Who are the key players in the second half?

[MrTPlush]

Ignoring trade additions, who are your key players to the second half? Of course it is a team sport and many people are important, but who could really help shape a second half run?

 

My rankings of importance:

 

1. Brandon Woodruff

2. Christian Yelich

3. Lorenzo Cain

 

It would do wonders to have a guy every 5th day that we could really count on. Can Woodruff lock in and pitch at an elite level almost every time out? Can any pitcher do this for us in the second half, regardless of name? Last year Wade Miley for gosh sakes was a surprise cog. Another important thing to me is Christian Yelich continuing to hit at an elite level. I think we take it for granted what he has done the last years worth of time. If he has a down second half it could really be a big blow to our offense. Lastly Lorenzo Cain...what a black hole in the offense. Considering his defensive importance and salary it is unlikely we make a move in CF so Cain will either turn it around or be a big burden offensively.

[pacopete4]

Gio Gonzales is up there for me. Could be a stabilizer.

[KeithStone53151]

The 1b situation as a whole, but primarily Aguilar. Being able to plug one of Thames/Aguilar in the 4/5 spot in the lineup daily and get production will be huge for scoring in the 2nd half. I'm less concerned about pitching. I think we can and should put up big run totals in the 2nd half which should negate mediocre pitching.

 

Cain

Yelich

Moose

Aguilar

Grandal

Braun

Hiura

Arcia/Dubon

P

 

That lineup scores a lot of runs if Cain/Aguilar can get it going...and Yelich/Moose/Grandal can maintain their production.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

1. Adrian Houser - I know they want to keep him in the rotation for now, and hopefully that will prove fortuitous. He has the stuff to be a shut-down multi-inning pen arm, though, and shifting him back there would theoretically go a long way toward solidifying the back end of the pen.

 

2. Keston Hiura - Given the inconsistency of the offense this year, they need their rookie 2B to play beyond his years and be a solidifying force offensively. The swing-and-miss issues are concerning, but he's shown the flashes of being a top-notch bat once comfortable.

 

3. Ryan Braun - Braun hasn't been bad, but they need more from him than "hasn't been bad". I don't expect Yelich and Moose to continue their torrid pace, so Braun is going to have to step up and provide offense. He's not the hitter he was 5 years ago, but I think he's still got a torrid half-season in him.

[mtsportsfan]

A healthy Cain

A 1st half of last year Aguilar

Burnes pitching to his hype

Chacin pitching better or any other starter other than Woodruff.

[Wahoo Maniac]

All of them need to play to their current abilities or relatively close to it

[pacopete4]

3. Ryan Braun - Braun hasn't been bad, but they need more from him than "hasn't been bad". I don't expect Yelich and Moose to continue their torrid pace, so Braun is going to have to step up and provide offense. He's not the hitter he was 5 years ago, but I think he's still got a torrid half-season in him.

 

Ryan Braun slashed .282/.363/.903 combined in the months of August, September and October a season ago and should be counted on doing the same. That line is in line with his career splits during those months. As the summer heats up, so does Braun.

[MrTPlush]

3. Ryan Braun - Braun hasn't been bad, but they need more from him than "hasn't been bad". I don't expect Yelich and Moose to continue their torrid pace, so Braun is going to have to step up and provide offense. He's not the hitter he was 5 years ago, but I think he's still got a torrid half-season in him.

 

Ryan Braun slashed .282/.363/.903 combined in the months of August, September and October a season ago and should be counted on doing the same. That line is in line with his career splits during those months. As the summer heats up, so does Braun.

 

Taking the last three years collectively because in my opinion if we want to make it seem like there is a trend we should probably use more than a single year.

 

April - .910

May - .808

June - .829

July - .756

August - .856

September - .862

 

Pre All Star Break - .822

Post All Star Break - .862

 

So I am not saying you are wrong...but the difference isn't terribly dramatic and at 35 years old it is pretty hard to predict what he can and can't do like the past. If I was a betting man I would probably take the over on an .800 OPS the rest of the way...but hardly assured.

[brewmann04]

GIO

either Thames or Aguillar

and a return of shaw fom two years ago

[Jopal78]

Davies, Chacin, Anderson, Gonzalez.

 

They all have to pitch better for the Brewers to have much success going forward. Those pitchers taking the ball every 5th day and pitching effectively for 5+ innings would make a world's difference. Houser slides back into the pen where he was quite effective, the shaky middle relief of Claudio, Peralta and Burnes will be less exposed.

 

Last year they got nothing offensively out of 2B (Villar), SS (Arcia), C (Kratz/Pina) and their bench (Perez, Sogard, Broxton, Santana, etc), and were fine. Therefore if their pitching improves the 2019 offense is fine. If the pitching doesn't improve no amount of offense will be enough to offset poor pitching.

[brooks_quichenick]

Corbin Burnes - his numbers are still cartoonishly bad from his earlier troubles, but he's looked nasty out of the pen his last few appearances. If he can become a reliable shutdown high leverage option out of the pen to pair with Hader it could give quite a boost, especially with the shakiness of Jeffress and Guerra lately.

[MrTPlush]

Kinda ashamed I not only forgot about Gio, but also the fact he was pretty good for 6 starts...wow. Where was I living under a rock to forget that?

[Brew crew 92]

1.) Cain

2.) Cain

3.) Cain

 

He’s by far the biggest wild card, thumb? Regression? We’ll see.

 

Devin Williams should/could be 2018 Corbin Burnes.

Drew Rasmussen could be a high leverage monster if the Brewers let him later this year.

[LouisEly]

A healthy Cain

A 1st half of last year Aguilar

Burnes pitching to his hype

Chacin pitching better or any other starter other than Woodruff.

Almost exactly what I was going to say. What they need is the guys who are underperforming to regress to the norm/expected production. The only person I'd add to that list might be Jeffress to become a little closer to what he was last year.

 

Although, Aguilar is pretty much there already - over the last 28 days he has an OPS of 1.257.

[DHonks]

To me, it's all about Gio right now. When he returns to the rotation, Houser moves to a solid 6th to 8th inning role. It stabilizes the entire pen.

 

Woodruff

Davies

Chacin

Gonzalez

Anderson, Miller, or Smyly

 

Albers

Houser

Claudio

Jeffress

Hader

etc etc

[82brewcrew82]

The players we acquire when we sell off anything not nailed down.

[pacopete4]

3. Ryan Braun - Braun hasn't been bad, but they need more from him than "hasn't been bad". I don't expect Yelich and Moose to continue their torrid pace, so Braun is going to have to step up and provide offense. He's not the hitter he was 5 years ago, but I think he's still got a torrid half-season in him.

 

Ryan Braun slashed .282/.363/.903 combined in the months of August, September and October a season ago and should be counted on doing the same. That line is in line with his career splits during those months. As the summer heats up, so does Braun.

 

Taking the last three years collectively because in my opinion if we want to make it seem like there is a trend we should probably use more than a single year.

 

April - .910

May - .808

June - .829

July - .756

August - .856

September - .862

 

Pre All Star Break - .822

Post All Star Break - .862

 

So I am not saying you are wrong...but the difference isn't terribly dramatic and at 35 years old it is pretty hard to predict what he can and can't do like the past. If I was a betting man I would probably take the over on an .800 OPS the rest of the way...but hardly assured.

 

 

Good takes here.

[pacopete4]

3. Ryan Braun - Braun hasn't been bad, but they need more from him than "hasn't been bad". I don't expect Yelich and Moose to continue their torrid pace, so Braun is going to have to step up and provide offense. He's not the hitter he was 5 years ago, but I think he's still got a torrid half-season in him.

 

Ryan Braun slashed .282/.363/.903 combined in the months of August, September and October a season ago and should be counted on doing the same. That line is in line with his career splits during those months. As the summer heats up, so does Braun.

 

Taking the last three years collectively because in my opinion if we want to make it seem like there is a trend we should probably use more than a single year.

 

April - .910

May - .808

June - .829

July - .756

August - .856

September - .862

 

Pre All Star Break - .822

Post All Star Break - .862

 

So I am not saying you are wrong...but the difference isn't terribly dramatic and at 35 years old it is pretty hard to predict what he can and can't do like the past. If I was a betting man I would probably take the over on an .800 OPS the rest of the way...but hardly assured.

 

 

Good takes here.

[pacopete4]

3. Ryan Braun - Braun hasn't been bad, but they need more from him than "hasn't been bad". I don't expect Yelich and Moose to continue their torrid pace, so Braun is going to have to step up and provide offense. He's not the hitter he was 5 years ago, but I think he's still got a torrid half-season in him.

 

Ryan Braun slashed .282/.363/.903 combined in the months of August, September and October a season ago and should be counted on doing the same. That line is in line with his career splits during those months. As the summer heats up, so does Braun.

 

Taking the last three years collectively because in my opinion if we want to make it seem like there is a trend we should probably use more than a single year.

 

April - .910

May - .808

June - .829

July - .756

August - .856

September - .862

 

Pre All Star Break - .822

Post All Star Break - .862

 

So I am not saying you are wrong...but the difference isn't terribly dramatic and at 35 years old it is pretty hard to predict what he can and can't do like the past. If I was a betting man I would probably take the over on an .800 OPS the rest of the way...but hardly assured.

 

 

Good takes here.

[MrTPlush]

Braun has been a nice surprise in the second half and really all year considering his health. I’m not sure we can really count on that next year, but for this year he has held together.

 

I hope he goes into the offseason and really tries hard to learn 1B. It would not only help us in 2020, but it could give us a stop gap 1B in 2021 if he has another good offensive year....MAYBE. I still kinda doubt they would give him $11mil as a 37 year old...but you never know. I’d guess the payroll will just not be able to sustain such a risk on a player that old. Of course if Braun really wants to come back I’m sure we could work out a lower deal if he doesn’t want to just retire at that point.

[MrTPlush]

Braun has been a nice surprise in the second half and really all year considering his health. I’m not sure we can really count on that next year, but for this year he has held together.

 

I hope he goes into the offseason and really tries hard to learn 1B. It would not only help us in 2020, but it could give us a stop gap 1B in 2021 if he has another good offensive year....MAYBE. I still kinda doubt they would give him $11mil as a 37 year old...but you never know. I’d guess the payroll will just not be able to sustain such a risk on a player that old. Of course if Braun really wants to come back I’m sure we could work out a lower deal if he doesn’t want to just retire at that point.

[MrTPlush]

Braun has been a nice surprise in the second half and really all year considering his health. I’m not sure we can really count on that next year, but for this year he has held together.

 

I hope he goes into the offseason and really tries hard to learn 1B. It would not only help us in 2020, but it could give us a stop gap 1B in 2021 if he has another good offensive year....MAYBE. I still kinda doubt they would give him $11mil as a 37 year old...but you never know. I’d guess the payroll will just not be able to sustain such a risk on a player that old. Of course if Braun really wants to come back I’m sure we could work out a lower deal if he doesn’t want to just retire at that point.