Brewers trade Feyereisen, Rasmussen to Rays for SS Willy Adames, RHP Trevor Richards

[Lathund]

The worry about JBJ is that he can't hit offspeed stuff. For some reason the AL East didn't really exploit that, whereas this year he's seeing more curves and sliders than ever before. So even if he reverts closer to his career norms, the larger share of breaking balls will still mean his numbers are down.

[SeaBass]

The worry about JBJ is that he can't hit offspeed stuff. For some reason the AL East didn't really exploit that, whereas this year he's seeing more curves and sliders than ever before. So even if he reverts closer to his career norms, the larger share of breaking balls will still mean his numbers are down.

We really need to get that guy a bucket of KFC and some rum, stat.

[wildcat2237]

It’s been mentioned previously in this thread, but the home/road splits for Willy Adames in Tampa were really stark...

 

I looked this up, and apparently it was something he attributed to not being able to see the ball very well at the Trop. He even tried wearing nonprescription glasses to help with the issue, here’s an article from the Tampa Bay Times:

 

Rays' Willy Adames trying glasses to boost home numbers

 

Here are some of Adames’ quotes from the article:

 

"I’ve been having a hard time picking up the ball the last two series,” said Adames, 25, who wasn’t in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Red Sox. "I could barely see the ball. I don’t know if it’s the air conditioning, the lights, I don’t know.

 

“I’m just trying to figure out something to help me pick up the ball a little earlier. I’m just trying to figure out something so I can help the team a little bit more.”

 

“You can see the difference in numbers,” he said. “Since the beginning of last year, I was having trouble, I guess. Every time we come from the road, it’s different in here. I don’t want to make an excuse of that. I’ve just been struggling here.”

 

“It’s hard. Every time I come from the road and do something (well), I get here and I can’t help the team.”

 

This could actually be a really big deal. If Adames is anywhere close to his away numbers then the Brewers got a steal. NO Yelich-eque breakout needed. If Adames is an above average major league shortstop then the Brewers got a bargain.

[Warning Track Power]

It’s been mentioned previously in this thread, but the home/road splits for Willy Adames in Tampa were really stark...

 

I looked this up, and apparently it was something he attributed to not being able to see the ball very well at the Trop. He even tried wearing nonprescription glasses to help with the issue, here’s an article from the Tampa Bay Times:

 

Rays' Willy Adames trying glasses to boost home numbers

 

Here are some of Adames’ quotes from the article:

 

"I’ve been having a hard time picking up the ball the last two series,” said Adames, 25, who wasn’t in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Red Sox. "I could barely see the ball. I don’t know if it’s the air conditioning, the lights, I don’t know.

 

“I’m just trying to figure out something to help me pick up the ball a little earlier. I’m just trying to figure out something so I can help the team a little bit more.”

 

“You can see the difference in numbers,” he said. “Since the beginning of last year, I was having trouble, I guess. Every time we come from the road, it’s different in here. I don’t want to make an excuse of that. I’ve just been struggling here.”

 

“It’s hard. Every time I come from the road and do something (well), I get here and I can’t help the team.”

 

This could actually be a really big deal. If Adames is anywhere close to his away numbers then the Brewers got a steal. NO Yelich-eque breakout needed. If Adames is an above average major league shortstop then the Brewers got a bargain.

This is an important point. Essentially, Adames has played 1 full season (163 games, 156 games started) away from Tropicana Field in his career. A line of .293/.366/.864 26 HR 71 RBI in 640 PAs, even with 180 Ks, is a perennial All-Star. Add to that his above-average defense and you are looking at something that could be quite special. Put another way, Francisco Lindor career 162 game average line is .281/.343/.821 28 HR 83 RBI with 103 Ks and Javier Baez's is .264/.303/.779 27 HR 87 RBI 175 Ks.

 

Obviously, Adames' line away from Tropicana Field is best case scenario but you trade a Rasmussen, whose best case scenario is probably a right-handed Hader, for that every single day of the week.

[mtrebs]

The worry about JBJ is that he can't hit offspeed stuff. For some reason the AL East didn't really exploit that, whereas this year he's seeing more curves and sliders than ever before. So even if he reverts closer to his career norms, the larger share of breaking balls will still mean his numbers are down.

We really need to get that guy a bucket of KFC and some rum, stat.

 

Hopefully everyone knows this reference, otherwise it could be taken very badly.

[timpep]

The worry about JBJ is that he can't hit offspeed stuff. For some reason the AL East didn't really exploit that, whereas this year he's seeing more curves and sliders than ever before. So even if he reverts closer to his career norms, the larger share of breaking balls will still mean his numbers are down.

We really need to get that guy a bucket of KFC and some rum, stat.

 

Hopefully everyone knows this reference, otherwise it could be taken very badly.

 

If you don't get the reference do you deserve to call yourself a baseball fan? I think it's debatable.

[clancyphile]

This could actually be a really big deal. If Adames is anywhere close to his away numbers then the Brewers got a steal. NO Yelich-eque breakout needed. If Adames is an above average major league shortstop then the Brewers got a bargain.

 

Both the home/road splits and the fact Adames is still pretty young indicate we could see some really awesome performance here.

 

One other item - the one-year park factors for Tropicana Field in 2020, 2019, and 2018:

2020: 92 batting, 91 pitching

2019: 96 batting, 95 pitching

2018: 99 batting, 98 pitching

 

For Milwaukee:

2020: 102/102

2019: 102/101

2018: 101/100

 

I expect Adames will see some significant improvement between the park factors, the home/road splits, and the fact he is going to be close to his prime.

[SeaBass]

The worry about JBJ is that he can't hit offspeed stuff. For some reason the AL East didn't really exploit that, whereas this year he's seeing more curves and sliders than ever before. So even if he reverts closer to his career norms, the larger share of breaking balls will still mean his numbers are down.

We really need to get that guy a bucket of KFC and some rum, stat.

 

Hopefully everyone knows this reference, otherwise it could be taken very badly.

Yikes that other viewpoint never crossed my mind. Certainly not intended that way.

[mtrebs]

Yikes that other viewpoint never crossed my mind. Certainly not intended that way.

 

I assumed not.

[Warning Track Power]

Yikes that other viewpoint never crossed my mind. Certainly not intended that way.

 

I assumed not.

Man I hadn’t concerned that angle either because of the obvious reference to Pedro Cerrano. Yikes is right!

[Eye Black]

The previously discussed Willy Adames home/road splits were a Stat Blast segment at the end of the Effectively Wild podcast today, and apparently it’s the largest reverse split (with road OPS > home OPS) in MLB history for any player with more than 1,000 plate appearances with a single team.

 

The discussion begins at 1 hour, 25 minute mark of this podcast (01:25:00):

Effectively Wild Episode 1698: The Smoking Theragun

 

The biggest difference between Adames and some of the other comparable players they mention is that several of those other players went to different teams later in their career than Adames, who is swapping teams at just 25 years old.

 

Here is the Google Sheets chart displaying their research results for the greatest reverse home/road splits of all-time:

Link to Stat Blast home/road splits data

[stalton]

At first I was surprised it wasn't a Rockie that held that claim but then my reading comprehension skills kicked in and saw the qualifier. Somebody has to hold that record but I am curious how much of that split is issues with Trop versus random statistical noise.

[Jopal78]

It didn't occur to me until just now, but with Feyereisen traded away, young power arm Rasmussen traded away, Topa suffering a significant arm injury, and the general shakiness of Devin Williams, Lindblom, Yardley and Perdomo... Josh Hader is not likely going to be traded away until during his final year of team control.

[PeaveyFury]

I'm not sure it's reasonable to assume that's "likely." All I would say is likely at this point is that he won't be traded until after this season, at the earliest.

[Jopal78]

I'm not sure it's reasonable to assume that's "likely." All I would say is likely at this point is that he won't be traded until after this season, at the earliest.

 

That's my point, given the performance of the current cast of characters in the bullpen he likely won't be traded now until he has 5.5 years of service time. Unless of course, the roster collapses and they decide to rebuild between now and then.

[brewmann04]

They need an another reliever

[Roderick]

I'm not sure it's reasonable to assume that's "likely." All I would say is likely at this point is that he won't be traded until after this season, at the earliest.

 

I hope that is the case. But, if the Brewers are out of it by the trading deadline, why would he not be moved this July 31 - for the right deal? I would like to assume we are still in it, but if a salad tong or vicious piece of luggage were to happen to Woody/Burnes/Peralta....

 

Edit- I see Hader isn't a FA until 2024. I thought it was one year earlier. No reason to trade him this year, even if we are out of it, unless the trade was too much to pass up.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Roderick

[mtrebs]

I’m hoping that the Brewers don’t make any major changes (like getting rid of Hader this season) and basically take this season as it comes. But then they actually focus on boosting the offense this off-season (even with guys that hit .260-.270). Having a decent/mediocre offense with the solid starters and Williams/Hader should set us up nicely the next few years to make a serious run.

[tmwiese55]

I’m hoping that the Brewers don’t make any major changes (like getting rid of Hader this season) and basically take this season as it comes. But then they actually focus on boosting the offense this off-season (even with guys that hit .260-.270). Having a decent/mediocre offense with the solid starters and Williams/Hader should set us up nicely the next few years to make a serious run.

 

That's pretty much where i'm at. they have this window of 3ish years with two elite starters and another very good one cost controlled and two elite relievers cost controlled. This is a very solid core to go from and have to make an attempt here to just get to a solid mid level offense and see what happens in the playoffs. I want to say Yelich's pay increases next year and of course some arby raises are coming but hopefully they find the budget to get a legit 3B somehow.

 

But really the most important thing that can take the O from trash to mediocre is Yelich becoming good again, not necessarily 330/45 HR MVP again, but just solid clear all star level, something like 280 with 30 HR, along with a lot of walks of course.

[Eye Black]

So far Adames has hit 6 of the 12 balls he’s put in play with the Brewers more than 100-mph. He’s had a little bit of bad batted ball luck, but he’s been squaring up the ball fairly well so far.

[stoutdude04]

So far Adames has hit 6 of the 12 balls he’s put in play with the Brewers more than 100-mph. He’s had a little bit of bad batted ball luck, but he’s been squaring up the ball fairly well so far.

 

Seems to be a theme for the Crew right now. When they finally do hit the ball hard it is right at someone.

[PeaveyFury]

I'm not sure it's reasonable to assume that's "likely." All I would say is likely at this point is that he won't be traded until after this season, at the earliest.

 

That's my point, given the performance of the current cast of characters in the bullpen he likely won't be traded now until he has 5.5 years of service time. Unless of course, the roster collapses and they decide to rebuild between now and then.

 

I think we're still not understanding each other. You said "final year of team control". I said this offseason. He has 2.5 years of team control left.

[Austin Tatious]

Adames is such a physical specimen. He’s a good 25-30 pounds bigger than Arcia. He’s a different type and it’s plain as day. Hopefully he’s still ascending as a player. He’s only 25 and quite talented.

[rwa12]

I very much like Adames’ setup and swing, hope he finds a home here

[wildcat2237]

Adames is such a physical specimen. He’s a good 25-30 pounds bigger than Arcia. He’s a different type and it’s plain as day. Hopefully he’s still ascending as a player. He’s only 25 and quite talented.

 

He really is a physical specimen. I really hope the vision/not being able to see at the trop is a thing.

 

I doubt he's Arod. But geez. If he could hit .275 with some power, decent OBP, and good defense, then we have a winner.