The lefthanded bat challenge for 2009

[MNBrew]

You think him not getting an extra hit once every 10 games is killing the crew?

Not really. I was singling out Weeks, Hall, & Cameron's production as part of the big picture of what I believe the Brewers need to improve on for 2009.

 

And I think the issues of high Ks and low BA & OPS -- along with BA-RISP! -- are bigger, more time-proven Brewers concerns than the righty-lefty thing. That's all.

[kramnoj]

And I think the issues of high Ks and low BA & OPS -- along with BA-RISP! -- are bigger, more time-proven Brewers concerns than the righty-lefty thing.

 

I still don't understand. You think Cameron's 831 OPS is low? If he had enough AB's to qualify, he would be 6th in the majors.

 

This is what you said earlier: Cameron's power & RBIs are pretty positive, actually, but the high Ks and low BA & OPS out of these 3 (not that others are fully innocent, either) are just killing the Crew.

 

Edit: Meant to say that Cameron's OPS is 6th at CF.

[dadofandrew]

His OPS is better than Hart's. Mike is the least of the problems.

[Never Outhustled]

The Brewers need to find a way to get more OPS out of there roster full of underachievers. Weeks, Fielder, and hart need to hit more, and I don't care if they do it versus righties or lefties. The wins count the same.

 

Having Branyan platooning at 3rd all year instead of Hall playing full time, will give the team a little more OPS versus righties. A lefty hitting OF might help, but everyone would like 1 of those off there bench, so they get overvalued $$ wise. Eric Hinske would likely jump at the chance to play for his local team, and he smacks righties pretty well.

[MNBrew]

I realized my screw-up in my first post of this thread. I meant to say "BA & OBP," not BA & OPS.

 

The OPS is decent because of all the power. The OBP is what needs to improve. High OBP is one of many reasons the Cubs are having such a good year. If the Crew were hitting (BA & OBP) more like the Cubs, it's possible the Cubs would be chasing them rather than the opposite.

 

Sorry for the mistake.

[PeaveyFury]

I realized my screw-up in my first post of this thread. I meant to say "BA & OBP," not BA & OPS.

 

But again, Cameron's only .08 points below his Career OBP, and .08 points below his career BA. Cameron isn't really performing below what should have been expected at all, especially considering his above-normal Slugging.

[MNBrew]

Cubs' BA is ~25 points higher than the Brewers' BA.

Cubs' OBP is ~35 points higher than the Brewers' OBP.

 

Cubs rank 1st in the NL in both. Brewers rank 10th.

 

The Cubs have 115 more hits and 85 more BB than the Brewers. That's 200 baserunners, and that's huge.

 

With how well the Brewers are pitching, even halving the gap behind the Cubs in BA & OBP might make up more than a few wins. Even just being "league average" would help, and even more so in RISP.

 

Again, the lefty-righty thing, while far from ideal for the Crew, just doesn't seem like as big of a problem by comparison.

[reillymcshane]

Again, the lefty-righty thing, while far from ideal for the Crew, just doesn't seem like as big of a problem by comparison.

But the club has so many righties that don't hit for AVE or OBP against righties - so my point of this thread is exactly yours - we don't have a good OBP or AVE or OPS when playing against righties. And considering 3/4 of ABs come against righties, the team is bound to struggle against righthanders. Primary culprits are Weeks, Hall, Counsell and Kendall. Weeks and Hall are prime platoon candidates - Kendall and Counsel just can't hit against either pitchers, so there's nothing we can do but live with their production or replace them.

 

Bottom line is that this club hits lefties really well. Right handed pitchers they are very mediocre. Here's a comparison.

 

VS RIGHTIES

AVE: .249

OBP: .318

SLG: .429

OPS: .747

 

VS LEFTIES

AVE: .269

OBP: .346

SLG: .467

OPS: .813

[sheetswannabe]

Get Brian Roberts.

[JohnBriggs12]

Just for discussion sake what about Milton Bradley?

 

Plenty of baggage with this guy and he's oft injured and prefers to DH, but he might be the best bat out there in FA.