Braun next season

[plowjockey]

Good call Igor. Get rid of a solid, veteran, professional hitter so you can rush a prospect? I'm not sure which part of that equation I dislike more.

[sbrylski]

He might be thinking Koskie will try to come back just to sit on the DL and collect his money. If that's the case I'm all for releasing him.

[endaround]

The Brewers won't release him for sure then. If Koskie can't play, he'll be put on the 60 day DL for the season and insurance will pay his salary.

[dadofandrew]

I doubt the Crew insures a guy like Koskie, we're only paying him $2M.

[endaround]

I bet Toronto insured him.

[Katuluu]

He might be thinking Koskie will try to come back just to sit on the DL and collect his money. If that's the case I'm all for releasing him.

 

Koskie is known as a pretty standup guy and an excellent influence in the clubhouse. This type of behavior would be completely contradictory to the past 8 or so seasons he's had in the majors.

[adamf214]

I'm impressed!

 

You guys certainly know your stuff. Even as someone who doesn't typically follow the Brewers, I look forward to reading the discussions around here.

[giffted1]

Quote:

---

The biggest question I have about Gwynn is his OBP. Can he get on base at a high enough rate to be a productive leadoff hitter.

---

 

I feel that the OBP stat is somewhat overrated when it comes to leadoff hitters. The prototypical leadoff hitter is a guy who gets on base at a high rate and steals bases, but there are few leadoff hitters in baseball that actually fit this discription. In the AL Central for instance (arguably the best division in baseball), of the top three teams Luis Castillo carries the highest OBP for leadoff hitters at .353. While that's good, its nothing special.

 

I think Gywnn can make up for his lower OBP by being a good base stealer as a leadoff hitter. By stealing bases you give the team a better chance of scoring runs(moving himself into scoring position) and saving outs (fewer GIDPs). I think Gywnn has Juan Pierre upside and I think that will be just fine.

[DHonks]

feel that the OBP stat is somewhat overrated when it comes to leadoff hitters

 

it may be overrated by fans, but underappreciated by ballplayers and managers. a .365 obp isn't terrible for a leadoff man. I am a Gwynn supporter, but I'd rather he begin in AAA. He's shown a propensity to increase his numbers the more he plays at a given level, and it could benefit him to work on things while playing every day. a .300 average is nice, but not great in the PCL. With more time in AAA his .360 OBP should improve into the .380-.400 range. Plus, his struggles since being recalled aren't helping. I'd rather bat Gross leadoff at this point

[PrimeTime955]

Quote:

---

I'd rather bat Gross leadoff at this point

---

 

Ewwww

[DHonks]

Ewwww

 

It's a mere 205 at bats, but Gross is leading the team in OBP at .384. Since a full season is roughly 600 AB, I'll multiple his BB totals by 2.5 to give the estimate if he had 500 at bats

 

37 2b, 22 hr, 87 bb, 145 K's.

 

the reason I mention him for leadoff is mainly because we have a lack of alternatives. I like Weeks there, but maybe we could better utlilize him hitting 3rd. Based on current personel, something like:

 

Gross

Hardy/Koskie

Weeks

Fielder

Hart

Jenkins

Hall

catcher

 

As for the topic at hand...I think Braun will be knocking on the door by May. knowing our luck, someone will get hurt and that'll open the door for him. Same for Yo.

[BillScottCanRake]

Ewwww

 

Ewwww what?

[endaround]

I still believe Corey Hart is the leadoff hitter for the future!

[pogokat]

i wonder if jj hardy could walk enough to bat leadoff...

 

i kinda like the idea that the brewers dont have a prototypical leadoff hitter, because for the most part those guys aren't great ball players...and having someone who's a plodder on the basepaths should stop nedly from sending runners all the time..

[endaround]

You would think that but see Clark, Brady.

[pogokat]

i was thinking about clark...but jj is not a base stealer in any way..

 

yost might let corey hart attempt 50+ stolen bases next year...

[thefutureishere2006]

if gwynn must stay and we shy away from soriano,lee, jones

i wanna see

 

hall LF

Gwynn CF

HART RF

hardy ss

braun 3b

fielder 1b

weeks 2b

 

if soriano or lee comes ....just move hall to center or third depending on whose more ready braun or gwynn .. and i say braun ?

 

if jones comes... hall will be in left or at 3rd depending on if we unload jenkins.

[PrimeTime955]

Personally, I think here should be our base lineup

 

1. Gwynn CF

2. Hardy SS

3. Fielder 1B

4. Weeks 2B

5. Jenkins RF

6. Hart LF

7. Koskie 3B

8. Rivera C

9. Pitcher

 

Bench:

 

Gross-OF

Mench-OF

Miller-C

Rillo-IF

Hall-2B, SS, 3B, CF

 

Hall will rotate give rick, jj, koskie, and gwynn each a day off per week.

 

Gross and Mench will be quality bats off the bench. Gross spells Hart in left 1-2 times a week and possibly Gwynn in Center once in a while. Mench will play against lefties in RF for Jenkins.

 

Miller will be a reliable backup to Rivera

 

Rillo will spell prince once in a one and get a day at third once in a while still being a veteran leader off the bench.

[clancyphile]

I still like the following:

 

2B Weeks

LF Hart

1B Fielder

CF Hall

RF Gross

3B Braun

C Barajas/Miller

SS Hardy

[sbrylski]

Clancy, I'm with you. Except for batting Hart 2nd. I don't think he'll ever carry a real good OBP, especially in his first full year as a starter. Probably something like .340 or so. I'd rather have Gross with his .380 each year since 1976, well, three straight years in AAA and now this year in the bigs, and each year, not cumulative. But then we have lefty-lefty with Gross-Fielder. Either way, I like that lineup, though it might take them until 2008, hence my sig:

[DHonks]

I don't mind it when it alternates lefty-righty, however, it seems that the good teams are arranged based on personnel rather than which side they bat from.