First Base 2014

[monty57]

I was all for the rental of Morneau for a few months as I realize his age is getting up there.

 

Morneau is signed to what looks to be a team-friendly deal through next year. If we would have traded for him, he would've solved 1B for next year as well, which is why I'm sure the Rockies wanted a decent return for him. I have no doubt that they wanted at least one player who is currently on the Brewer's MLB roster (Gennett, Nelson, Davis, Peralta) and that is why the deal wasn't done.

 

I'd like to have Morneau, but not at the price of something like Gennett, Nelson and Taylor. I'm sure Melvin would have made the deal if the price was reasonable.

[Never Outhustled]

Matt Clark now has 13 HR's in 169 AB's in Nashville, hitting .325 with a .993 OPS. I don't care how hitter-friendly or pitcher-friendly the league is, that's impressive.

 

Not saying he needs to be starting, but come on, the guy has paid his dues at the minor league level. Give him a cup of coffee up in Milwaukee, he's earned it.

 

Mark Reynolds has a 540 OPS in August, and a sub-700 OPS for the season. Give Clark a starting oppurtunity, I doubt he would be worse, and could be significantly better.

 

 

Reynolds is actually making better contact this month (3.92 AB per K) despite the bad numbers so an argument could be made he's hitting in some bad luck. He did have a .799 OPS in July. Overbay's OPS in August is .873.

 

Yes Clark is having a great half season in AAA. But they aren't going to sit both Overbay and Reynolds for a career minor league first baseman with no major league experience in the heat of a pennant race. Clark should and probably will get a long look in spring. He's earned that. He also may have made Hunter Morris expendable. They could add him strictly as bench bat in September by clearing Gindl's 40 man spot. Let's see what happens.

 

If you curve the numbers for park effects you're way off. Park effects matter, but your grossly over rating their impact.

[HiAndTight]

 

If you curve the numbers for park effects you're way off. Park effects matter, but your grossly over rating their impact.

 

 

Well then curve the number for "park effects," for us and prove him wrong....though to be fair, I'm not sure you can since he didn't "rate," their impact highly at all. He simply stated a couple facts and said he doubts the Brewers are going to dump two veterans for a guy who's never played in the big leagues this September.

[brewcrewdue80]

So, out of curiosity, can someone post the 1b stats on the season(with link to come back to) and then post last year's 1b stats?

 

Failing miserably to get a 1b the offseason was bad, but then not finding one at the trade deadlines was worse. The fail was not signing Morneau or Morse for that matter(who's WAR would likely be nearing 3 by not playing in the OF)

 

It's maddening to think what might have been by winning the Abreu lottery signing. 33HRs 99RBI .983OPS.... :'(

 

Would we be oh say 10games ahead in the standings at this point?

[jerichoholicninja]

I thought it might be fun to look at some of the names that were brought for first base in 2014 and how they're doing this season.

 

Corey Hart

Out for the year but put up a sub .600 OPS beforehand.

 

Logan Morrison

Injured for a good chunk of the season, having his worst offensive season of his career even when you factor the move to Seattle with a 86 OPS+.

 

Ike Davis

Finally traded to Pittsburgh after lots of talk about it. Not putting up the season many think/hope/want, but at least above average with a 107 OPS+ which is close to career norms.

 

Kendrys Morales

Only slightly less of a disaster than Hart has been with a OPS around .600 between Minnesota and Seattle.

 

Mike Morse

Very productive. OPS north of .800.

 

Justin Morneau

If you don't know how he's doing this season, you're not a Brewer fan.

 

Billy Butler

The guy some posters were willing to give up a lot for - having the worst season of his career. His OPS is hovering around .700 because he has apparently forgotten how to walk and hit homeruns. Probably a good thing he's wearing Royal blue instead of navy.

 

Now for what we're stuck with...

 

Mark Reynolds

The guy can hit the ball a long way and make a diving play every now and then. Not much more you can say about him. Pathetic batting average and on-base percentage and OPS+ at 90.

 

Lyle Overbay

He gets on base more than Mark, that's about all you can say. Also, did you know he played 26 innings of RF for the Yankees last year. Wow, were they desperate.

[Never Outhustled]

 

If you curve the numbers for park effects you're way off. Park effects matter, but your grossly over rating their impact.

 

 

Well then curve the number for "park effects," for us and prove him wrong....though to be fair, I'm not sure you can since he didn't "rate," their impact highly at all. He simply stated a couple facts and said he doubts the Brewers are going to dump two veterans for a guy who's never played in the big leagues this September.

 

Being a vet doesn't secure your job, nor should it. The only way to secure a job is to be productive at it, which Reynolds and Overbay were not. No way the Brewers push aside 2 vets in a pennant race you say? Sure they would, Matt Clark starts today. Kudos to RR for not accepting mediocrity. The only hard part of that decision was whether to start Clark or Rogers.

[HiAndTight]

 

If you curve the numbers for park effects you're way off. Park effects matter, but your grossly over rating their impact.

 

 

Well then curve the number for "park effects," for us and prove him wrong....though to be fair, I'm not sure you can since he didn't "rate," their impact highly at all. He simply stated a couple facts and said he doubts the Brewers are going to dump two veterans for a guy who's never played in the big leagues this September.

 

Being a vet doesn't secure your job, nor should it. The only way to secure a job is to be productive at it, which Reynolds and Overbay were not. No way the Brewers push aside 2 vets in a pennant race you say? Sure they would, Matt Clark starts today. Kudos to RR for not accepting mediocrity. The only hard part of that decision was whether to start Clark or Rogers.

 

No, actually I didn't say that.

 

You said that Briggs was "grossly overrating their impact," and that he was "way off when you curve their numbers for park effect."

 

I simply questioned how he had overrated their impact, as well as asking you exactly how their numbers were "way off," due to park effect.

 

I do believe that it's unlikely the Brewers are going to stop playing the two veterans they've had all year in place of Clark a player who's been in the organization and hitting well since July. One start hardly changes that. MAYBE if he gets red hot like Soler for the Cubs, but that's not likely. Clark's most likely going to simply be a pinch hitter and as he said, will be given a look in spring training.

[HiAndTight]

So, out of curiosity, can someone post the 1b stats on the season(with link to come back to) and then post last year's 1b stats?

 

Failing miserably to get a 1b the offseason was bad, but then not finding one at the trade deadlines was worse. The fail was not signing Morneau or Morse for that matter(who's WAR would likely be nearing 3 by not playing in the OF)

 

It's maddening to think what might have been by winning the Abreu lottery signing. 33HRs 99RBI .983OPS.... :'(

 

Would we be oh say 10games ahead in the standings at this point?

 

 

It was a failure, but you're picking the two out of the many options who've had success. Neither looked like good options going into the year, and Melvin did go after Abreu pretty hard...and yes, that is incredibly frustrating to even think about. It was bad enough when he looked like a .260/.340 guy who hit for big power, but he's having a Miguel Cabrera-esque season. He'd have been our #3 hitter. And while I'm sure the 10 game lead comment was meant to be hyperbole, the trickle down impact throughout our lineup would have been huge.

[brewcrewdue80]

No I'm serious, I would immediately think the Brewers had a 10game lead on the division if Abreu was starting at 1b in the 3/4hold of the Brewers Lineup.

Via Bref: Abreu has been worth 44! more runs than expected avg with the Bat. Overbay/Reynolds are a combined -6Runs with the bat in the category. 50runs better with his bat. .325 RISP on the season. If I made the lineup having Abreu It'd be Gomez,Lucroy,Abreu,ARam,Braun,Davis,2b,Segura,SP

 

Rather than hide your 1b down in the order you're having a monster bat slugging away #3 with ARam/Braun to then follow?

 

Lucroy+ARam have been the only Brewers who display clutch tendencies this year. As it stands today were talking 10games up to 6games back. Know what that means? 8Losses that are instead wins on the season. So yes I believe in what I stated. Abreu would have won 8games we lost instead because of having Overbay/Reynolds bat at 1b.

 

 

Edit Ok looking at the standings today, having forgotten how hot the Cards have been 10games isn't feasible today. But with that 8game turnover we're at 82-63 and I'm going to give 1 of those 8games Lost to being vs. the Cards dropping them a game down. We'd be up 3.5games at the moment then.