Brantley

[Chris]

So, I was discussing with a Brew Crew fan and he was asking if Sizemore was going to be moved when Brantley comes on the mother club or what would happen. Do we know ANYTHING about what would happen if Brantley got the call up to play? Would he play a corner outfield position? Sizemore, I would think, is not moving anywhere...

Then he told me that Brantley's agent posts on some message board and said Brantley would play CF for the Indians.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I like Grady right where he is. He knows that outfield well.

[nwizzle]

So, I was discussing with a Brew Crew fan and he was asking if Sizemore was going to be moved when Brantley comes on the mother club or what would happen. Do we know ANYTHING about what would happen if Brantley got the call up to play? Would he play a corner outfield position? Sizemore, I would think, is not moving anywhere...

Then he told me that Brantley's agent posts on some message board and said Brantley would play CF for the Indians.

To be blunt.. that's just stupid.

1. Grady is a 2-time gold glover in center field. You don't just move the best fielder on the team to an entirely new position for some prospect.

2. By all accounts Brantley is not a very good fielder, even with his good speed. He gets bad jumps on balls and often takes terrible routes. That's not a guy you want in CF, especially with the alternative being Grady.

3. Why would Brantley's agent being posting on a message board? Sounds like a lie to me.

Brantley would likely play LF if he ever got called up to the big leagues I would think. But it's not going to be center.

[Mr. X]

Come on dude. A goddamn Brewers "fan" told you this? Does it make sense to you to move a 2-time Gold Glover for a rookie to take his spot? I certainly hope not.

Brantley looked good in his ABs yesterday and I like his potential. But he will not be taking Sizemore's spot unless he gets hurt.

[dazindiansfanuk]

I'm not sure if Brantleys agent (Josh Kuschnik) posts on message boards, but I do know he has his own blog - he posted sporadic updates about the PTBNL after the CC trade.

In terms of him talking Brantley up as a CFer, well it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest! Brantley is his client, so his job is to pretty much give the best reports possible on Brantleys progress. Add to that the fact that it's likely Brantley is the starting CFer in Columbus this season, then I'm not surprised that Kuschnik is talking him up as staying in CF, if indeed he's actually said anything.

[Toxicadam]

I'm not sure where the "Brantley is a terrible OF" meme came from. I saw it passed around when the trade was being discussed. But, as of right now, the only metric we have to measure is from Minorleaguesplits.com, where they have Brantley as being a very good CF.

Check it out:

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi

Type in Michael Brantley .. then click on defense. He was a +16 for 2008. Which is very good.

[Rocky55]

I'm not sure if Brantleys agent (Josh Kuschnik) posts on message boards, but I do know he has his own blog - he posted sporadic updates about the PTBNL after the CC trade.

In terms of him talking Brantley up as a CFer, well it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest! Brantley is his client, so his job is to pretty much give the best reports possible on Brantleys progress. Add to that the fact that it's likely Brantley is the starting CFer in Columbus this season, then I'm not surprised that Kuschnik is talking him up as staying in CF, if indeed he's actually said anything.

Brantley's agent used to post on brewersfan.net, Patrick "colbyjack" Ebert's forum.

[consigliere]

Just to clarify a few things:

1. Brantley's agent is Josh Kusnick, and he has his own blog he posts things on. He used to post a lot of things about Brantley and Taylor Green (also his client) on his blog while they were in limbo as the PTBNL in the Sabathia trade.

2. Josh has also posted on several message board forums during that time Brantley/Green were in limbo. I know he posted a lot on the BrewersFan.net forum, and he even appeared on the Indians Ink (Scout.com) boards after I actually told him some people had some questions (I ain't the devil the Indians Ink guys make me out to be).

3. If/when Brantley makes it to Cleveland, as long as Grady is still in Cleveland, Brantley is playing LF. Sizemore will be a fixture in CF here forever until he either breaks down, is traded, or leaves as a FA. They both have the same kind of arm for the most part, but while Brantley is faster than Grady, Grady is the superior defender.

[TitoFrancona]

I'm not sure where the "Brantley is a terrible OF" meme came from. I saw it passed around when the trade was being discussed. But, as of right now, the only metric we have to measure is from Minorleaguesplits.com, where they have Brantley as being a very good CF.

Check it out:

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi

Type in Michael Brantley .. then click on defense. He was a +16 for 2008. Which is very good.

I have never seen anything in the past that said Brantley was terrible in the OF. But I also have never seen anything that said he was a very good OF'er. What we know is that he has a below average arm and what has been reported is that he has struggled a bit with his routes to the ball. That doesn't say "terrible", that says, he still is a work in progress.

But anybody that thinks Brantley is going to oust Grady from CF, well, they're simply not knowledgeable baseball fans.

[nwizzle]

I'm not sure where the "Brantley is a terrible OF" meme came from. I saw it passed around when the trade was being discussed. But, as of right now, the only metric we have to measure is from Minorleaguesplits.com, where they have Brantley as being a very good CF.

Check it out:

http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi

Type in Michael Brantley .. then click on defense. He was a +16 for 2008. Which is very good.

I don't actually know for sure that Brantley is a bad fielder, I'm just going by what people have said about him. Also there was a shot to center in yesterday's spring training game, and while he did manage to get there, he looked pretty awkward doing it. It was one time, and I may have imagined it slightly, but I think the reason he even grades out as above average in the field is because he has such tremendous speed.

Because of his speed I don't think he will ever be a "bad" defender, just maybe not as good as he should be.

[Chris]

Come on dude. A goddamn Brewers "fan" told you this? Does it make sense to you to move a 2-time Gold Glover for a rookie to take his spot? I certainly hope not.

Brantley looked good in his ABs yesterday and I like his potential. But he will not be taking Sizemore's spot unless he gets hurt.

rofl I never said I *believed* it. I merely said it made me think about what exactly we would do.

Please note that I said I doubt Sizemore is moving anywhere before we get all bent out of shape guys!

[OSU819903]

So, I was discussing with a Brew Crew fan and he was asking if Sizemore was going to be moved when Brantley comes on the mother club or what would happen. Do we know ANYTHING about what would happen if Brantley got the call up to play? Would he play a corner outfield position? Sizemore, I would think, is not moving anywhere...

Then he told me that Brantley's agent posts on some message board and said Brantley would play CF for the Indians.

You sure he wasn't asking if Sizemore would be moved...from the lead off spot?

[Chris]

So, I was discussing with a Brew Crew fan and he was asking if Sizemore was going to be moved when Brantley comes on the mother club or what would happen. Do we know ANYTHING about what would happen if Brantley got the call up to play? Would he play a corner outfield position? Sizemore, I would think, is not moving anywhere...

Then he told me that Brantley's agent posts on some message board and said Brantley would play CF for the Indians.

You sure he wasn't asking if Sizemore would be moved...from the lead off spot?

That's what I thought he meant at first but no, he was talking about position.

[OSU819903]

So, I was discussing with a Brew Crew fan and he was asking if Sizemore was going to be moved when Brantley comes on the mother club or what would happen. Do we know ANYTHING about what would happen if Brantley got the call up to play? Would he play a corner outfield position? Sizemore, I would think, is not moving anywhere...

Then he told me that Brantley's agent posts on some message board and said Brantley would play CF for the Indians.

You sure he wasn't asking if Sizemore would be moved...from the lead off spot?

That's what I thought he meant at first but no, he was talking about position.

LOL, I figured, was being a smart ass b/c there is noway a good gets PT @1B if he plays GG caliber CF

[tribefan333]

Not to be too candid (Sheesh I've been a negative nelly the past couple of days); but moving a two time gold glover - one who is signed for several years, has solid speed, knows the outfield and should only get better - is just plan dumb.

Unless a young Ken Griffey Jr jr comes along for Cleveland in the next 5 years, Sizemore won't be going anywhere.

[Chris]

Not to be too candid (Sheesh I've been a negative nelly the past couple of days); but moving a two time gold glover - one who is signed for several years, has solid speed, knows the outfield and should only get better - is just plan dumb.

Unless a young Ken Griffey Jr jr comes along for Cleveland in the next 5 years, Sizemore won't be going anywhere.

Yes, we know, it's been said about 5-6 times in this thread already and none of us think he's moving anywhere.

[Chiefroy]

So, I was discussing with a Brew Crew fan and he was asking if Sizemore was going to be moved when Brantley comes on the mother club or what would happen. Do we know ANYTHING about what would happen if Brantley got the call up to play? Would he play a corner outfield position? Sizemore, I would think, is not moving anywhere...

Then he told me that Brantley's agent posts on some message board and said Brantley would play CF for the Indians.

I'm sure Brantley's agent considers Brantley an "Indian" now that he is no longer a "Brewer". He could have used the "play CF for the Indians" phrase in a general sort of way, as in "....the Indians' organization".
Without reading his post, we have no way of knowing what he truly meant.

[Desert Wahoo]

While at the game on Wed against the Giants, I ran into Brantley's father. Sounds weird I know however it did happen and we got to talking about where he thought Michael will be positioned if/when he gets the promotion to the big club. He was under the impression that the club will be putting him in a corner outfield slot. It was a good conversation with the guy. Had alot of positive things to say aout Matt LaPorta too.

[ole uncle charle]

But anybody that thinks Brantley is going to oust Grady from CF, well, they're simply not knowledgeable baseball fans

2013 the indians CF will be Brantley, Grady will be a Yankee and my love of major league baseball will be DEAD