Milwaukee Brewers broke camp yesterday and had their first real practice of the 2019 season. It’s an exciting time. Pitchers and catchers are the only ones currently with the team, but they are still headlines coming out of Maryvale, Arizona. First is not a surprise. Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell said that Erik Kratz is third on the depth chart with Manny Pina second and Yasmani Grandal as the starter. No one is shocked by this news, but many people drew a love for Kratz in the postseason run in 2018. Here’s what Counsell said about per Tom Haudricourt

“It’s a tough spot for Erik; we understand that,” Counsell said Wednesday before a rain-shortened first workout for pitchers and catchers. “He made a very meaningful contribution. Acquiring Yasmani kind of put us in that spot.

Yeaaaaah, this is pretty much a sign that Kratz is no longer going to be a member of this team come late Spring. He is 39 years old, so, maybe he stays on Milwaukee’s roster and becomes a special assistant. I cannot see a way where Milwaukee keeps three catchers. That’s not something we see in baseball at all. It’s a starter and a backup then that’s it. There is usually not a bench spot open for a third catcher unless he plays a secondary position. Kratz doesn’t do that.

I wish him the best but it’s probably not going to be a successful outcome for him.

Charlie.