Notes: Hernán Pérez will once again do it all for Brewers
PHOENIX - No matter the position, Hernán Pérez remains game.
"Wherever you want to put me, I’m ready," he said on Wednesday after playing five innings at shortstop in the Milwaukee Brewers' Cactus League finale in Maryvale.
"I’ve been in there before. I’ll be ready for the season, so wherever they need me."
Pérez entered camp expecting to once again be a jack of all trades for the Brewers, having started games at six different positions and playing every spot except pitcher and catcher in 2016. Now with the news Milwaukee is planning on carrying 12 position players for the time being, Pérez becomes the lone utility man.
That means he's the primary backup to Jonathan Villar at second, Orlando Arcia at shortstop and Travis Shaw at third base, while also serving as the fifth outfielder behind Kirk Nieuwenhuis.
Factoring in off days and potential injuries, it's likely Pérez will find himself in the lineup quite a bit again this season. He played in 123 games (96 starts) in 2016 and finished with a .272 average, 13 home runs, 56 runs batted in and 34 stolen bases – impressive numbers considering he didn't even make the team's opening-day lineup out of camp.
Pérez closed out his 2017 spring with a .318 average, three homers, eight RBI and an OPS of .894.
"I’m happy," Pérez said. "If I’m in there every day helping my team, I’m happy. I like to play. I like playing for this team. I’m happy to be here."
Pérez, who proved himself to be a very capable defender at first base last season, probably won't be needed much there with Jesús Aguilar backing up Eric Thames. But he still has his first baseman's glove packed in his bag for the trip back to Milwaukee.
Not surprisingly, Pérez exclaimed, 'Yes sir!' when asked if he also was the Brewers' emergency catcher behind Manny Piña and Jett Bandy, although he said he'd need to borrow one of their mitts if he had to fill in.
Just another tool in the toolbox for the 26-year-old Venezuelan.
RELATED: Camp was matter of adjustments for Thames
CAMP REPORT: Brewers drop Cactus League finale
RELATED: Miller Park $20 million concession upgrades include tacos, barbecue, local beers
On a roll: Shaw put the wraps on a solid spring on Wednesday with a 2-for-3 day that included a two-run homer and three RBI.
The homer was the fourth of the spring and the second straight off a left-hander. That qualifies as a big deal for Shaw, who opened 2016 as Boston's starting third baseman only to wind up platooning after he struggled against lefties and eventually benched.
He finished with a .187 average, four homers, 19 RBI and .599 OPS in 107 at-bats against southpaws. Overall, Shaw hit .242 with 16 homers, 71 RBI and an OPS of .726 in 480 at-bats.
The Brewers pursued Shaw and Thames in part because of a need to balance a right-handed-heavy lineup with their lefty bats. Shaw finished the spring with a .333 average, 12 RBI and a team-high-tying 10 walks.
"Hitting against lefties feels good again," Shaw said. "I didn't get a chance to do it much last year, but I feel like I'm in a good spot right now."
Shaw started 17 games at third base, two at designated hitter and another at first base this spring. He committed one error in 99 innings in the field.
"That's always going to be a work in progress for me, and something I'll never be satisfied with completely," he said of his defense at third.
"I don't want to press to try and show stuff, but I just thought that the way that I go about my business every single day should speak for itself by the end of camp. I feel like I did a pretty good job of that."
BREWERS LIVE: Follow Haudricourt & Rosiak on Twitter all season
RELATED: Brewers spring training dates, facts
BY POSITION SERIES: SP | C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | LF | CF | RF | RP | BENCH
Going for gold: Villar is going to be an everyday second baseman in the major leagues for the first time, and he already is setting the bar high.
“I want to focus on winning a Gold Glove,” Villar said Wednesday. “I think I can do it.”
Villar, 25, began last season at shortstop but moved to third base when Arcia was called up at the outset of August. He struggled at third, committing 12 errors in 40 games.
After Shaw was acquired from Boston in early December, the decision was made to move Villar to second base. In turn, that move led to the eventual decision to place Scooter Gennett on waivers, and he was claimed by Cincinnati on Tuesday.
After mostly sitting on the bench for two weeks with the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic, Villar struggled to find his swing in exhibition play. He went 1 for 3 in the Cactus League finale against the Angels to finish the Arizona portion of camp with a .184 batting average.
“I want to be ready for the season,” Villar said. “I feel comfortable because I think we have a good team. I will be ready for any situation they want."