This is the fifth in a nine-part series previewing the Milwaukee Brewers by position leading up to Opening Day on April 6
ON THE ROSTER:
Scooter Gennett (.289, 9 HR, 54 RBI in 137 games)
Hector Gomez (.150, 1 RBI in 15 games) or Elian Herrera (.274, 5 RBI in 69 games)
2014 IN REVIEW:
The platoon of the left-handed hitting Scooter Gennett and the right-handed hitting Rickie Weeks at second base worked for the Brewers in 2014. Only Seattle with Robinson Cano and Houston with Jose Altuve had a higher OPS out of second base than Milwaukee did a year ago.
Milwaukee's second basemen combined to hit .292 with 15 home runs and 74 RBI.
In his first full season in the big leagues, Gennett started exclusively against right-handed pitchers. He hit .307 with nine home runs and 54 RBI against right-handers, while going just 4 for 39 (.103) against left-handers. Gennett finished fourth among National League second baseman in extra-base hits (43) and fifth in RBI (54) and total bases (191).
Weeks bought into a lesser role to a certain extent. While he wouldn't give the outfield a try, he handled losing the vast majority of playing time at second base well. Weeks made 51 starts in 2014, with 40 of those coming against left-handed pitchers. In his final season with the Brewers, the former No. 2 overall pick hit .274 with eight home runs and 29 RBI in just 286 plate appearances.
2015 OUTLOOK
With Weeks in Seattle, Gennett is Milwaukee's full-time starting second baseman.
The 24-year-old is eager to prove he is capable of hitting left-handed pitching when provided the opportunity to do so.
Part of the reason why Gennett's career numbers have been impressive is because he has been protected from having to face left-handed pitching thus far in his big-league career. Gennett understood why the Brewers platooned him last season, but also has made clear that it is impossible to improve in an area without experience.
Gennett hit .241 with an OPS of .607 against lefties in 2012 in Double-A and batted .257 against southpaws in 2014 while in Triple-A. Including his time in A-ball, Gennett is a career .274 hitter against left-handed pitching in the minor leagues.
There will likely be a dip in Gennett's overall numbers in 2015, as his batting average is sure to slip as he adjusts to facing lefties at the highest level.
The Brewers are sure to be patient with Gennett against left-handers because there's not an obvious platoon option on the roster. Hector Gomez, Elian Herrera and Luis Jimenez are currently competing to make the roster as backup infielders.
Gennett has room to improve defensively. According to The Fielding Bible, Gennett's Defensive Runs Saved was -5 in 2014, which is below average.
KEY TO SUCCESS
Gennett has heard plenty about his struggles against left-handed pitching. Now he has a chance to silence that talk once and for all. If he can hold his own against lefties, Gennett will be Milwaukee's second baseman for years to come.
THEY SAID IT
"The only thing different I'd say is we'll give him the opportunity to hit left-handers, so he's not a platoon guy. That doesn't mean that he won't end up that way, but I think he should have the opportunity to show what he can do. And then during the season he's not going to play 162, so when he needs a day maybe it's against a lefty. It's hard to know until you give guys the opportunity how well they're going to do in situations." -- Brewers manager Ron Roenicke on Gennett
"Anybody that knows the game can look at 30-something at-bats as too small. I don't think too much of it. It is pretty cool because I get asked all the time about it. I'm confident. Once I start seeing them it will be the same as from the right side." -- Gennett on hitting left-handers
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