Milwaukee Brewers: Where the F do the Brewers find these PUKE DIARRHEA PITCHERS? FAUCI University??

Bert Handsome · Aug 3, 2021

Everyone knows about what Woody, Burnes, and Peralta are doing, but the job that Anderson, Lauer, and Houser are doing should not go unnoticed. It might be bum slaying, but that is important too.

Emma · Aug 3, 2021

So our acquisitions have been terrible

Emma · Aug 3, 2021

This team is fun

Bert Handsome · Aug 7, 2021

Fucking Garcia

Emma · Aug 7, 2021

Time to get Suter another win

Bert Handsome · Aug 7, 2021

Lol I turned the game the fuck off early on in the 10th

Emma · Aug 7, 2021

Dr. Richard Cranium said: ↑

Lol I turned the game the fuck off early on in the 10th
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Slowly becoming my favorite Brewer as of recent

Emma · Aug 7, 2021

Guess the positive here is that we hopefully get the COVID shit out of the way early

Bert Handsome · Aug 15, 2021

“It’s like this,” Avisaíl García said as he sat in the Brewers’ dugout before a recent game and wiggled his imaginary bat, pretending he was in the batter’s box and a breaking ball was coming. García’s eyes then appeared larger as he prepared to swing while moving his entire body. Suddenly, he clenched up as if he were expecting to see something else. “See?” he said. “That’s no good.”

The impromptu demonstration continued as García described the way he has relearned how to better combat offspeed pitches. “You have to go slow,” García said in a low tone and at a drawn-out speed to accentuate his point. “See it, then you hit,” he said. “It’s not like everything should be in one motion. It’s: stay back, see it, then hit. Sometimes, the game speeds up and you want to do so well for the team that you go too quickly. But you have to relax and recognize the ball.”

García and the Brewers are providing an even better demonstration on the field. Through the end of May, they had a.652 OPS, fourth worst in baseball. Since June 1, the Brewers have a .771 OPS, the sixth best in baseball. The biggest reason for the turnaround is the trade flurry that netted Willy Adames, Rowdy Tellez and Eduardo Escobar. There’s no debating that; each player has at least a .935 OPS since joining the Brewers. But it’s not just a matter of the new guys carrying the entire load. Other contributors like García, Luis Urías, Tyrone Taylor and more have improved over the course of the season specifically against non-fastball pitches, formerly known as the Brewers’ kryptonite.

The team’s offensive difficulties through approximately six weeks of the season were obvious to everyone, especially Brewers hitting coach Andy Haines, assistant hitting coach Jacob Cruz and manager of advance scouting Brian Powalish. They had their hunches regarding why.

“One of the reasons, we thought, was we were struggling against non-fastballs and we were seeing a very high percentage of non-fastballs,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “As a group, we talked about it. I think Andy was very aware of it and Cruz was very aware of it and Brian was aware of that. Collectively, they went to work and tried to ensure that our players were working towards correcting.”

Data confirmed their beliefs. By the end of May, the Brewers’ batters had seen fastballs 51 percent of the time, according to FanGraphs, which was 15th in baseball. But no team in baseball saw as many curveballs (11.9) as Milwaukee did. Worse, the Brewers’ production against offspeed pitches was abysmal.

Here are the Brewers’ batting values, per FanGraphs, versus specific pitches through the end of May:

Fastballs: 15.7, sixth in baseball

Changeups: -5.5, 24th in baseball

Curveballs: -15.2, 30th in baseball

Sliders: -35.8, 30th in baseball

When teams threw the Brewers something other than a fastball, the results were … not good.

Stearns and the front-office group supplied the numbers to the coaches. Haines and Cruz then made sure the strategies were actionable based on how each player handles information.

“You’re always threading the needle of playing to your strengths while acknowledging how the other side is attacking you so that’s always going to be the challenge,” Haines said. “And the other thing is, you have to get far enough into the season so you know how real it is. About a month in, we saw how extreme it was and started presenting our guys with information and strategies individually. The players have to be convicted and confident to implement it in a game so individually is how we thought it was best to attack it.”

García is one of the players who has since made the biggest improvements. The outfielder’s numbers for the season have been steady and rank among the best on the team: 20 home runs, 69 RBIs, .806 OPS, 113 wRC+. Over the first two months of the season, though, García struggled against breaking balls. Through May 31, his value against curveballs was -1.8 and against sliders was -6.7, per FanGraphs. Since then, García’s value against curveballs is -0.7 and against sliders it’s -0.3. Those figures still aren’t great, but they are quite an improvement.

Though he is smarter and more aggressive on pitches in the strike zone, García said a lot of his whiffs against offspeed pitches are the result of him committing to a pitch with his entire body prematurely instead of making good use of his hands.

Often, pitchers sometimes threw García exclusively sliders in a given plate appearance. Against Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove on April 19, García struck out on four pitches, including whiffs on two consecutive sliders out of the zone. García credited his better numbers since June to coaches like Haines for talking to him during batting practice about scouting reports and after at-bats following poor decisions to reinforce ideas. Pitchers are no longer getting away with many mistakes against García — whether they are fastballs or not.

Taylor, who has a .760 OPS, is another example. During one stretch in May, Taylor went 0-for-19. Before Taylor was demoted to Triple-A Nashville on May 24, manager Craig Counsell told him that pitchers were attacking him with soft stuff low and inside, and Taylor needed to adjust. At the time, his values against sliders, curveballs and changeups were: -4.1, -0.1 and 1.1, respectively. He corrected the issue. In 148 plate appearances since June 1, Taylor has a .815 OPS and his values against sliders, curveballs and changeups are: 0.7, -0.1 and 1.1, respectively.

Urías started the season with a -1.7 value against curveballs. Since June 1, that value is 2.0. Offensively, Urías, a 24-year-old infielder, is having a breakthrough season. After zero home runs in 120 plate appearances last year, he has 16 after 408 plate appearances this year. One main adjustment for Urías actually started in the middle of spring training. Last year — and early on at times this season — Urías had a tendency to bury his front shoulder, giving him little chance against inside pitches, where he was also prone to chase.

Urías is now squaring up his shoulders and better using his lower half, which has helped him get the ball in the air more often and with hard contact.

There are other examples. Despite bad overall offensive numbers, Jackie Bradley Jr. has dramatically improved his values against breaking balls (from -5.1 on sliders to 0.7 and from -2.4 on curveballs to 0.4). Kolten Wong hits sliders well. Omar Narváez crushes changeups. Certainly, swapping personnel at some positions — Travis Shaw, who was actually hitting well against breaking balls, was batting .191 while Jace Peterson has been a significant upgrade in the utility role over Daniel Robertson and others — has helped immensely, but the overall improvement for holdovers is also part of the success.

“Now some of that, six weeks of the season is still a pretty small sample and some of that probably normalized on their own, but some of it is also probably awareness of what other teams were really doing against us and having success against us,” Stearns said. “We’ve had a number of guys be very successful over the last couple months against non-fastballs.”

Here are the batting values, per FanGraphs, versus specific pitches since June 1 for Milwaukee:

Fastballs: 21.6, 10th in baseball

Changeups: 9.9, sixth in baseball

Curveballs: 5.8, seventh in baseball

Sliders: -4.0, 16th in baseball

That’s a profound turnaround.

“We have made some strides, but we know how much work we have left to do,” Haines said. “Valuing staying in the zone is where I’m most proud of our progress and the commitment to it.”

Indeed, better decision-making on pitches has helped. The Brewers, for the most part, are aggressive on pitches in the zone, do damage on balls they know they can drive and refrain from swinging out of the zone. Even with Christian Yelich struggling with a .722 OPS and six home runs and Keston Hiura (.558 OPS) in Triple-A Nashville, the Brewers (70-46) have found ways to supplement an elite pitching staff over the last couple of months with a better, more consistent offensive output. The lineup is unquestionably deeper than what it was in April and May because of the acquisitions. But the Brewers’ strides in other areas, like against non-fastballs, is worth highlighting for a team with aspirations of a deep playoff run that will continue to need contributions throughout the batting order.

“Certainly we noticed on a team level and then it was diving into figuring out which individual players have the most room for growth in that area,” Stearns said. “It’s been really encouraging to see that we’ve seen some of that growth.”

(Photo of Avisaíl García: Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
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Emma · Aug 15, 2021

Imagine if Yelich was doing a fraction better

Bert Handsome · Aug 18, 2021

Emma is there a way to stream games in market for the Brewers?

Emma · Aug 18, 2021

Dr. Richard Cranium said: ↑

Emma is there a way to stream games in market for the Brewers?
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Streameast or Sports24 is what I use to stream most sports

Bert Handsome · Aug 28, 2021

Imagine if this team didn't play like the worst team in baseball against the Royals and Twins

Emma · Aug 28, 2021

Dr. Richard Cranium said: ↑

Imagine if this team didn't play like the worst team in baseball against the Royals and Twins
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AL has our number outside of the Sox

Also should've have let Adrian out for that last inning

Bert Handsome · Aug 31, 2021

Positive news on the farm for the first time in about a decade

It was difficult to trim down my top 50 prospects list to the final group. Some strong position players just barely missed out, so I’ve decided to circle back and look at 10 hitters who I believe will make the top 50 in 2022. All 10 of these players are “can’t-miss” major-league prospects in my view, and I think all of them will be successful big-league hitters once fully developed.

(Jim Bowden’s scouting grades are based on the 20-80 scale, in which 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average.)

1. Sal Frelick, CF, Milwaukee Brewers
Age: 21
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 5-9 Weight: 175
Scouting Grades: HIT: 60 PWR: 45 RUN: 75 ARM: 50 FLD: 60

Frelick just missed making my top 50 list, but he surely will be on it in 2022. Drafted at No. 15 this year, Frelick is a prototypical leadoff hitter and he works counts as well as any prospect in baseball. (He has posted a .500 on-base percentage this season in 98 plate appearances at Low A and the Arizona Complex League, and was promoted to High A this week.) Frelick makes consistent hard contact and hits line drives from the right-field foul line to the left-field foul line. He’s extremely athletic, and one of the fastest and smartest base runners in the minors. He has tremendous plate discipline, hand-eye coordination and baseball instincts. He’s the type of hitter who will walk as much as he strikes out. He plays with high energy and enthusiasm. The Brewers got a steal at pick 15.

2. Brady House, SS, Washington Nationals
Age: 18
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6-4 Weight: 215
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 60 RUN: 50 ARM: 65 FLD: 50

The Nationals’ next impact shortstop is just two or three years away, and he’ll be ready to bring the house down when he arrives, if you’ll excuse the pun. House, the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft, is another big-framed shortstop who can probably stay at the position but might have to move to third base down the road. He has good hands, solid first-step quickness and a cannon for an arm. He’s just an average runner, but an above-average base runner. He’s a power hitter who can hit high velocity and breaking pitches. His swing gets long at times, but that is correctable with more playing time. This kid is going to be special.

3. Oswald Peraza, SS, New York Yankees
Age: 21
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6-0 Weight: 165
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 50 RUN: 65 ARM: 60 FLD: 65

Peraza has four above-average tools now, but I expect his fifth tool, power, will develop enough for him to become the complete five-tool shortstop we all dream about. He can flat-out hit, with electric bat speed and the ability to consistently hit hard line drives. Peraza has excellent plate discipline and does a good job of looking for a pitch he can drive. Defensively, he wows you with plus range to both sides, soft hands and a strong, accurate arm. Peraza has game-changing speed as well; I believe he’ll be a 40-steals base runner when he reaches the big leagues. He’s tallied 32 stolen bases this season between High A and Double A.

4. Jordan Walker, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
Age: 19
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 6-5 Weight: 220
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 65 RUN: 45 ARM: 55 FLD: 45

Walker really strengthened his hit tool this year as he showed improvement against breaking balls and proved he can shorten his swing at times. When the Cardinals drafted Walker at No. 21 out of Decatur (Ga.) High in 2020, everyone could see the upper-deck raw power and hear the loud, sweet-spot contact, but there were questions about his swing, which was long at times, and his swings-and-misses against breaking balls were concerning. But if Walker can fix those two areas, he’ll play in the All-Star Game one day, and it appears he made significant steps forward this year in Class A.

5. Garrett Mitchell, OF, Milwaukee Brewers
Age: 22
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 6-3 Weight: 215
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 50 RUN: 70 ARM: 55 FLD: 60

The Brewers fielded a lot of phone calls at the trade deadline for Mitchell, the No. 20 pick in the 2020 draft, but they told rival general managers they weren’t interested in moving him, and for good reason. This year, at High A and Double A, Mitchell has posted a combined .402 on-base percentage with 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts. He profiles as a top-of-the-lineup table-setter with game-changing speed, above-average defense and an arm to match. With Frelick and Mitchell on the way, the future looks bright in the outfield and at top of the order for Milwaukee.

6. Nick Pratto, 1B, Kansas City Royals
Age: 22
Bats: L Throws: L
Height: 6-1 Weight: 215
Scouting Grades: HIT: 60 PWR: 60 RUN: 45 ARM: 60 FLD: 65

Drafted by the Royals at No. 14 in 2017, Pratto has developed slowly, but it looks like he’s on the fast track now and should be ready to help Kansas City in 2022. I’ve always loved his swing and thought he would hit for average, but wasn’t sure about his power. Originally, it seemed he would be in the “Hal Morris-Mark Grace category” as a 15-18 home run, .300-type hitter with well-above-average defense at first base. However, this year Pratto learned how to lift the ball by improving his launch angle, and he’s bashed 28 home runs and driven in 77 runs between Double A and Triple A. He is a much better overall prospect than many are rating him.

7. Alek Thomas, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Age: 21
Bats: L Throws: L
Height: 5-11 Weight: 175
Scouting Grades: HIT: 60 PWR: 50 RUN: 60 ARM: 40 FLD: 65

Thomas is going to hit for high average, thanks to a short, quick, compact swing that results in consistent sweet-spot contact and an ability to spray the ball around the outfield grass. His power is just average, which is the main reason he didn’t make the top 50. Thomas has a high baseball IQ. He makes solid reads in the outfield, gets good jumps on balls and shows plus range, which help make up for a below-average arm. Thomas still has some work to do stealing bases as he gets caught too often, considering his raw speed. (He has stolen 37 bags but has been caught 21 times in three minor-league seasons.) He’s an interesting prospect with strong hit and field tools but not enough power, base-running success or throwing arm to make my top 50 this year.

8. Luis Campusano, C, San Diego Padres
Age: 22
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 5-11 Weight: 232
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 60 RUN: 40 ARM: 65 FLD: 45

Campusano has compiled a tremendous offensive minor-league career, slashing .301/.370/.469 with 67 doubles, 37 home runs and 191 RBIs in 1,108 at-bats. He hasn’t been able to translate that to the major leagues yet, but he’s garnered only 37 at-bats. There is no doubt in my mind he’s going to hit for average with at least 15 home run power. Defensively, Campusano has a great arm but threw out only 21 percent of base stealers in four minor-league seasons. His game calling and pitch framing also need work.

9. Brett Baty, 3B, New York Mets
Age: 21
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 6-3 Weight: 210
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55 PWR: 60 RUN: 45 ARM: 55 FLD: 45

Baty’s opposite-field power is as good as his pull power, which shows how well he covers the outside part of the plate on high-velocity and offspeed pitches. This season at High A and Double A, Baty has slashed .291/.378/.471 with 21 doubles and 12 home runs in 378 plate appearances. Defensively, he’s a below-average third baseman with a below-average running tool but a plus arm. He’s athletic for his size and has a strong work ethic. In time, I think he could develop into an average defender. Overall, I see him as an average everyday major leaguer with no special tools but a chance to be an overachiever, like what Justin Turner became with the Dodgers.

10. Oneil Cruz, SS, Pittsburgh Pirates
Age: 22
Bats: L Throws: R
Height: 6-7 Weight: 210
Scouting Grades: HIT: 50 PWR: 55 RUN: 55 ARM: 75 FLD: 45

Cruz is an intriguing prospect whom I’ve ranked lower than most only because of the challenges his 6-foot-7 frame presents at the plate and in the field. That said, Cruz deserves credit for consistently hitting around .290 and getting on base at a 35 percent clip over his last three minor-league seasons. He has tremendous raw power in batting practice, but shows average, 15-20 home run power in games. He’s a below-average defender at shortstop with a rifle of an arm. I’ve never believed he’d stick at shortstop, but the Pirates have been slow to move him, and he has held his own. (Cruz injured his right forearm in late June just as he was about to start getting playing time in the outfield at Double-A Altoona; he returned Aug. 20 but has played only shortstop and designated hitter since then.)

(Photo of Sal Frelick: Stew Milne / Associated Press)
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Bert Handsome · Sep 1, 2021

Emma · Sep 7, 2021

Throw in speed and an arm

Bert Handsome · Sep 11, 2021

Emma · Sep 11, 2021

Blessed to have great pbp

Emma · Sep 11, 2021

Dr. Richard Cranium tradercane you catch the game?

Bert Handsome · Sep 11, 2021

No just checked the box score. Holy shit

Emma · Sep 11, 2021

Yup, unfortunate Burnes couldn't get the 9th, but injuries and a ring and all

Emma · Sep 23, 2021

What do we do with Yeli? Stop at a Culver's and ditch him as he's ordering a butterburger and shake?

Fran Tarkenton · Sep 25, 2021

Was a fun stadium. Its held up well for its age.

Bert Handsome · May 22, 2022

We are really good at bumslaying

Bert Handsome · Jun 10, 2022

Christ

Emma · Jun 10, 2022

Emma · Jun 10, 2022

tmb

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