New Power 50 up Now --- May 1

[TheCrew07]

What's Scarpetta's story? I had almost forgotten about him...

[NastyTwig]

I'm most excited for that rotation down in WV... Bryson, Tyson, Braddock, Jeffress, and I'm sure we'll add a college arm or two in the draft.

[battlekow]

NastyTwig, Braddock got promoted to Brevard County. What does everyone think of Dan Merklinger?

[TooLiveBrew]

If I can offer what will hopefully be taken as constructive criticism, it'd be really nice if the current season's stats could be included on player cards. It kinda defeats the purpose of clicking on LaPorta's name just to see a blank stat line. Maybe I'm just being too picky.

 

EDIT: Is it the problem of constant updating/maintenance in posting current season stats that keeps them out? I can fully understand that.

 

 

I know I've posted this pic before, but given his new status as #1, and the way he's been hitting the ball thus far, I'd like to hear some of you experts give us a little compare and contrast discussion on these two guys

 

What's funny to me is that really the only similarities in stances are the arm positions in that pic. You can see LaPorta sets himself up with a much wider stance, while Ryan keeps his knees turned in & feet much closer together. I haven't had the privilege of watching Matt hit yet, though. I agree 100% that it'd be interesting to hear some more well-informed opinions on Ryan's & Matt's similarities/differences, and I'd expand it to include looking at how both young men play LF.

[sbrylski]

If I can offer what will hopefully be taken as constructive criticism, it'd be really nice if the current season's stats could be included on player cards. It kinda defeats the purpose of clicking on LaPorta's name just to see a blank stat line. Maybe I'm just being too picky.

 

I made this suggestion in the past too. We don't even have last season's stats on the player cards, rendering them absolutely useless.

 

I mean, if its not possible to get live updating stats or to much work, I understand. But if possible, that's my top suggestion on how to improve the site.

[TooLiveBrew]

But if possible, that's my top suggestion on how to improve the site.

 

Ditto.

 

 

For the LaPorta batting stance, his has always reminded me a bit of this one:

 

http://brian6string.is-a-geek.com:8088/images/pujols_1.jpg

[wvpowerblkwel]

Only reason I'd like to hear other comparison on LaPorta and Braun, is that I saw both of them here in Charleston. My opinion is that LaPorta seemed to hit the ball harder here. Not just out of the park harder, but overall whether foul ball or fair, he seemed to punish the ball. I know that Braun just blew up after he left Charleston and continues today...but I'm not sure LaPorta isn't capable of doing the same, and seems to be on his way to the bigs soon. I am a relative novice in watching the Brewer prospects, but thus far I haven't been too far off....thus, I'd like to hear some of your opinions on the comparison between these guys from anyone who may have had the pleasure of watching both of them hit.

[twobrewers]

I mean, if its not possible to get live updating stats or to much work, I understand. But if possible, that's my top suggestion on how to improve the site.

I would imagine it is a lot of work. But having outdated information doesn't help anyone. I always thought it would just be easier to link to their MILB.com player profile. Then they would be updated daily.

[LouisEly]

No, he's not. Hinton is more than a year younger, throws harder and has one of the best sliders in the system.

 

Turnbow throws even harder, but if you don't have movement or location or change speeds you see the result. Wise had a nice little career in the bullpen for a guy who couldn't throw hard. Hinton, while he may have a great slider, is very Turnbow-esque in how he poops himself whenever there are runners on base. Small sample, but with runners on base and in scoring position Ryan has not given up a hit; Hinton meanwhile has a very Turnbow-esque ERA of 15.43 with runners on base, 21.00 with runners in scoring position this season. And Ryan's career GO/AO smokes Hinton also.

[TooLiveBrew]

Hinton meanwhile has a very Turnbow-esque ERA of 15.43 with runners on base, 21.00 with runners in scoring position this season.

I think that's way too much an extreme to tell you anything aside from that he's had some real bad luck so far in said situation(s). If he goes a couple appearances where he's very good in these situations, his ERA (which is an unreliable way to gauge pitchers anyway) will drop drastically, and it won't tell us much, either.

[pogokat]

I now can join in with wvpowerblkwell and say that laporta hits the ball harder than braun...he makes ridiculously hard contact...braun has the ability to get the sweet spot of the bat on the ball regardless of where the ball is...kind of like vlad guerero...but laporta kills the ball regardless of where it hits the bat...he got sawed off tonight on an inside itch and hit it to deep right anyway..

 

i think laporta will hit a lot more like texiera than pujols, but that's pretty freaking awesome anyway..

[And That]

Turnbow throws even harder... Wise had a nice little career in the bullpen for a guy who couldn't throw hard.

Turnbow was also a dominant reliever for a time. Wise never was. I'll take Turnbow potential over Wise potential every time out of AA relievers.

[igor67]

Has David Weiser weighed in anywhere on Gamel's defense? He'd be in a good position to compare say Braun and Gamel's qualities at this point.

[twobrewers]

i think laporta will hit a lot more like texiera than pujols, but that's pretty freaking awesome anyway..

http://www.webboi.net/blog/archives/homer_simpson_drool.jpg

 

 

[DrWood]

Only reason I'd like to hear other comparison on LaPorta and Braun, is that I saw both of them here in Charleston.

 

in the pictures you posted, the stances are GREATLY different. They just caught them both adjusting their caps at the same time. look at the leg stance, and where they are relative to the plate.

[DrWood]

I don't know how butler debuts so high, higher than a half dozen other pitchers who have performed better than him and have better stuff than him. Even though Butler was a 2nd round pick, he was probably a bit of a reach to be selected so high.

 

that's the biggest surprise.

[wvpowerblkwel]

Dr. Wood: Your points about the pictures are well taken, and I agree. I would like to hear more what you guys think about LaPorta and Braun as to how they will be similar or disimilar on there path to the bigs, be it from the time frame, the position path, and what qualities you see in them from the offensive standpoint one from the other. I just thought it was kinda cool seeing what could be the Brewer future outfield corners in a picture like that, didn't really mean I thought the stances etc were too similar.

[pogokat]

the new farmhops will be up on the front page shortly...there are comments aplenty from jim, patrick, toby, and i therein

[And That]

I would like to hear more what you guys think about LaPorta and Braun as to how they will be similar or disimilar on there path to the bigs, be it from the time frame, the position path, and what qualities you see in them from the offensive standpoint one from the other.

Ryan Braun has the higher upside at the plate due to his ability to launch any ball he can get the bat (and any part of the bat) on. He's one of the strongest hitters the Brewers have ever had. He still has weak spots in his swing and his plate discipline is a work in progress. If he puts it all together, he could be a perennial All-Star and frankly has the offensive tools to put himself on a HoF path. The Brewers put him in the outfield way too late, though I guess it's hard to argue that it affected him at the plate in 2007. If Ryan can learn to take bad pitches and consistently use the whole field with balls out of his wheelhouse, the sky is the limit. I worry somewhat that he's already had his best year, though that's mitigated somewhat by a)that last year was a helluva year and b)he'll still be arbitration eligible for his 27 and 28 year old seasons. I've liked his work in LF and I think he could make a good defensive CF, too. His throws and routes have generally been good.

 

Matt LaPorta is just a masher. He doesn't look like the wiry physical specimen that Braun is, but he's going to be a solid major league hitter. Just how good he can be is a little up in the air, but he clearly has more plate discipline than Braun at the same age. While Braun could flame out or go to Cooperstown, LaPorta probably isn't going to do either. And he is what he is on defense - not spectacular, but good enough. I hope they move him back to first base eventually (yes, you can read between the lines there). I don't think he'll have the rookie campaign Braun did, but I'd have no problem bringing him up to DH during the AL interleague games. He just hits.

[ecjimg]

I would like to see where each player was drafted ....listed with the power 50 info. Once Im past the top 15 or so prospects, its not obvious where these guys came from.

[BrewCrewForever]

While Braun could flame out or go to Cooperstown, LaPorta probably isn't going to do either.

 

So Braun could flame out but LaPorta can't? I mean I don't want either one of them to, but I would say Braun is either Cooperstown bound or will be a solid major leaguer for a long time and one of the all time Brewers greats at least.

[piccione88]

I would like to see where each player was drafted ....listed with the power 50 info. Once Im past the top 15 or so prospects, its not obvious where these guys came from.

If you click on the players name, it brings up their bio. In the bio of each player, it tells how they were aquired I believe.

[Gopher74]

, his ERA (which is an unreliable way to gauge pitchers anyway) will drop drastically, and it won't tell us much, either.

How many runs a pitcher allows is most certainly not a bad way to evaluate a pitcher. IN the end, it's really the only way.

 

It can be mis-leading in short samples, but to throw it out as an unreliable method to gauge pitchers? What then would be?