The struggles of Yelich and Hiura - Let the numbers talk!

[owbc]

“Christian Yelich since Aug. 8 slashing .324/.366/.461 w/ two HRs & a 58% hard hit rate, which in the span is first in NL.” From Will Sammon

 

He's smoking everything lately and he's hitting it to all fields. I wouldn't change a thing with his swing or approach given his ability to run the bases and draw walks if opponents start pitching around him again.

 

Meanwhile, Cody Bellinger is down in Jackie Bradley Jr territory on offense (sub .550 OPS) and he isn't making it up with his glove like JBJ is.

[TURBO]

True, but it would be nice to add some homers to what he is doing too...

 

Happy he has started turning things around, but I miss Power Yelich!

[Underachiever]

 

The difference in BB% between the first and second half seems to indicate he is being more aggressive. I will gladly take an aggressive Yelich over a high OBP Yelich. Good things, good things...

I think I overheard Yelich say, "That ain't Christian's game. Christian hacks on 2-0."

[sixtolezcano16]

After over 400 plate appearances in 2021 we have our $219,000,000 man and number 3 hitter with a 0.249 BA, 45 RBIs, and most alarming a 0.374 SLG %. Sure he has a decent .0360 OBP, good for 30th in the MLB if he had a qualifying number of PAs. After over 650 PAs since he broke his kneecap this salary promises to be a huge burden to the franchise for almost the next decade . With only an above average OBP he isn’t even worth half that salary. The real question is this what we can expect the future Yelich to be? If the Brewers are anything it is patient with Council, Shaw, and Hiura slumps recently. Will it be too late for the Brewers to get any fair trade compensation for him or will it be impossible to dump that huge salary?

[pacopete4]

Another thread... great.

[sixtolezcano16]

Another thread... great.

I can always count on you providing a comment with great insight.

[MrTPlush]

Another thread... great.

I can always count on you providing a comment with great insight.

 

There is already a Yelich thread that has been going all season long and another started to see if Yelich was the next Chris Davis. You post frequent enough the last few months you had to of seen one of these threads before. You are providing information that has been beat to death for an almost full two seasons.

 

If you need great insight on this topic there are already lengthy threads with all the data in the universe.

 

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40578

 

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40919

[sveumrules]

After the first game of the doubleheader on August 14th Yelich's OPS was at a season low of .721 with a 230/371/350 triple slash.

 

Since then he has hit 302/345/443 in 116 PAs over the last month entering today's game.

 

Yelich has a full no trade clause, so he probably isn't going anywhere.

 

If he can return to the 120 OPS+ hitter he was with the Marlins & avoid catastrophic injury the contract extension will be fine.

[sveumrules]

Another thread... great.

I can always count on you providing a comment with great insight.

 

There is already a Yelich thread that has been going all season long and another started to see if Yelich was the next Chris Davis. You post frequent enough the last few months you had to of seen one of these threads before. You are providing information that has been beat to death for an almost full two seasons.

 

If you need great insight on this topic there are already lengthy threads with all the data in the universe.

 

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40578

 

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40919

 

Threads Merged.

[sixtolezcano16]

Another thread... great.

I can always count on you providing a comment with great insight.

 

There is already a Yelich thread that has been going all season long and another started to see if Yelich was the next Chris Davis. You post frequent enough the last few months you had to of seen one of these threads before. You are providing information that has been beat to death for an almost full two seasons.

 

If you need great insight on this topic there are already lengthy threads with all the data in the universe.

 

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40578

 

viewtopic.php?f=63&t=40919

 

So what is your Yelich opinion?

[sixtolezcano16]

Yelich is literally the anti-Chris Davis good OBP but absolutely no power and no HRs.

[pacopete4]

And next year he might hit 35 home runs. We won’t know until we know. The exit velocity has been there but the results haven’t. I’m sure he will try to fix that in the off-season. I’m guessing he doesn’t want to stink but we won’t know until we go through it.

[sixtolezcano16]

And next year he might hit 35 home runs. We won’t know until we know. The exit velocity has been there but the results haven’t. I’m sure he will try to fix that in the off-season. I’m guessing he doesn’t want to stink but we won’t know until we go through it.

 

 

Maybe he should try and fix it when we are in the middle of a NL pennant race. The idea is to be proactive rather than retrospective, if you can possibly get out from under the disaster of this extension.

[pacopete4]

And next year he might hit 35 home runs. We won’t know until we know. The exit velocity has been there but the results haven’t. I’m sure he will try to fix that in the off-season. I’m guessing he doesn’t want to stink but we won’t know until we go through it.

 

Maybe he should try and fix it when we are in the middle of a NL pennant race. The idea is to be proactive rather than retrospective, if you can possibly get out from under the disaster of this extension.

 

Because it’s not that easy to fix or else many players would just simply hit better when they find slumps. This isn’t easy. It never has been and at the height of today’s pitching, it never will be. I get a chuckle out of fans that write like this. You think Yelich wouldn’t love to be having his monster season right now with our pitching? He will most likely be just fine. And if he isn’t, it won’t be the first contract to suck. It is what it is.

[wibadgers23]

I miss clutch Yelich when he’d put the offense on his back and just flat out win a game. He just hasn’t been clutch at all this year. The only moment this year that comes to mind was the grand slam against Washington. Other than that, it’s been weak rollouts or pop outs from him in big moments. Getting clutch Yelich back before the playoffs start would obviously be tremendous.

[sixtolezcano16]

I miss clutch Yelich when he’d put the offense on his back and just flat out win a game. He just hasn’t been clutch at all this year. The only moment this year that comes to mind was the grand slam against Washington. Other than that, it’s been weak rollouts or pop outs from him in big moments. Getting clutch Yelich back before the playoffs start would obviously be tremendous.

 

I wouldn’t hold my breath, after the results of the past 2 seasons.

[MrTPlush]

Yah, I am pretty nervous about the guy. The power is gone and while he has hit for a nice average lately the eye test doesn't really make me feel like he is a .300 hitter. I am sure his BABIP is through the roof during his hot streak. Even worse the OBP, which many figured was unrealistic given his lack of hitting, is really tumbling. When he was hitting .340 for awhile you would expect it to be lower, because you are hitting the ball. However, the last few weeks he has been garbage and the OBP hasn't been there. A bit different from early in the season when he was struggling.

 

He has been all over the board the last year and a half I just don't know if we have really seen whatever long term Yelich is. It just seems so hard to believe the guy is going to tank and be worse than even his Miami days. He certainly makes it hard to see him being like he was in Miami from the eye test this year.

 

Just really disappointing to watch. I have not really dug deep down into his advanced stats to understand his struggle because it is so depressing. I expected Hiura to tumble, but not Yelich.

[tmwiese55]

All true. I'd guess a hurt on the OBP the 2nd half of the season is pitching no longer being afraid him. He was probably able to milk a bunch of walks to start the year based on his reputation, but once everyone figured out he has no power there's not much reason to be careful with him. Which also kind of makes sense as to being able to increase his BA with better pitches, but OBP going down at the same time.

 

Prior to the last week or so he had been looking pretty good, lots of hard contact and I think I saw some hard %s had him near tops in the league during the 1-2 months prior. But even still when that was looking good he had a lack of HR power, which is a problem when owed this much for that long. You don't pay that for a good contact hitter. Still confident he'll be like he has been the last couple months (good/ok, but not near what he was) for the playoffs. Which obviously is better than what we he looked like prior.

 

Give another offseason to get the knee and back issues behind him, clear his head and make some tweaks and hopefully he's back to clear all star level next year. Don't think we should be ruling that out yet by any means (though obviously I'm not saying it's a lock either).

 

That DP to blow the game last night was a definite 'cmon man' from me but with more adult language. Just terrible on a 3-1 pitch

[wntrtxn21]

All true. I'd guess a hurt on the OBP the 2nd half of the season is pitching no longer being afraid him. He was probably able to milk a bunch of walks to start the year based on his reputation, but once everyone figured out he has no power there's not much reason to be careful with him. Which also kind of makes sense as to being able to increase his BA with better pitches, but OBP going down at the same time.

 

Prior to the last week or so he had been looking pretty good, lots of hard contact and I think I saw some hard %s had him near tops in the league during the 1-2 months prior. But even still when that was looking good he had a lack of HR power, which is a problem when owed this much for that long. You don't pay that for a good contact hitter. Still confident he'll be like he has been the last couple months (good/ok, but not near what he was) for the playoffs. Which obviously is better than what we he looked like prior.

 

Give another offseason to get the knee and back issues behind him, clear his head and make some tweaks and hopefully he's back to clear all star level next year. Don't think we should be ruling that out yet by any means (though obviously I'm not saying it's a lock either).

 

That DP to blow the game last night was a definite 'cmon man' from me but with more adult language. Just terrible on a 3-1 pitch

 

Yelich is once again slumping with another donut today. He is either topping everything or missing it all together. In Sept... 10 for 49 - 0 HRs - 4 RBIs - 3 BBs - 13 Ks. With Urias also slumping, Adames/Tellez out, and Garcia day-to-day, the Crew can't afford to have Yelich tank and go into the playoffs severly slumping.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

Getting the slump out right before his playoff tear! I like it!

[sixtolezcano16]

Getting the slump out right before his playoff tear! I like it!

 

Fingers crossed.

[BuckyBrewer61]

I know it's been beaten to death in in-game threads and elsewhere, but in light of yet another slump...can we please not bat Yelich 3rd in the playoffs? So many better options for the top of the lineup based on actual performance. Give me:

 

Wong

Adames

Escobar

Garcia

Narvaez

Yelich

Tellez

Cain

 

2 to 4 there are pretty interchangeable, and Omar or even Kolten could be moved around the top 5 if it makes sense based on pitching matchup and LRLR lineup construction...but at some point, we have to acknowledge that the best chance for us to win is to not have Yelich batting in the meat of the order...right? I'd even be ok with batting him leadoff given his OBP...but I don't want him to be getting multiple at bats during our best scoring chances.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

I know it's been beaten to death in in-game threads and elsewhere, but in light of yet another slump...can we please not bat Yelich 3rd in the playoffs? So many better options for the top of the lineup based on actual performance. Give me:

 

Wong

Adames

Escobar

Garcia

Narvaez

Yelich

Tellez

Cain

 

2 to 4 there are pretty interchangeable, and Omar or even Kolten could be moved around the top 5 if it makes sense based on pitching matchup and LRLR lineup construction...but at some point, we have to acknowledge that the best chance for us to win is to not have Yelich batting in the meat of the order...right? I'd even be ok with batting him leadoff given his OBP...but I don't want him to be getting multiple at bats during our best scoring chances.

 

Why would we move Wong after a full year of success leading off? That take seems odd.

 

I agree with Yelich and his struggles not warranting a top spot in lineup. Whether us fans like it or not, Yelich will be 2-4 in the lineup the rest of year. Regardless of stats to prove it on our end, it is what it is at this point.

 

Let’s hope the rest of the lineup can get hot down the stretch and get a healthy lineup as well.

[BuckyBrewer61]

 

Why would we move Wong after a full year of success leading off? That take seems odd.

 

I agree with Yelich and his struggles not warranting a top spot in lineup. Whether us fans like it or not, Yelich will be 2-4 in the lineup the rest of year. Regardless of stats to prove it on our end, it is what it is at this point.

 

Let’s hope the rest of the lineup can get hot down the stretch and get a healthy lineup as well.

 

Fair enough - of course I wouldn't actually move Wong, I was moreso just saying that the top 5 guys have all been good this year and I'd be happy with any of them in just about any order at the top.

 

I guess I take issue with "it is what it is."

 

Why?

 

The "stats on our end" are the same stats on the organization's end. Is there something I am missing? For an organization that is so analytical and has been so willing to try new things, think outside the box, why are we batting a guy at #3 that isn't even one of our best 5 hitters? And hasn't been for two seasons? If Yelich wasn't MVP caliber in 2018-19, or hadn't been signed to a long-term contract...would he still be batting #3 right now?

 

I too hope he regains his MVP form, and if he does obviously #3 is a great place for that. But at what point do the results outweigh the hope?

[brewcrewdue80]

Wonder how'd he react to batting 8th behind JBJ and the pitcher behind him? Would it light a fire under him? Or has he just cashed it all in and would crumble even further having his feelings hurt?