The call up Scooter Gennett thread

[Dollarbill13]

What's really interesting is that Weeks isn't really hitting any fly balls anymore, which seems to have sapped his power. His LD% is actually above his career numbers. His strikeouts are higher than his career rate but they seem to be stabilizing since the first two weeks of the season. I personally think he's probably got a mechanical problem with his swing. His batting average should even out to the ~.240-.250 number that we've come to expect but if he doesn't start getting some more lift, he won't be able to compensate for the low average with the good power that we've seen in the past.

 

Given that I don't believe we are a playoff team this year, with or without a returned-to-form Rickie Weeks, I would just keep him in the regular lineup and hope that he can prove that he's not done. Despite what some are saying on this site, 150 PA is certainly not a large enough sample size to be able to know that. If he rebounds at some point this year, I would be fine with trading him for a prospect in the offseason. The prospect of that 2015 vesting option scares me.

[WV Brew]

Dollar-

His best OBP was in '07 and best slugging in '09. He hasn't come close to those since. It seems there is a pattern of decline. I would be very surprised if he doesn't have a hot streak sometime this year but the general pattern of decline seems to be set.

[Roderick]

Despite what some are saying on this site, 150 PA is certainly not a large enough sample size to be able to know that. If he rebounds at some point this year, I would be fine with trading him for a prospect in the offseason. The prospect of that 2015 vesting option scares me.

 

The 2015 vesting option might scare away teams that don't have a clear starter at 2B (and why would a team with a starter trade for Rickie unless we paid all of his contract). The vesting option doesn't disappear from his contract if he is traded. I just don't see him being very movable. Unless some rich team has a late need at 2B.

 

I really don't know why they don't tell Weeks he has a week off except for the last-guy-left pinch hitter/runner, but after that time he will start again. See if he can reset himself if he knows he won't be playing much.

[Dollarbill13]

I'm not going to argue that he's not in decline but I don't believe that he's finished as a productive 2B. He had an .800 OPS in the 2nd half last year which is still very good and his terrible start to this season seems to be driven by GB% (somewhat concerning) and BABIP (barely concerning)

[rluzinski]

Dollar-

His best OBP was in '07 and best slugging in '09. He hasn't come close to those since.

 

That is a peculiar way to present the facts. I am surprised you didn't point out that his best BA was in 2006.

 

Weeks' best season in terms of overall batting production (basically, PA, OBP and SLG) was easily 2010. He had his second best season in 2011. If there is any pattern of decline, it had to have started after 2011.

 

That said, Weeks is 30 years old and has had a good share of injuries, so we would anticipate that his best years are behind him. I'd expect something like .240/.340/.430 from him going forward and that's a line we have no reason to believe Gennett would beat that by enough of a margin to call him up. I doubt he would get even close to meeting that in fact.

 

I appreciate the concern that about 2015 but we are a long way away from having to worry about that.

[LouisEly]

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

 

I think you're on to something, and I'll take it a step further. I wonder how Rickie feels about being the only black player on the team? Yes, he is 30 and there could be some age decline but at 30 I would not expect this much age-related decline so quickly. I just wonder how much he enjoys playing in Milwaukee without any other black players on the team. His decline has also corresponded with the number of black players on the team.

 

2013 - Weeks

2012 - Weeks, Morgan

2011 - Fielder, Weeks, Morgan, Hawkins

2010 - Fielder, Weeks, Cain, Dickerson, Hawkins, Jeffress

2009 - Fielder, Weeks, Cameron, Hall, Bourgeois, Patterson

[torts]

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

 

I think you're on to something, and I'll take it a step further. I wonder how Rickie feels about being the only black player on the team? Yes, he is 30 and there could be some age decline but at 30 I would not expect this much age-related decline so quickly. I just wonder how much he enjoys playing in Milwaukee without any other black players on the team. His decline has also corresponded with the number of black players on the team.

 

2013 - Weeks

2012 - Weeks, Morgan

2011 - Fielder, Weeks, Morgan, Hawkins

2010 - Fielder, Weeks, Cain, Dickerson, Hawkins, Jeffress

2009 - Fielder, Weeks, Cameron, Hall, Bourgeois, Patterson

 

please refer to him as african-american if you're only going to reference african-american players. there are plenty of other "black" players on the team that the whole race angle is completely moot.

[torts]

not to mention that is a borderline racist thing to say, that a "black" guy isnt doing well because there are no other "black" players. Come on, you're reading into his decline WAY to far.

[markedman5]

The vesting option for Weeks will make it harder to trade him but make no mistake about it. If he keeps hitting like he is now Attansio/Melvin will make damn sure he doesn't hit the AB numbers needed to vest the contract for 2015.

[Outlander]

Dollar-

I appreciate the concern that about 2015 but we are a long way away from having to worry about that.

It still is a concern this year because every plate appearance over 600 this year is one less at bat he needs next year to get 2015 to vest. Unless Weeks gets hurt Melvin will have to make the tough decision in releasing him sometime in 2014.

[Ennder]

This discussion has really deteriorated into meaningless at this point. No I don't for one second believe if Weeks were white he would performing any differently than he does now. Trying to make something out of nothing. The guy is streaky, he has been in his entire career.

[adambr2]

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

 

I think you're on to something, and I'll take it a step further. I wonder how Rickie feels about being the only black player on the team? Yes, he is 30 and there could be some age decline but at 30 I would not expect this much age-related decline so quickly. I just wonder how much he enjoys playing in Milwaukee without any other black players on the team. His decline has also corresponded with the number of black players on the team.

 

2013 - Weeks

2012 - Weeks, Morgan

2011 - Fielder, Weeks, Morgan, Hawkins

2010 - Fielder, Weeks, Cain, Dickerson, Hawkins, Jeffress

2009 - Fielder, Weeks, Cameron, Hall, Bourgeois, Patterson

 

I'm going to have to assume this is tongue in cheek/sarcastic. There's no way you could have just possibly "forgotten" about the existence of Segura, Betancourt, Figaro, etc.

[Baldkin]

They aren't black, in the African-American sense.

 

Segura and Figaro are Dominican and Betancourt is Cuban.... now, Khris Davis on the other hand....

[rluzinski]

Dollar-

I appreciate the concern that about 2015 but we are a long way away from having to worry about that.

It still is a concern this year because every plate appearance over 600 this year is one less at bat he needs next year to get 2015 to vest. Unless Weeks gets hurt Melvin will have to make the tough decision in releasing him sometime in 2014.

 

And I maintain that it really isn't a concern at this point. The odds of Weeks having the option vested if he doesn't return to form are very low and it won't be because Melvin sits him the last month of the 2014. Getting 1200 PA over 2 years or even 600 PA over 1 is hard to do in any situation. Any real injury will make it impossible. Even putting aside that possibility, if Weeks continues to bat out of the 7th hole, he'll have to play about 300 games over the 2012 and 2013 seasons to have his option vest.

 

If Weeks is still under performing in 14 months, it will be pretty easy to justify a backup a couple of starts a week at 2B.

[markedman5]

Well Weeks is finally sitting tonight.....unfortunately so is Braun

[LouisEly]

please refer to him as african-american if you're only going to reference african-american players. there are plenty of other "black" players on the team that the whole race angle is completely moot.

 

I didn't say it was the case, I said I wondered if it was. And all of my African-American friends prefer to be referred to as "black".

 

As Balkin said, the other dark-skinned players on the team are Latin, not "black".

[mothershipconnection]

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?

 

You must not have been here for similar discussions of Geoff Jenkins, Ben Sheets, JJ Hardy, John Axford, or Corey Hart.

[brwrsfan]

Are we really having this argument? This has nothing to do with his skin color, it could be purple or green and it wouldn't change the fact that for the second year in a row, we're sitting in mid-May and he's batting .180 with no power. Doesn't help that he's making a ton of money this year either.

 

Lucroy is getting a pass because Weeks is just so much worse than Lucroy at this point...and we don't have any better options for Lucroy, as Maldonado (small sample) is batting about as well as Weeks. We DO have other 2b options, including a guy with a super high average in AAA, we just refuse to use them.

 

Skin color is the last thing this has to do with.

[logan82]

Actually Lucroy is hitting worse than Weeks. Madonado is probably a better option for catcher than Scooter is at 2B. Of course if still believe Scooter will hit close to what he is now at the MLB level nothing is going to change your opinion at this point.

[torts]

please refer to him as african-american if you're only going to reference african-american players. there are plenty of other "black" players on the team that the whole race angle is completely moot.

 

I didn't say it was the case, I said I wondered if it was. And all of my African-American friends prefer to be referred to as "black".

 

As Balkin said, the other dark-skinned players on the team are Latin, not "black".

 

 

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110826003524/icarly/images/4/46/20100108063328!Exploding-head.gif

[Funketown]

What type of line are we expecting out of Gennett? Based on his MiLB slash lines and a BABIP nearing .400 this season I think an optimistic projection for this season would be something like .275/.325/.350.

 

Weeks has been horrible this season and my expectations for him going forward are greatly tempered, but I just don't see Gennett as an improvement this season. If Weeks is still hitting like this at the All Star break, then I think you have to sit him down.

[torts]

What type of line are we expecting out of Gennett? Based on his MiLB slash lines and a BABIP nearing .400 this season I think an optimistic projection for this season would be something like .275/.325/.350.

 

Weeks has been horrible this season and my expectations for him going forward are greatly tempered, but I just don't see Gennett as an improvement this season. If Weeks is still hitting like this at the All Star break, then I think you have to sit him down.

 

If weeks is still hitting like this, and playing every day at the all-star break RRR should be fired. its one thing for him to hit like this and end up playing from the bench in the coming weeks... its another thing to just keep him out there for no apparent reason other than the fact he's being paid a ton of money.

[torts]

also, weeks hgitting .181/.302/.276 or whatever he's hitting right now... getting .275/.325/.350 from gennett is BETTER.

[Ennder]

also, weeks hgitting .181/.302/.276 or whatever he's hitting right now... getting .275/.325/.350 from gennett is BETTER.

 

Sure if you expect Weeks to continue to hit that line which would just be silly considering the track record. In the past 12 games Weeks is still struggling but he is at a .216/.370/.324 line which is better than that line you expect from Gennett.

 

Weeks had a 20 game cold streak where he hit .099/.210/.155. Those numbers are obviously putrid but those games are also over and really don't mean much compared to his career history. Benching Weeks outright at this point should get the manager fired. Benching him for a couple games is fine though.

[brwrsfan]

Actually Lucroy is hitting worse than Weeks. Madonado is probably a better option for catcher than Scooter is at 2B. Of course if still believe Scooter will hit close to what he is now at the MLB level nothing is going to change your opinion at this point.

 

What stats are you using to say Lucroy is worse than Weeks?

 

Lucroy has a higher average (.216 to .181), higher sluggling (.333 to .276), higher OPS (.598 to .578) and has more HR (3 to 2) and more RBI (16 to 9) in about 15 less at bats. Weeks has him in OBP (.302 to .264) but that's about it. Weeks has also struck out 42 times compared to Lucroys 14. Neither has been ripping it up lately either, as Lucroy is 5-30 in May and Weeks is 5-33, neither with an extra base hit.

 

They've both been pretty bad, but I don't see how you can say Lucroy is worse at the plate the Weeks.

 

Pretty tough to write Gennett off without even a single major league at bat. If you're saying he can't hit .180 with little to no power, I'd find that extremely unlikely.