All things considered, Ryan Braun is having a great season

[The stache]

When you consider everything that Ryan Braun has been through this season, the thumb injury, the back and the abdominal muscle pull, looking at where he is statistically, he's really had a pretty great year.

 

He hasn't hit for the power that we're used to, and I think we all know why. The pulled muscle injury has made it where Braun has had to hit to right and center. Last night's home run against the Nationals was the first time I've seen him really hit a ball with power to left field in a while. But even without his pull side power, his numbers have been quite good.

 

On the season, he's hitting .298 with 48 runs scored, 20 doubles, 6 triples, 12 home runs, 54 RBI and 8 stolen bases. His slash line is .348/.523/.871. He's 6th in the NL in slugging, 10th in OPS, and 10th in RBI. When you consider that he's only played 75 of Milwaukee's 98 games, to be in the top 10 in RBI is a pretty nice accomplishment. After a pretty awful June overall, Ryan has played really well in July. He's 14 for 40 (.350) with a .395 OBP and a .625 SLG. A 1.020 OPS is more of what we're used to from #8.

 

I for one appreciate that he's really played through some pain this year. While the rest of the national media wants to take shots at his character, I think going out there and playing hard while in pain speaks volumes. A lot of other players would just sit on the DL knowing full well they still get paid. Ryan knows this team is trying to get back to the playoffs. He's doing everything he can to get them there. As recently as June 23, he was at .278. He's knocking on .300's door again. He's playing well, and I think he's leading by example. Just what you would expect from a former MVP.

 

I see good things happening for the Brewers the rest of the way. And Ryan Braun is going to lead the charge.

[JimH5]

He's been fine, he's been good, he's been quiet. He's stayed out of the headlines. He has adapted well to RF.

 

I wouldn't say he's been "great", only because his production is down largely due to injuries.

[The stache]

Ryan's not having an MVP year, or even the MVP runner up year of 2012. That's clear. If we're going to measure his performance against his best seasons, then no, you couldn't say he's been great. But in the context of the games he's missed, and the injuries he's been battling all season, to be one of the ten most productive hitters in all the National League...I would say that is great.

[3and2Fastball]

Braun is on pace for playing in 125 games, and on pace for ending the season with 20 HR's, 33 Doubles and a .872 OPS

 

That is pretty good. Certainly not an elite level season. Hopefully he can have a great second half

[chadomac]

He's having a good - not great - season... but this season makes me worried he's going to slowly decline down to the point where he is loathed for the salary he is making during the last few years of his contract. If he's this banged up at age 30, how are things going to be a few years from now? I don't like it one bit.

 

I wish that second extension would've never happened, and it upsets me that the Brewers might not have contracted the guy they thought they did. When the guy is healthy he's a top 5 player in baseball, but I'm worried he's never going to be healthy again. I can see Braun eventually becoming a guy that plays 80 games or less most years and possibly having an OPS under .800 and getting paid 20 million dollars for it, and it makes me mad. I think Brewer fans will be lucky to see him get anywhere near his 2011/2012 numbers ever again.

[logan82]

Wait till he retires and is still making $4m a year.

[TURBO]

Add in the fact that he had a position change, and is coming off a PED suspension, and I am amazed he has played as well as he has on top of all the injuries...

[WV Brew]

I wonder how much he's still bothered by that hand injury. Here's Dustin Pedroia who has a similar hand problem the last two years:

 

.301/.372/.415 to .277/.344/.376.

 

Braun 2012: .319/.391/.595 to 2013: .298/.372/.498

2014: .298/.348/.523

 

So they both have had similar declines.

[3and2Fastball]

One thing I'm watching with Braun is his walk rate. He has generally been a guy whose OBP is 60 points higher than his BA. This season it is 50 points higher than his BA. Last season in a small sample it was 74 points higher and it looked like he was turning the corner on taking more walks

 

The sample size is still too small so far this season to read much into it, but I wonder if pitchers are just going after him more and challenging him, not fearing him like they used to. If that ends up being the case it'd be better to have Braun in the 2 hole, hitting in front of Lucroy

 

If the thumb remains a constant issue and he is never again a 30-40 HR guy, he can still be very valuable as a .290-.310 hitter going oppo and moving runners over and driving them in, but that value will be much higher if he's a .380 OBP guy

[lcbj68c]

The contract doesn't bother me. He took a hometown discount so to speak and was being paid peanuts while playing at an MVP level earlier in his career. The fact that he earned less while deserving more early in his career and may very well earn more while deserving less later in his career evens out for me. If he can play another 6 years hitting .290 with 20 home runs a year, I'll take it. I'm willing to bet that 5 years from now, $19M per year doesn't look as expensive as it does today.

[DuWayne Steurer]

The contract doesn't bother me. He took a hometown discount so to speak and was being paid peanuts while playing at an MVP level earlier in his career. The fact that he earned less while deserving more early in his career and may very well earn more while deserving less later in his career evens out for me. If he can play another 6 years hitting .290 with 20 home runs a year, I'll take it. I'm willing to bet that 5 years from now, $19M per year doesn't look as expensive as it does today.

 

Yeah.....as long as he stays on the field for 130 games a year, and puts up an .850-ish OPS.....we're fine with him.

[SRB]

I was surprised to see that Ryan Braun has the 6th highest wOBA among NL outfielders (and one of those ahead of him is Seth Smith, who I think has had somewhat of a platoon role?). The rest are legit MVP-discussion players: McCutchen, Stanton, Puig, and Gomez.

 

Pretty good for a guy who's been battling injuries. Though I'm glad Braun is the caliber of player where that level of performance is considered disappointing.

[swheeler23]

He's having a good - not great - season... but this season makes me worried he's going to slowly decline down to the point where he is loathed for the salary he is making during the last few years of his contract. If he's this banged up at age 30, how are things going to be a few years from now? I don't like it one bit.

 

I wish that second extension would've never happened, and it upsets me that the Brewers might not have contracted the guy they thought they did. When the guy is healthy he's a top 5 player in baseball, but I'm worried he's never going to be healthy again. I can see Braun eventually becoming a guy that plays 80 games or less most years and possibly having an OPS under .800 and getting paid 20 million dollars for it, and it makes me mad. I think Brewer fans will be lucky to see him get anywhere near his 2011/2012 numbers ever again.

 

There is no evidence that Ryan Braun will become this player. He has made the adjustments needed to be productive and is getting an RBI every 5 atbats. That is 2nd best in mLB. What does it matter how he drives in those runs? I wish the Brewers had a few more players like Braun.

[torts]

Though I'm glad Braun is the caliber of player where that level of performance is considered disappointing.

 

this is all I keep thinking! it really sucks that Braun is ONLY hitting .300 with 54 RBI's! Luv u Brauny! keep it up!

[pretendastronaut]

Buster Olney has an Insider article about Braun's changed season. A little to much "it's because he's not on steroids" implication for my tastes, but some crazy numbers all the same.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post?id=7251

 

What's interesting to me is you hear about pitchers who weren't effective with their former power pitch anymore, and they were good enough to re-invent themselves and stay at a high performing level. To me that's what we're seeing from Braun, he can't be the player he has been with his thumb and oblique issues this season, but he's a smart and solid enough baseball player to adjust himself and do what he needs to do, to be a good productive player.

[torts]

3 threads all with the same article! MERGE

[torts]

Buster Olney has an Insider article about Braun's changed season. A little to much "it's because he's not on steroids" implication for my tastes, but some crazy numbers all the same.

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/post?id=7251

 

What's interesting to me is you hear about pitchers who weren't effective with their former power pitch anymore, and they were good enough to re-invent themselves and stay at a high performing level. To me that's what we're seeing from Braun, he can't be the player he has been with his lack of PED's, but he's a smart and solid enough baseball player to adjust himself and do what he needs to do, to be a good productive player.

 

 

fixed to how Onley meant you to say that

[Fear The Chorizo]

well, now that Buster wrote about how Braun can't hit homeruns, mightaswell cue up the next monthlong tear that Braun will rattle off about a dozen of them...then Buster can write about how he must be back on PED's.

[danzig6767]

What i don't get is why the injuries prevent Braun fom pulling the ball more?

[torts]

What i don't get is why the injuries prevent Braun fom pulling the ball more?

 

not reading the article, but pulling the ball means youre early in your swing, right? so makes sense with oblique injuries and a thumb injury that he isnt planting and twisting fast enough to get ahead of the ball to launch it to LF.

[Fear The Chorizo]

top hand and a quick oblique turn are both needed to drive a pitch to left field with authority. Braun has a bad thumb on his top hand and a balky oblique...I'm actually surprised pitchers aren't just pouring inside fastballs at Braun until he proves he can pull the ball with authority.

[TooLiveBrew]

I can't remember if it was a fastball or not, but he pulled the crap out of his HR in Washington.

[torts]

I can't remember if it was a fastball or not, but he pulled the crap out of his HR in Washington.

 

[sarcasm]clearly he found a gummy at the bottom of the sock drawer[/sarcasm]

[stoutdude04]

He has a 1500 ops on balls to the opposite field...that's pretty good. I'm hopeful his power is down due to injuries. Only he knows for sure.

[danzig6767]

top hand and a quick oblique turn are both needed to drive a pitch to left field with authority. Braun has a bad thumb on his top hand and a balky oblique...I'm actually surprised pitchers aren't just pouring inside fastballs at Braun until he proves he can pull the ball with authority.

The thing is though, he does pull the ball sometimes and hits it hard, so why can't he do it more often? It's not as if he only pulls pitches on the inside part of the plate.

 

Sure it could simply be injuries for the home run decline, but i wouldn't just dismiss the idea of him using PED's in the past and now he's not doing so.

 

I only ask because i'm far from really versed on hitting mechanics and how injuries would impact a swing.