Braun to OF?

[ScarletP]

This was the first I'd heard of this:

MILWAUKEE -- Add top prospect Matt LaPorta to the list of Brewers who will be tinkering with a new position this spring.

LaPorta, a collegiate first baseman and catcher who moved to left field after the Brewers made him their top pick in last June's First-Year Player Draft, will try right field beginning next month. With this week's news that another former first-round pick, Ryan Braun, will man left field for the big league Brewers next season, the team intends to use LaPorta at both corner outfield spots during the 2008 Minor League season.

"He needs to make sure that both sides are covered, that he feels like he's able to play both sides, and we'll make that decision later," Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said on Monday, when the team showcased prospects LaPorta and Mat Gamel to kick off its annual Winter Warm-Up.

The team announced Monday that it had invited LaPorta to Major League Spring Training, an honor for a player so young in his pro career. There, LaPorta will have an opportunity to work alongside Braun with Brewers first base coach Ed Sedar, the club's outfield instructor. Ash hinted Monday that Braun's move to the outfield was permanent.

http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/a ... p&c_id=mil

[Ender]

Yep, they signed Cameron for CF. Hall moves to 3B, Braun to LF. Braun likely moves to RF next year or in 2010 and LaPorta comes up in LF. They already confirmed that the move will happen while Cameron serves his 25 games and that Gross/Gwynn/Dillon will cover the missing OF spot. So Braun should be LF starting from opening day.

[ScarletP]

Yeah, looking around a bit more I see this topic's been covered here already. I completely missed it though...

[crimson knuckles]

Why not send Hall to vacant outfield position rather than Braun.

[balmlb119]

Why not send Hall to vacant outfield position rather than Braun.

Braun is an awful fielder. That's why the Brewers sent him down after last spring training - to work on his defense.

[PBRmeASAP]

The Brewers are moving Braun to LF this season - its a done deal. He was dreadful at 3B and has said he'll do anything to help the team. Speculation was Billy Hall struggled at the plate due to his move to CF and was a solid utility infielder before the move. So Hall to 3B, Cameron to CF and Braun to LF. This should improve the defense at both CF and 3B - it will tough for Braun to match Jenkin's glove and range in LF, but he can't be much worse than his play at 3B last year.

[FantasyFreak]

The Brewers are moving Braun to LF this season - its a done deal. He was dreadful at 3B and has said he'll do anything to help the team. Speculation was Billy Hall struggled at the plate due to his move to CF and was a solid utility infielder before the move. So Hall to 3B, Cameron to CF and Braun to LF. This should improve the defense at both CF and 3B - it will tough for Braun to match Jenkin's glove and range in LF, but he can't be much worse than his play at 3B last year.

do you have a link?

[BillyHallDisciple]

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=721332

[RedHopeful]

Speculation was Billy Hall struggled at the plate due to his move to CF and was a solid utility infielder before the move.

I hear this everywhere. What's the basis? I'm baffled at how playing a different position defensively (besides catcher) hurts the offensive game THAT much...

[BitterDodgerFan]

not sure, but i would think that messing up in the field would provide more motivation to offensively make up for it, and maybe that happened to braun last year, but then a lot of players don't perform under a lot of pressure.