Yelich Season in Brewer History

[Jenkins5]

Haven’t seen a real topic alone for it, but think it’s worth discussing. Where do you rank Yelich’s season in Brewer history? We know 2nd half was simply historic but as a whole looking at .326/ .402/ 1.000 36 HRs 110 rbis. 7.4 WAR..... where does it rank?

 

Braun’s MVP season for example very similar. .332/.397/.994 33 HR 111 RBI, 7.7 WAR (age 27). Braun’s 2012 May have been even better.

 

Yount in 1982 at 26 had redic 10.5 WAR & numbers that line up with both .331/.379/.957 29HR 114 RBI. His 82 MVP tops his 89’ MVP

 

2009 Prince was brilliant & hard to believe he only finished 4th but 46HRs 142 RBIs, .299/.412/1.014 but only 6.3 WAR

 

Those are a couple that stand out to me. What you guys think?

[MrTPlush]

I love Yelich, but something tells me 2011 Braun > 2018 Yelich. Not sure why...just does.

[3and2Fastball]

Yelich in 2018 was light years better defensively than Braun 2011 & Fielder 2009 and arguably was better defensively than Yount '82.

 

When you factor in the defense as well as the role his production played in an improbable comeback in the second half and down the stretch to win the division title, I'd say that 2018 Yelich was the best regular season in Brewers history.

[Jenkins5]

I love Yelich, but something tells me 2011 Braun > 2018 Yelich. Not sure why...just does.

 

Yeah I think Yount 82, Braun 12’, and Yelich 18’ are all very close. All around same age & lead their teams to the 3 greatest seasons in Brewer history (in my opinion at least). I wasn’t around for the Yount run but man the last two months have have brought back 11’ memories with the loud roars of MVP and just the greatness they showed in September. I think problem with Yelich is while he was real good in 1st half. He wasn’t elite like Braun was. Braun thrived all season. Was leading vote getter I believe as well.

 

Braun 12’ & Fielder 09’ get hurt by not making playoffs

[FidoMcCokefiend]

I think it's right there with the best in franchise history. Seems like the top 8-10 seasons are all really close to me.

 

Put in whatever order you want, but gun to my head, hard not to say Yount 82 is the best one.

 

Yount 82

Braun 11

Fielder 09

Braun 12

Yelich 18

Fielder 07

Braun 07

Fielder 11

Lezcano 79 (Just a great year, that often gets lost in the shuffle and I probably wouldn't have jumped in here other than to ensure this season gets mentioned)

Moiltor 87

[Jenkins5]

Yelich in 2018 was light years better defensively than Braun 2011 & Fielder 2009 and arguably was better defensively than Yount '82.

 

When you factor in the defense as well as the role his production played in an improbable comeback in the second half and down the stretch to win the division title, I'd say that 2018 Yelich was the best regular season in Brewers history.

 

Defensive WAR’s

Yount 1.8

Yelich -0.4

Braun -0.4

Fielder -1.0

 

Fielder & Braun similar in terms of dWAR. Yount a 10.5 WAR for a season is pretty spectacular.

 

What other giant seasons are we missing?

[DuWayne Steurer]

Yount was a 1.8 Dwar in 82, and a 10.5 WAR overall. At the time, Yount's 82 was one of the greatest, if not arguably the greatest offensive season ever put up for a shortstop, to go alone with superb defense.

 

Yount was 3 WAR better than any other position player in the entire league that year as well.

[FidoMcCokefiend]

What other giant seasons are we missing?

Not giant, but in the tier below the ones I, and others, have mentioned

 

Jenkins 2000

Harper 1970

Jaha 1996

Burnitz 1999

Cooper 1980

Sexson 2003

Hisle 1978

[Jenkins5]

Cecil Cooper 1980 .352/.387/.927 25 HR 122RBI 6.8 WAR

 

Ben Oglivie 1980 .304/.362/.925 6.5 WAR 41HR 118 RBI

 

Sexto Lezcano 1979 .322/.414/.987 28HR 101RBI 5.6 WAR

 

Paul Molitor 1987 .353/.438/1.003 16 HRs 75 RBI 45 SB 6.0 WAR

 

Geoff Jenkins 2000 .303/.360/.948 36 HRs 91 RBI 4.7 WAR but was on really bad team.... more on here because I love Jenkins.

 

Money & Cirrillo had a couple fantastic years but never slugged enough to really have a season in same category

 

Braun has 33 SBs Yount 14 SBs Yelich 21 SBs

[FVBrewerFan]

Coopers 1980 season is fascinating. 678 PA/ only 42 K wow. 155 ops+

[Jenkins5]

Yount was a 1.8 Dwar in 82, and a 10.5 WAR overall. At the time, Yount's 82 was one of the greatest, if not arguably the greatest offensive season ever put up for a shortstop, to go alone with superb defense.

 

Yount was 3 WAR better than any other position player in the entire league that year as well.

 

That is amazing. Think time period we grew up in plays role. I never got to see Yount. He came up when my dad was in high school & college where Braun came up and excelled when I was in high school college. My dad will take Yount 10/10 times, I take Braun. Experiencing the special season gives a bias. I still can’t get over the 10.5 WAR though. That has to be the best! Plus he lead them to WS which only makes it better.

[SRB]

If you're talking overall seasons, don't forget Ben Sheets in 2004 (237.0 IP, 2.70 ERA, 2.65 FIP, 8.0 fWAR)

 

1978 Mike Caldwell was probably even better if you go by ERA-based WAR (293.1 IP, 2.36 ERA!!)

[StearnsFTW]

As mentioned, Yount was a good shortstop who hit the hell out of the ball that season.

 

He's the benchmark.

 

I would put Yelich second though. 2nd half carried the Brewers to an unlikely division title.

[Jenkins5]

If you're talking overall seasons, don't forget Ben Sheets in 2004 (237.0 IP, 2.70 ERA, 2.65 FIP, 8.0 fWAR)

 

1978 Mike Caldwell was probably even better if you go by ERA-based WAR (293.1 IP, 2.36 ERA!!)

 

2.36?in 293 is just unreal! Now you are excited if pitchers hit 200 IPs. You forget 300 IPs was a regular thing for TOR pitchers.

 

Sheets in 2004 is one of my favorites! I was at the 18 K game & still my favorite game. I’ve been to some great ones like walking off DBacks to advance but just watch Sheets that day....wow

[Ennder]

Unfortunately Sheets 2004 is ruined by the fact he was never the same afterwards. They pushed him too many extra innings for no good reason and it cost him down the line. I do not miss the people in charge of the rotation in the mid 2000's. They abused the heck out of pitchers on bad teams for no good reasons and it led to a lot injuries.

[dlk9s]

Yeah, I'd go with Yount. As mentioned, the WAR was insane, but even if everything was really close (which everything is, except for WAR), that he was a trailblazer at the shortstop position shouldn't be understated. MLB had essentially never seen an offensive player like him at the position (I'm sure there are some exceptions) AND he was a pretty darn good defensive player, as well.

[clancyphile]

I'll say it - in terms of storyline, in terms of the statistical categories... in addition to the numbers, I'm going with Yelich `18 as the single best season a Brewer has had offensively.

 

Yount's `82 comes close, but Yelich was close to a Triple Crown. A couple RBIs, maybe some teams/pitchers have guts to pitch to him instead of the intentional walk BS - there was once a Facebook Group called "Real Men Kick to Devin Hester" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/5963294799/) to honor the punters and place-kickers who had the guts to kick to the NFL's greatest returner of all time.

 

Perhaps we ought to start a Facebook group, "Real Men Pitch to Christian Yelich."

[liveforoctober]

Umm, if we are talking 2nd tier with Ben Ogilvie and the like... Lorenzo Cain 2018 needs to be on the list.

[clancyphile]

Umm, if we are talking 2nd tier with Ben Ogilvie and the like... Lorenzo Cain 2018 needs to be on the list.

 

Cain isn't quite 2nd tier... he had roughly the same WAR as Yelich.

 

I'd put it top 10.

[MadScientist]

Yelich in 2018 was light years better defensively than Braun 2011 & Fielder 2009 and arguably was better defensively than Yount '82.

 

When you factor in the defense as well as the role his production played in an improbable comeback in the second half and down the stretch to win the division title, I'd say that 2018 Yelich was the best regular season in Brewers history.

 

Defensive WAR’s

Yount 1.8

Yelich -0.4

Braun -0.4

Fielder -1.0

 

Fielder & Braun similar in terms of dWAR. Yount a 10.5 WAR for a season is pretty spectacular.

 

What other giant seasons are we missing?

dWAR reflects the position more than how well the position was played. For those who remember 82, do any of you think Yount would have been highly rated defensively without Coopers ridiculous ability to stretch and pick the short hop, or stretch for the high or wide throw? Yet Cooper had a -0.5 dWAR. In 79 he won the gold glove with a -1.1 dWAR.

 

That said, Yount had an incredible season and and such production is more rare for a shortstop than an outfielder, so I'd give the nod to Robin.

[Bob Skube Snacks]

Yount ‘82 is the gold standard, but Yelich is really close.

 

Yelich had the best final week of any Brewer ever though.

 

Let us not forget Sabathia ‘08 either.

[gregmag]

I’m just astonished at how similar Braun ‘11 and Yelich ‘18 are. I hadn’t noticed that. It’s basically the same season.

 

I put those two tied for second behind Yount ‘82. WAR in this case tells a reasonable tale. He did everything at an elite level that year. He was otherworldly.