Brewers sign Eric Thames (3 years)

[hawing]

Came very close to ordering a Thames shirtsey online, will probably happen in the next couple of weeks.

The Brewers just started selling Thames shirseys last night. Adam McCalvy reports that the delay was due to Thames not having signed off on having his name and number on a shirt. His absence from the MLB resulted in his not even thinking about that issue.

[Ennder]

The HRs won't keep up obviously but his approach at the plate is at an elite level. He hits the ball with authority. I think he is going to stay an all star caliber player even when he isn't hot anymore.

[MrTPlush]

The HRs won't keep up obviously but his approach at the plate is at an elite level. He hits the ball with authority. I think he is going to stay an all star caliber player even when he isn't hot anymore.

 

The scariest thing isn't even the HRs it is everything else about his offensive game that is mind boggling.

 

LHPs? .571 AVG

Doesn't swing outside the zone

Doesn't chase the high fastball

Shift? No problem

Power against lefties? 4 HRs in 14 ABs

 

 

One of his last homeruns a lefty threw him some type of breaking pitch(slider?) OFF THE PLATE outside tailing away from him and he casually dumped it over the LF wall. It doesn't make sense. This isn't just some guy hitting some HRs, but deep down is a poor batter. The dude is doing everything. It is almost impossible to try and even rationalize.

[MadScientist]

3 random drug tests already this year.

 

The hunt is on!

 

Maybe not blue?

 

Definitely not a blue statement. Clearly they are trying everything to catch Thames if there is anything to catch.

 

Yea. Like I mentioned in the other thread, it seems like MLB is on a witch hunt to catch people. Random tests...twice within a week? Cmon.

 

I'm not up on the latest PED's, which one can make a player not swing at junk outside the zone?

[bork]

Just as impressive is that he is on pace for 103 walks and 184 runs. So if pitchers start being more careful with him, Braun and Shaw will have plenty of RBI opportunities.

[fondybrewfan]

Just imagine his numbers if the guys ahead of him were getting on base. He doesn't get a lot of opportunities with 8, 9 and Villar at 1 ahead of him right now.

[Warning Track Power]

The most amazing thing I have seen in this entire streak...people pitching around Thames to get to Braun. That is something I never thought I would see as long as Braun was still Braun.

[gregmag]

Here's something mildly interesting, or at least it surprised me. This is about WAR numbers, so please assume I understand all the caveats about small-sample WAR and take this as fun with stats, for whatever it's worth:

 

This is based on the WAR numbers that ESPN uses, which I assume is bWAR because Fangraphs looks very different. ESPN has Thames at 1.8 oWAR and -0.3 dWAR, so 1.5 total. For 22 games that's obviously impressive -- MVP-level play.

 

Another Brewer, though, has put up 1.4 total WAR (0.8 oWAR + 0.6 dWAR), with only about 60 percent of the PA Thames has gotten. If bWAR is right, then, the Brewers' best player to this point hasn't actually been Eric Thames. It's been . . . Manny Pina.

 

(FWIW, Fangraphs has Thames at 1.9 total WAR and Pina at 0.9.)

[MadScientist]

The HRs won't keep up obviously but his approach at the plate is at an elite level. He hits the ball with authority. I think he is going to stay an all star caliber player even when he isn't hot anymore.

 

The scariest thing isn't even the HRs it is everything else about his offensive game that is mind boggling.

 

LHPs? .571 AVG

Doesn't swing outside the zone

Doesn't chase the high fastball

Shift? No problem

Power against lefties? 4 HRs in 14 ABs

 

 

One of his last homeruns a lefty threw him some type of breaking pitch(slider?) OFF THE PLATE outside tailing away from him and he casually dumped it over the LF wall. It doesn't make sense. This isn't just some guy hitting some HRs, but deep down is a poor batter. The dude is doing everything. It is almost impossible to try and even rationalize.

Gotta just enjoy the ride while it lasts. As a point of reference, after Rob Deer had 9 HR in the first 18 games of 1987 and had a slash line of .362/.444/.826/1.271, but finished with .238/.360/.456/.816 (28 HR).

[Ennder]

Well you can quote all kinds of people with hot starts that didn't keep it up, that is why I look at things like out of zone swing rate, swinging strikes, aEV etc. All of the underlying stats that becomes useful data way faster than the traditional stats look like the real deal. In a case like Trevor Story who hit 10 HR last April the background stats screamed fluke.

[gregmag]

Well you can quote all kinds of people with hot starts that didn't keep it up, that is why I look at things like out of zone swing rate, swinging strikes, aEV etc. All of the underlying stats that becomes useful data way faster than the traditional stats look like the real deal. In a case like Trevor Story who hit 10 HR last April the background stats screamed fluke.

This makes sense to me. The one thing I've seen that might cut the other way was in a Fangraphs comment, where the poster showed that Thames has had a very normal distribution of grounders, fly balls, and line drives. His argument was that it's very hard to have a great season with that normal distribution (presumably you want more line drives and fewer fly balls). I don't know whether the premise is correct; I've never seen data on that.

[jerichoholicninja]

Here's something mildly interesting, or at least it surprised me. This is about WAR numbers, so please assume I understand all the caveats about small-sample WAR and take this as fun with stats, for whatever it's worth:

 

This is based on the WAR numbers that ESPN uses, which I assume is bWAR because Fangraphs looks very different. ESPN has Thames at 1.8 oWAR and -0.3 dWAR, so 1.5 total. For 22 games that's obviously impressive -- MVP-level play.

 

Another Brewer, though, has put up 1.4 total WAR (0.8 oWAR + 0.6 dWAR), with only about 60 percent of the PA Thames has gotten. If bWAR is right, then, the Brewers' best player to this point hasn't actually been Eric Thames. It's been . . . Manny Pina.

 

(FWIW, Fangraphs has Thames at 1.9 total WAR and Pina at 0.9.)

 

If WAR takes position into consider, I would believe that. 1.000+ OPS for a catcher (anyone really) is pretty good.

[MadScientist]

Well you can quote all kinds of people with hot starts that didn't keep it up, that is why I look at things like out of zone swing rate, swinging strikes, aEV etc. All of the underlying stats that becomes useful data way faster than the traditional stats look like the real deal. In a case like Trevor Story who hit 10 HR last April the background stats screamed fluke.

Wasn't saying Thames will drop all the way down to Deer territory, just that this ridiculous hot start will cool off possibly a fair amount. I do like Thames approach, so I don't see extended slumps unless pitchers find a hole in his swing.

 

Thames will regress back to his norm, we just don't know what his norm is just yet. In any event, enjoy the ride while we can.

[Noche]

More proof that when your best hitter is in the 2nd spot, you will maximize your scoring output all other things being equal.

[dlk9s]

No homer today. DFA Thames.

[Roderick]

Anyone think his hamstring issue was because the Brewers had him running on Braun's full count with one out and Braun kept fouling off pitches so Thames ran to second base about 7 times? Eventually Braun struck out and Thames thrown out.

[homer]

No homer today. DFA Thames.

 

 

I'm here.

[tmwiese55]

Yup, sell high.

[FVBrewerFan]

No HR today either. That's two days in a row!!!

[CheezWizHed]

No homer today. DFA Thames.

 

 

I'm here.

 

Twice recently, I've been on time for a sparsely attended meeting and the meeting originator comes in and announces, "Where is everybody?" To which I reply, "What am I? Chopped liver?" The answer both times was "Yes".

 

[sarcasm]Sorry, you don't count.[/sarcasm]

[Dragonbait]

Really good article over at CBS Sports:

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-remains-only-major-pro-sport-in-usa-where-players-are-shamed-for-playing-better/

[stoutdude04]

Just got his 4th RANDOM test.

[adambr2]

Getting a little ridiculous. They're not even trying to pretend anymore that there isn't anything fishy about this process.

 

No one gets 'randomly' tested 4 times in a month. Come on.

[jerichoholicninja]

Just got his 4th RANDOM test.

 

I thought players could only be tested 3 times a year unless they'd previously failed a test.

[adambr2]

Just got his 4th RANDOM test.

 

I thought players could only be tested 3 times a year unless they'd previously failed a test.

 

There's no limit anymore. Still, I'd be all over this if I was the MLBPA. It's clearly not random which I believe is in violation of their joint agreement.