2021 Lineup

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'm not so sure we are going to be 3rd best in the NL in run prevention unless the defense really picks up the back end of our rotation. That 5th spot especially is looking pretty bad(Houser). I think we'll probably score a bit more than they are projecting. We'll find out real soon.

Gotta like Woodruff and Burnes at the top and it's hard to complain about Anderson and Peralta at 3 and 4. If you're really only worried about one guy (who still has a chance to be pretty good too) you probably have a pretty good rotation. We have Lindblom, Suter, maybe even Ashby/Small that could step in if things really go south. Heck, Porcello's still sitting out there, maybe MA can stretch the payroll a little bit further still. But I'm willing to take a chance on Houser's low HR/high groundball rate with the improved defense and see if he can finally put things together first. I don't know if anyone else caught Narvaez' interview during the game a few days ago, but he picked Houser as the guy no one's talking about that he expects to have a good season this year. Hope he's right!

 

Houser is 3... Anderson and Peralta round out the rotation.

 

The arbitrary numbers literally won't matter one iota after the first week.

[KeithStone53151]

I'm not so sure we are going to be 3rd best in the NL in run prevention unless the defense really picks up the back end of our rotation. That 5th spot especially is looking pretty bad(Houser). I think we'll probably score a bit more than they are projecting. We'll find out real soon.

Gotta like Woodruff and Burnes at the top and it's hard to complain about Anderson and Peralta at 3 and 4. If you're really only worried about one guy (who still has a chance to be pretty good too) you probably have a pretty good rotation. We have Lindblom, Suter, maybe even Ashby/Small that could step in if things really go south. Heck, Porcello's still sitting out there, maybe MA can stretch the payroll a little bit further still. But I'm willing to take a chance on Houser's low HR/high groundball rate with the improved defense and see if he can finally put things together first. I don't know if anyone else caught Narvaez' interview during the game a few days ago, but he picked Houser as the guy no one's talking about that he expects to have a good season this year. Hope he's right!

 

Houser is 3... Anderson and Peralta round out the rotation.

 

I never said I thought the rotation would be bad, I just don't know that I buy we'll be 3rd best in the NL in run prevention. I mean, I guess if you project absolutely no injuries for all teams...there's a better argument. But our depth for the rotation is pretty blah, which is break from the norm the past few seasons. Who is our 7th starter anyway? 6th is obviously Lindblom.

 

I guess at the end of the day I don't have huge qualms with these projections. I think they project us a little too good on defense and a little not good enough on offense.

[Lathund]

But our depth for the rotation is pretty blah, which is break from the norm the past few seasons. Who is our 7th starter anyway? 6th is obviously Lindblom.

 

I feel that the rotation depth is actually pretty good compared to most teams. I don't know if it'll be Suter or Rasmussen or if it'll be someone from the minors (Lauer, Bettinger, Brown). Might not be overly exciting, but have a look at what most other teams run out as their 7th or 8th starters, and I think most of them would wish they had a Suter there. There aren't as many good starters out there as we tend to think, past the first 3-4 most teams are pretty bad. And then there's teams like the Dodgers... but they're hardly the norm.

[KeithStone53151]

But our depth for the rotation is pretty blah, which is break from the norm the past few seasons. Who is our 7th starter anyway? 6th is obviously Lindblom.

 

I feel that the rotation depth is actually pretty good compared to most teams. I don't know if it'll be Suter or Rasmussen or if it'll be someone from the minors (Lauer, Bettinger, Brown). Might not be overly exciting, but have a look at what most other teams run out as their 7th or 8th starters, and I think most of them would wish they had a Suter there. There aren't as many good starters out there as we tend to think, past the first 3-4 most teams are pretty bad. And then there's teams like the Dodgers... but they're hardly the norm.

 

I keep forgetting about suter. That's fair to view him as the 7th starter and that's really not bad. That helps a lot actually. Lauer as 8th starter isn't that bad but really we don't want to see him in games for at least a few months. He's just not right. I feel like small or ashby will be ready to contribute before him. Also despite rasmussen getting stretched for multiple innings, I don't think they'd use him in a starting role. If they did, it would probably be a 1 off bullpen game with him going max 3 innings. Rolling in 7 deep with a few guys that could be ready in June/July isn't bad though considering our top 7 are all currently healthy (knocking on all the wood)...

[JosephC]

Kolten/Keston make an appearance in Ben Clemens Four Bold(ish) Predictions for the NL published at FanGraphs today...

 

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/four-boldish-predictions-for-the-national-league/

 

I'm certainly not freaking out. I think Hiura will hit over the long haul. But it is interesting to look back at all the Corey Ray projections over the last few years and then look at what Hiura has become. By far, the biggest knock on Ray as far as his future projection is how often he swings and misses at pitches within the strike zone, not his overall batting average or on-base percentage, it seems the stat guys always specifically point out his swings-and-misses that occur on pitches within the zone. I have no clue as to the correlation between that number and success as a professional baseball hitter, but I'm guessing there must be some truth to it because it gets brought up a lot.

 

According to Fangraph's database, there were 142 qualifying hitters in MLB in 2020. Hiura's contact percentage on pitches within the strike zone was 67.9%. That ranked 142 out of 142, dead last. So I'm not really surprised to see this Wong with a better wRC+ in 2021 prediction. Based on what the stat guys have said in the past, I would expect to see a lot more predictions like this.

[brewcrewdue80]

Cain 2 for 3 HR and a walk today. Yeah thats the sign of an old OF with little left in him.

 

He's going to have a great season. No pressure to play while hurt. Better defensive OFs around him this season. Put him on your Brewers' 2021 MVP watch.

[monty57]

Opening Day 2021 lineup:

 

1) Wong (2B)

2) Hiura (1B)

3) Yelich (LF)

4) Garcia (RF)

5) Shaw (3B)

6) Cain (CF)

7) Narvaez ©

8) Urias (SS)

9) Woodruff (P)

[brewerfan82]

I like it, let's go!

 

[DR28]

Like I said all along, Yelich will be our #3 this year.

[pacopete4]

Like I said all along, Yelich will be our #3 this year.

 

And Cain isn’t in the 2-spot, like you also said.

[DR28]

Like I said all along, Yelich will be our #3 this year.

 

And Cain isn’t in the 2-spot, like you also said.

 

My point was our lineup would be L/R/L/R at the top.

[Lathund]

I think Yelich is 3rd due to L-R-L, and will be 2nd with Cain/Urias or another RHH leading of against LHP. We'll have to wait for a lefty starter to find out.

[monty57]

I think Yelich is 3rd due to L-R-L, and will be 2nd with Cain/Urias or another RHH leading of against LHP. We'll have to wait for a lefty starter to find out.

 

I think you are correct, with Hiura as our #3.

[pacopete4]

Vs. RHP

1. Wong- 2B

2. Adames - SS

3. Yelich- LF

4. Hiura- 1B

5. Narvaez- C

6. Garcia- RF

7. Shaw- 3B

8. Cain/JBJ- CF

 

Vs. LHP

1. Cain- CF

2. Urias- 3B

3. Yelich- LF

4. Hiura- 1B

5. Garcia- RF

6. Pina- C

7. Wong- 2B

8. Adames- SS

 

 

Bring the band back together and see if you can bet the offense to click.