The Muscle is available...D'Backs release Russell Branyan

[Funketown]

Yeah that .360 OBP is just terrible. While I certainly don't admire Kotsay's defense, I'd rather see you playing CF rather than Branyan.

The .320 OBP he be projected to put up is pretty bad alongside a .350 slugging percentage. Zips projects .258/.319/.364/.683 for the rest of the season. If that isn't a terrible line for an outfielder/PH'er, I don't know what is.

[Oxy]

Branyan is another mistake hitter, which the Brewers don't need. He has a good eye, so he doesn't swing at balls, but he rarely makes contact on good pitches on the corners, either. Thus, when in late inning situations against relievers he isn't really the best option except against guys who have poor command. I feel more comfortable with Kotsay up at the plate if we need a hitter to get on base against a tough pitcher. Obviously if we need a homer Branyan would be the better option.

[logan82]

Branyan is projected to have a better OBP but Kotsay is the better choice if you need a guy to get on base?

[brewmann04]

well it not like we ned 3 Catchers up Here/

[Oxy]

Branyan is projected to have a better OBP but Kotsay is the better choice if you need a guy to get on base?

As I said, against good pitchers, yes, I would be more comfortable with Kotsay at the plate late in the game when a single or making contact is very important (RISP, guy on third less than 2 outs). If a home run would be vastly more beneficial (of course it will always be more beneficial, but not necessarily along with the risk of King/ double plays/etc) then of course I'd rather see Branyan up there.

[Funketown]

Oxy, I'm curious about what you're basing that opinion on. Do you have data to support your claims, or do you just feel that way?

[derflotr]

Why is this a Branyan vs. Kotsay thread? Boggs, Nieves, and Rivera (and Almonte) are just as expendable as Kotsay. Plenty of room for Branyan on the roster, the only question is if he's still any good. His stint in Arizona was not very encouraging.

[logan82]

Why is this a Branyan vs. Kotsay thread? Boggs, Nieves, and Rivera (and Almonte) are just as expendable as Kotsay. Plenty of room for Branyan on the roster, the only question is if he's still any good. His stint in Arizona was not very encouraging.

Boggs can play defense. One of Nieves or Rivera will be gone at some point(more than likely when Morgan is back) and one has to be kept. Kotsay is the most similar player on the roster to Branyan except not as good.

[Invader3K]

Kotsay is probably better than Branyan defensively though.

[MadisonBrewerBlue]

been there done that...

[Funketown]

been there done that...

The same could be said for CC Sabathia, but I wouldn't mind him coming around again!http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Oxy]

Oxy, I'm curious about what you're basing that opinion on. Do you have data to support your claims, or do you just feel that way?

Well, it's not a "feeling" akin to preferring frosted flakes to corn flakes, but it IS purely based on observation of each player over the years, and yes, under very limited at bats. I'm sure that I could go to baseball-reference or fangraphs or somewhere else and find some stats that would marginally support my observations, and there are probably other stats that would marginally refute my observations, but I highly doubt that enough good data exists to add enough weight one way or the other to really say whether I am objectively correct or not. In the absence of such stats, I will continue to hold my opinions based on my observations, and you are free to hold other opinions. I am very open to the possibility that I am wrong and that my eyes deceive me; it wouldn't be the first time.

[derflotr]

Why is this a Branyan vs. Kotsay thread? Boggs, Nieves, and Rivera (and Almonte) are just as expendable as Kotsay. Plenty of room for Branyan on the roster, the only question is if he's still any good. His stint in Arizona was not very encouraging.

Boggs can play defense. One of Nieves or Rivera will be gone at some point(more than likely when Morgan is back) and one has to be kept. Kotsay is the most similar player on the roster to Branyan except not as good.

Once Morgan returns I don't think it's all that necessary to keep a 6th OF because of his corner outfield defense. Boggs would likely clear waivers again and accept the AAA assignment. He hasn't proven to be effective as a part-time player, which is unfortunate. I think he'd do well with every day ABs, but I don't know if he'll ever get that chance on this club. If Branyan is as good as most people here seem to think he is he's certainly of more value to the Brewers than Brandon Boggs right now.

I guess I'm just not on board with the universal knocking on Mark Kotsay. He handles himself just fine in RF. He gives you a pretty good AB regardless of the situation. Just because he isn't a HR threat doesn't make him useless. Again, much rather have him on the bench than Boggs, Nieves or Almonte.

[TheCrew]

The .320 OBP he be projected to put up is pretty bad alongside a .350 slugging percentage. Zips projects .258/.319/.364/.683 for the rest of the season. If that isn't a terrible line for an outfielder/PH'er, I don't know what is.

So we value players based on projections from a website now rather than look at the numbers that they have actually put up?

 

Awesome.

[TheEndless7]

The .210/.290/.339 he has put up isn't much better.

 

His 1-16 May was nice too.

 

He also hasn't played anything but first base since he was with us in 2008. There's been complaints about lack of versatility on the bench, and Branyan certainly wouldn't help that.

[Dollarbill13]

So we value players based on projections from a website now rather than look at the numbers that they have actually put up?

 

Awesome.

The projections are in line with his actual numbers from his last ~1100 PAs (2008-2011)... I don't think valuing players based on those numbers is out of line.

[rluzinski]

Yeah that .360 OBP is just terrible. While I certainly don't admire Kotsay's defense, I'd rather see you playing CF rather than Branyan.

 

This team needs bench defense more than it needs bench offense.

100 AB.

"So we value players based on projections from a website now rather than look at the numbers that they have actually put up?

Awesome"

You are proposing we ignore the thousands of AB Kotsay has had prior to 2011 and instead use his 100 AB from this year to "value" his worth. That leads to all kinds of fun results. Kotsay has a higher OBP than Pujols right now. Do you value his ability to get on base more?

The start of a new year should not be used as an excuse to wipe the slate clean in terms of valuing player skill. Projections take into account prior seasons. Message board analysis often does not.

[Ennder]

The .320 OBP he be projected to put up is pretty bad alongside a .350 slugging percentage. Zips projects .258/.319/.364/.683 for the rest of the season. If that isn't a terrible line for an outfielder/PH'er, I don't know what is.

So we value players based on projections from a website now rather than look at the numbers that they have actually put up?

 

Awesome.

Your constant defense of every bad player is just getting droll at this point. Kotsay has one of the worst ISO's of any player in baseball, he is clearly below replacement level defensively, a BABIP spike induced league average OBP with no other skill anywhere close to replacement level isn't worth making him a good player. His WAR is still negative by a small amount and deservedly so and he should at best be the 5th or 6th OF for any team in contention. It really does feel like you are trolling at this point given the thin arguments you keep making to defend the weakest players on the team.

[RockCoCougars]

Though I'd be surprised if an AL team didn't snap him up, if he's available, I think that best case you stash him at Nashville for about a month. Get him regular at bats as a DH, and give him a look see at third base a few times. Once the inevitable injury happens, call him up. He's certainly a better option than Almonte and Nieves/Rivera (not to mention the two unnecessary pitchers taking up roster spots).

[TheCrew]

Your constant defense of every bad player is just getting droll at this point.

As is your constant exaggeration of how bad a player is.

 

Betancourt and Kotsay are bad - I've never said otherwise.You don't need to make asinine statements like 'Kotsay is no better a defender than Branyan'....... or that 'Betancourt and Punto have equal offensive value because they have a similar wOBA'...... they are bad players, you guys don't need to exaggerate it. Some people, like myself, get tired of reading that garbage because there isn't a realistic alternative this is actually a better all around player.

[TheCrew]

You are proposing we ignore the thousands of AB Kotsay has had prior to 2011 and instead use his 100 AB from this year to "value" his worth. That leads to all kinds of fun results. Kotsay has a higher OBP than Pujols right now. Do you value his ability to get on base more?

The start of a new year should not be used as an excuse to wipe the slate clean in terms of valuing player skill. Projections take into account prior seasons. Message board analysis often does not.

No, I'm doing no such thing, what I'm proposing is that we don't take a websites projections as factual data and cut a player because a website says that he will not perform well over the remainder of the season.

 

Oh, and Jose Bautista says Hi.

[greeg35]

I think Russell would be better for this team than Kotsay; but I recognize that will never happen.

I'm mostly here to say how eternally pleased I am that a Branyan thread can grow to 4 pages in 2/3 days after all of these years http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Funketown]

Oh, and Jose Bautista says Hi.

An anecdote does not prove a rule. For every Jose Bautista there are several more Adrian Beltres.

 

All these projections say is that future performance is a function of past performance. They are models, and no one on here expects them to be perfect. One of the biggest problems fans have is giving too little weight to performance 2-3 years in the past and way too much weight to performance in the present. Are you asserting that we should not use past performance to predict future performance?

 

 

Oxy, I can sympathize with that sentiment. Just remember that Russell Branyan is a sensitive subject on this board.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[CheezWizHed]

Just remember that Russell Branyan is a sensitive subject on this board.

 

If this thread somehow could add Branyan as a PH and simultaneously bring in a SS to replace YB, it would become a top ten thread in a manner of days! If Lucroy wasn't playing so well, we could merge in WOAH SOLVDD and it could become epic! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Ennder]

You don't need to make asinine statements like 'Kotsay is no better a defender than Branyan'....... or that 'Betancourt and Punto have equal offensive value because they have a similar wOBA'...... they are bad players, you guys don't need to exaggerate it. Some people, like myself, get tired of reading that garbage because there isn't a realistic alternative this is actually a better all around player.

 

These aren't exaggerations, they are truths fully supported by what the players have done including past performance and this years performances. Both of these players have been below replacement level over the past 4 seasons combined now and have been below it so far this year.