Milwaukee Brewers Still Winners of Nori Aoki, Will Smith Trade
It was a trade that many around Milwaukee hated. They complained initially when it happened. The cries rang louder when the team slumped in the second half to push runners across, and they turned to screams as fans saw him in the lineup for the Kansas City Royals in the postseason while the Milwaukee Brewers watched the playoffs at home.
But with all of that said, the Brewers made the right choice in trading away Nori Aoki last winter. By parting ways and adding Will Smith, the Brewers have a bullpen arm they can trust and they were able to see just what they have in Khris Davis.
If Aoki remained with the Brewers he wanted to play every day and was in no mood for a platoon, but that could not happen with Davis on the roster. Davis’ power surge at the end of 2013 earned him his starting role, and while he struggled at times in 2014, he was still able to finish second on the team in home runs and third among regulars in slugging percentage. His arm is still a liability in left, but he developed into a proven run producer that should only get better in 2015.
The other reason why the deal has fallen on the Brewers’ side is the addition of Smith. Last year, Smith became a proven lefty in the bullpen that the Brewers have lacked for years. He led the league by appearing in a 78 games and was able to finish the season with a 3.70 ERA. Even with a few hiccups along the way, Smith has solidified his spot as a late-inning reliever for years to come, and he is not eligible for free agency until after the 2019 season.
Aoki was one of the better leadoff hitters the Brewers have had, but without Smith the Brewers’ bullpen would have had no answer as pitchers continued to break down early on in the season. As pitchers like Tyler Thornburg, Brandon Kintzler and Jim Henderson were placed on the disabled list early, Smith simply continued pitching, and pitching well.
Although Aoki played a role in the Royals’ run to the World Series, plenty of others had major contributions. With 2014 season behind us, the Royals will more than likely head into next season with a new right fielder, while the Brewers will remain with Davis in left and Smith in the back-end of the bullpen.
Yes the Brewers needed that bat to execute and put the ball in play during the final weeks of the season, but without the contributions of Smith and Davis, the team more than likely would not have been in a position to contend in the final weeks of the season anyway. The World Series proved that a lock-down bullpen is vital to postseason success, and having at least five more years of Smith gives the Brewers another solid arm to count on. While Aoki was a big part of Milwaukee when he was there, the maturity and growth of both Davis and Smith will prove that general manager Doug Melvin made the right move.
Pete Schwichtenberg is a Milwaukee Brewers writer for Rantsports. Follow @schwick26_pete, Like him on Facebook, or Add him to your Google Network.
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