Brewers Offensive Struggles in the Second Half

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

Originally, I was going to ask about just Braun, but maybe since the team as a whole has put up a sub .700 OPS since the All Star break, the thread can be about more than just Braun. After Braun's HR last night, I was thinking "GREAT!!!", but it has been seemingly forever since Braun hit a key HR for us.

 

Below are first half / second half numbers

 

Lucroy .879 OPS / .748 OPS

Gennett .828 OPS / .749 OPS

Gomez .880 OPS / .670 OPS

Braun .863 OPS / .687 OPS

Ramirez .795 OPS / .809 OPS

Davis .774 OPS / .814 OPS

Segura .582 OPS / .606 OPS

Reynolds .693 OPS / .804 OPS

 

Weeks .713 OPS / .787 OPS

Herrera .614 OPS / .784 OPS

Ovebay .678 OPS / .526 OPS

Maldonado .721 OPS / 1.088 OPS

Schaefer .612 OPS / Parra .481 OPS

 

Overall, Braun and Gomez have had major drops, Gennett and Lucroy have cooled down some, while Segura and Ramirez are about the same, leaving Davis (40 point jump) and Mr Solo Homer (113 point jump) as the only offensive players clicking. I know we've faced some incredibly tough pitching over the past month, but our team seems to do well when we're patient (get Greinke out the game), but can get pretty streaky when we attack the first pitch. As noted on yesterday's radio broadcast by Hamilton (i believe), we are best when we don't do the same thing every game/series so pitchers can't adjust to our pattern.

 

In positive news, Weeks, Herrera and Maldonado have been more solid post AS break which gives us more weapons on the bench. If Parra can get it going, we could be really solid there

 

As we enter the final stretch of the season:

6 games against the Cubs, 6 against the Reds, 6 against the Pirates, 7 against the Cardinals, 4 against the Marlins, 2 against the blue jays, and seven games on the west coast (SD, SF, LA), what do you expect?

 

EDIT: Typo on Braun

[jjfanec]

Braun is .687 not .787 since the break

[logan82]

You are talking about a month. Could just be good pitching. We are 5th in the NL in runs scored. This may just be regression. We don't know it isn't for guys lime Gomez and Lucroy.

[Ennder]

We have faced really strong pitching overall in the 2nd half.

[superfly]

We bring it against the best, and seem to struggle against moderate-decent pitching. We've beaten Lester, Greinke x2, Kershaw, Waino, Price, Samardjzia and should have beaten Kershaw a 2nd time. Then we go out against rookies like Wada and Hendricks and stink up the joint. Just a product of our bombing offense...consistency is the key.

[dlk9s]

Sweeping the Dodgers was fantastic, but people probably tone down the "we took it to Greinke and Kershaw" talk (not necessarily anyone here). While it was great to win in games they started, we only scored 3 runs in 14-15 innings against them this weekend.

 

Still, it was awesome.

[Bombers]

And the offense continues to struggle. To me, it feels like they are all pressing. It shows in the walk total dept. we rarely get more than a walk or two a game. Last time we had a lot of walks in a game happens to be the last time we won. (Vs the padres) ... The hitting coach Narron should be canned. I just don't see how we should be so hapless at the plate.

 

From JsOnline:

With Jonathan Lucroy (.185), Ryan Braun (.222) , Scooter Gennett (.150), Davis (.167), Mark Reynolds (.083), Jean Segura (.200) and Carlos Gomez (.200 before sitting out with a sore wrist) doing little at the plate on this trip, the Brewers’ offense has covered for no pitching mistakes.

 

And the quote of the day:

This is a rough stretch; it feels like a long road trip already,” said Khris Davis, whose seventh-inning homer finally got the Brewers on the board. “We’ve just got to weather the storm best we can and grind it out, day by day.

 

“Timing is key. We want to get hot at the right time and jump into the playoffs. It’s easy getting to the top; it’s harder staying there. That’s what I’m learning on a daily basis at the big-league level.”

 

 

Hopefully you don't wait to long to "get hot at the right time" ... Only 25 games left Khris

[brewmann04]

Maybe guys are coming back to normal as are the pitchers.

[brewcrewdue80]

The Struggles are in avoding scoring 2runs or fewer.

 

Since Game 81: Brewers have scored 2runs or fewer 22times in 56games! 39.3%! This vs. 21 times in the first 81games 25.9% When you're essentially only giving your Pitching staff run support to win 6 every 10 games, it's no wonder we're collapsing!

 

For Comparison: Stl: 20 2runs or less since game 81. 26 times in the first 81

Pitts: 13 2runs or less since game 81. 30times in the first half(17 in the first 33games!) Only 25 total in last 104games.

Cincy: 22 2runs or less since game 81. 22 times in first 81games.

Cubs: 17 2runs or less since game 81. 30times in the first 81games.

 

Cincy has been w/o Votto/Phillips for much of the 2nd half. And have 1 single batter with an .800+OPS on the season throw in Frazier .797/Votto .799 and it's 3.

 

Totals:

Milw 43games for season-Trending worse

StL 46games for season-trending same

Pitts 43games for season-Trending better

Cincy 44games for season-trending same

Cubs 47games for season-Trending Better

 

Now what's staggering is that Milw has 5-6batters in their everyday lineup that has an OPS .785 or higher.

Stl:Adams/Peralta/Holliday .785+

Pitts:Martin/McCutchen/Walker/ and I'll add Harrison .785+

Cincy:Votto/Mesoraco/Frazier .785+

Cubs:Rizzo and maybe throw Coughlan in there(under 400ABs) .785+

 

Now we avg 4.25 runs a game

Pitts: 4.19

StL: 3.84

Cubs: 3.82

Cincy: 3.76

 

That's why that 22times with 2runs or less since game 81 is so glaring. The fact that we are trending down and Pitts has been trending right since the first 33games this year just tells me we won't win the divison.