While many laugh at Doug Melvin‘s comments that the Milwaukee Brewers‘ roster could be ready to play today, it is very true.
Even though they had a collapse for the ages last season, several factors have them looking forward to a stronger 2015. The rotation is back and as strong as ever. They have added a competent bat at first base in Adam Lind, who crushes right-handed pitching. Ryan Braun has declared himself fully healthy and ready to prove he is still elite after a career-worst 2014. Finally, a new hitting coach could help to tame the overly aggressive approach of some of their young hitters.
With all of these positives heading in to 2015, the biggest concern for the Brewers is bench depth. If there is any gift that could be brought to the team before Christmas, it would be bats to a bench that was among the worst in all of baseball last season.
The Brewers’ bench currently lacks a veteran presence. The only position that has a reliable backup is outfield, where Gerardo Parra is a more-than-capable candidate to play any position. It’s a different story in the infield. While players like Jason Rogers and Luis Jimenez posses some powerful upside, they have a combined 150 at-bats in the minor leagues and had just 46 big league at-bats last season.
Elian Herrera and Hector Gomez were decent fill-in players last season, but if they are called into full-time duty, these journeymen would not by ready to get full-time at-bats.
Though the market is thinning a bit, there are several strong utility players who would look great in a Brewers uniform and help to fill in if the worst were to happen to anyone on the infield. Players like Gordon Beckham, Emilio Bonifacio, Kelly Johnson and Eric Young Jr. could provide infield depth and a veteran presence to a bench that is sorely lacking.
Last season, when injuries happened, many players who were incapable needed to fill in, and there were not many who could step up when a big hit was needed off the bench. Adding depth would not have fans rushing out to get season tickets, but the best teams in baseball get big contributions from all 25 players on their roster, and fixing the issue would be a big boost to the Brewers’ roster.
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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