2017 Brewers Optimism Thread!

[FVBrewerFan]

Arcia still has 5 months to go, but at least now I have some faith he can actually hit "enough." If he can develop into an elite SS defensively (and he has the skills to get there) and hits around .725 I would be perfectly happy.

 

The other positive I've seen is Sedar. I would be willing to bet Counsell finally talked to him, because Sedar hasn't been as aggressive (stupid) the last couple weeks.

[brewfanks]

I do think it's s playoff caliber offense now.

 

I agree. If we can get any sort of stability in the rotation and bullpen this could be an interesting season. I felt the ceiling was .500 on this team. It still may be, and yes it's still really early, but this team feels very much like a .500 team so maybe the ceiling is a tad higher even?

[DuWayne Steurer]

Hernan Perez already has 6 walks. : o

 

Seriously though, as much as I/we expect guys like Bandy, Pina, Thames and such to cool off, we won't continue to get .600 OPS from rf, 2b, and CF forever either. Those guys will start to hit at some point. This very well could be a top-5 offense in the National League this year, as long as (crossing fingers!) they stay relatively healthy.

[MoreTrife]

Hernan Perez already has 6 walks. : o

 

Seriously though, as much as I/we expect guys like Bandy, Pina, Thames and such to cool off, we won't continue to get .600 OPS from rf, 2b, and CF forever either. Those guys will start to hit at some point. This very well could be a top-5 offense in the National League this year, as long as (crossing fingers!) they stay relatively healthy.

 

Right. While some are overperforming, just as many are underperforming. Broxton, Santana, Villar, Arcia to an extent. Not to mention on pitching side, missing Guerra, Davies underperforming and now one really overperforming except for Barnes. I'm optimistic.

[brewcrewdue80]

Arcia with B2B games of HRs just put his OPS on season above .700 added a long double to that HR today.

 

4th straight game 8runs or more scored.

Top 5 scoring team in the NL this year? Try shooting top 5 for all of MLB! The way its going. Stay Healthy Crew!

(Of course Yankees/Red Sox 4hr marathons 14-11 final score pads their stats well)

[JohnBriggs12]

Will management consider taking on some short term salary to boost the bullpen? Not an all in mentality for sure but it would be a shame not to give this offense a fighting chance.

[homer]

Will management consider taking on some short term salary to boost the bullpen? Not an all in mentality for sure but it would be a shame not to give this offense a fighting chance.

 

My hunch is they would try some guys from the minors first. And then maybe later on towards mid summer they might make a move.

[Matt Breen]

Will management consider taking on some short term salary to boost the bullpen? Not an all in mentality for sure but it would be a shame not to give this offense a fighting chance.

 

My hunch is they would try some guys form the minors first. And then maybe later on towards mid summer they might make a move.

I agree that they'll go minor leagues first. Scahill has pitched well. Cravy hasn't been bad. Plus, guys like Torres they're going to give more time to. I mean, he was good last year. And Feliz wasn't this terrible. They've not really pitched that much, so there's time to see improvement.

 

If the club is doing decent come mid-season, I could see them take on some salary and get a reliever or two. But it would have to be the right circumstance. The club isn't going to give up decent talent just to rent a reliever. So you need a team that's happy to just unload salary - and not want prospects.

 

The thing is to watch teams that are doing poorly and have assets that they are willing to get rid of without parting with good prospects. Unfortunately, all the contending teams will be doing the same thing. Pitching is always valued at the trade deadline.

[Thurston Fluff]

Given last season's reliever market at the deadline I wouldn't hold my breath on finding a useful one without giving up prospects. I also would not want them to give up prospects to try and get a wildcard this season. If they appear to be ready to contend use free agency to shore up a weak area and make a run next year while also keeping the farm system stocked for a longer run at relevance.

[homer]

If they were actually in the hunt for the playoffs I'd be ok trading a few kids but not one of their top tier prospects. Thing is, it's April. No reason to make any kind of move for a few months.

[Sixto]

Hindsight is 20/20 but just wondering what you guys think our record would be right now if we had kept our relievers from last year ?

[SomewhereInTime]

The bullpen hasn't been great, but it's not really relief pitching that's the problem. It's having just about the worst rotation in baseball. Everyone other than Anderson has been terrible this year and it puts a lot of stress on the pen when they have to go 4+ innings every night.

[homer]

Hindsight is 20/20 but just wondering what you guys think our record would be right now if we had kept our relievers from last year ?

 

Will Smith underwent Tommy John surgery, Tyler Thornburg hasn't thrown a pitch this year and isn't expected back until May 25, and Jeremy Jeffress has a 5.59 era and a 1.55 whip.

[Thurston Fluff]

Hindsight is 20/20 but just wondering what you guys think our record would be right now if we had kept our relievers from last year ?

 

Will Smith underwent Tommy John surgery, Tyler Thornburg hasn't thrown a pitch this year and isn't expected back until May 25, and Jeremy Jeffress has a 5.59 era and a 1.55 whip.

 

Which goes to show bullpens are always a question mark. Kind of the great equalizer in baseball. You can't buy a great bullpen as easily as starters. It might be why they are so valuable at the deadline as well. When going good, relievers have a huge amount of value to contending teams. Teams are willing to overpay during the season to win now. During the offseason that isn't always the case.

[adambr2]

Brewers have led in 24 out of 26 games (92.3%) this year. I don't know what that means, maybe nothing, but it's got to be the highest percentage in baseball.

[MoreTrife]

Brewers have led in 24 out of 26 games (92.3%) this year. I don't know what that means, maybe nothing, but it's got to be the highest percentage in baseball.

 

Wow! It's definitely felt that way too. Seems like whenever I check the score they are winning...then I turn it on and over half the time they blow it haha

[SomewhereInTime]

I'm not sure what's more impressive. Having a lead in that insane amount of games, or somehow only being 14-13 after having a lead in that many games.

 

Either way, our pitching top to bottom has been a dumpster fire, yet the team is still above .500 (and in first place as of tonight!!)

 

We've got a top flight offense right now, and plenty of pitchers in the minors doing pretty well and deserving of a callup soon. I'm pretty optimistic.

[torts]

http://christianstudents.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/first-place.png

[JohnBriggs12]

Technically their winning percentage is .001 behind the Cubs, but even with that they are tied with Dodgers for 2nd Wild Card too.

 

What's more impressive with this team is offensively they are getting contributions from up and down the lineup. The guys that started poorly have picked it up which is making up for the normal regressions for the hot starters. If Guerra is close to the Guerra of 2016, it could be a fun summer.

 

Oh they are going to blow leads late and that will hurt in meaningful games, but just having meaningful games is refreshing.

[pacopete4]

I hate to be the Debbie Downer here but we are not in 1st place. According to every site, we have a .519 winning % while the Cubs are at .520 and still holding down slot #1.

[JohnBriggs12]

I hate to be the Debbie Downer here but we are not in 1st place. According to every site, we have a .519 winning % while the Cubs are at .520 and still holding down slot #1.

 

If the season ended today, Brewers would be facing Dodgers with the winner getting Arizona in the NL wild card game. Kershaw and Greinke back to back? No problem.

[torts]

I hate to be the Debbie Downer here but we are not in 1st place. According to every site, we have a .519 winning % while the Cubs are at .520 and still holding down slot #1.

 

no worries my friend! While we may not be #1 on paper, we are #1 in all our hearts! FIRST PLACE HERE WE COME BABY! LETS DO THIS! LETS GET IT! LETS GO!

[yoshii8]

I like this Brewers team. I feel like 1-8 we are a pretty dangerous lineup. We have enough guys who can hit well where we can survive slumps from guys like Villar, Broxton and Santana. But all 3 of these guys have shown that they can carry a team if they get hot.

 

Our pitching needs to get more consistent, but there have been some really good starts from a few of the guys. That's w/ our ace, Junior Guerra getting hurt, and our #2 Davies starting to come around a little bit. Also, Knebel, Drake and Barnes have been solid out of the pen. Hopefully Feliz starts pitching better, otherwise I think we need to move him out of the closer role soon. I think eventually Espino and/or Cravy will be up and Marinez and Hughes will be DFA'd.

[MadScientist]

I hate to be the Debbie Downer here but we are not in 1st place. According to every site, we have a .519 winning % while the Cubs are at .520 and still holding down slot #1.

Nope, on this thread zero games back = a tie for first regardless of the fractional percentages (unless of course the Brewers had the higher percentage, in which case it would be a clear case of sole possession of first for the Brewers).

[stalton]

Listening to Uecker alot this season and he seems (for whatever reason) to be in better health/ spirits. I attribute that to the Brewers awesomeness this year so far.