The call up Scooter Gennett thread

[jerichoholicninja]

I'll take Rickie's current struggles with the chance he could revert to his old self over Scooter at his best. Scooter is Yuni without the power, or any power for that matter.

[danzig6767]

If they were to bench Weeks for say 10-15 games, Jeff Bianchi could end up being more productive than Scooter would and no roster move would need to be made.

[JohnBriggs12]

Gennett has slugged over .400 in his pro career, so to call him simply a singles hitter isn't quite right. Chris Getz and Darwin Barney are singles hitters. Gennett has a little pop, especially vs. RH pitching. Against RH pitching, he's hitting .373/.439/.492 this season, his first in AAA. I don't have his splits from previous years, but my guess is he handles RH pitching better. I think those advocating his call up see a platoon as the immediate answer. Weeks has been demonstrably worse vs. RH pitching.

[WV Brew]

Enough with the race baiting. If you can't make the case for Rickie on logic, maybe you should reconsider your argument. My personal opinion is that Rickie is now 30 and on the decline as a player. It happens. He still may have great stretches of play for a few years. If the Brewers are looking out of it at the All Star break they should entertain offers. I could definitely see a team in marginal contention thinking he may be a difference maker for one or two months. Depends on what the return would be.

[trwi7]

Enough with the race baiting. If you can't make the case for Rickie on logic, maybe you should reconsider your argument. My personal opinion is that Rickie is now 30 and on the decline as a player. It happens. He still may have great stretches of play for a few years. If the Brewers are looking out of it at the All Star break they should entertain offers. I could definitely see a team in marginal contention thinking he may be a difference maker for one or two months. Depends on what the return would be.

 

Totally agree with this. Salary relief might be enough for me to bite so we don't have to worry about the 2015 option vesting.

[brewtank34]

Rickie is having a terrible season to be sure. At what do we start a topic about Lucroy's terrible season? Or do the white guys get a pass?

 

Lucroy's slump has been brought up numerous times in the local sports talk/media, however the difference is not his skin color...it's that Lucroy doesn't have a track record of slumping like that of Rickie Weeks.

 

I for one am a HUGE Rickie fan, mainly because of his work ethic though. I admire people like him that have the ability to stay as positive as he does. With that said, he needs to be sat down. Yesterday! For him to be able to dictate his position in the line-up as well as the Brewers Organization allowing him to hit his way through the slump is deplorable!

 

There was a debate last week after the sweep by the Cardinals on just why is the Cardinals organization always good. I truly believe that part of it is because they are just in the heads of the Brewers, but the main reason is because the Cardinals Organization doesn't accept mediocrity. They sent Boggs down to the minors lickity split because they aren't going to sit and watch...what they know is a train wreck.

 

That my friends right there is the main difference between the Brewers and the Cardinals. THey aren't afraid of making the bold moves. The Brewers are. Always have been too and as a fan...it stinks when the whole community knows that Rickie needs to be sat down (or even be sent to AAA...which I'm not advocating for), however RRR and DM don't want to push that sensitive button. What, are the Crew players too soft? It's a business. You're stinking up the joint, you don't play. Period!

[brewtank34]

Rickie is having a terrible season to be sure. At what do we start a topic about Lucroy's terrible season? Or do the white guys get a pass?

 

Lucroy's slump has been brought up numerous times in the local sports talk/media, however the difference is not his skin color...it's that Lucroy doesn't have a track record of slumping like that of Rickie Weeks.

 

I for one am a HUGE Rickie fan, mainly because of his work ethic though. I admire people like him that have the ability to stay as positive as he does. With that said, he needs to be sat down. Yesterday! For him to be able to dictate his position in the line-up as well as the Brewers Organization allowing him to hit his way through the slump is deplorable!

 

There was a debate last week after the sweep by the Cardinals on just why is the Cardinals organization always good. I truly believe that part of it is because they are just in the heads of the Brewers, but the main reason is because the Cardinals Organization doesn't accept mediocrity. They sent Boggs down to the minors lickity split because they aren't going to sit and watch...what they know is a train wreck.

 

That my friends right there is the main difference between the Brewers and the Cardinals. THey aren't afraid of making the bold moves. The Brewers are. Always have been too and as a fan...it stinks when the whole community knows that Rickie needs to be sat down (or even be sent to AAA...which I'm not advocating for), however RRR and DM don't want to push that sensitive button. What, are the Crew players too soft? It's a business. You're stinking up the joint, you don't play. Period!

[trwi7]

Rickie is having a terrible season to be sure. At what do we start a topic about Lucroy's terrible season? Or do the white guys get a pass?

 

Lucroy's slump has been brought up numerous times in the local sports talk/media, however the difference is not his skin color...it's that Lucroy doesn't have a track record of slumping like that of Rickie Weeks.

 

That's because Lucroy hasn't been a good hitter until last season. We now have 3 out of 4 years where Lucroy has been a bad hitter.

[brewtank34]

Lucroy was a pushed up from AA rookie in 2010 and was then injured to begin the year in 2011. Once his hand was better, he began to hit, but he was also focusing on his catching duties first. At the end of 2011, he was showing just how good a hitter he is. 2012, he should have been an All-Star minus his wife derailing his season. He has proven the he can hit. You give me a choice of who I'd want up at the plate to get me some immediate production/RBI/RISP situation, and I pick Lucroy all day! Not even close.

[trwi7]

Lucroy was a pushed up from AA rookie in 2010 and was then injured to begin the year in 2011. Once his hand was better, he began to hit, but he was also focusing on his catching duties first. At the end of 2011, he was showing just how good a hitter he is. 2012, he should have been an All-Star minus his wife derailing his season. He has proven the he can hit. You give me a choice of who I'd want up at the plate to get me some immediate production/RBI/RISP situation, and I pick Lucroy all day! Not even close.

 

He was horrible for the last few months of 2011. His best month after May of 2011 was August when he only hit .256/.307/.366. If it weren't for 2012, he would have more months with OBP's under .300 than he would have over .300.

[homer]

So Lucroy's had one bad year - his rookie year. Not enough data to say anything about him one way or the other.

[crossface21]

Rickie Weeks is starting today vs Arroyo. He is a career .170 hitter against Arroyo, and that's not just a small sample. He's 8-47. Gennett will never be called up.

[chickinbrickin]

I think you will see Yuni starting at 2B before you see Gennett get called up.

 

How much of Weeks struggles do you all think is due to his buddy Price being gone? He hasn't been the same player since Prince left for Detroit. Never thought much about it until recently.

[Austin Tatious]

There's only one more guaranteed year on his contract ('15 is a vesting option), so it's hardly an albatross.

 

We still have the bulk of 2013, all of 2014, and an easy vest for 2015. That's pretty bad.

[Austin Tatious]

Enough with the race baiting. If you can't make the case for Rickie on logic, maybe you should reconsider your argument. My personal opinion is that Rickie is now 30 and on the decline as a player. It happens. He still may have great stretches of play for a few years. If the Brewers are looking out of it at the All Star break they should entertain offers. I could definitely see a team in marginal contention thinking he may be a difference maker for one or two months. Depends on what the return would be.

 

Totally agree with this. Salary relief might be enough for me to bite so we don't have to worry about the 2015 option vesting.

 

Agreed. We are all savvy enough to understand that the Brewers don't need anything back of consequence. This would be an addition by subtraction deal. Take an older class A reliever with an ERA above 5 and call it a day.

 

Weeks is a rally killer. Strikeouts, hitting into double plays, mediocre defense, no clutch gene, it's just so disheartening when you get excited with a rally and then he strolls to the plate and your heart sinks and he never surprises you. It's sad when you pray for a walk or an HBP. He has even lost his speed.

[Austin Tatious]

Rickie Weeks is starting today vs Arroyo. He is a career .170 hitter against Arroyo, and that's not just a small sample. He's 8-47. Gennett will never be called up.

 

Man, Roenicke is one stubborn dude. It's like he is ticked off that people want him to sit Weeks and he doesn't want to look like he is falling for outside pressure.

[logan82]

Rickie is having a terrible season to be sure. At what do we start a topic about Lucroy's terrible season? Or do the white guys get a pass?

Awesome a race quote ... I love those ... Lets see.

1. Weeks makes $10 million a year ... Lucroy is making $750k

2. Weeks hit a whopping .230 last year and is following it up with a .183

3. Lucroy hit .320 last year and yes is off to a putrid start but .235 > .183

4. Lucroy has a fielding % of 1.000 weeks is .972. Lucroy is a better defender at a position that is more difficult.

5. Yuni had a fielding % of .975 playing 2B last year ... Weeks is a standing at .972. Maybe Yuni is a better fielder than Weeks?

 

I could go on and on. But to claim race is simply ridiculous ... You know nothing JoePepsi

None of those stats are really useful. BA needs to be at least paired up with OBP. Fielding percentage is sort of arbitrary.

 

Rickie Weeks is starting today vs Arroyo. He is a career .170 hitter against Arroyo, and that's not just a small sample. He's 8-47. Gennett will never be called up.

 

Yes that is still a very very small sample. Basically random. If he goes 2-4 against Aroyyo that would jump his BA by 25 points.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

If they were to bench Weeks for say 10-15 games, Jeff Bianchi could end up being more productive than Scooter would and no roster move would need to be made.

 

This. It isn't that Gennett is going to set the world on fire, it's that no one with the Brewers brass seems to think there is any option other than just running Rickie out there day after day.

 

I'm just not convinced that Rickie is the best option at this point, in either the short term or long term projections for the Crew.

[brewcrewdue80]

Alright a thread with a move I've been advocating.

 

Few thoughts:

One, Gennett not being a big difference maker.

Well, then what is the entire point of keeping his service clock in tact? If what we have is a Bench/Platoon player then what the hell are we doing considering his service clock time?

 

Two, Gennett is Lefty. Rickie is Righty. How much more do you need to see Rickie struggle vs Righties before just giving the Lefty Gennett his slap hitting chance?

 

Three, Lefties pull the ball tendency would work wonders on hit and runs batting behind..Gomez. Done.

 

Four, Rickie's struggles are flat out producing with the bat. 8 total Xtra Base hits so slap hitting Scooter? What is Rickie doing? 2HRs 9RBI. Taken from BREF:

RBI Opportunities PA: 140 RBI: 9 Actual Runners on Base: 96

ML Avg. Player with PA: 140 RBI: 14 Avg. Runners on Base: 83

 

5RBI behind the ML Avg. Mind you this is with 13 more runners vs that avg or 16% more Runners LOB which under this stat means avg should be 16RBI.

 

Five, For those that argue about Lucroy's struggles his stat line comparison to Rickie's above:

 

Jonathan Lucroy -- PA: 111 RBI:16 Actual Runners on Base: 78

ML Avg. Player with PA:111 RBI:11 Avg. Runners on Base: 66

 

 

This is why I am tired of Rickie. He's sitting at -NEGATIVE -.9WAR right now That's lower than BJ Upton who's easily having a worse season(I Called it) And you know what? ATL has sat him down recently to address his struggles.

Rickie not hitting HRs or driving in guys with his supposed Plus Bat Speed and Bat ability for a 2nd baseman at a rate even resembling just ML AVG has to be addressed!

 

You look at the Gamelogs and 7 of Rickie's 9RBI came in the games the Brewers scored their Most thus far this season. 12 and in 1of the 2 where they scored 10. That scares me in that theres a strong chance his RBI days are really a part of terrible pitching performance and not his upside ability. Everyone on the team hit these guys Even the SPs had a hit in those two games.

If you want me to jump on Rickie's bandwagon and say he can turn this around, then I would immediately look at his performance against good Pitchers. Good hitters hit good pitching. And if anyone can say Rickie doesn't look completely lost/outclassed vs. good pitching go ahead and speak up!

 

On base is all well and good so long as he is mixing it in with some timely hitting....those 7RBIs he's behind from being ML avg would be a start....

This is why I'm advocating Gennett platoon for the time-being. All these Floor numbers .260 no HRs, lack of Walks/OB...the way I look at it is:

If both Rickie and Lucroy are above the ML avg for Runners on base, what would be better? a .260 floor hitter? or a .175 with .300OB? We're still not getting HRs from Rickie. And again a Lefty slap hitting balls potential through hit and run holes leads me to thinking he can hit .280 as a floor with an added RBI or two over what Rickie can do reaching ML avg.

 

Oh, and if it doesn't work? So be it. But this team is 4games under .500 with a near -1WAR 2b and as I recall, the team got a nice jump boost when Rickie gave way his Leadoff last season to an unproven Aoki. Just a few Timely hits by Gennett could really jump this team I believe and maybe the time off for Rickie jump starts his bat with the competition for playing time. One, he needs to win if he wants to see 11.5mil in 2015.

[xisxisxis]

So Lucroy's had one bad year - his rookie year. Not enough data to say anything about him one way or the other.

 

Unfortunately 2012 is starting too look like a big outlier. Lucroy may just be a .700 OPS catcher which isn't bad, but he's not anything elite and he's paid like a 700 ops catcher.

[TooLiveBrew]

There's only one more guaranteed year on his contract ('15 is a vesting option), so it's hardly an albatross.

 

We still have the bulk of 2013, all of 2014, and an easy vest for 2015. That's pretty bad.

It's not good, but it's really not that bad. It's not anywhere close to a Barry Zito or Carl Crawford situation. And, interestingly enough, Crawford is off to a pre-'10-career-norms start to this season. Just a reminder that even as large a stretch as the first month+ of a season is by no means a permanent indicator of loss of talent. Guys do struggle, and when Rickie does, he has always been a big-time swing & miss guy (I don't simply mean K totals).

 

While it sucks if Rickie is completely finished as a useful hitter (I still doubt that), the Brewers can at least survive with the rest of his contract if that does wind up being the case. And, if he is simply toast, there's no way Melvin is going to let that '15 option vest. So this just isn't an albatross situation on the scale I think some are expecting it to be, no matter how you slice it. At worst, Rickie's completely toast & off the books after next season.

[The stache]

So Lucroy's had one bad year - his rookie year. Not enough data to say anything about him one way or the other.

 

Unfortunately 2012 is starting too look like a big outlier. Lucroy may just be a .700 OPS catcher which isn't bad, but he's not anything elite and he's paid like a 700 ops catcher.

 

I think Luc will be a .280 + hitter, 10-15 HR a season guy. He will rebound.

[The stache]

It just kills me seeing Rickie struggling. I really, really like him. When he was playing like crap last year, he never made excuses. The ankle was obviously bothering him still, but he showed up for work every day, and eventually he looked like the Rickie Weeks we're used to in the second half. He fought through it.

 

This year, he's just struggling. But I have not seen him throw his bat, or pout. Again, he goes out there every day. But he doesn't have to worry about playing time because there's nobody in the dugout who poses as a threat to his playing time. I'm not saying he's coasting, but having another guy that could be starting at second might jar him out of his slump. It certainly can't hurt.

[jerichoholicninja]

Three, Lefties pull the ball tendency would work wonders on hit and runs batting behind..Gomez. Done.

 

Since the short stop is covering with a lefty up it doesn't help at all.

[brwrsfan]

Thats not entirely true, there is a bigger whole on the left side with the first basemen holding on Gomez and the second basement playing up the middle for the double play. So there is a bigger whole to aim at for the lefty on the hit and run. I think thats what he's referring to, not necessarily who is covering the base.