The Gabe Kapler Thread

[kramnoj]

I wonder if it's just a mental approach for Kapler. He obviously had the talent to be a better player than he was at the end of his previous stint. For whatever reason, he just stunk. Taking the season off may have really given him a focus that he needed to perform better. It's crazy, he has as many HRs this season has the previous 250 PA spread out over his 2 most recent years.

[pebadger]

I wonder if it's just a mental approach for Kapler. . . . Taking the season off may have really given him a focus that he needed to perform better.

I was thinking the same thing. It's not just that he took the year off, though. It's qluite possible the year on the bench in a managerial capacity may have been beneficial in terms of providing insight and focus on some of the things that simplify the game. I'm guessing that is much different and, for a guy with the right mindset, much more beneficial for a guy than a year on the bench in a player capacity.

[rluzinski]

He obviously had the talent to be a better player than he was at the end of his previous stint.

 

Are you referring to his .340 OBP and .354 SLG with Boston in 2006? Why is he obviously better than that? Heck, I'd be happy with that at this point.

 

I just do not see how an adjust in "mental approach" makes a bad hitting 32 year old player into a good one. Kapler has been playing professional baseball for over a decade now and has been using that time to hone his offensive approach to fit his physical talents. I cannot believe that his previous approach was such a bad fir for him that it negated so much of his his physical ability. I would presume any adjustment he makes now would result in a minimal change in results, good or bad.

 

I am obviously very happy with his offensive performance so far but unless he had been playing perpetually hurt for the last half of his career, the most likely explanation for his current performance is the dreaded, "small sample".

[kramnoj]

"Are you referring to his .340 OBP and .354 SLG with Boston in 2006? Why is he obviously better than that?"

 

One reason it is obvious is that he had the talent at to do so previously in his career.

 

Kapler wasn't just bad his last few years, he was awful, below replacement level. I have a hard time believing that someone as terrible as he was for the last few years could be so successful, even in a small sample, without some kind of change.

 

I would be curious to know what happened with Kapler. Maybe he was one of those muscle heads who tried to get as big as he could, and forgot that he needed agility as a baseball player. Maybe he discovered some relaxation technique that enables him to focus better. Or maybe it's just small sample size. I, personally, think it's fun to imagine what could be, rather than end all discussions with "sample size". That doesn't result in interesting discussion.

[AmyintheSouth]

I think part of it is looking at the game differently from a manager's perspective -- he was by all accounts a very good one, and there were rumors that he was perhaps being groomed to succeed Terry Francona in a few years. But this is the first time in a long time where he's had to play hungry. When Kapler was in Boston, he knew he wasn't playing over Ramirez, Damon, or Nixon. He was absolutely only going to be a backup and he was okay with that. Now he's fighting with Gross and TGJ and he can't be okay with that. I would guess the mental approach might be different. He has something to prove again. The Achilles injury he suffered was pretty brutal as well, and when he came back from it he just wasn't the same. The time off has really afforded that the time to heal.

 

EDIT: And I really think his follow-through on his swing is different. I'm trying to find video for comparison.

[splitterpfj]

Saying Kapler has been a big surprise, and that he's really helping this team is one thing. Saying he should get playing time over Braun, Cameron or Hart is just off-base. That's a great starting outfield, very possibly the best in the league.

[sheetswannabe]

Kapler just hit ANOTHER homer...

[rluzinski]

Kapler telling me to take my small sample and shove it, apparently. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Invader3K]

4 HRs in 26 ABs, if I'm not mistaken.

[kramnoj]

We're obviously seeing sample size to some extent here. He's not going to continue hitting this way. But I do think it would be interesting, and pretty darn cool, if Kapler were able to provide some nice value off the bench this year.

 

There have been players who have just played over their head for varying lengths of time. Shane Spencer put together an insane 73 PA for the Yankees in 1998. Let's hope that Kapler can put together an insane 200 or so PA for the Crew this year.

[pogokat]

Now, im not saying that gabe has become a great player...but it wasn't just potential he was riging on early in his career...he put up ridiculous numbers in the minors...and then was a good major leaguer in his age 24-25 seasons...he fell off a cliff after that

 

what does that mean? not much...but there was certainly more talent in gabe kapler than there ever was in a guy like gross or podsednik...and even though gabe is 32, it's conceivable that he could have figured out enough of what he was doing wrong his last few years and fixed it so that he could be a .750-.800 ops guy...

[endaround]

Keep in mind Kapler's good years were the peak of the second 90s offensive binge. There is a reason that Jenkins had his career year then.

[mothershipconnection]

Seriously!? A homer and a double so far today. I saw the headline on te Brewers site that he hit another home and couldn't help but emit about 20 straight 4 letter words of excitement. The idea that I'd get more excited about Gabe Kapler coming to the plate than Prince Fielder was something I never would've believed.

[tristarscoop]

Couldn't we compare Kapler's hot start to JJ's hot start last year?

[kramnoj]

Keep in mind Kapler's good years were the peak of the second 90s offensive binge. There is a reason that Jenkins had his career year then.

 

The years that Kapler provided above average offense was in 2000 and 2001. In 2000 he was above average in all 3 categories. In 2001 his slugging was average, but he had above average AVG and OBP. From 2002-2006, he was basically awful.

[Katuluu]

Gabe Kapler is the greatest player ever.

[sheethead]

It's not like we haven't had A Gabe start the year smoking hot before and then return to his more usual level of production. Oh Wait Gross did the same thing 2 years ago.

 

Gross has never been this hot, ever.

[ShinyaSS]

In the year 2005, I watched and booed for him in Japan. His AVG/OBP there were .153/.217...

Now I can't believe he is the same person.

[pogokat]

again, i wasn't saying he's going to have a fantastic year or future, just that he has more of a track record than other surprise players like melvin mora...

 

and as for the steroid suggestion, gabe's just as ripped now as he was in that time frame, so whatever he is on hasn't gotten him caught yet

[endaround]

Gross has never been this hot, ever.

Gabe Gross April 14, 2006

.429/.500/.857

 

[DrugBust]

Gabe Gross April 14, 2006

 

.429/.500/.857

That's also in seven at bats. Kapler's at 26.

[endaround]

Gross at the end of April 2006 was at .333/.412/.800 in 36 PAs.

[jazzytrav]

Gross has never been this hot, ever.

From August 16th to September 8th last year, Gross played in 21 games, had 64 PAs, and his line was .333/.406/.614. It may not be the same numbers-wise that Kapler is doing right now, but it was over a longer stretch than I personally expect Kapler to do it.

Edit: You beat me endaround, but it's even more telling to show two different times when Gross went on hot stretches.

[Tbadder]

I found Kapler signing hilarious, and so far it's been Kyle Lohse hilarious.

 

My only real problem with him doing so well is that they're gonna be forced to keep him after Cameron comes on board, and the last thing they need is another righthanded hitter on the bench.

 

I also think Dillon is clearly a better offensive player and he's getting rusty with Kapler's caper.

 

So while he's doing great now, and I'm loving it and chuckling deeply, he could paint the Crew into a corner after some dominoes fall.

[1992casey]

I think what Kapler is doing is plenty to justify keeping him around over Gwynn. And really, since Tony has an option, you're keeping them both anyway.