2019 Lineup Thread (Batting Order)

[BrewCrewBlueDevil]

This is scary good!

 

RHP

Cain CF

Yelich RF

Aguilar 1B

Shaw 3B

Grandal C

Braun LF

Spangenberg/Perez 2B

Arcia SS

Pitcher

 

LHP

Cain CF

Yelich RF

Braun LF

Aguilar 1B

Shaw 3B

Grandal/Pina C

Perez 2B

Arcia SS

Pitcher

[SRB]

with 2018 splits

 

RHP

CF Cain (109 wRC+)

RF Yelich (168 wRC+)

1B Aguilar (130 wRC+)

3B Shaw (134 wRC+)

C Grandal (131 wRC+)

LF Braun (95 wRC+)

2B Spangenberg (101 wRC+)

SS Arcia ([censored])

Pitcher

 

LHP

CF Cain (166 wRC+)

RF Yelich (162 wRC+)

LF Braun (125 wRC+)

1B Aguilar (144 wRC+)

C Grandal (106 wRC+)

3B Shaw (66 wRC+)

2B Perez (104 wRC+)

SS Arcia ([censored])

Pitcher

 

Would be awesome if we could pick up a 2B/3B who crushes lefties. (FWIW, in his career Josh Harrison has a 107 wRC+ vs. LHP)

[Oxy]

Christian Villanueva was released by the Padres but went to Japan. OPSed over 1.100 vs lefties in 120 ABs or so last year. Think he had an option too.

[Eye Black]

with 2018 splits

 

RHP

CF Cain (109 wRC+)

RF Yelich (168 wRC+)

1B Aguilar (130 wRC+)

3B Shaw (134 wRC+)

C Grandal (131 wRC+)

LF Braun (95 wRC+)

2B Spangenberg (101 wRC+)

SS Arcia ([censored])

Pitcher

 

LHP

CF Cain (166 wRC+)

RF Yelich (162 wRC+)

LF Braun (125 wRC+)

1B Aguilar (144 wRC+)

C Grandal (106 wRC+)

3B Shaw (66 wRC+)

2B Perez (104 wRC+)

SS Arcia ([censored])

Pitcher

 

Would be awesome if we could pick up a 2B/3B who crushes lefties. (FWIW, in his career Josh Harrison has a 107 wRC+ vs. LHP)

Thanks for putting that together!

 

Also, Ben Gamel had a 113 wRC+ versus RHP last year.

[SRB]

Also, Ben Gamel had a 113 wRC+ versus RHP last year.

 

Thames had a 110 wRC+ vs RHP too even after his horrible finish (139 wRC+ vs. RHP in 2017), though I can't see them fully platooning Braun. A couple extra weapons off the bench for Braun's (likely frequent) days off to rest.

[KeithStone53151]

I'll remind all that grandal is significantly better against rhp than lhp. I would never stack him and shaw against lhp. We have the bats that it isn't difficult to do

[RollieTime]

Against RHP:

 

CF Cain

RF Gamel

LF Yelich

3B Shaw

C Grandal

1B Aguilar

2B Spangenberg

SS Arcia

P

 

Against LHP

 

CF Cain

LF Braun

RF Yelich

1B Aguilar

C Grandal

2B Perez

3B Shaw

SS Arcia

P

 

I wonder if the Brewers will give Shaw a chance to play against lefties early in the year. If not, I feel that Moose is an option to return and play third with Shaw moving over to second against righties. If Moose signs somewhere else, they could bring in a right handed hitting third baseman to platoon with Shaw. Danny Valencia is a solid option to platoon with Shaw and should only cost a couple million. He is a fantastic hitter against lefties.

[Lathund]

Cain

Yelich

Followed by some combination of Shaw/Braun/Grandal/Aguilar in the next 4 spots. Ideally alternating L/R somewhat.

 

That's about as specific as I care to be; batting order has little impact beyond the obvious stuff like hitting your best hitters nearer the top. Cain just just perfectly suited to lead off, and based on last year Yelich is our best and most well-rounded hitter so should stay exactly where he was for most of the year, in the #2 spot. With Yelich at #2, having Shaw at #4 obviously makes a lot of sense too.

[3and2Fastball]

I think Pina will get most of the starts vs LHP.

[KeithStone53151]

I think Pina will get most of the starts vs LHP.

 

Unfortunately, Pina is in the same boat as Grandal. He's much better career against RHP than LHP, about 100 OPS better. If I remember correctly, Arcia is a reverse splits guys as well. Having a 2b that can mash lefties is going to be pretty important.

[KeithStone53151]

CF Cain - 11.5% BB, 15.2% K

LF Braun - 7.6% BB, 19% K

RF Yelich - 10.4% BB, 20.7% K

1B Aguilar - 10.2% BB, 25.3% K

C Grandal - 13.9% BB, 23.9% K

3B Shaw - 13.3% BB, 18.4% K

SS Arcia - 4.1% BB, 23.8% K

 

2B Perez - 5.1% BB, 21.3% K

RF Gamel - 10.6% BB, 20.8% K

2B Spangenberg - 7.6% BB, 32.8% K

C Pina - 6.2% BB, 18.4% K

 

Seems like Stearns is intentionally getting rid of the high K guys like Broxton, Santana, Phillips, Villar, etc. I'll add that I'd bet good money on Arcia having a higher BB rate and lower K rate this year. Thames also fits the high k mold like the previously mentioned 3.

[MVP2110]

CF Cain - 11.5% BB, 15.2% K

LF Braun - 7.6% BB, 19% K

RF Yelich - 10.4% BB, 20.7% K

1B Aguilar - 10.2% BB, 25.3% K

C Grandal - 13.9% BB, 23.9% K

3B Shaw - 13.3% BB, 18.4% K

SS Arcia - 4.1% BB, 23.8% K

 

2B Perez - 5.1% BB, 21.3% K

RF Gamel - 10.6% BB, 20.8% K

2B Spangenberg - 7.6% BB, 32.8% K

C Pina - 6.2% BB, 18.4% K

 

Seems like Stearns is intentionally getting rid of the high K guys like Broxton, Santana, Phillips, Villar, etc. I'll add that I'd bet good money on Arcia having a higher BB rate and lower K rate this year. Thames also fits the high k mold like the previously mentioned 3.

 

What were the k %s of the guys they got rid of

[NYChez]

 

What were the k %s of the guys they got rid of

[censored]

[KeithStone53151]

Without looking, id bet over 30% on all guys i mentioned. Villar might be 28, the other 3 might even be closer to 35. K rates were ugly

[Eye Black]

Bumping this thread now that the position player side of the roster seems mostly set.

 

In 2018 the league average OPS was .728. Last season the Brewers had the 2nd best OPS versus RHP in the National League with a .749 OPS. They were 7th in the National League versus LHP at a .742 OPS.

 

Below is last year’s OPS splits versus Right-Handed Pitchers and Left-Handed Pitchers among the players most likely to make the Brewers’ opening day roster in 2019.

 

OPS vs. RHP in 2018

 

[pre]C. Yelich 1.007

Travis Shaw 0.892

Jesús Aguilar 0.876

Yasmani Grandal 0.844

Eric Thames 0.804

Mike Moustakas 0.798

Lorenzo Cain 0.753

Ryan Braun 0.745

Ben Gamel 0.742

Manny Piña 0.739

C. Spangenberg 0.725

Hernán Pérez 0.612

Orlando Arcia 0.570[/pre]

 

OPS vs. LHP in 2018

 

[pre]C. Yelich 0.983

Lorenzo Cain 0.979

Jesús Aguilar 0.929

Ryan Braun 0.859

Hernán Pérez 0.783

Yasmani Grandal 0.727

Mike Moustakas 0.721

Ben Gamel 0.663

Eric Thames 0.612

Travis Shaw 0.599

Orlando Arcia 0.596

Manny Piña 0.577

C. Spangenberg 0.417[/pre]

 

Obviously they face right-handed pitching more often, and the team appears well positioned to have a good amount of offensive success against them. They have an incredible 10 hitters who were above the MLB average OPS versus RHP. It may be a different story on the other side of the coin where the bottom half of the lineup is more likely to struggle versus southpaws.

[NYChez]

Overall improvement from Arcia should help the bottom of the lineup vs. LHP.

[Brew crew 92]

Overall improvement from Arcia should help the bottom of the lineup vs. LHP.

+1

And RHP

[Eye Black]

Granted it was in the minors, but worth noting for the OPS splits above that Keston Hiura had a .994 OPS versus LHP last season (not counting AFL stats).

[JosephC]

No longer buying the "Braun still hits lefties" commentary after today's ballgame. Braun should not be placed above #6 in the batting order against any pitcher until he puts up a solid 2 weeks of at-bats together. Good grief, the guy is down to a .245 OBP overall and against lefties he's slashed .179/.258/.383/.651...and there he is back in the #3 spot because he was a really great hitter three years ago.

 

Extensive commentary on Aguilar isn't even needed at this point. Even against lefties, he probably should be hitting 7th in the batting order.

 

I was all for getting Hernan some more at-bats because he started off pretty well this year, but not surprisingly he is fading fast.

 

Having Braun at #3, Aguilar at #4 and Perez at #6 to begin a ballgame is almost asking for a loss. If I was the opposing manager and saw this, Yelich would be intentionally walked 90% of the time.

[Brew crew 92]

Sit Braun and play Taylor after calling him up. Braun can pinch hit. Call up Hiura and play him at second. Moose to third. Sit Shaw. He can pinch hit. Do this for the entire homestand. No Aguilar No Shaw No Braun

[wntrtxn21]

Sit Braun and play Taylor after calling him up. Braun can pinch hit. Call up Hiura and play him at second. Moose to third. Sit Shaw. He can pinch hit. Do this for the entire homestand. No Aguilar No Shaw No Braun

 

Who do you get rid of? Aguilar, Perez, Pina, Braun, Shaw, and Gamel (.375 OBP - great D). To bring Taylor up Gamel would have to go down because of Braun. Pina is the only other catcher. Perez backs up at every position and Shaw is too good to let go. Do you DFA Aguilar?

[wntrtxn21]

No longer buying the "Braun still hits lefties" commentary after today's ballgame. Braun should not be placed above #6 in the batting order against any pitcher until he puts up a solid 2 weeks of at-bats together. Good grief, the guy is down to a .245 OBP overall and against lefties he's slashed .179/.258/.383/.651...and there he is back in the #3 spot because he was a really great hitter three years ago.

 

Extensive commentary on Aguilar isn't even needed at this point. Even against lefties, he probably should be hitting 7th in the batting order.

 

I was all for getting Hernan some more at-bats because he started off pretty well this year, but not surprisingly he is fading fast.

 

Having Braun at #3, Aguilar at #4 and Perez at #6 to begin a ballgame is almost asking for a loss. If I was the opposing manager and saw this, Yelich would be intentionally walked 90% of the time.

 

Braun is looking like he is washed-up. Steady decline and now can't hit anything. Aguilar is all screwed up and needs to go down to work on things. Problem is Stearns can't send him down w/o his OK or expose him to other teams. Shaw is also screwed up badly. He's looking at too many pitches and pulling off the ball too often. It sure doesn't seem like the new hitting coach can help any of them. Have to wonder about the new pitching coach too.

[NYChez]

Somehow they have the worst hitters, pitchers, and coaches in baseball and still are above .500 against the strongest schedule in MLB (blue).

 

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/rpi

[Vollbc74]

How much better does our lineup look with a potential Huira call up in June?

 

CF:Cain

2B:Huira

RF:Yelich

3B:Moose

C:Grandal

1B:Shaw or Thames

LF:Braun/Gamel

SS:Arcia

[Lathund]

Would look even better if Yelich remained where he should be, at #2. Not only because that's where you want your best hitter, but also because it alternates R-L-R-L at the top of the lineup. But yeah, I'm hoping for a relatively early callup too.