houser leave early due to injury. According to the Brewers’ official announcement, “left hamstring discomfort” forced Fisher from the game after he scored from first base on a double, and manager Craig Counsell told Haudricourt and other reporters that Fisher will be out of action for a while. The out-of-options Fisher was already facing some tough competition to win a roster job, and this injury setback could further hamper if not ruin his chances. As for Houser, he left the game with right thumb discomfort, but both the hurler and Counsell felt it was a minor issue that shouldn’t much interrupt Houser’s preseason preparations.
- In other injury news, Lorenzo Cain is expected to make his Spring Training debut by the weekend, Counsell told The Athletic’s Will Sammon and other reporters. After opting out of much of the 2020 season, Cain’s return to the field has been slowed by a quad injury. It remains to be seen how much time Cain will need to ramp up for the season, so an injured list placement probably still isn’t out of the question for at least the first week of the schedule.
- Right-hander Ray Black will begin throwing off a mound by the end of the week, Counsell said, as Black will return to work after being shut down due to elbow inflammation. The hard-throwing Black tossed only three innings over three games in 2020, missing much of the season due to a strain in his right rotator cuff. Given his recent injury history, Black could very well be an IL candidate for Opening Day.
honestly dont see the infatuation with Shaw.
He’s a lefty hitting infielder with pop. As a bench/platoon piece you could do worse, and with the three-batter rule this is a nice pinch hitter to have.
but the power he provides isnt even impressive nowadays and the rest of his offensive profile since over the past two years has been…lacking.
Not the best player on Milwaukee’s roster, but he’s making $1.5 million on a NRI.
They need role & platoon players too.
I don’t think its really an infatuation. At least from the Brewers front office (some fans, sure).
There was a lot of non-baseball stuff going on toward the end of his previous run, most notably involving his then newborn that maybe could have been handled better by both sides. I didn’t think there was any chance either side would want a reunion but obviously they worked something out.
That said, on the baseball side, he’s cheap, he *can* hit for power, play 3b and 1b, and he’s a lefty hitter (and we know how much Mil loves lefty hitters).
And before anyone says “they SHOULD have just signed [___ ___] instead,” maybe that guy didn’t want to come to Milwaukee. They did make a pretty good offer for Turner and he opted to go back to LA after all…
Nowadays? What does that mean?
He’s like every player on the yankees. One or two good years and everyone thinks they’re great. Unless they’re not on the yankees, in which case they stink.
So it’s totally understandable that you don’t get the infatuation, because said infatuation is reserved only for those special enough to wear the yankee uniform.
It didn’t seem to help Refsnyder…
I didn’t know Liberace was from Milwaukee. What are Liberace, Lavern and Shirley doing in a baseball article? Does Mark have something he wants to tell us about himself?
Actually he’s from West Allis.
West Milwaukee
West Milwaukee born and raised,
At the piano was how he spent most of his days…
DarkSide830 –
If Shaw recovers his swing and becomes the hitter he was his first few years with the Brewers, they got an awesome deal and an answer to their 3B hole for the season. If he doesn’t, they cut him and move on. I don’t think anyone is infatuated. It’s the kind of chance that the smallest market team needs to take every once in a while if they hope to compete. Look at how Jordan Lyles worked out for them even though he’s been a complete disaster with every other team he’s been with. You never know but you won’t find out either if you don’t try
From an outsiders perspective I think the Brewers are very underrated. Could see them and the Cards making the NL Central very interesting, with the Cubs and Reds being high risk-high upside type teams as well.
Honestly when aren’t the Brewers underrated?
Maybe back when Yount and Molitor were there? Or more recently in the Fielder/ Braun peak years. It does seem like under Stearns’, they usually outperform their projections.
The Brewers are always underrated. I agree with your assessment of the division.
I see it being the cards, brew crew, reds, cubs, pirates
The Brew Crew maybe a “small market team” but they will be making the NL Central a fun div to watch (again).
Was hoping to see a Jeremy Jeffress note in here. Sign him already, Brewers
JJ isn’t good enough to make this staff. Neither is Black, for that matter.
Shaw likely doesn’t go back to Milwaukee if he wasn’t sure he was going to make the team so its probably just a formality
If Black was ever healthy, he’d succeed. Just as good as Topa.
shrug…he has never overcome his control issues
There has got to be a Hader for Andujar swap with other pieces between that can work
As ndujar deserves a shot somewhere he is wasting away
yeah if you add Garcia/Schmidt and a bunch more on top of that
Please make it stop. Andujar is not going to net the best left handed reliever in baseball.
Andujar is a DH masquerading as a 3B. He is not a headliner in a trade for Hader or anyone else
Lol, the Yankees have like 6 guys who should be DHs instead of fielding….
*speaks to part of why*
Decent third basemen are hard to find. Not saying Shaw is special, just serviceable for a small market team. Fisher can’t hit his weight and will end up being AAA depth for another team.
The Brewers got away from stealing bases last year. 4 straight seasons in the top 10 in MLB in stolen bases (7th in 2019) and they were 29th in 2020. They might be looking to be more aggressive on the basepaths this year.
Gyorko and Smoak got the lion’s share of playing time at first, and they’re basically replaced by Wong with Hiura moving to first. Two of the main four outfields (along with Yelich and Garcia) were Braun and Gamel. They are replaced with Cain and Bradley.
Yep, I was thinking the same thing. This team is loaded with speed again. Even Orcia is capable of 10-15 sb’s
Based on his performance so far this spring, I don’t see Shaw being able to contribute. Let him opt out, and focus on the others vying for the spot. Or sign somebody else.
And replace him with whom?
Shaw has not impressed so far this spring. Let him opt out, and focus on other alternatives.
Yep, I was thinking the same thing. This team is loaded with speed again. Orcia is capable of 10-15 sb’s