Brewers sign Eric Thames (3 years)

[dlk9s]

Has Aaron Judge been tested yet? He's having a pretty hot April, too.

[pacopete4]

Has Aaron Judge been tested yet? He's having a pretty hot April, too.

 

 

How about the clown from the Nationals that hasn't hit since Thames has been over in Korea.

[MrTPlush]

CBS had an article with a title like, "MLB remains only sport to shame playing better."

 

Seriously so true.

[Thurston Fluff]

I'm not a fan of "random" drug tests but it is the situation the sport put itself in. People are going to question this sort of thing. Knowing that, if he is clean it's better for everyone he is getting overtested so publicly. Think of how good a story it would be if he keeps taking it in stride and turns up clean. Dude could single handedly turn the Cubs national image into the bad guys. If that happens a Brewer legend is made.

[stoutdude04]

At least Arietta got checked 4 times in a month during his hot start 2 years ago

[brewcrewdue80]

There is nothing random in 3 tests in 10days. I'd love all the Brewers on the 25man to jump up and state the amount of tests they've done this whole season. Braun has to be helping Thames with handling the tests, giving him a preview of how many he was given after his tainted test. At this rate MLB has decided Thames is Guilty until proven Guilty.

[jerichoholicninja]

I'm not a fan of "random" drug tests but it is the situation the sport put itself in. People are going to question this sort of thing. Knowing that, if he is clean it's better for everyone he is getting overtested so publicly. Think of how good a story it would be if he keeps taking it in stride and turns up clean. Dude could single handedly turn the Cubs national image into the bad guys. If that happens a Brewer legend is made.

 

No he can't.

[reillymcshane]

Excellent article on Thames by Travis Sawchik at Fangraphs. He interviews Thames - amongst many other people - and goes into depth with Eric about his transformation as a player.

 

It's really a good read - and demonstrates to process that Thames went through to change his approach as a player.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/eric-thames-and-the-transformative-power-of-boredom/

 

The more I read about Thames - the more I like him.

[homer]

I'm not a fan of "random" drug tests but it is the situation the sport put itself in. People are going to question this sort of thing. Knowing that, if he is clean it's better for everyone he is getting overtested so publicly. Think of how good a story it would be if he keeps taking it in stride and turns up clean. Dude could single handedly turn the Cubs national image into the bad guys. If that happens a Brewer legend is made.

 

No he can't.

 

 

Feel free to expand on your point rather than drive by snark. Thanks.

[OnTheBlack]

I'm not a fan of "random" drug tests but it is the situation the sport put itself in. People are going to question this sort of thing. Knowing that, if he is clean it's better for everyone he is getting overtested so publicly. Think of how good a story it would be if he keeps taking it in stride and turns up clean. Dude could single handedly turn the Cubs national image into the bad guys. If that happens a Brewer legend is made.

 

No he can't.

 

 

Feel free to expand on your point rather than drive by snark. Thanks.

 

Not that I completely agree with the manner in which it was delivered, but I think the point is this isn't nearly big enough of an issue to make possibly the second most popular team in baseball into the "bag guys." Have you heard anything about this on the national level since the day or two after Lackey initially made his comments?

 

The Cubs were the lovable losers, now they're coming off a dominant season and a WS win and poised to contend for another. You really think a couple relatively subtle digs in May against a small market player is going to changed millions of peoples point of view in regards to the Cubs?

 

Hell, most people didn't even look at the Cardinals as the bag guys when they were just insufferable with Chris Carpenter and his screaming after getting a K in the WS after whining incessantly including the infamous "how will I explain this to my 8 year old son," comment. Though...while I hate to do this, that comment was taken a tiny bit out of context when he said it. Nevertheless.....it's just not a big enough deal. Nobody cares anymore.

[monty57]

Has Aaron Judge been tested yet? He's having a pretty hot April, too.

 

Well, they just swept the Cubs, so lets just wait for Bosio's next press conference. I'm sure the entire Yankees and Rockies teams must be juiced. Otherwise, how could they have lit up the angelic and perfect Cubs pitchers? It couldn't be that the staff is getting old and they all pitched at peak levels last year and were due for a regression. Everyone else must just be cheating.

[AKCheesehead]

Has Aaron Judge been tested yet? He's having a pretty hot April, too.

 

Well, they just swept the Cubs, so lets just wait for Bosio's next press conference. I'm sure the entire Yankees and Rockies teams must be juiced. Otherwise, how could they have lit up the angelic and perfect Cubs pitchers? It couldn't be that the staff is getting old and they all pitched at peak levels last year and were due for a regression. Everyone else must just be cheating.

 

[Thurston Fluff]

 

Not that I completely agree with the manner in which it was delivered, but I think the point is this isn't nearly big enough of an issue to make possibly the second most popular team in baseball into the "bag guys." Have you heard anything about this on the national level since the day or two after Lackey initially made his comments?

The Cubs were the lovable losers, now they're coming off a dominant season and a WS win and poised to contend for another. You really think a couple relatively subtle digs in May against a small market player is going to changed millions of peoples point of view in regards to the Cubs?

 

Hell, most people didn't even look at the Cardinals as the bag guys when they were just insufferable with Chris Carpenter and his screaming after getting a K in the WS after whining incessantly including the infamous "how will I explain this to my 8 year old son," comment. Though...while I hate to do this, that comment was taken a tiny bit out of context when he said it. Nevertheless.....it's just not a big enough deal. Nobody cares anymore.

 

Yes, I have. Jim Rome brought it up a couple times and some weekend guy, I don't remember who, sarcastically said something to the effect of -he must have stopped after the Cubs found out- after Thames cooled off.

To be fair it was kind of hyperbolic of me to state it as him single handedly doing so. Mostly because they are bound to lose some of the national luster much like the Red Sox did after they got overly annoying. But I think it will be used as a prime example of how the Cubs went from lovable to hateable for quite some time. A catalyst to the transition of perception might be a better way of putting it.

[MillerParkSouth]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/eric-thames-and-the-transformative-power-of-boredom/

 

Another great article on Thames and his film study and technique.

[LouisEly]

Yes, I have. Jim Rome brought it up a couple times and some weekend guy, I don't remember who, sarcastically said something to the effect of -he must have stopped after the Cubs found out- after Thames cooled off.

I want to know what Thames splits are with and without Braun batting behind him in the lineup.

 

Anecdotally, seems like he's been much more productive with Braun behind him, but I have no data to prove it.

 

I've always thought that having a big LH/RH combo is synergistic - the sum is worth more than the parts.

[pacopete4]

Yes, I have. Jim Rome brought it up a couple times and some weekend guy, I don't remember who, sarcastically said something to the effect of -he must have stopped after the Cubs found out- after Thames cooled off.

I want to know what Thames splits are with and without Braun batting behind him in the lineup.

 

Anecdotally, seems like he's been much more productive with Braun behind him, but I have no data to prove it.

 

I've always thought that having a big LH/RH combo is synergistic - the sum is worth more than the parts.

 

USA TODAY ARTICLE[/quote

Indeed, in the past week that Braun was kept out of the starting lineup with a strained forearm, Thames hit .150 (3-for-20) with one extra-base hit until going 3-for-5 Sunday with a double and a homer against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

 

“When Braun is out of the lineup, you can see the difference,” Thames says. “It’s pretty obvious. Teams just don’t give me anything to hit.”