The synergy of the Brewers 2021 strategy

[DoubleSwitch]

This quote from Counsell stuck out to me in the latest article on the Brewers base running in The Athletic.

 

“I thought we’d be a good baserunning team (this season) just because the biggest common denominator is if you add good defensive players, you’re going to add good baserunners. They go hand in hand. There’s some instincts to both traits in the game, to me. And so, when you’re adding one, you’re adding the other. That’s what we’ve done, essentially, kind of get better in both phases of the game.”

 

The bit about base running and defense complimenting me got me thinking. Obviously the place where we've got the most impact talent right now is the top 3 of the rotation and back end of the bullpen so pitching is going to be the cornerstone of the team and the place to build around. Putting a good defensive team behind those pitchers makes them even better. The types of players that are good defenders are usually fast and have good instincts and awareness which leads them to be good base runners. The best way to maximize having good base runners is to draw a lot of walks, so the Brewers focus on being patient and seeing a lot of pitches. Seeing lots of pitches grinds down opposing pitching staffs and lets you get swings on guys who are fatigued after throwing 20+ pitches in an inning or are lower leverage arms in the enemy bullpen because their starter had to leave in the 4th. The more of those type of swings you get the bigger your chances are of hitting the ball hard and putting up crooked numbers in an inning. When this team is playing its best those are the areas they're excelling in and you can see how each step of the strategy reinforces and strengthens the other steps. This is how they're making the most of their limited resources.

 

I hope people keep this in mind when they complain about Yelich not being more aggressive at the plate. Seeing 8 pitches and drawing a walk, even seeing 8 pitches and ultimately striking out, don't just get reflected in his stat line. There is a chain of synergy in that strategy that runs all throughout the team.

[sveumrules]

Defense & Baserunning during the Stearns/Counsell era...

 

2016: +24 DRS | +5.2 BSR

2017: +23 DRS | +2.4 BSR

2018: +121 DRS | +8.2 BSR

2019: +26 DRS | +5.9 BSR

2020: -9 DRS | -17.6 BSR (Hey, Wha Happened?!?!?)

2021: +23 DRS | +4.0 BSR

 

Pandemic craziness aside, so far so good.

[pacopete4]

There is a chain of synergy in that strategy that runs all throughout the team.