Rickie Weeks so far this season

[Invader3K]

In 89 ABs, he has a line of .180/.318/.348/.666. Clearly he's struggling. Is it just a matter of a slow start for him, or is it time for Roenicke to move him down in the order or possibly give him a day off here or there?

[topper09er]

Season GB/FB LD% GB% FB% IFFB% HR/FB IFH% BUH%

2012 Brewers 0.96 9.8 % 44.3 % 45.9 % 25.0 % 10.7 % 3.7 % 0.0 %

Total Career 1.26 17.0 % 46.2 % 36.7 % 14.0 % 14.0 % 10.7 % 22.2 %

 

So this year he has cut his line drives in half in favor of infield flys. That is not bad luck, that is a slump. He is still walking and his OBP is actually above average in the NL so far in 1968 2012 (NLave=.314)

[monty57]

Rickie will turn it around, but he's been pretty bad offensively and defensively. However, with our current roster there's not much that can be done about it. The only backup is Izturis, and I'd put a slumping Rickie up there with a blindfold over his eyes over Izturis at the plate. Also, other than putting Rickie #2 and CF leadoff, there isn't a lot we could change in the lineup. We don't have many "top of the order" hitters, and I don't want to move Hart out of an RBI position.

 

Of course, we could call up Conrad or Green, but that's just crazy talk. We need "this year's Kotsay" and three CF's on the roster.

[paul253]

I'd actually like to see Aoki get the majority of playing time in centerfield and bat leadoff. Roenecke's reasoning for batting Weeks first and Gomez/Morgan/Aoki is screwy and with Morgan struggling makes it look even worse. Who cares if Weeks gets on base if Morgan proceeds to pop up or strike out right after? What difference does it make if Weeks gets on and Morgan pops up or Morgan pops up then Weeks gets on? The result is the same. It makes even less sense with both of them struggling. Bat Aoki leadoff. Hopefully he can get on base at a higher clip than Rickie. With a guy on base and Braun behind him Weeks would probably see better pitches to hit.

 

But just in general with nobody even remotely capable of replacing him we just have to hope Weeks gets out of this funk.

[Gobias Industries]

He's basically having the same type of season he had in 2008, and that's not a good thing. He's going up there looking to walk. He needs to go back to the mindset Svuem got him into the last few years of ambushing the first fastball he sees, because he can in no way hit a slider or any other decent off speed offering with authority.

 

He's making big money and needs to start producing. Tonight. If he can't get going against Jeff Suppan, he absolutely needs to sit a couple days and the Brewers need to get Green up here to start spelling him.

 

Do I expect him to bat under .200 the whole season? No, probably not. But he's absolutely earned his line so far. He's had a few line drives hit right at somebody, but it's nothing like A-Ram who's getting robbed once a night. He also has lost a lot of speed with the ankle injury so he's not picking up his infield hits. He hit a slow dribbler to second on Sunday against Garcia and I was shocked he couldn't beat it out. He looked like he was running in quick sand.

 

Consider me somewhat worried about Rickie. It's hard to believe, but he's gonna be 30 this year. Consider that along with all the different injuries he's had, this could very well be the beginning of the end.

[JohnBriggs12]

I've been saying all year, what we've seen out of Weeks, good and bad, is basically it. He'll be 30 this year and he's not going to ever be this superstar, power hitting 2B ala Jeff Kent in his prime. Plus now he's expensive too. He's the same hitter he was at 25. He's inconsistent, strikes out a ton, takes some walks and hits some home runs. We he connects it's a thing of beauty. But he just doesn't do it enough to put up numbers and this game is about putting up numbers.

[Ennder]

I've been saying all year, what we've seen out of Weeks, good and bad, is basically it. He'll be 30 this year and he's not going to ever be this superstar, power hitting 2B ala Jeff Kent in his prime. Plus now he's expensive too. He's the same hitter he was at 25. He's inconsistent, strikes out a ton, takes some walks and hits some home runs. We he connects it's a thing of beauty. But he just doesn't do it enough to put up numbers and this game is about putting up numbers.

 

Weeks has been a better hitter than Kent was by age so far so this seems a bit odd. It wasn't until Kent most likely started using steroids later in his career that he really exploded. Weeks has also pretty much always been underrated offensively by people who still miss value AVG.

[brettac1]

I'm not too worried about him. He's having good AB's and taking his walks. The hits will come.

[Dean Machine]

My biggest problem with him is that he seems to be putting on 10 pounds a year. He's seems to be following the Donovan McNabb regimen.

[brains and braun]

If by "Donovan McNabb regimen" you mean he looks like he could be a linebacker, then I agree with you. Somebody posted pics of Rickie last spring training and in t-shirt and shorts, he looked like a brick house. Rickie will be fine. Especially if he can stay away from major injury.

[TURBO]

I think he needs to cut that ugly hair of his... That has to be messing up his vision when all that hair drags the back of his head down...

[afeter]

if we are going to make arm chair suggestions, I have been waiting for years to see rickie calm down his pre-swing routine. all the waggle and his low hand position drives me nuts. Its completley unneccessary and i think leads to him getting caught off guard. every so often a fast working pitcher will be into his motion and rickie is not ready to hit.

time for craig counsell type epiphany. just stop rickie --its not helping you.

[yfinn6]

Rickie's at bat wiggle has really, really slowed down from when he first came up. I hardly notice it anymore. I do agree that he might want to consider raising his hands up a bit as they seem pretty low and it might prevent him from getting to a high'ish fastball that's still in the strike zone.

[RightFieldCoder]

I think Sveum actually lowered them a bit.

[dlk9s]

I think if his bat waggle was a problem, some coach somewhere in the world would have gotten him to stop.

[chickinbrickin]

I've been saying all year, what we've seen out of Weeks, good and bad, is basically it. He'll be 30 this year and he's not going to ever be this superstar, power hitting 2B ala Jeff Kent in his prime. Plus now he's expensive too. He's the same hitter he was at 25. He's inconsistent, strikes out a ton, takes some walks and hits some home runs. We he connects it's a thing of beauty. But he just doesn't do it enough to put up numbers and this game is about putting up numbers.

 

I don't think you are giving Weeks enough credit. He has posted top tier numbers for 2nd basemen the last two years. He was on pace for a career year last season before he folded his ankle in half. He hasn't been the same since. Not many 2B in the league have 30 HR power and can post a .350 plus OBP.

 

I have faith Rickie will get back on track this year. I do think he needs to work out his problems lower in the order however. They can't afford to have zero production in the top two spots in the order any longer.

[Team Canada]

IIRC, they actually put the waggle into his routine because his hands are so fast that he was coming around on the ball too quickly and they wanted to delay it a bit.

[JohnBriggs12]

Forget 1B, now that Green's up, sit Weeks who is absolutely killing them and play Green at 2B. $10 million or no, Weeks isn't doing the job. Eventually sure, they'll have to go back to him, but let him think about things from the bench for a while.

[Invader3K]

Forget 1B, now that Green's up, sit Weeks who is absolutely killing them and play Green at 2B. $10 million or no, Weeks isn't doing the job. Eventually sure, they'll have to go back to him, but let him think about things from the bench for a while.

 

It's worth a shot at this point.

[longball04]

Anyone else notice how unbalanced he is in the box though? When he swings he is falling all over the place. Anything off speed and he is basically falling down. I am not a hitting instructor, but they have to see how unbalanced he is up there. I agree on the bat waggle and timing. I think he is too active with his hands and that is causing problems. I only know of two people in the history of the game that did it (perhaps there is more) and amazingly they both started their careers in Milwaukee. Sheffield even slowed it down a little bit. But something has to change with Rickie. I like the kid because he gives you 110% every time out there, but he is hitting like .177 right now and is second in the majors to Adam Dunn in strikeouts. Those aren't productive outs. I am not saying replace him. But my lord, give the guy an off day on Wednesday or today or something to see if that helps. There is only one guy in this lineup that is doing anything right now on a semi-consistent basis and that is Braun (has the Brewers last 5 homeruns). Give Rickie a day off.

[GormanHarvey]

I totally agree on Weeks being off balance when hitting this year. He actually swung at a pitch last night that would've almost hit him and hit a ground ball and kind of fell down coming out of the box because his balance was so off. He's even off balance and jumping at pitches in the zone. I also agree about letting him clear his head on the bench for a few days, as I mentioned yesterday in the IGT. If Roenicke won't play Green at 1st consistently, let him give Weeks a break at 2nd.

 

The bat waggle I disagree on. I don't think its a problem. I can't remember if it was before last year or the year before that, but Sveum worked with him on limiting his bat waggle and lowering his hands closer to the hitting position a bit. His bat waggle is MUCH less pronounced now than it was prior to the adjustment, and he was on his way to a career year last year before his unfortunate ankle injury.

[monty57]

I agree the waggle probably isn't a problem, but since it was initially done to slow down the quick hands he had when he was in his early 20's, well, age does a good job of slowing down the hands when you're in your 30's. Maybe he doesn't need it anymore.

 

I'd guess it's just one of those things everyone goes through and he'll work his way out of it. He's a good player, and it's unlikely he's "regressed" this far this fast. Now that we have a couple of players who can play 2B, it probably wouldn't hurt to give him a couple of days off, but it's way too early to give up on him. He's one of our best players and is signed to a big contract for a few more years, so for the most part he'll have to play through it.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

There is no way you bench Rickie. This team has no shot without him. The guy is an all-star and his upside is way above any of the other options. For better or worse, he's Ignitor 2.0.

 

Do you give him a couple days off? Maybe. To me he still seems hurt from last year. It took him awhile to get going when he had the wrist sheath issue too...maybe it's the same with the ankle. If they weren't in the playoff hunt he probably would have sat out the rest of the year last year and been better off this year.

[brewtank34]

There is no way you bench Rickie. This team has no shot without him. The guy is an all-star and his upside is way above any of the other options. For better or worse, he's Ignitor 2.0.

 

Do you give him a couple days off? Maybe. To me he still seems hurt from last year. It took him awhile to get going when he had the wrist sheath issue too...maybe it's the same with the ankle. If they weren't in the playoff hunt he probably would have sat out the rest of the year last year and been better off this year.

 

 

He was raking in Spring Training. He's not hurt. He's in a major slump.

[CheezWizHed]

For better or worse, he's Ignitor 2.0.

 

That is a huge overstatement... He probably should get a day off here and there, however.