2018-04-18: Reds (Mahle) at Brewers (Davies) 12:40 PM CDT [Brewers win, 2-0]

[TURBO]

Thames MUST always be in the line-up against any and all right handers.

 

No questions asked, just make it so.

[Greenleaf1]

Reds fans must get mad when we complain about how Billy Hamilton hits too many home runs against us.

[3and2Fastball]

The players dictate the lineup. Thames has solidified starting vs all RHP's moving forwards. This could get real interesting for Braun when everyone is healthy

[adambr2]

Coshun didn't seem to think that was a HR off the bat.

 

The more I watch Santana, the less surprised I am that there wasn't much of a market for him.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Santana's approach sucks. It has me hoping Yelich sees more time in RF ... or Phillips is brought back up.

[Greenleaf1]

Thames MUST always be in the line-up against any and all right handers.

 

No questions asked, just make it so.

 

If you check out his BABIP and contact rate stats so far this year, you'll find that despite his (now higher than) 150 wRC+ this year he's actually been pretty unlucky.

 

I think Thames' success in April might be evidence that, when healthy and not worn down by the long season, he can rake. Just a question of can he stay healthy for a full season. If he can, he'll probably have the highest OPS on the team.

[3and2Fastball]

Santana's approach sucks. It has me hoping Yelich sees more time in RF ... or Phillips is brought back up.

 

Domingo has still been better than Braun

[3and2Fastball]

Thames MUST always be in the line-up against any and all right handers.

 

No questions asked, just make it so.

 

If you check out his BABIP and contact rate stats so far this year, you'll find that despite his (now higher than) 150 wRC+ this year he's actually been pretty unlucky.

 

I think Thames' success in April might be evidence that, when healthy and not worn down by the long season, he can rake. Just a question of can he stay healthy for a full season. If he can, he'll probably have the highest OPS on the team.

 

Good point, and all the more reason to sit him vs LHP's

[adambr2]

Yeah, I haven't heard much talk that we should just make Braun the everyday 1B lately.

 

Thames will continue to start against all RHP as he has and should. Braun will start at 1st vs LHP and share starts in the OF against RHP.

 

The only guy really left out when all are healthy is Aguilar which isn't really fair.

 

Of course as we've seen so far the logjam tends to solve itself.

[liveforoctober]

I just love that someone was on base for once. Thames hit a crazy amount of solo home runs last year and given only 11 RBIs to go with his 7 HRs this year ... it is nice to have someone along for the ride this time.

 

Good job Eric!

[pacopete4]

Santana's approach sucks. It has me hoping Yelich sees more time in RF ... or Phillips is brought back up.

 

Domingo has still been better than Braun

 

No, he hasn't. But either way, they both have been crummy to begin the year. It looked like last night was going to be a turning point for Braun but... calf.

[adambr2]

Thames giveth and Thames taketh away.

[dlk9s]

Davies has been fielding his position quite nicely.

[Greenleaf1]

Ryan Braun 2018: .200/.237/.400, .205 BABIP, 5.1 BB%, 23.7 K%, 19/50/31% Soft/Medium/Hard Contact

 

Domingo Santana 2018: .246/.319/.262, .356 BABIP, 8.3 BB%, 27.8 K%, 13.3/55.6/31.1% Soft/Medium/Hard Contact

 

Braun's career BABIP is .330 (last year .292). Domingo's is .354 (last year .363).

 

I can see getting upset about Santana. He seems to be hitting it on the ground a lot more this year, which would explain the near disappearance of extra base power even if he's still hitting the ball decently hard still (his soft contact rate is actually below his career rate).

 

Braun seems to be suffering from some bad luck, but his power stroke still seems intact so if he can stay healthy I'm not too worried about his numbers going back up.

[pacopete4]

Davies has been fielding his position quite nicely.

 

Except he butchered a run down.

[adambr2]

Ryan Braun 2018: .200/.237/.400, .205 BABIP, 5.1 BB%, 23.7 K%, 19/50/31% Soft/Medium/Hard Contact

 

Domingo Santana 2018: .246/.319/.262, .356 BABIP, 8.3 BB%, 27.8 K%, 13.3/55.6/31.1% Soft/Medium/Hard Contact

 

Braun's career BABIP is .330 (last year .292). Domingo's is .354 (last year .363).

 

I can see getting upset about Santana. He seems to be hitting it on the ground a lot more this year, which would explain the near disappearance of extra base power even if he's still hitting the ball decently hard still (his soft contact rate is actually below his career rate).

 

Braun seems to be suffering from some bad luck, but his power stroke still seems intact so if he can stay healthy I'm not too worried about his numbers going back up.

 

Here lies the problem, because this is not going to happen. Not for more than very short spurts anyway.

[pacopete4]

[sarcasm]Yelich, not clutch.[/sarcasm]

[Greenleaf1]

3 straight heaters on the black, hard to fault Yelich on that one.

[adambr2]

Damn. I really thought they were going to pay for walking Thames to get to Yelich.

[MrTPlush]

Santana absolutely mashed last year and has been an above average hitter in over 1000 PAs...why are we looking to send him to a bench focused role? Give the guy some time. He struggled in April last year (not this bad).

[liveforoctober]

Santana absolutely mashed last year and has been an above average hitter in over 1000 PAs...why are we looking to send him to a bench focused role? Give the guy some time. He struggled in April last year (not this bad).

 

Because sports fans are the ultimate "what have you done for me lately" mob. If Guerra gets hit around a little bit in his next start a nice sized group of people will be calling for him to be sent back down to give the next guy a chance.

 

Santana hasn't wowed in his start this season ... that's all it takes for some to get bored/lose patience.

[FVBrewerFan]

Santana absolutely mashed last year and has been an above average hitter in over 1000 PAs...why are we looking to send him to a bench focused role? Give the guy some time. He struggled in April last year (not this bad).

 

You know why, it's the law of the land. If it's a player you like, be patient, it's early. If it's a player you don't like then it's "I told you he sucks."

[Fear The Chorizo]

We might have at least a 6IP start for a Brewer...hope I'm not jinxing it! That would be nice considering the offense is doing its best to keep this a tight game and Hader isn't available today to eat up late innings.

[liveforoctober]

We might have at least a 6IP start for a Brewer...hope I'm not jinxing it! That would be nice considering the offense is doing its best to keep this a tight game and Hader isn't available today to eat up late innings.

 

Drake should be available though.

[tmwiese55]

My eye test on Santana so far is that he seems to be getting peppered with pitches inside. Obviously he's always done well hitting opposite field so maybe the scouting report is out to hammer him inside. IDK if that's supported by stats, but when I've seen his ABs that's what I've seen.