CAPackFan95 posted:Blair Kiel posted:How freaking good are Yelich and Cain?
I mean, they are both very very good.
Cain is exactly what you hoped for when that trade was made. Good to above average offense, gets on base, plays terrific D. Maybe the best FA acquisition in 2018 off season. If we can get 3 more years of 80-90% of what Cain is delivering this year I mean that's in the running with Reggie White for best FA pickup by a WI team.
Yelich has showed everything you hoped he would be and even is improving with power numbers. And he's been on fire 2nd half. Yelich's year is so good that when I read this, I initially thought "Well DUH! This is this one of the best years ever by a Brewer!" Wanted to confirm my thoughts.
Before I type another word, I want to be very clear - Yelich is amazing. I love his game, I could not be more thrilled that the Brewers have him under control for 3 more years. I would like to extend him 10 if possible.
But, looking at the numbers...
*pulls pin on grenade with teeth
*lobs it in the general vicinity
It's at best a borderline top 10 season by a hitter. WHICH ISN'T BAD AT ALL! It's just that there have been many really good years offensively by Brewers. Yount, Fielder, Braun have all had dominant single seasons of OPS+ which is I think as good as a proxy as we can get. Yelich is there, very close. Not a knock, just surprised me how many seasons were better! Because it feels like a franchise best year right now.
The inevitable rabbit hole that comes from any/every view of Baseball Reference - perhaps the most underrated offensive season by a Brewer is Sixto Lezcano's 1979. 2nd highest single season adjusted OPS+ by a Brewer. Slash line of .321/.414./.573/.987, 29 2B, 28 HR, 101 RBI. All at the age of 25. Basically an anomaly. Well, I shouldn't say that. He was improving nicely 76-78. 79 was a massive jump, and I think got everyone thinking he was just gonna continue mashing like that. And was a GREAT defensive player. Struggled HARD in 1980, injuries had a lot to do with that . Traded for Vuke/Simmons and then career petered out although had a nice 1982 in San Diego. Always wondered if he had stayed in AL what his numbers look like... Also was at opening day 1980 when he hit a Walk Off Grand Slam to beat Boston 9-5. Our family tradition was to go to the 2nd home game each year never opening day, so was at the 18-1 2 GS in an inning game as well. But, that year Dad got his work's tickets that year as I think because a guy bailed last minute, so Dad got them that morning, and pulled me out of school. Helluva memory going apeshiit with my Dad and 53K other people.
Also. Fukk the cubs
Great post. First of all, Cain. If you just look at his standard stats, nothing jumps out. In a single season, he's never driven in more than 72 runs, never hit more than 16 home runs, never stolen more than 28 base, and never hit better than .307. His best OPS is 838. But he finished 3rd in the MVP voting a few years back during a year he hit .307 with 16 HRs and 72 RBIs. He's a great fielder, but he's somehow never won a Gold Glove and leads the league in WAR this year. Other than defense, he's not an A level player in anything. It's just that's he very good (B+/A-) at EVERTHING.
Yelich has been great and I can't believe the Brewers have him under contract for the next three years during the prime of his career, but we forget sometimes how good those 1978-1983 teams were on offense. They might have been one of the top 10 offensive teams in history. Yelich's OPS is .934. Those teams from 78-83 had guys on them with the following OPS for their best season. In fact, 7 of the players on that 1982 were players that had an OPS of almost 900 (891 or better) in at least one season during their career. Even Gantner (730 career high), Charlie Moore (722), and Roy Howell (804) weren't slouches. Basically, that 1982 team had 7 guys that had at one season very similar to Yelich in terms of OPS. It's scary to think what that payroll would have been.
Yount (1982) OPS of 957
Molitor (1987) OPS of 925
Gorman Thomas (1979) 895
Ben Oglivie (1980) 925
Cecil Cooper (1980) 926
Ted Simmons (1978 with Cards - 908; 799 with Brewers in 1983)
Don Money (1982 - 891)
Not on 1982 Team, but still that era
Lezcano (1979) 987
Larry Hisle (1978) 906
