PHOENIX – The Milwaukee Brewers are not returning Mike Moustakas to move Travis Shaw from third to second, as they have done in the last two months of the 2018 season.

The Brewers bring Moustakas back to second, a position he has never played in the majors.

In case you have not noticed before, the makers of this team like to think outside the box.

Director Craig Counsell said on Monday that the plan was to transfer him to second base, while he was unable to confirm the signing of a $ 10 million contract by Moustakas. Assuming that Moustakas shows that he can cope with it during spring training.

"We're going to explore Mike at the second goal, that's what we're going to do, because that's what we do not know," Counsell said. "At some point we will have to make a decision.

"What we talked about is no different from the conversation we had at the end of last July when we were discussing all of this. Basically, Travis did a really good job (on second base) and we did not explore Mike on second base.

"Now that we are in the spring, we have time to do it. This is what serves the spring training.

Shaw, a 6-pound, 230-pounder, made a decent job by going to second base on the fly last season, in the heat of the playoff race. As a result, the Brewers believe that the 6-0-pound and 225-pound Moustakas will be able to make the transition, thanks to a complete spring training to do the job.

Although he went to second base for the final two months of season 18, Shaw was a finalist for the National League gold medal at third base, a sign of his prowess in that position. Thus, the decision was made to see how Moustakas, who ranks slightly below the third average, looks to second base.

"I do not think we'll see anything that we do not fully expect, but I think it's worth it during the spring training," Counsell said. "In fact, I talked to Mike a few weeks ago. He was on board for the first time (we discussed it) and he is still on board.

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"Whoever goes there will always have a third base time, but one of them will be the second leading goal."

Counsell had already informed Shaw of his plan, and Shaw had spoken on the phone with Moustakas. He was not surprised by the news. Although he will likely continue to work on second base, Shaw was asked to focus primarily on third base, and that is his position.

"I knew it was going to happen," said Shaw. "I still consider myself a third baseman and we'll see what the plan goes. But from now on, I always plan to play third base.

"It's good to have some versatility, it obviously helps the whole season, and at the same time, you always want to know what your role is and what you try to do every day."

In terms of bringing Moustakas back to the group, Shaw said, "It's a one-year contract. He's going to help our team this year and expand our lineup, so that's obviously a big advantage for the team. "

As the Brewers made so many defensive turns, Moustakas would not be asked to show a ton of distance to second base. But make no mistake: it's an offensive, not a defense.

The goal of the Brewers is to create an elite attack without any weak points before the pitcher. With the addition of Yasmani Grandal to the receiver and Moustakas to second base, the formation will have no gap if the short-stop Orlando Arcia hits as he did at the end of last season, coming off of Prolonged slump.

"I think the composition is as good as the one I'm in, if you watch it on paper," said left-wing player Ryan Braun. "On top of that, it adds to our depth. As we all know, your depth will be tested during a season.

"The more quality players that start on a daily basis and get out of your bench, the better, because you inevitably have to face adversity as a team. It makes us much better; it adds to the depth and strength of our range. This really deepens our range, from one to eight, no doubt.

The left-handed power play plays particularly well at Miller Park, and the Brewers expanded this facet of their attack with the addition of Grandal and Moustakas. On the days when Eric Thames played the first goal, the pop on that side of the plate also included Shaw and Christian Yelich.

"We are trying to create a team that will score a lot of points," Counsell said. "It's a place where I think we can be better. I think that we are a group of positional players who can pose a lot of problems every day.

"The best way to do this is to create some kind of circle in your range where there is no easy way out. This is the best way to do it. I think this is the best way to create consistency. This is what we are looking for. There are no places in the range that are easier to cross. It is a difficult range for launchers to sail four to five times a night. "