Orlando Arcia showing signs of life at the plate for the Brewers
Merely from watching shortstop Orlando Arcia’s demeanor and mannerisms, you’d never know when he’s struggling on the field.
“Orlando is the same guy,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s going to have a smile on his face. He’s going to do whatever for the team. He’s always been like that.”
That doesn’t mean Arcia’s struggles at the plate haven’t eaten him up at times this season, however. It got so bad that the Brewers sent him to Class AAA Colorado Springs, not once, but twice, to try to figure things out and build some confidence.
The first demotion, in late May when Arcia was batting .194 with a .233 OBP, lasted only four days because his replacement, Tyler Saladino, sprained an ankle and went on the DL. When the struggles continued (.197/.231), he was sent back down in late June, this time for a much longer stay.
“We reached a point with him before we sent him down where we thought the confidence with the at-bats was wavering,” Counsell said.
Arcia was recalled on July 26, just before the Brewers acquired third baseman Mike Moustakas and second baseman Jonathan Schoop in trades designed to bolster the infield offense. Those additions limited Arcia’s playing time, but he nevertheless has made some progress at the plate.
In his first six games of action in August, Arcia went 5 for 9 (.462) with one walk and a .500 OBP. He broke through with a big night Wednesday in an 8-4 victory over San Diego, going 3 for 4 with a home run, his first since mid-April.
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“The home run was good for him,” Counsell said. “He hadn’t had one in a while. To drive the ball like that certainly feels good.
“We’ve talked about confidence with Orlando a lot. He’s putting together some stronger at-bats and getting results from it, which is a positive sign.”
Arcia was not in the starting lineup Thursday afternoon in the series finale against the San Diego Padres but has committed to being ready to play every day, even though he knows the infield glut makes that unlikely.
“You’ve just got to come here and keep working hard every day, and put everything on the line, and hopefully things will work out,” said Arcia, now batting .210 with a .248 OBP.
With a naturally bubbly personality and an infectious joy for playing the game, Arcia is a favorite in the clubhouse and in the dugout, where he often leads the Brewers’ raucous home-run celebrations.
He obviously would rather be the everyday shortstop as he was at season’s start but Counsell said Arcia has handled the situation well.
“I give him a lot of credit,” Counsell said. “He has carried himself very evenly through this whole thing. And he’s done so since he has been back.”
Hernán Pérez got the start at shortstop Thursday.
"I like how we're using our guys right now," Counsell said. "It's a little bit based on who's pitching for us and then a little bit on who's pitching for them. But we've got a good mix, and Orlando plays a good role as a starter or in the late innings defensively.
"Right now that's going to be his job, and it's an important one. Everybody's been sharing these jobs, and I think that's how we'll continue it in the near future."
No-hitter alert: Two young Brewer farmhands combined on a no-hitter Thursday for the Brewers' Dominican Summer League team.
Alexis Ramirez, a 19-year-old right-hander, pitched the first seven innings, walking two and striking out six. Jose Alberro, a 20-year-old left-hander, pitched two perfect innings with a pair of strikeouts to finish off a 5-0 victory over a Texas Rangers entry in the league.
Ramirez, who is 1-2 with a 4.08 earned run average in 10 appearances this season, has struck out 44 in 46 1/3 innings. He signed with the Brewers in January.
Alberro is 4-2 with a 1.80 ERA in 16 appearances out of the bullpen, with 49 strikeouts in 40 innings.
It was the first no-hitter in the organization since last Aug. 14, when Hiram Burgos, Forrest Snow, Nick Ramirez and Jorge López combined to throw one over seven innings for Class AA Biloxi in a 1-0 victory over Tennessee.
It was deemed an official no-hitter despite being two innings shorter than a normal game because it was part of a doubleheader.