Brandon Woodruff and the rest of the starting pitchers who took part in the Brewers¡¯ first formal Spring Training workout on Thursday will be put through the same preparatory program as in past years. But come the regular season, as MLB returns to a 162-game schedule, the team may have to adjust.
¡°I think we'll be talking about this issue very regularly, but it's going to be an issue for 30 teams,¡± manager Craig Counsell said. ¡°I don't think there's one answer for every pitcher. I think we'll make it pretty individual, but we'll definitely be cognizant of it every day.¡±
The Brewers have aggressively used their bullpen in recent years and have something of a head start in this area. In 2019, for the first time in franchise history, they did not have a single starter qualify for the league ERA title, which requires one inning for every team game. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, only Woodruff qualified, with 73 2/3 innings in 13 starts. Corbin Burnes would have qualified had he not sustained an oblique injury during his final regular-season start, cutting short his breakthrough season at 59 2/3 innings, or one out shy of qualifying. Adrian Houser was the only other Brewers pitcher who topped 50 innings.
Teams are reporting to Spring Training with different ideas about how to solve the problem. The Mariners, for example, went to a six-man rotation last year and have already said they plan to do it again in 2021. The Tigers have talked about rotating prospects up and down from the Minors to make starts. Teams are exploring the concept of an ¡°opener¡± to help eat innings, leading to this great line from Mets reliever Aaron Loup: "Who wouldn't want to be the guy to start the game, and then sit in the clubhouse and drink a few brews on the back end of it?" The Cubs, who generally have adhered to a traditional five-man rotation in recent years based on their veteran personnel, are planning to be more flexible in 2021.
"The idea of a set five-man rotation is not going to be a real thing," Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. "I just think you're better off getting your mind around that.¡±
Is an expanded rotation one possibility for the Brewers?
¡°I think the schedule will tell you when a time for that is, and I think there could be times for that, certainly,¡± Counsell said. ¡°But I think from our perspective, we've done enough of non-traditional pitching arrangements that I don't think there's going to be any surprises for our guys.¡±
That¡¯s true for Woodruff, who bounced up and down and moved from the rotation to the bullpen in his early years with the Brewers before cementing himself as a starter in 2019 and making the first of his 13 starts on Opening Day in ¡¯20.
¡°I think the biggest thing for a player is just to be transparent, communicate and just make sure you¡¯re not trying to push through something that could eventually lead to being on the [injured list],¡± Woodruff said. ¡°We want to be out there for 30 starts if at all possible, but we also realize the season we had last year, with everything that was going on, the ramp-up, then shutting down and then coming back, it¡¯s all about being smart.
¡°I know my mentality is to come in and, basically, [prepare] for a full season. I expect to throw a full season. Until I¡¯m told otherwise or am made to do otherwise, that will be out of my hands. It¡¯s just one of those things. I think until I cross that bridge or we get to that point, I can¡¯t really speak on it. I want to be out there for every start. That¡¯s just how I approach it.¡±
Why Arcia will see third base
The Brewers plan to play Orlando Arcia a fair amount at third base this spring, but not necessarily because they view him as a full-time third baseman.
¡°What we're going to do in spring, really, is we're going to look at Luis Ur¨ªas at shortstop,¡± Counsell said. ¡°We traded for him, and it's something we want to do.¡±
The Brewers were denied that opportunity last year because Ur¨ªas missed Spring Training with a broken hand, then missed Summer Camp with COVID-19. Now he¡¯s full go.
¡°You know, I'm confident in knowing Orlando's abilities at shortstop, so we're going to take a look at Luis at shortstop this spring because we need to see it,¡± Counsell said. ¡°So that ends up meaning Orlando is going to see some time at third base this spring. We haven't made any decisions on how that's going to play out during the year. We signed Daniel Robertson, and he's going to be a part of the third-base [mix]. And then I don't know if it's official yet, but it looks like we signed somebody else to be a part of that.¡±
That "somebody" is Travis Shaw, who agreed to a Minor League deal (pending a physical) with the Brewers that includes an invitation to big league camp.
Last call
? The only player limited on Thursday was catcher Jacob Nottingham, who had surgery on his left thumb at the end of December. Nottingham is making good progress but remains in rehab protocol. He probably won¡¯t be a full participant until March 1 or so, Counsell said.
? The Brewers put Spring Training tickets on sale Thursday morning and one game -- March 6 against the Cubs -- sold out within three hours, according to the club. For health regulations and ticket information, visit Brewers.com/SpringTraining.
? Triple-A Nashville is scheduled to open a 142-game season at home on April 6, and the rest of the Brewers¡¯ full-season affiliates -- Double-A Biloxi, Class A Advanced Wisconsin and Class A Carolina -- are scheduled to open 120-game seasons on May 4. The full Minor League schedules were unveiled by MLB on Thursday.