Counsell expects stiff competition at camp

When Craig Counsell was asked a couple of weeks ago at the “Brewers On Deck” fan festival if Milwaukee’s spring training would look any different this year, the Milwaukee manager laughed.

“I don’t think camp will look vastly different unless I put a costume on,” he replied.

The only “costume” that Counsell will be wearing is his customary No. 30 Brewers jersey, so don’t expect a masquerade ball at Maryvale Baseball Park. But Counsell did admit to one expected change this spring that has him excited as the team moves into its second full season of a large-scale rebuild.

“What I’m excited about in spring training that we didn’t have last year is more competition,” said Counsell, who will conduct the first official workout for pitchers and catchers Wednesday after they report a day earlier.

“There has been more competition created at a lot of positions, and it’s either in the upper levels of the minor leagues or it’s on the major-league roster right now. And that really serves everybody as you have to bring your best, and it’s a good spot to be.

“It’s really what they want, that you have to bring your best to get on the field. So, that’s a real positive change, and something we’ve moved forward to, going a year later into this.”

Much of the competition could evolve into battles for reserve roles as well as the two catchers who will make the roster. Not that things can’t change, but the favorites to start are first baseman Eric Thames, second baseman Jonathan Villar, shortstop Orlando Arcia, third baseman Travis Shaw, leftfielder Ryan Braun, centerfielder Keon Broxton and rightfielder Domingo Santana.

Broxton has only 75 major-league games under his belt, however, and Santana missed considerable time last season with injuries. With a wealth of outfield depth coming to camp, the action there could be quite interesting to watch.

In the infield, super utility player Hernan Perez and former No. 1 second baseman Scooter Gennett are still in the picture as well, so there is competition for bench jobs. And Arcia is not a sure thing yet after two months of struggles in his debut last season.

There are seven established starting pitchers vying for five spots in the rotation, including newcomer Tommy Milone, the lone left-hander in the hunt. So, the competition there figures to be somewhat compelling as well. There are far more relievers with chances to make the club than actual openings, so how that group shakes out also will be something to watch.

“We’re still at the point where you have to get players to kind of explore what they can do, give them freedom to do some things,” said Counsell, who fosters an aggressive style of play. “But I do think we got to points last year, especially later in the season, where there were glimpses of the team that we could become, with the depth on the roster.

“We had kind of a youthful vibe going on and then we felt like we were a tough team to play. I think youth does that, with the speed and athleticism that we created at some positions.”

Counsell talked often last spring about the “buzz” he felt in camp, in large part because of the youth injected in the roster as veterans were traded away. Many players were vying for regular big-league spots for the first time and were eager to show Counsell and his staff what they could do.

Though players such as Villar and Perez developed confidence as they discovered they could be productive players in the majors, Counsell expects the same enthusiasm this spring as well as the competitive spirit he enjoys seeing.

“You’re always at ‘10’ at excitement when you walk into spring training,” he said. “It will be that way this spring, for sure.”