Opposite Field Hitting

[Jofis11ep]

Just watching the game tonight, I loved their opposite field hitting in the 8th inning.

 

I have no statistics to back this up, just observation, but it seems they have really been approaching their at bats as a whole to go opposite field and have been successful. I also recall probably their two biggest innings (tonights game as well as maybe the 4th (?) inning in the first game in Houston). Just good to see as this team has primaril been built around the long ball.

[AJAY]

I haven't looked up the numbers, but I am also impressed by the walks lately. I know it's a small sample of games, but Dale Sveum has done an amazing job with adjusting the hitting approach of these players. Even Rickie Weeks looks like a totally different hitter too. I love it.

 

I hope these walks and opposite field hits continue.

[Ennder]

The general trend is that players lower their K, raise their BB and hit for higher AVG in the mid to late 20s. Seems like the Brewer hitters are mostly just following the generic trend more than a hitting coach is changing them. Generally speaking at the age of our young regulars you would expect their power to mostly stay flat or slightly improve while their OBP increased and their fielding improved thus increasing their value. That seems to be the general trend.

[GormanHarvey]

What are you guys talking about? The hitting coach has absolutely no effect what so ever. Zero. Dale Sveum deserves no credit. I don't even know why they employ hitting coaches

[owbc]

I like the new approaches (minus Hardy). They're still the same team from last year, but they are taking more walks and striking out less while still leading the NL in home runs.

 

You can also still make the argument that the hitting coach has little impact and it is more of a result of them just getting a year older and wiser. Also, they are still 11th in the NL in batting average, 9th in OBP, and 9th in runs scored.

 

The pitching staff's improvement also makes a difference in our improved outlook on the team over the last week. It is crazy that they are 3rd in the NL with a .249 opponent's batting average but 16th in walks and 12th in ERA.

 

I'm glad to be eating my words about them never reaching .500 again this year.

[igor67]

It's worth pointing out that Weeks walk total is way down, to the point his OBP is not where you'd like despite a much better BA.

[Yeti73]

I was going to start the same post this morning. Seems like the big innings we've had have all been done without the longball. In particular, guys like Prince and Hart have seemed to embrace this.

 

Excluding Sunday's game in Houston, Rickie has only walked once this season. Hard to believe.

[jeffy]

they are still 11th in the NL in batting average, 9th in OBP, and 9th in runs scored.

Offense is now 7th in OBP and 5th in walks.

(for comparison, in 2008 they were 9th in walks and 10th in OBP)

 

In 2009 they averaged 3.4 walks per game, this year they are averagining just over 4.

For 2009 one walk for every 9.6 PA, for 2008 it was one in every 11.4 PA.

 

So far, they are showing an improvement in their walk rate. But it could just be due to continuing a gradual trend as last season in Apr they had one walk for every 11.8 PA, but in Sept they had one in every 10.2.

[Boy Jeenius]

Give Sveum credit, I'm OK with that. But it seems to me that the guys are just growing up and maturing as players more than anything. What is being taught and emphasized is exactly the same things that the previous coaches taught and emphasized when most of these guys were green as grass. Sveum gets credit for finding the right words that are staring to sink in.

[Invader3K]

I think props need to be given to the whole coaching staff at this point. From day 1 of the season, it's like the Brewers have evolved into more complete baseball players...rather than the one dimensional homer-or-nothing w/ bad defense type of lineup.

[jhart05]

I'm giving Willie Randolph a lot of credit for Rickie Weeks.

 

The first thing I thought of when they brought him aboard was, "that's going to help out Rickie a ton".

[Fatter than Joey]

It's worth pointing out that Weeks walk total is way down, to the point his OBP is not where you'd like despite a much better BA.

 

Yes.. If Weeks had .313 OBP, I'd hope his BA was around .200 -- I'd rather have 2006 or 2007 Weeks than the Weeks we have seen so far this year.

[Tbadder]

As long as Weeks picks up on his HBPs, then I don't care too much about his lack of walks. Of course a three run homer once a week helps too.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Week's slugging percentage is at a career high rate of .455. If he can slug like that, his OBP right now is plenty serviceable.

[Gobias Industries]

Not at the leadoff spot. That would be fine for a 6 hole hitter, but that's Willy Taveras bad.

[Fatter than Joey]

If he can slug like that, his OBP right now is plenty serviceable.

 

It's really not, -- a .313 OBP is terrible and not worth the .455 SLG.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'm giving Willie Randolph a lot of credit for Rickie Weeks.

 

The first thing I thought of when they brought him aboard was, "that's going to help out Rickie a ton".

 

Yeah, I think watching Weeks in the field so far this season has demonstrated the huge impact Randolph and/or Sveum have had. Honestly there have been times (esp. in watching him turn double-plays) this season where I have to remind myself, 'No, that's still Rickie Weeks at second base.' Sure, he's still reminded us with some bad plays, but every player makes them, and it's about limiting your mistakes while still converting as many plays as possible into outs. If this new & improved Weeks can keep up this pace, I think we're going to have actually gotten a strong defensive contribution from him by season's end.

 

 

EDIT: Whoops, went pretty hi-jack with that post... sorry. I agree with the general sentiment that the team's success & maturity as hitters have more to do with them getting older. However imho Sveum clearly resonates with this group -- look at how the team seemed to respond to him as manager last season.

[fallingleaves]

Just another reason to be glad that Yost is gone. Macha and company certainly seem to be getting more out of players, although Hardy and Kendell are struggling.

[CheezWizHed]

I seem to remember that when Skaalen was hired, much the same statements were made as are being made about Sveum. Maybe Skaalen changed or maybe players stopped listening.

 

Sveum doesn't deserve no credit, nor does he deserve it all. Frankly, I'm waiting for a larger sample size before deciding anything.

[areacodes]

I know it's a small sample of games, but Dale Sveum has done an amazing job with adjusting the hitting approach of these players.

Sure would have been nice for him to open his mouth over the past 3 years then if that was all it took... I can't figure out why he didn't do it sooner. I'm guessing it has more to do with the natural progression that players go through as they mature and develop as Ennder points out, as opposed to Sveum all-of-a-sudden getting through to these guys. I'd be willing to give Sveum more credit if the hitters are able to sustain this OPB increase throughout the season.

 

I'd rather have 2006 or 2007 Weeks than the Weeks we have seen so far this year.

Agreed 100%, I can't understand all the fans (not calling anybody specifically out on here, more of an observation with my friends and out at the bars) who are raving at how much better Rickie is doing as a lead-off hitter this year. It seems that all they see is him hitting for a higher AVG and completely ignore his drop in OPB. It does seem to me that he is hitting the ball hard (though he did do that in spurts in the past) and I'm willing to give him time on raising his OPB based on his history, but he needs to start doing it sooner than later.

[logan82]

OBP is easy to ignore since it is almost never brought up in most media. BA, HR, and RBI are constantly brought up and Weeks is doing much better in all those areas this year. Overall I think he might be a better hitter to this point this year than he was at the same point last year. Of course he was pretty bad in the first month of the season last year.

 

March/April

2008 - .208/.333/.356/.690

2009 - .260/.313/.455/.768

 

Pretty close actually. I would probably take the 2009 line over the 2008 line to this point. He could easily bring up he OBP with a good game. He needs to be up around a .350+ and preferably .360+ OBP for me to be happy with his line.

[GormanHarvey]

Sure would have been nice for him to open his mouth over the past 3 years then if that was all it took... I can't figure out why he didn't do it sooner.

 

The idea of not wanting to step all over Ski's toes might have had something to do with that

[JohnBriggs12]

It's very early, but it's worth pointing out that Jim Skaalen's Oakland A's hitters are really, really bad so far. They are last in the AL in BA. They are last by a huge margin in Slugging and they are next to last in OBP. Needless to say, they are also last in runs scored.

 

While on the topic of ex Brewer coaches, Mike Maddux is not having much more success than Skaalen. His Ranger pitching staff is next to last in the AL with a 5.99 ERA.

 

So far I've liked what I've seen out of many of the Brewer hitters this year. The big guys took a couple weeks to get it going but now that they are hitting, the offense is functioning well.

[areacodes]

Sure would have been nice for him to open his mouth over the past 3 years then if that was all it took... I can't figure out why he didn't do it sooner.

 

The idea of not wanting to step all over Ski's toes might have had something to do with that

If that is the case, then it is a shame that one coach's ego was more important than what was good for the team. I really think it has more to do with our core of hitters starting to mature than anything else. I can't pinpoint a distinct difference between the taught hitting approach of Skaalan and that of Sveum, and I highly doubt Skaalan was teaching his players to not take walks or swing a crappy pitches. If it really comes down to Sveum being better at picking up flaws in the hitters mechanics or at preaching the art of going opposite field and taking a walk then he indeed should have spoke up in the past, stepping on Skaalan's toes or not, because it would have improved the Brewers chances of winning.

[Darnell Junior]

I think it's a little too early to be worrying about Weeks' walk totals. His OBP is too low, obviously, but the one thing he's done consistently his whole career is walk. I can't believe he just forgot how to overnight. Plus, if he keeps slugging the way he is pitchers will eventually stop giving him so many strikes. If his OBP is below .335 or so at the break, I'll start to worry.

 

As for hitting to the opposite field, it really seems like most of the players are making a conscious effort to do so. It's unbelievably frustrating to watch players roll over outside pitch after pitch to the shortstop just because they stubbornly won't adjust their approach. It's good to see some guy's making an effort to use the whole field (Hart, Hall, Braun, Weeks). The walk totals for Braun, Hart, and Fielder are encouraging as well. I'm starting to feel pretty good about our team.