Braun Working on a Swing Change

[RobDeer 45]

I think we need to be patient with Braun. Yes he's making a lot of money, but that's irrelevant at this point. I think he's a good veteran presence for this team. I also think he will have some hot streaks and my hope is, he will step up down the stretch and hopefully in the playoffs.

[TURBO]

Is he blocking a younger better player at the moment?

 

It might not be about a younger better player, it might be another player on the free agent market or a future trade.

[pacopete4]

Swing looks good.

[homer]

He is now hitting .263

[pacopete4]

OPS a few ticks shot of .800

 

from .606 to .797 in 4 days

[TJseven7]

It's nice to see him channeling his inner Todd Helton for a few days. I'd still want him and Gamel 50/50

[coolhandluke121]

Praise the lord. Before we anoint him the best hitter on the team again, let's just be grateful for the fact that he might not be terrible all year. We need him badly.

 

I know this is an opportune time to bash his detractors, but it kind of supports what those people have been saying about his role going forward. He always seems to do much better when he's well-rested, going on a tear after a few days off (or at least non-starts) and stints on the IL.

[pacopete4]

It’s almost as if you didn’t enjoy his masterpiece of a game last night.

 

Here’s hoping to many more those types of posts this year. It will mean good things are happening.

[homer]

He's not the best hitter on the team and he's not the worst. It's May 5th. Let the chips actually fall before anointing anyone as anything.

[JohnBriggs12]

He looks like he's locked in. Braun's still great at shooting outside half fastballs hard into RF. He need to forget about trying to pull hard stuff at his advanced age with that tree he uses as a bat.

[stalton]

He's not the best hitter on the team and he's not the worst. It's May 5th. Let the chips actually fall before anointing anyone as anything.

 

Since today is Cinco De Mayo, would those chips be tortilla chips?

[DuWayne Steurer]

He looks like he's locked in. Braun's still great at shooting outside half fastballs hard into RF. He need to forget about trying to pull hard stuff at his advanced age with that tree he uses as a bat.

 

For almost all of April, it looked like (perception is usually decieving, I know) that he was both flat-footing and trying to pull outside pitches. Braun is at his best when he's taking those outside pitches to right field like we're seeing the last several days. This isn't some secret, literally EVERYBODY knows this.

 

I also think it would be to Braun's benefit if he'd go with a bat that is even an inch or so shorter and/or an ounce or two lighter, but he (obviously) loves the plate coverage he feels that huge bat provides.

 

It is what it is. Braun is what he is. He's going to have a few of these hot streaks this year, just like he did last year and the end result will be a decent-ish looking slash line at the end of the year (probably).

[rickh150]

He looks like he's locked in. Braun's still great at shooting outside half fastballs hard into RF. He need to forget about trying to pull hard stuff at his advanced age with that tree he uses as a bat.

 

For almost all of April, it looked like (perception is usually decieving, I know) that he was both flat-footing and trying to pull outside pitches. Braun is at his best when he's taking those outside pitches to right field like we're seeing the last several days. This isn't some secret, literally EVERYBODY knows this.

 

I also think it would be to Braun's benefit if he'd go with a bat that is even an inch or so shorter and/or an ounce or two lighter, but he (obviously) loves the plate coverage he feels that huge bat provides.

 

It is what it is. Braun is what he is. He's going to have a few of these hot streaks this year, just like he did last year and the end result will be a decent-ish looking slash line at the end of the year (probably).

 

He switched approaches midstream, imo, without telling anyone. Teams were and still are playing him to pull. Over the last few games, he started being Braun again and hitting balls hard to center and right. This will affect his power numbers negatively, sure, and he knows this, but hitting liners for a higher avg would be what this team needs and is what has worked for him.

[DHonks]

His exit velocity is only slightly down from last year and he has a career high launch angle. Let’s give Braun more than on month.

[homer]

He looks like he's locked in. Braun's still great at shooting outside half fastballs hard into RF. He need to forget about trying to pull hard stuff at his advanced age with that tree he uses as a bat.

 

For almost all of April, it looked like (perception is usually decieving, I know) that he was both flat-footing and trying to pull outside pitches. Braun is at his best when he's taking those outside pitches to right field like we're seeing the last several days. This isn't some secret, literally EVERYBODY knows this.

 

I also think it would be to Braun's benefit if he'd go with a bat that is even an inch or so shorter and/or an ounce or two lighter, but he (obviously) loves the plate coverage he feels that huge bat provides.

 

It is what it is. Braun is what he is. He's going to have a few of these hot streaks this year, just like he did last year and the end result will be a decent-ish looking slash line at the end of the year (probably).

 

He switched approaches midstream, imo, without telling anyone. Teams were and still are playing him to pull. Over the last few games, he started being Braun again and hitting balls hard to center and right. This will affect his power numbers negatively, sure, and he knows this, but hitting liners for a higher avg would be what this team needs and is what has worked for him.

 

He shouldn't keep secrets....particularly from Shaw.

[bill hAll Star]

So...should he be DFA'ed yet?

[Oxy]

So...should he be DFA'ed yet?

 

He only has 39 hits this year. If it wasn't for those he'd be slashing a paltry .000/.115/.000

[TigerUppercut]

Braun is the typical end-of-a-big-contract MLB player. Washed up and no longer a viable starter. He's getting worse as time goes on. It's time to look for a starting RF (move Yelich back to LF) and let Braun be the RH pinch hitter and occasional LF. That would mean moving Gamel down or trading Aguilar. Corey Ray has played himself out of consideration for big league status. I don't know if Taylor is ready after a short time in AAA.

 

Bump. I have to believe his current numbers would put him in the top 20% of starting MLB outfielders. If you were going to hate on him when the numbers were bad, time to wear it when he moves back closer to his mean performance.

[OldHeidelberg]

Even if it won't last it sure is nice to see the old run production machine back. On his RBI single yesterday he just walked up, saw the big hole on the left side and smacked the first pitch through it. It was refreshing to see when we have been leaving guys on base so much this week. It seems so easy for him when he is in a zone like he is now. Hope he can stay healthy and keep this up.

[3and2Fastball]

So...should he be DFA'ed yet?

 

Nope!

 

I wasn't sure if he'd still be able to hit. At some point every ballplayer gets to a point where they cannot even hit .200 --- early on, Braun kinda looked at times like he might be done. He's "only" 35 though. Hard to predict. I hope he keeps hitting. Willie Mays had his best season at age 34. Mays was a once in a generation type talent though. I tend to think of Braun as a HOF talent who couldn't stay healthy enough to put up HOF career numbers. As I said I hope he keeps hitting!

[pacopete4]

G: 119

PA: 450

AB: 405

H: 107

2B: 25

3B: 1

HR: 20

RBI: 63

SB: 12

BB: 36

SO: 85

 

Line: .266/.329/.487/.815 with an OPS+ of 112

 

This is Ryan Braun's average batting line over the course of a 162 game season using his past three seasons (including this one) which is roughly 1,000 plate appearances. If you are looking for a baseline of what to expect from him, this a great place to start. Can he outperform some of these numbers? I think he can with good health. But he's also 35 so the consistency factor is always a real thing with him especially due to his lingering injuries (fingers crossed) that he seems to have stayed away from a bit this season so far.

[xisxisxis]

Braun is the typical end-of-a-big-contract MLB player. Washed up and no longer a viable starter. He's getting worse as time goes on. It's time to look for a starting RF (move Yelich back to LF) and let Braun be the RH pinch hitter and occasional LF. That would mean moving Gamel down or trading Aguilar. Corey Ray has played himself out of consideration for big league status. I don't know if Taylor is ready after a short time in AAA.

 

Bump. I have to believe his current numbers would put him in the top 20% of starting MLB outfielders. If you were going to hate on him when the numbers were bad, time to wear it when he moves back closer to his mean performance.

This is where Braun ranks among 73 MLB OF for:

 

fWAR (0.5) = 43/73 (his defense is still a liability)

wRC+ (118) = 34/73

wOBA (.350) = 31/73

 

For those who need help with the math, top 20% would be 14th place and higher...

 

Not quite top 20%, maybe average or slightly above average and all for only $18M... What a deal...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Braun is the typical end-of-a-big-contract MLB player. Washed up and no longer a viable starter. He's getting worse as time goes on. It's time to look for a starting RF (move Yelich back to LF) and let Braun be the RH pinch hitter and occasional LF. That would mean moving Gamel down or trading Aguilar. Corey Ray has played himself out of consideration for big league status. I don't know if Taylor is ready after a short time in AAA.

 

Bump. I have to believe his current numbers would put him in the top 20% of starting MLB outfielders. If you were going to hate on him when the numbers were bad, time to wear it when he moves back closer to his mean performance.

This is where Braun ranks among 73 MLB OF for:

 

fWAR (0.5) = 43/73 (his defense is still a liability)

wRC+ (118) = 34/73

wOBA (.350) = 31/73

 

For those who need help with the math, top 20% would be 14th place and higher...

 

Not quite top 20%, maybe average or slightly above average and all for only $18M... What a deal...

 

You have no argument here. Braun is a veteran player at the end of his deal. There are no other options other than just playing out the string. It's a guaranteed contract, so if they cut him, they eat it. No one is going to trade for it. What are you arguing for here ... because it seems to me that you are complaining simply to complain.

[TigerUppercut]

Braun is the typical end-of-a-big-contract MLB player. Washed up and no longer a viable starter. He's getting worse as time goes on. It's time to look for a starting RF (move Yelich back to LF) and let Braun be the RH pinch hitter and occasional LF. That would mean moving Gamel down or trading Aguilar. Corey Ray has played himself out of consideration for big league status. I don't know if Taylor is ready after a short time in AAA.

 

Bump. I have to believe his current numbers would put him in the top 20% of starting MLB outfielders. If you were going to hate on him when the numbers were bad, time to wear it when he moves back closer to his mean performance.

This is where Braun ranks among 73 MLB OF for:

 

fWAR (0.5) = 43/73 (his defense is still a liability)

wRC+ (118) = 34/73

wOBA (.350) = 31/73

 

For those who need help with the math, top 20% would be 14th place and higher...

 

Not quite top 20%, maybe average or slightly above average and all for only $18M... What a deal...

 

Given the season has started, why do salaries and "deals" matter? If I told you before the season, without taking salary into consideration and telling you who the team was, that your team's 3rd outfielder would be above league average, I think most would be reasonable to take it and not care what the money that's already been spent was.

[adambr2]

He's having a nice season but yesterday's game was not one of his best moments. To make a boneheaded throw that costs a run and then go into complete chase mode with the bases loaded in the 9th when we had them on the ropes were both things you would expect from Hiura, not Braun. He's been around way too long to be looking like a rookie mentally as he did last night.