All Things Yuni

[trwi7]

He's fine as a utility backup IF, which is what he is doing now.

 

No, right now he's starting at 1st base.

[Oxy]

He's fine as a utility backup IF, which is what he is doing now.

 

No, right now he's starting at 1st base.

 

We signed him as a utility backup IF, to sub in, PH, spot start, and fill in when players get hurt in the short term. That is what he is doing, and he is doing it very well.

[rluzinski]

Yuni's skill set is that he he has a little bit of pop. That's it. He's a sub .300 OBP batter, which is terrible for even a back up 1B.

 

Yuni B would be a good regular SS if every pitcher were LH.

 

Or if he could play SS.

 

He is no worse than Weeks at 2B and Weeks is a good regular 2B~

 

Yuni projects no worse at SS than Weeks does at 2B? Defensively, I know Weeks had a tough 2012 and has had a bad start to 2013 (after 14 games). Prior to that, has had developed into an averagish defender, however. In contrast, Yuni has always been historically bad at SS and it doesn't appear that any team is even willing to play him at SS anymore. His projected .290/.425 line would actually be decent at SS, otherwise.

 

It's reasonable to conclude the ankle injury has negatively impacted Weeks' defense... but from averigish to terrible? I don't buy it.

[Oxy]

Yuni's skill set is that he he has a little bit of pop. That's it.

 

In contrast, Yuni is historically bad at SS. But of course, evaluating defense is terribly subjective, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

I don't know if he's ever actually played 3B, but I would think he'd be a pretty good defender over there. He's got a nice arm, a good glove and pretty good instincts when he is actually trying and paying attention (things like that behind the back (or was it through the legs?) flip to Weeks for that epic double play a couple years ago--or the diving catch behind the mound to win a game as well)). He just has poor range.

 

He makes contact at the plate as well--although his free swinging tendencies often make that a net negative. It is a skill that can be used advantageously in the right pinch hitting situation, though.

[logan82]

Yuni's skill set is that he he has a little bit of pop. That's it.

 

In contrast, Yuni is historically bad at SS. But of course, evaluating defense is terribly subjective, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

He's got a nice arm, a good glove and pretty good instincts when he is actually trying and paying attention (things like that behind the back (or was it through the legs?) flip to Weeks for that epic double play a couple years ago--or the diving catch behind the mound to win a game as well)). He just has poor range.

The only reason he had to flip that ball behind his back because he has poor range. A good SS gets an easy 6-3DP.

[Oxy]

Yuni's skill set is that he he has a little bit of pop. That's it.

 

In contrast, Yuni is historically bad at SS. But of course, evaluating defense is terribly subjective, so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

He's got a nice arm, a good glove and pretty good instincts when he is actually trying and paying attention (things like that behind the back (or was it through the legs?) flip to Weeks for that epic double play a couple years ago--or the diving catch behind the mound to win a game as well)). He just has poor range.

The only reason he had to flip that ball behind his back because he has poor range. A good SS gets an easy 6-3DP.

 

I agree. But to have the awareness and skill to make that play is still a nice baseball tool to have as a defender---like at 3B. Some guys are bad defenders because they boot balls, have weak or erratic arms, or lack timing/instincts. Yuni is pretty good at those, he's just slow.

[logan82]

You might be right. He may have a good defensive skillset for 3B. I am not sure about his instincts though.

[Baldkin]

He is lazy and has terrible form when fielding a ball. His "Never field it in front of me, only on my glove side" manner, means he will struggle on anything to his backhand side. At 3B those are doubles.

[rluzinski]

I don't know if he's ever actually played 3B, but I would think he'd be a pretty good defender over there. He's got a nice arm, a good glove and pretty good instincts when he is actually trying and paying attention (things like that behind the back (or was it through the legs?) flip to Weeks for that epic double play a couple years ago--or the diving catch behind the mound to win a game as well)). He just has poor range.

 

I agree that if a team was trying to find an infield position for him, 3B might be the best bet.

[RockCoCougars]

Not for nothing, but Yuni's mohawk rules.

[splitterpfj]

Yuni B!

[tigerbrew]

Wow, Yuni has been outstanding, with both the bat and glove, way better than expected, thank god he's back.

[GenoSeligPrieb]

I know, I know, his OBP is not good, and his current slugging % in the upper .400's won't last. But he has been a godsend, with all our infield injuries, and when Hart & Ramirez return, I'd be glad to see him get a chance at 2B, even as a part-timer to platoon if Weeks continues to suck / or inevitably gets hurt.

[logan82]

How would a platoon with a right handed hitter help Weeks? You would be replacing an averageish to below average defender with a bad defender. You force Weeks to hit against more difficult pitching as well.

[Outlander]

Weeks has been playing bad but is still a better option than Yuni, especially if Weeks is placed in the batting order where Yuni has been. Yuni has no doubt had key hits and driven in lots of runs but that won't continue and he still rarely gets on base.

[monty57]

I don't know if he's ever actually played 3B, but I would think he'd be a pretty good defender over there. He's got a nice arm, a good glove and pretty good instincts when he is actually trying and paying attention (things like that behind the back (or was it through the legs?) flip to Weeks for that epic double play a couple years ago--or the diving catch behind the mound to win a game as well)). He just has poor range.

 

I agree that if a team was trying to find an infield position for him, 3B might be the best bet.

 

I think that pretty much nails it.

 

I'm glad that Yuni's annual hot streak has occurred when we needed it most, but he's got enough history to make me doubt that he'll continue to hit well all season. He's fine as a backup, but my worry is that his hot start will give Roenicke justification for giving him too many starts once everyone's healthy, which would mean taking PAs away from Hart, Ramirez and Segura.

[JohnBriggs12]

Weeks has had 58 runners on base when he's batted so far this year. He's driven in 2 of them (3%). That is putrid.

 

Yuni has batted with 46 runners on base, and he's plated 12 of them (26%). That is exceptional.

 

Now it's unlikely Yuni will keep up that pace of course, but for his career, Yuni is right on the major league average of knocking in 15% of the runners on base, whereas Rickie is below the major league average at 13%. Now the regression to the mean should mean that Weeks will have a stretch where he's above his career norm and Yuni will have a stretch where he is below his. But right now Yuni is swinging much better. Now I would assume Yuni will get the bulk of the work at 1b when Ramirez returns to keep his bat in there. If the trends of this season continue to the time Hart returns, then it's a legitimate question whether you bench Weeks at least some of the time in favor of Yuni.

[Outlander]

I agree, Weeks should be benched some of the time in favor of Yuni or somebody else, who knows a day off once a while might actually help Weeks. With the injuries Yuni will still have the opportunity to play on a regular basis the next month but I would be real surprised if his hot streak can continue that long. In the meantime they can let it ride with Yuni.

[logan82]

Weeks has had 58 runners on base when he's batted so far this year. He's driven in 2 of them (3%). That is putrid.

 

Yuni has batted with 46 runners on base, and he's plated 12 of them (26%). That is exceptional.

 

Now it's unlikely Yuni will keep up that pace of course, but for his career, Yuni is right on the major league average of knocking in 15% of the runners on base, whereas Rickie is below the major league average at 13%. Now the regression to the mean should mean that Weeks will have a stretch where he's above his career norm and Yuni will have a stretch where he is below his. But right now Yuni is swinging much better. Now I would assume Yuni will get the bulk of the work at 1b when Ramirez returns to keep his bat in there. If the trends of this season continue to the time Hart returns, then it's a legitimate question whether you bench Weeks at least some of the time in favor of Yuni.

The bolded part is all that really matters.

 

The guys on base in front of Weeks are not the more athletic guys who are on base in front of Yuni. They are pitchers, catchers and whoever bats #8.

[monty57]

All this talk of benching, platooning and DFA'ing Weeks just reminds me why I hate waiting until the final year of arby before extending someone. It's expensive, and if it takes six years to decide, then the player probably isn't worth extending. Injuries and extended periods of bad play while everyone waits for him to "live up to his potential" is the reason they didn't extend him earlier. Is it a surprise that he suffers injuries and extended periods of bad play after the extension?

[JohnBriggs12]

Weeks has had 58 runners on base when he's batted so far this year. He's driven in 2 of them (3%). That is putrid.

 

Yuni has batted with 46 runners on base, and he's plated 12 of them (26%). That is exceptional.

 

Now it's unlikely Yuni will keep up that pace of course, but for his career, Yuni is right on the major league average of knocking in 15% of the runners on base, whereas Rickie is below the major league average at 13%. Now the regression to the mean should mean that Weeks will have a stretch where he's above his career norm and Yuni will have a stretch where he is below his. But right now Yuni is swinging much better. Now I would assume Yuni will get the bulk of the work at 1b when Ramirez returns to keep his bat in there. If the trends of this season continue to the time Hart returns, then it's a legitimate question whether you bench Weeks at least some of the time in favor of Yuni.

The bolded part is all that really matters.

 

The guys on base in front of Weeks are not the more athletic guys who are on base in front of Yuni. They are pitchers, catchers and whoever bats #8.

 

Huh? Weeks has been hitting behind Braun, Segura and Aoki all year. He's 3 for 37 with men on base. Last year he hit .190 with men on base. Either he has trouble picking up the ball out of the stretch, or base runners are distracting him. It has nothing to do with the athleticism of the guys on base. Weeks is a .224 hitter with men on base in his career. Yuni is a .273 career hitter with men on base. Yes Weeks walks a lot more, and that leads to runs too when he was ahead of the Brauns and Fielders, but for getting the job done with the bat, he's not good and hitting where he's been in the 4 and 5 spot, you need to get some hits because Braun and Segura have been on a lot.

[logan82]

So he should be moved up the order.

[splitterpfj]

It's insane, but it's true...Yuni replaced Aramis' run production in April. If I have the numbers right, he's at 5 HR, 19 RBI...is that not a month's worth of Aramis?

 

I know, I know, he has one hot streak a year, and we got lucky that it came in April, and he's terrible, and he's evil, and he probably doesn't floss, and this one time, at baseball camp...but the Brewers are also very lucky they had him around this April.

[jerichoholicninja]

Aramis always starts out slow so Yuni easily replaced Ramirez this April.

 

Ramirez Career March/April

258/.330/.454/.783

 

Yuni this year

.274/.295/.493/.788

[TooLiveBrew]

What's funny about Ramírez last season is that from his 11th game through the end of May, his OPS was .875. Yes, I know you can't do that. But his slow start wasn't a month or two, it was really just 10 games.