Travis Shaw -- even better in 2018?

[adambr2]

https://www.brewcrewball.com/2018/12/26/18150946/milwaukee-brewers-travis-shaw-2018-breakout-deserved-runs-created-plus

 

This is a pretty good article that shows why Shaw ran into a fair share of tough luck in 2018 and actually made some improvements which could leave us expecting even more in 2019.

 

IMO, one of the most underrated and least talked about Brewers.

[cesser000]

Very interesting read. I also just read up on that new stat DRC+ as well, which has Shaw ranked at #24 in all of MLB for 2018 with a 132 value. The stat loves Khris Davis, ranking him #19 overall with a 135 value --- https://legacy.baseballprospectus.com/sortable/index.php?cid=2762831

[JohnBriggs12]

Shaw's the perfect example of the type of hitter that suffers most from shifting. To his credit, he'll occasionally try to push a bunt the opposite way but he's not very good at it. So I'd say it's not so much tough luck as positioning taking away a lot of balls that would be hits against conventional defenses.

 

That being said, he's got such a beautiful power stroke, I wouldn't want him messing with it.

[cesser000]

Shaw's the perfect example of the type of hitter that suffers most from shifting. To his credit, he'll occasionally try to push a bunt the opposite way but he's not very good at it. So I'd say it's not so much tough luck as positioning taking away a lot of balls that would be hits against conventional defenses.

Actually, according to the article, shifting did not affect Shaw negatively at all, in fact he was 'excellent' against it...

 

Some might try to explain Shaw’s low BABIP by assuming that he was a victim of the shift and couldn’t adjust accordingly. It’s true that Shaw was shifted more frequently; after being shifted 17.5% of the time in 2017, teams deployed the shift against him 23.1% of the time in 2018. However, Shaw was excellent against the shift, posting a .396 wOBA.

[sveumrules]

Shaw has been pretty great all things considered. 20% better than league average with the bat & worth 7-8 WAR over the last two seasons depending on if you think he is about average in the field (UZR: +2 at 3B) or above average (DRS: +12 at 3B).

 

Not bad for a guy many thought was a weak return for Thornburg.

[rcc]

Excellent article. I remember Travis walking more last season. Also quite a few hard hit balls not dropping in because of great defensive plays. MLB tracking the latter is a good tool. Travis is a very good Brewer and Stearns made a very good trade for him and the others.

[3and2Fastball]

It's great to have him, as long as the Brewers no longer let him face LHP's

[bork]

He also played with a bad wrist for much of June, which affected his numbers.