Skip to main content

Lets talk about a few guys of interest...

 

Brett Lawrie- OPS is .647.  OBP is horrible, but he has crushed a few home runs, which helps the slugging (which is still a mediocre .388).  He's started to warm up, then sat out a game with back trouble.

 

Corey Hart-  OPS is .743, meh OBP and SLG (Reynolds has a higher OPS, granted in a platoon, but also in the same number of AB's).  Primarily a DH, but he has taking the field in right for 3 games (I'm shocked). 

 

Juan Francisco- Here is the guy I preferred over Overbay.  Only 40 AB's as he started out in the minors, but he has raked since he got called up.  OPS over 900 and SLG over 500.  O played batter defense (Juan manned third when Lawrie was out, he's not good there), but I still hold Juan would have been a better choice in the platoon.  We are talking about 40 AB's for both guys, but I think the upside is higher for Juan and we are getting what we are going to get from O. 

 

Zack Greinke- well, he's pitching pretty damn well.

 

Shaun Marcum and Randy Wolf

 

Manny Parra- it seems hitters can still hit Manny

 

Nyger Morgan- Tony Plush has really taken advantage of his 23 AB's in the Majors.  Good for him.

 

John Axford- John has 8 saves and is keeping guys from scoring.  Walk rate is still high, K rate is low, I'd be worried about Ax keeping guys from scoring all year long. 

 

Jake Odorizzi- I wouldn't kick him out of my system, but he has not shown in his limited time.  WHIP is 1.8, maybe if he settles down he can turn it around.

 

Alcides Escobar- He is really shining right now.  Had a great April and still plays good defense.

"Rocket Fuel malt liquor. Damn!"

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Not much regret here with what they're doing as opposed to what the Brewers have on their roster. I still have a man crush on Greinke, although him leaving was inevitable. I hope he dominates except against the Brewers.

I actually like Overbay over Francisco. I haven't looked at the stats on this, but I have more confidence in Overbay hitting for contact in the clutch than I do the over guy, and I like the veteran presence. I'll sacrifice the power.

Tony Plush would seem to fit in really well with this bunch as a reserve outfielder, and I like what he's done this year in a limited opportunity. I actually thought how cool it'd be to bring him back with this team if the Brewers are still contending, but it may be a reach to think he could recreate what he meant in 2011.

Overall, I am surprised at how well this team has jelled, and really like their chemistry. They seem to have fun and relish their rolls. It sure helps a lot when you're 20-9. Like you said a few days ago EKB, the streaks will come, and let's see how they handle adversity when it comes. The overuse of the bullpen concerns me right now, but the team's overall pitching has been fantastic. I also see the bats heating up with the weather. Irregardless, I don't see this team being successful due to its offense. I think in the end they will either contend or not based in how the staff holds up.

Good topic to discuss.

Edit: What about Prince?
Last edited by Tavis Smiley

good suggestion TS

 

Prince Fielder-  This is every other year, good year for Prince.  I targeted him in fantasy baseball (didn't get him) simply because it was supposed to be the big year in his cycle.  That park and the talent around him also lead me to think he would have a big year.  2 home runs and 5 doubles in 100 AB's will make you look weak. 

 

No word on if he is eating brisket again. 

More on Juan and Brett

 

“I’m a third baseman,” he said. “I’m not a third base/second base type of guy. I’m a third baseman and that’s my position.

 

I'm guessing Brett wasn't to happy about being shifted to get Juan Fransisco's bat in the line up (again, Juan is hitting far better than Brett right now). 

 

Of course, Brett wanted to move from catcher to second when he was a Brewer farm hand. 

 

"I love it back there," Lawrie proclaimed on Draft day, professing his affinity for catching.

 

So much for his excitement about being a backstop. Over the offseason, after Lawrie had played for Team Canada in the Junior World Championships and the Beijing Olympics, his outlook changed.

 

"I've always liked second base," Lawrie said. "I like catching, too, but it wasn't a position I could see myself going to the park every day and playing. Catching just wasn't really there for me. It didn't feel proper to me. I think it's one of those things you have to pick up when you're young."

 

 

I have no problem with guys having major ego's, it comes with the turf, but Lawrie can't seem to get out of his own way. 

Casey McGehee-  Did this last night. 

 

I always liked Casey.  He, like Axford benefited from great timing and suffered from awful timing.  After Casey was claimed from the Cubs, no one really expected anything from him.  An awful Bill Hall gave him an opening and he crushed it.  Then 2011 and an opportunity to cash in came and the bottom fell out of his bat.  2012 didn't help his cause any.  Last year he was overseas, but now he is back and with a  .372/.389/.771 slash line behind Stanton. 

   
Last edited by "We"-Ka-Bong

During the 2011 season that the Brewers made the NLCS, the typical starting lineup was

 

Lucroy, Fielder, Weeks, Betancourt, McGehee, Braun, Morgan, Hart

 

The Starting pitchers were

 

Gallardo, Marcum, Greinke, Wolf, Narveson

 

Axford was the closer.

 

Of the 14 "main" players on that team, only Randy Wolf was over 30 at the time. Only 4 of the 14 are left on the roster. Weeks appears to be the only glaring mistake Melvin made in terms of a contract decision (and he's done after this year). Braun obviously has his baggage and you wish he didn't have the big contract, but he's likely not going to become a complete liability any time soon. You'd like to have Greinke, but not at 26 million a year in this market.

 

Hart is at 6 million this year and Fielder may have what ends up to be one of the worst contracts in major league history.

 

I was not always a fan, but Melvin deserves a lot of credit for how he rebuilt this team. That's a lot of turnover in three years to rebuild a contender without the resources of the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, etc.

 

(5/22/2014 03:20:00 PM) - Al  


 The irony here is, I doubt if his weight had much/anything to do with this injury. This is just the risk of athletic competition or life breaking a guy down.

 

Dr. Al feels a couple more trips to Golden Coral couldn't hurt the big guy.  Waffles are pretty vegan. 

Right now Lawrie has 11 home runs, tying him for 3rd in baseball (tied with Juan Fran interestingly enough).  He's also on pace to have less than 40 walks, an OBP under .300 and he currently holds an OPS of .697.  He's like Russell Branyan if Russell wasn't awesome.  Juan has the second highest OPS for third basemen. 

 

The mistake wasn't letting Lawrie out the door, it was letting Francisco go. 

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×