2017 Brewers Optimism Thread!

[newrivervalley]

Other than love of Kirk Nieuwenhuis, the active roster is full of potential. Love 3rd, SS, 2nd, 1st, C, LF, CF and RF. Starters are all competitors as are relievers. Should be fun season.

[pacopete4]

Other than love of Kirk Nieuwenhuis, the active roster is full of potential. Love 3rd, SS, 2nd, 1st, C, LF, CF and RF. Starters are all competitors as are relievers. Should be fun season.

 

 

Kirk hasn't reached his full potential yet either. Another 3-4 years on the Brewers and he'll be one heck of a player.

[Thurston Fluff]

Other than love of Kirk Nieuwenhuis, the active roster is full of potential. Love 3rd, SS, 2nd, 1st, C, LF, CF and RF. Starters are all competitors as are relievers. Should be fun season.

 

 

Kirk hasn't reached his full potential yet either. Another 3-4 years on the Brewers and he'll be one heck of a player.

 

A fan favorite for sure. Whether it is to love or hate I don't know, but fan favorite none the less.

[brewcrewdue80]

It has been a small sampling, but Jesus Aguilar looks like the real deal to me. Makes contact, hits for power, and has been impressive on the defensive side of the ball. I think it is only a matter of time before he is our every day first baseman. Maybe move Thames to right field if Santana doesn't get going soon?

 

The thing with Aguilar is that actually he doesn't come with a lot of Power. Power to the gaps sure but not pure HR power for a 1b bat. You're looking at around 16-20HRs in 600PAs as an expectation. If he keeps up the defense that is worth that smaller bat in offense. Those 2 double plays he started last night you can see his excitement on the 2nd. Granted both grounders were right at him, he accomplished both throws and catch on receiving end perfectly. He probably knew he just gained more Playing time with those besides his bat. I'm thinking his opposite field approach probably dictates some of his power lacking, not trying to pull the ball. I don't know what to do with Thames, but he is the odd-man out currently. Think he's gone from 700PAs to 350 on the season with Aguilar's emergence.

 

The pitching, let's talk about Peralta and Nelson stepping up for their 1st starts. Nelson(the game I seen) was really good attacking the zone. I hope he continues even if the bats get hits on him. This kind of approach will pay off more often than trying to nibble for a lacking control Pitcher. I like the Slurve he threw against Lefties. Outside trying to catch the corners. Yeah he was inconsistently wild with that pitch the most, and I think that's the one Zobrist hit his HR on, but if he makes that work Lefties will have a hard time putting good wood on the ball without swinging for Opposite Field..

Peralta's start I didn't see so I'll take the statline and call it positive.

 

Really Liking Shaw's Lefty bat in the lineup. Seems poised and ready to pounce on mistakes while giving the Pitcher's a chance to make those mistakes.

[homer]

Brewers have a better record than the Cubs

[Jenkins5]

With Anderson & Nelson rolling, we stand at least a chance to win 2 of 3 vs Cubs! Obviously we have Milone in game 3 so unless our bats go nuts, I'll chalk that one as a lose.

 

Thames... guy could hit 50 this year. He swings like a hammer!

[Pugger]

Brewers have a better record than the Cubs

 

Even tho it is still April this is fun to say!

[torts]

THAMES IS DOIN THANGS YALL HES DOIN THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANGS!!!

 

DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS DINGERS

[homer]

Still have a better record than the Cubs.

[MadScientist]

Still have a better record than the Cubs.

And 3.5 games better than the Cards.

 

 

If the season ended today the Brewers would have a wild card.

[bork]

They've already matched their April win total from last year and exceeded the win total from 2 years ago (5).

[liveforoctober]

A lot of great stories to start the season. Obviously Thames, Chase Anderson, Manny Pina both offensively but probably more importantly handling the staff/calling games, the Wily Peralta we have been hoping for, already looking like we have a 7th and 8th inning guy, the Feliz experiment looks (fingers crossed) like it will pay off at the trade deadline, etc.

 

Lot to be thankful for to start this year. Really fun team to watch right now. Kudos Stearns.

[MillerParkSouth]

Offense is humming with virtually no contributions from Villar, Broxton and Arcia next to nothing from Shaw. If Villar and Keon can get back to where they were for long stretches last year, we could be downright scary.

[pitchleague]

Optimism! Optimism! Gotta love the start! And 5-0 on the Cubs tonight! Yay!

 

"next to nothing from Shaw."--wait, what? I know his average and OBP are low but I think he's played more than adequately. 8 extra base hits, 9 RBI, heck his OPS+ is 96, barely below an average player. I mean, if he was hitting .200 with no extra base hits, 0 RBI, and was striking out 20+ times and grounding out weakly the rest of the time, okay then he'd be providing next to nothing.

 

Still, it's great to see what the Crew has been doing and how active this thread has been in a year (heck, 2 weeks) that we thought would be quite miserable.

[Jenkins5]

Shaw started hot, slumped bad (think like 1-16) now he's back to roasting the ball! Domingo has been solid. Really like 2-6 right now of lineup! Thames, Braun, Shaw, Santana, Pina/Bandy!

 

Broxton & Villar are completely lost right now at plate. Arcia has his days.... I expect those growing pains with him. Villar & Broxton need to wake up! Don't know what happen, Broxton was killing the ball all spring and then season started.... he's like a lost puppy at the plate. He use to have at least good at bats & work counts before striking out. Now he is get up & sit down. I'm confident he will snap out of it but right now is ugly for him.

[bork]

I wonder if the getting hit by that pitch is affecting Broxton. He said he was ready to get right back in there, but that has to be on his mind, at least somewhat.

 

And Villar sat on the bench for most of spring training during the WBC. This is his spring training.

[adambr2]

I wonder if the getting hit by that pitch is affecting Broxton. He said he was ready to get right back in there, but that has to be on his mind, at least somewhat.

 

And Villar sat on the bench for most of spring training during the WBC. This is his spring training.

 

To me, at first glance right now, Villar seems to be hanging in there at the plate for the most part, getting close, but just kind of unlucky right now. I'm not overly worried about his bat, and there hasn't been much chatter about his glove lately, which is a good thing.

 

Broxton looks totally lost to me. I still believe in him and his glove in center makes up for a lot, but right now to me he doesn't look like he has a clue at the plate.

[adambr2]

As bitterly disappointed as I am about how those last 2 games went, I think it's important to take a step back and realize it was still a 6-3 road trip, and 2 series against playoff teams from last year. Played the defending champs very competitively in their place and probably should have swept them.

 

Does this team have flaws that need to improve, definitely. But they're better than I thought they would be.

[3and2Fastball]

 

Broxton looks totally lost to me. I still believe in him and his glove in center makes up for a lot, but right now to me he doesn't look like he has a clue at the plate.

 

Wait? Am I lost? I thought this was the Optimism Thread (!)

 

In addition to some of the newest/newer MLB Brewers playing much better than expected (Shaw/Thames/Pina/Bandy etc) Josh Hader has a 2.57 ERA in 3 starts in AAA and Lewis Brinson has started the season in AAA hitting .355/.412/.645

 

That gives me plenty of optimism about the future

[adambr2]

 

Broxton looks totally lost to me. I still believe in him and his glove in center makes up for a lot, but right now to me he doesn't look like he has a clue at the plate.

 

Wait? Am I lost? I thought this was the Optimism Thread (!)

 

In addition to some of the newest/newer MLB Brewers playing much better than expected (Shaw/Thames/Pina/Bandy etc) Josh Hader has a 2.57 ERA in 3 starts in AAA and Lewis Brinson has started the season in AAA hitting .355/.412/.645

 

That gives me plenty of optimism about the future

 

Ha, it is, but I was simply replying to a previous poster asking about whether Broxton being hit has gotten into his head.

 

When evaluating the talent on the farm this year I find myself focusing much more on pitching than in previous years. The lineup is probably good enough right now, and especially I think with Brinson, to be playoff caliber already.

 

Whether this rebuild is almost over or whether it still has a few years left lies largely on the shoulders of Josh Hader and Brandon Woodruff and whether or not they can be immediately successful, and to a lesser extent, also on Ortiz, Lopez, and Bickford.

 

Wow, typing that I can't remember a time when the Brewers had 5 starting pitchers that are either currently top 100 prospects or have been within the last year. Diplan is also right there knocking on the door of the lists and Ponce and Burnes have had very nice starts to the season.

[pacopete4]

We are over .500, 23 games into the season!

[fondybrewfan]

If only we could play the Reds all the time

[pacopete4]

Or Toronto?

[adambr2]

I do think it's s playoff caliber offense now.

 

 

 

edited to remove quoted posts which were removed: homer

[MadScientist]

Villar, Acria and Broxton all looked considerably better at the plate this week. This could be a seriously scary offense even if Thames proves to be human.