Rickie Weeks so far this season

[rluzinski]

Weeks puts up a .308 OBP and .629 OPS in July and people would hardly notice. Do it in he first month while the team is struggling and you are in trouble. Couple it with a bad BA and look out!

 

Want to sit a struggling player a day or two to let him clear his head? Great. Calling for anything more is just fans over-reacting, IMO.

[GormanHarvey]

For the record, I never said anything about benching Rickie. I said a day or two off would probably be very beneficial to clear his head. I don't really recall anyone in this thread calling for him to be benched.

[longball04]

I don't think too many people want him replaced. More people want him to take a couple of mental days off. Why not? It's not like he is doing anything out there anyway that couldn't be done by Green or Conrad. A "mental day" will help refresh him a bit. I want the Rickie that was hot before the injury, just like everyone else does. But right now he is doing nothing at the top of this order. He needs a day off. Let's try to start some kind of winning streak and get some production. Everyone needs a day off once in a while.

[markedman5]

I agree wioth those that have noticed him being way off balance when ever he swings. Rickie has never had what anyone would call a pretty swing but he seems to be just lunging at everything.

 

He is obviously pressing and could use a few days off.

[logan82]

I would give Weeks Wednesday off. No more than one game at a time unless he had some injury. I think he should get a day off at least every other week.

[monty57]

For the record, I never said anything about benching Rickie. I said a day or two off would probably be very beneficial to clear his head. I don't really recall anyone in this thread calling for him to be benched.

 

Not directed at you, it was this from Briggs which has a few of us saying it's not time to give up on him:

 

"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."

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

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.

Is he a HoF like Molitor? No, but the offense seems to go with how he is playing hence my comparison.

 

As pointed out before, yes he was raking in Spring Training. I also struggle with this, but still think he's hurt a little. At the end of last year he couldn't hit the outside pitch but if you put one in his wheelhouse he could pull it. In spring training he may have been facing easier pitching and had more chances to pull things. Now that guys are working him with more breaking stuff, he seems to be off. Just a theory, but I don't think he's completely healthy.

[Madtown343]

I have only been posting here for about a year, but it does seem like 95% of responses that are directed are usually directed at Briggs...

[RockCoCougars]

Weeks is not aggressive enough at the plate. Does he ever offer at the first pitch anymore? It seems like he always falls behind in the count, often swinging at bad pitches later in the at bat.

[rluzinski]

I don't think too many people want him replaced. More people want him to take a couple of mental days off. Why not? It's not like he is doing anything out there anyway that couldn't be done by Green or Conrad..

 

Again, I'm fine with giving Weeks a day or two off but what you say above is almost certainly not true. Despite Weeks' mediocre start to the season, if we project how well we would expect him to perform today vs. Conrad or Green, it isn't even close. Unless this cold streak is being influenced by an undisclosed injury, it has little predictive value. In other words, Weeks' preseason projection is going to represent his expected performance today and tomorrow a lot more than his 130 PA this year.

 

Every study has concluded that hot and cold streaks are largely a function of a random number generator. There are exceptions of course but the trick is being able to identify the "real" cold streaks from the random ones. Everyone always identifies all these mechanical flaws that a cold batter is supposedly exhibiting but I think more often than not, they are largely imagined.

[thebruce44]

Why not at least move him down in the order?

[Funketown]

I have only been posting here for about a year, but it does seem like 95% of responses that are directed are usually directed at Briggs...

 

Why would we want Briggs back? Our outfield is fine!

[monty57]

Why not at least move him down in the order?

 

He kinda did. Moving Weeks from leadoff to #2 was a big step for "Rigid order" Roenicke. It now means the #2 spot is an "RBI position" instead of a "bunt the leadoff guy over" position.

 

Moving Weeks further down in the order would seem to be a reasonable request until you realize that we have Ishikawa and Izturis in the 7/8 spots, so really the only thing we could do is move Lucroy to #2 and put Weeks #6. Again, this seems reasonable, except under Roenicke once lineups are set they must remain set, which means that Kottaras would need to be the #2 hitter when Wolf pitches and that would blow Roenicke's mind.

 

I would guess that if Lucroy continues to hit and Weeks continues to not hit, eventually Roenicke will switch them in the order, and that will happen just about the time that Weeks breaks out, which will lead everyone to say it was the move down the lineup which caused Rickie to heat up, and one of our best hitters will be banished to the #6 spot for the rest of the season, while "the centerfield spot" bats leadoff and "the catcher spot" bats second.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't think too many people want him replaced. More people want him to take a couple of mental days off. Why not? It's not like he is doing anything out there anyway that couldn't be done by Green or Conrad..

 

Again, I'm fine with giving Weeks a day or two off but what you say above is almost certainly not true. Despite Weeks' mediocre start to the season, if we project how well we would expect him to perform today vs. Conrad or Green, it isn't even close. Unless this cold streak is being influenced by an undisclosed injury, it has little predictive value. In other words, Weeks' preseason projection is going to represent his expected performance today and tomorrow a lot more than his 130 PA this year.

 

Every study has concluded that hot and cold streaks are largely a function of a random number generator. There are exceptions of course but the trick is being able to identify the "real" cold streaks from the random ones. Everyone always identifies all these mechanical flaws that a cold batter is supposedly exhibiting but I think more often than not, they are largely imagined.

 

I'll call you and raise you a Bill Hall, Casey McGehee and Adam Dunn. Look what you say is true most of the time, but far from all of the time. Weeks has had bad seasons before. In 2007, he hit .235 though he still managed a .374 OBP thanks to a very good walk/HBP ratio. The next year he hit .234. and while his .342 OBP wasn't bad, it was still a function of walks, not hits. Now he's older, and frankly, slower. He also doesn't have his close friend Fielder around to lean on. He'll probably work his average back up to the .240 mark, maybe a bit higher, and if he does his OBP will be in the .345 range and he'll hit some HR. That's fine if he were a $5 or 6 million player and the 4th or 5th option on a team. But now he's getting $10 million which is substantial money and they need him to be one of the 2 or 3 key cogs on this team.

 

It's too early and he's too expensive now to just shelve, but as long as Green is up, now is the time to sit Weeks for several days and let him work on what's causing this slump.

[Dollarbill13]

Is there any evidence to suggest that either Rickie is not working on whatever is percieved to be causing his slump or that sitting on the bench will in any way help him work through his slump?

[Dollarbill13]

That's fine if he were a $5 or 6 million player and the 4th or 5th option on a team. But now he's getting $10 million which is substantial money and they need him to be one of the 2 or 3 key cogs on this team.

 

 

I'm assuming by 4th or 5th option you mean 4th or 5th best hitter? If so, I would argue that he is the 4th "option" behind Braun, Ramirez, and Hart. It seems that you are conceding the fact that he'll likely return to his career norms this season so unless he has an injury, why bench him?

[fondybrewfan]

Well the problem is that Weeks, Morgan, and Aoki are all hitting terribly right now and someone has to hit #1 and #2. Its not like you can throw Green, Izturis, or whoever up there. Will all the injuries and poor performances I don't know that we can afford to move Weeks down because no one deserves to be moved up.

[GormanHarvey]

Well the problem is that Weeks, Morgan, and Aoki are all hitting terribly right now and someone has to hit #1 and #2. Its not like you can throw Green, Izturis, or however up there. Will all the injuries and poor performances I don't know that we can afford to move Weeks down because no one deserves to be moved up.

 

Good point. Almost the entire team is under achieving offensively...time to reduce the Narron factor on this team by half?

[DHonks]

I'd move Lucroy to the 2 spot. He shoots the ball to all fields.

[yfinn6]

I'd move Lucroy to the 2 spot. He shoots the ball to all fields.

 

Wouldn't you rather have that in an RBI spot? Someone who is willing to use all fields is likely to put in a quality at bat and with a team that is struggling to score runs that's an invaluable skill.

 

Last year Lucroy would have been perfect in the 2-hole. This year he's needed to drive in runs - if the guys manage to get on base.

[The stache]

I must say I like thebruce44's suggestion. Rickie, for the time being anyway, should be moved down in the order. Don't take him out of the lineup completely, because I think there are some things that have to be worked out in game situations. He can take batting practice until he's blue in the face. It wouldn't be a substitute for seeing live pitching.

 

I live in Texas, and haven't gotten MLB.tv yet, so I can't see every Brewer game. But the ones I have seen recently are quite telling. It appears that Rickie is pressing. He's a professional, and he's been an all star. As much as we might be disappointed with his performance to date, I'd wager that he is just as disappointed, if not more so. Going into the season, the Brewers knew they were going to have to make up Prince Fielder's production. Nobody expected Mat Gamel to do it all on his own, especially as a first time starter.

 

I've never thought of Rickie as a leadoff hitter. He doesn't run as well as he once did (some of that could be the injury last season), but he's also bulked up more in the offseason. He'd be a good #5 hitter. As strange as it may seem, Corey Hart feels more comfortable in the #1 slot, and historically has performed well there.

 

Why not juggle the lineup around for a little bit and see what works. Braun is set at the three spot. I'm not so sure that anybody else should be etched in stone, especially if they are not producing.

[TooLiveBrew]

Well the problem is that Weeks, Morgan, and Aoki are all hitting terribly right now and someone has to hit #1 and #2. Its not like you can throw Green, Izturis, or whoever up there. Will all the injuries and poor performances I don't know that we can afford to move Weeks down because no one deserves to be moved up.

Green would be an excellent choice (imo) to hit #1 or #2 against RHP with the current roster.

[The stache]

Mark me down for another who would like to see Lucroy moved to the #2 spot.

 

I think right now our biggest issue as an offense is getting people on base ahead of Ryan Braun. He's back over .300 now, and making really good contact. He's on a pace currently to hit 49 HR. If you look at the nine bombs he's hit thus far in 2012, seven of them have been solo shots. Lucroy has a good OBP, and he makes great contact. He might not fit the classic profile of a #1 or a #2...but right now the guys we have there, Rickie and Nyjer/Nori...aren't getting on base enough. Rickie's offsetting his poor hitting somewhat by drawing walks, but he isn't being paid simply to walk.

 

I would actually like to see Green and Lucroy batting ahead of Braun.

[BrewerTerp]

Rickie will be better. All is peripherals suggest so. Just have faith people!!!

[The stache]

I do. No way I'm giving up on him.

 

I drafted him as my fantasy second baseman, and while he's benched right now, I'm just waiting for him to heat up. He's a lot like Corey Hart in one regard. When he's hot, he can literally carry a team. So while the first 30 games or so have been ugly, there's just too much positive track record to suggest that this will last the entire season.

 

Hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in all of sports, and sometimes a little change will make all the difference. Point in case: Mike Stanton. He'd been cold for the first 25 games, and now he's ranking again. He said he made a change where he was moved the bat about 4 inches back from his normal position. Well, it might be something that simple. There could be a small hitch in Rickie's swing mechanics. Hopefully he will figure it out soon. When he does, look out.