Michael Brantley

[Turnbowsaves24]

Do you think it was a bigger blow for the Brewers to loose LaPorta or Brantley?

[ILuvDaBush]

LaPorta. He could have conceivably replaced Corey when he went down. Also if we still had the Gator Bat, it would ease the problem of trading Prince without a suitable replacement.

[wishicouldhit]

I think LaPorta has a much higher upside. Where as Brantly is going to be a soild player no matter what. With his outstanding speed and bb/k he would be the ideal fit for the brewers leadoff role.

[dadofandrew]

Brantley would have been a perfect fit in CF next year, so short-term, he was a bigger loss. Laporta really can only play 1B or LF, as I doubt his D would allow him to play RF every day. Long-term, it's a mighty close call...given his speed and OBP to go along with his extreme youth, Brantley may be a safer pick, but Laporta might well hit 35 HR's a couple years and make me look ridiculous.

[twobrewers]

While dadofbrantley (I mean dadofandrew) is always quick with his praise...

 

I actually agree. Brantley really would be a nice CF next year. Whereas Taylor Green had a terrible year and has at least two 3B in the system above him. (I guess Cleveland chose correctly)

 

Laporta might be a very good offensive player - but we could have had a better offensive player (Adam Dunn) for a reasonable price. I haven't seen enough of Laporta to adequately judge his defense, but anything other than 1B is playing out of position.

[endaround]

How would Brantley be perfect next year? Brantley in AAA: .267/.350/.361. That's an MLE of .237/.306/.318. Yes he has great speed, but Gerut would still be a better option if they don't bring back Cameron.

[jjfanec]

I guess I am trying to figure out the Michael Brantley love-fest. With his lack of power people wondered if he would be able to sustain his walk rate because MLB pitchers would go after. Well, in a small-sample size it has not. He has struck out 19 times while walking just 8. That along with little power leaves him with an OPS under .700. Not to mention he has had trouble stealing bases getting caught as many times as he has succeeded. I know this is a small sample size, but his numbers in AAA were not overly impressive either.

 

He could develop into a nice player but to act like he would be a perfect fit for our team next year is wrong to me. The one plus I have heard about Brantley is that his defense is CF is better than what the Brewers system made it out to be. Now I do not know if he is simply okay there or if he has a chance to be a plus defender.

[trwi7]

Brantley has a .691 OPS, .303 wOBA, .368 BABIP, a -33.8 UZR/150 in CF and has been a -0.3 WAR player since he has been called up. Obviously it's a small sample, but there's no way he would be ready offensively or defensively next year.

[dadofandrew]

Brantley's numbers are very good given how young he is for his level, much like Escobar. He will continue to improve, and while he may not flourish next year, he'll put up a decent OBP and the other things will come.

 

Look back at Jeter's numbers when he was in AAA at a year younger than Escobar...about the same. The good ones move up quickly and do not repeat levels, and often do not dominate, but do very well considering their youth. Meanwhile, minor league vets put up good stats, but are a half-decade older and have considerably less upside and potential. If Brantley was 26, his line would be rather pedestrian, but at 22 and in AAA, it's superb. He could probably use another half year in AAA, but he'll get on base, he always does.

[twobrewers]

Obviously it's a small sample, but there's no way he would be ready offensively or defensively next year.

I'd be pretty content with Gerut and Brantley in CF next year.

 

It's a much cheaper option than Cameron. Gerut gives a more steady presence, while Brantley gives a higher ceiling...

 

That said, I'd still love Cameron back at around $6M.

[endaround]

Brantley's numbers are very good given how young he is for his level, much like Escobar. He will continue to improve, and while he may not flourish next year, he'll put up a decent OBP and the other things will come.

 

Look back at Jeter's numbers when he was in AAA at a year younger than Escobar...about the same.

 

Jeter .317/.394/.422 Esclobar: .298/.353/.409 Those aren't anywhere close to one another. 22 isn't that young for AAA. The point is Brantley will only be in the majors because the Indians will be rebuilding.

[dadofandrew]

The BA and SLG are very close, and the OBP is about 10% higher...that's very close, and that inability to take walks in Alcides' main weakness. In 500 AB's, Jeter would have created 83 runs, and Escobar 72...one win over a full season is, as I said, close to the same. No one expects Alcides to put up offensive numbers like Derek has, but those who feel he'll never hit fail to take into consideration the normal development curve of a young middle infielder.

 

22 is very young for AAA, even most top prospects are 1-3 years older. Salome is 23, no one in Nashville is under 25. The Red Sox have no one in AAA under 24. The Dodgers have one player who is 22 in AAA.

 

Many fail to take a look at a guy's age in the minors per his level, and overrate/underrate accordingly. Guys who are just "ok" in AAA at 22 have a far brighter future than those that are "good" but 26.

 

Gerut will probably have a better '10, but he'll cost more too. Brantley putting up a .350 OBP for $400K seems like a good deal to me. He'll only keep getting better.

[endaround]

1 win isn't small, its huge. The difference between an average player and an All Star is 2 wins.

[logan82]

OBP is about 10% higher...that's very close

 

41 points of OBP is huge, not close.

 

 

those who feel he'll never hit fail to take into consideration the normal development curve of a young middle infielder.

 

Who has ever said that? All I have ever read was that people think he will not hit now and would be much better in a few years.

[Hate those Rodents]

Not a big fan of "this player is worth blank wins" stats. Does that mean Looper is our best pitcher then since we win more games pitched by him than any other starter?

[Never Outhustled]

Not a big fan of "this player is worth blank wins" stats. Does that mean Looper is our best pitcher then since we win more games pitched by him than any other starter?

I think those people are referring to Wins Above Replacement. That stat doesn't use a pitchers W/L record. That stat has Looper below replacement level, which is pretty accurate. We suck this year because 4 of our rotation spots have combined to be below replacement level.

 

 

As for Brantley, he won't be good for a few years, and this team has money to spend on real players. Al continues to live in the past and assumes we have a bottom feeder payroll. In a few years he might realize we drew 3 million fans in 2009.

[logan82]

Al continues to live in the past and assumes we have a bottom feeder payroll. In a few years he might realize we drew 3 million fans in 2009

 

We are not likely to have a bottom feeder payroll in the near future, but I wouldn't be surprised if it dips next year. I doubt we draw 3 million fans next year.

 

I am not sure Brantley would play next year. I think they will try and retain Cameron and failing that Gerut will probably start in CF. I think Melvin will see us as being only a good starting pitcher or two away from being a high 80's win team next year and will go with what he thinks is more guaranteed production and a veteran team instead of a lot of youngsters.

[Never Outhustled]

We are not likely to have a bottom feeder payroll in the near future, but I wouldn't be surprised if it dips next year. I doubt we draw 3 million fans next year.

Why do we need to? The team was profitable in 2008 with a higher year end salary and lower attendance. The team has been extremely profitable this year. The team had room to make a major midseason addition, but our record dissuaded that.

 

If they increase the payroll, they then have a chance to add the players needed to create a buzz for next year, which would help maintain ticket sales. Cutting payroll would be a PR nightmare. Then they might as well dump Melvin, and Fielder, and completely start over.

 

 

I am not sure Brantley would play next year. I think they will try and retain Cameron and failing that Gerut will probably start in CF. I think Melvin will see us as being only a good starting pitcher or two away from being a high 80's win team next year and will go with what he thinks is more guaranteed production and a veteran team instead of a lot of youngsters.

 

I agree. Why go with an unproven, likely unproductive CF, when you can just resign a proven, consistent, ultra-durable CF coming off a 4.5 WAR season?

[twobrewers]

The team has been extremely profitable this year. The team had room to make a major midseason addition, but our record dissuaded that.

Do you have any evidence that the Brewers were profitable this year? That is all closed book. (Plus, depending on many factors, they could influence the numbers one way or the other to some extent)

 

We have no way of knowing if the Brewers were willing to add payroll - or Mark A. was willing to add payroll.

[colbyjack]

People are quick to point out Brantley's speed and on-base ability, which I'm definitely not scoffing at, but remember, he had (and still has) a serious deficiency in power and also had some serious question marks about his defense in centerfield. Which means he's still a 'tweener, although he has a lot more value to an organization like Cleveland that has an all-star CF like Sizemore which essentially offsets Brantley's lack of power in LF.

 

Gimme LaPorta's power.

[Never Outhustled]

We have no way of knowing if the Brewers were willing to add payroll - or Mark A. was willing to add payroll.

Melvin has stated repeatedly that the team was close to making a major pitching addition at the deadline. Do you think there was any chance that pitcher was cheap?Pretty sure it was Kazmir, Peavey, or Halladay, they're definately not cheap.

 

 

Do you have any evidence that the Brewers were profitable this year? That is all closed book.

Forbes will have the figures for us in a few months, and it will show the Brewers as 1 of the most profitable teams in baseball yet again. Last year was the only year since Attanosio bought the team that they only were minorly profitable.

[TooLiveBrew]

Why go with an unproven, likely unproductive CF, when you can just resign a proven, consistent, ultra-durable CF coming off a 4.5 WAR season?

 

Because Cameron strikes out too much to be good! We need someone fast who never strikes out!

[Oldcity]

Heh. I was watching an Arizona game the other day and when Mark Reynolds came to the plate they inevitably showed the NL strikeout leaders. I thought to myself, 'is that a list of strikeout leaders or just a list of good players?'

[Never Outhustled]

How come they never show "grounded out to the SS" leaders, or at least "grounded into double play" leaders? Those are every bit as relevent.

 

Cameron finished the season 4.5 WAR. Bringing him back is a no brainer. He was the 3rd most productive player on the team, by a fairly wide margin.

[thebruce44]

Forbes will have the figures for us in a few months, and it will show the Brewers as 1 of the most profitable teams in baseball yet again. Last year was the only year since Attanosio bought the team that they only were minorly profitable.

 

I believe those figures from Forbs don't take debt payment into account. Doesn't the team still have considerable debt from Wendy? If that is the case, I suspect Mark has used the "profit" to pay down that debt.