Is Rickie's Production A Concern?

[Klements Bratwurst]

I thought Yost wasn't concerned, but now it sounds like he is with Weeks. I think being sidelined for a few days may be good for Weeks with the bat at least. I am concerned however, with his glovework. It still may end up being that Craig Counsell is inserted late in the game to replace a stick for a glove like we were trying to avoid by moving Braun to the outfield.

[rluzinski]

Yes, I know. I was just saying how I understand his argument and what he meant by his post, but I'm not so sure I agree that Counsell and Weeks situation is the result of a small sample size.

 

How else would you explain Counsell having an OPS over 1.200? That sample in no way represents Counsell's true skill level. You have to basically divide it by 2. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[brewjihad]

... and in related news, Seattle is in the market for a decent rightfielder. That Ichiro guy is just not getting the job done this spring.

[adambr2]

Wow, a lot has changed since the 17th. Weeks finished spring training on a tear, going 11 for his last 24. He also finished spring training with 9 stolen bases despite getting basically an entire week off in the middle of March.

 

Obviously what he does in the regular season will be all that matters, but this is great to see heading into the season after he struggled coming out of the gates. I'm looking forward to seeing him be the man at the top of the order for us this season.

[logan82]

Now I am worried about Corey Hart. I mean Weeks actually finished with a better batting average than Hart. Maybe we should send Hart down to AAA for a few weeks to get his swing right. Better yet, why don't we trade him to SF for Dave Roberts.

[afeter]

Is Rickie's start of the season concerning?

 

Numbers current of 4-22,

 

13 hits

9 bbs

73 abs

 

.178 ba

.302 on base

 

Maybe the answer is now an obvious yes. Are any there folks on this site who believe he is going to finish the season batting over .280?

 

Lets get some predictions for his offensive numbers, and any thoughts on why he is slumping and what he could possibly due to fix it.

 

I have always had the opinion that he is not a lead off hitter. This is just another example of ned flaunting baseball convention for his own gut feeling (see switching prince and braun after last years success, batting pitcher 8th, bunting strategy). He took a guy with great power and hands and made him change his approach to that of a lead off guy. Rickie has done a good job, but i think its time to hit him 7 or 8 and let kendall lead off.

 

If nothing changes i see rickie at .250, 20 hrs and .340 on base. which may be very optomistic.

[BrewCrewForever]

I'm still not sure how I feel about Rickie. I don't want to give up, but his lack of production is really hurting right now.

[brewcrew00]

This is just another example of ned flaunting baseball convention for his own gut feeling (see switching prince and braun after last years success, batting pitcher 8th, bunting strategy). He took a guy with great power and hands and made him change his approach to that of a lead off guy. Rickie has done a good job, but i think its time to hit him 7 or 8 and let kendall lead off.

Seriously? This is beyond coaching, and how in the world can this be pinned on Ned? Rickie has been lost as a big league hitter, he's never turned the numbers in everyone had projected. He's a career .245/.353 hitter. That must be Neds fault.

[RightFieldCoder]

I'd keep him at the lead off spot, but tell him to hit the way he would hit if in the middle of the order. Don't worry about "taking pitches because that's what a lead off hitter does" mentalitly. Rickie hits fastballs. Look for the first fastball (usually the first pitch) and swing away.

 

Him taking pitches is obviously not helping the rest of the guys in the lineup.

[afeter]

This is just another example of ned flaunting baseball convention for his own gut feeling (see switching prince and braun after last years success, batting pitcher 8th, bunting strategy). He took a guy with great power and hands and made him change his approach to that of a lead off guy. Rickie has done a good job, but i think its time to hit him 7 or 8 and let kendall lead off.

Seriously? This is beyond coaching, and how in the world can this be pinned on Ned? Rickie has been lost as a big league hitter, he's never turned the numbers in everyone had projected. He's a career .245/.353 hitter. That must be Neds fault.

Yes, i am serious. I think batting him lead off has hurt his production. I don't think it changed him from a .330 guy, but i do think it has put him in counts where he isn't comfortable

[Fear The Chorizo]

Maybe if Ricky ever realized that hitting outside pitches to the opposite field can be useful, he'd raise his average above .200.

 

his hands are so fast, he can easily adjust on inside pitches...trying to hook everything down the left field line leads to problems with offspeed (which he definitely has), and lots of weak, end of the bat popups and dribblers (which he definitely does)

 

I can't remember the last time Ricky took a pitch on the outer half to right center field with authority.

[7rebmun]

I concur. Rickie takes the first pitch fastball down the good part of the plate every AB, or so it seems. I might actually start charting his at-bats to see. I know this came up in another thread recently, but Rickie seems to work from behind in the count all the time.

 

Last night his hit came on a mistake slider, that I'm sure was intended to be at least a foot off the plate.

 

I'd be happy if Rickie was allowed to be a free swinger for a couple weeks. If that didn't get him going then at least we'd know. Its not like it could get much worse.

[sheethead]

how in the world can this be pinned on Ned?

 

Who crafts the lineup? Ned.

 

Rickie is falling way short of even my modest expectations. He needs to stop playing the HR Derby game (as does everyone) and start hitting the ball in all directions. Pulling everything is not the way to snap a slump. I would like to see Hart leading off. Just my two cents.

[Tbadder]

I think when the Brewers draft his brother, we'll have pretty-near the best lead-off hitter in baseball eventually.

[BrewCrewForever]

I would like to see Hart leading off. Just my two cents.

It's not a bad point, I mean they did seem to play their best ball last season when Hart was leading off didn't they? What was the teams record in games Hart led off?

[brewcrew00]

The lineup has nothing to do with Rickie's lack of production. He's seeing plenty of pitches to hit and he's doing nothing with them.

[sheethead]

The lineup has nothing to do with Rickie's lack of production. He's seeing plenty of pitches to hit and he's doing nothing with them.

I agree Rickie is not doing much, if anything with the good pitches. I didn't think that was the point of the original post, which I took to be Rickie as a leadoff hitter. Rickie is not, and never has been a leadoff hitter. Not until he ran into Ned Yost that is.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I don't think "leadoff hitter mentality" is the issue with Weeks - part of the reasoning behind batting Kendall 9th was that it would put Weeks in more RBI situations. After his initial AB of every game, Weeks is no longer a leadoff hitter the way the lineup turns over.

 

I'd actually like to see him back off the plate a few inches - his hands are basically over the inside corner, and I think he gets so geared up to turn on an inside fastball that anything offspeed or away is very difficult for him to adjust to right now. Maybe backing off the plate a bit will shift Weeks' focus to hitting towards the middle of the field, and let him react to pitches instead of constantly anticipating hard stuff inside.

[Gobias Industries]

I can't remember the last time Ricky took a pitch on the outer half to right center field with authority.

4/15: Warning track, right-center against Braden Looper. 3rd at-bat. Caught by Ankiel.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I can't remember the last time Ricky took a pitch on the outer half to right center field with authority.

4/15: Warning track, right-center against Braden Looper. 3rd at-bat. Caught by Ankiel.

 

I didn't say the last time he hit a deep fly ball - the last time he had hit a line drive, much less got a base hit to the opposite field

[TooLiveBrew]

Hitting a fly ball to the track, while perhaps not hitting it squarely or perfectly, is certainly hitting the ball with authority.

[Gobias Industries]

I didn't say the last time he hit a deep fly ball - the last time he had hit a line drive, much less got a base hit to the opposite field

It would of been out with warmer weather. Ball wasn't carrying. Otherwise the last time he hit a line drive to right I think would be against the Reds, at home, 4/10. Phillips was shaded up the middle because of the runner at first and made a leaping grab on a rocket. Quite unlucky.

When he's seeing the ball good, he definitely has the abililty to hit line drives in the right center gap. The 9th inning homerun off of Lidge last Semptember was an incredible piece of hitting to right field. (The one where Pence crashed into the wall.) 97 on the outside corner and he smoked it.

[Ennder]

I'm going to say this and it will be controversial and might get me banned but only morons are upset with Weeks at the plate. If you are way too obsessed with AVG instead of stats that actually matter you think Weeks sucks but if you understand baseball you know he is a top end offensive 2B. It is that simple and if you disagree with me you need to study the game more. That sounds harsh and I'm sorry for it but it is the truth. His defensive issues sure do matter and they are what holds him back from elite 2B status but offensively he is just fine.

[Glennron]

Ennder, I certainly agree batting average isn't high as far as how important offensive stats are, but I think people are upset because aside from the last couple months of '07 he really hasn't been very special. I know he hasn't even played a full season and I fully believe he'll have a good year this year if he stays healthy, but people see that he was the number 2 overall pick and expect more from him. I'm not saying I agree with that, but that's how a lot of people feel.

[brewerjamie15]

For our staff predictions, I went with Weeks to have a big season. I need him to turn it around or I will look foolish. Again.