2017-05-19: Brewers (Espino/MLB debut) at Cubs (Butler) 1:20 PM CDT [Brewers win, eventually, 6-3]

[Ennder]

Broxton is a below average MLB CF, you may convince me is more or less average. But I always see and hear the media glowing like he's one of the best or something.

 

 

The statcast catch probability metrics have him in the top 10.

[adambr2]

It's so hilarious watching professional major league baseball players turn into giant babies over bat flips.

[trwi7]

Espino is not impressive at all. Normal conditions the Cubs would legitimately have 3 homers off of him.

 

I have no idea if he's right, but Kerry Wood opined that Espino could be challenging hitters knowing that it will be hard to get a ball out of the yard. Who knows, really.

 

That's probably true but his stuff isn't any good either. It's not like he's challenging then with 95. He's challenging them with 89-91.

[adambr2]

Does a slide get you into 1st faster, or is it just instinct with these guys sometimes ?

[trwi7]

Counsell needs to put on Mythbusters when the check the faster to run through the base. Never ever slide into 1st unless the throw takes the fielder off the base and you have to slide to avoid him.

[adambr2]

Of course the day Augie is our color guy is the day that every pitcher has a good curve.

[adambr2]

Well, let's see if Sogard can stay hot.

[trwi7]

Does a slide get you into 1st faster, or is it just instinct with these guys sometimes ?

 

[liveforoctober]

DFA Sogard.

[FVBrewerFan]

Broxton is a below average MLB CF, you may convince me is more or less average. But I always see and hear the media glowing like he's one of the best or something.

 

 

The statcast catch probability metrics have him in the top 10.

 

Good for statcast. I don't believe in any defensive metrics, they are incredibly subjective. I realize eye test is subjective also, but as I watch various MLB games, there's a ton of really good CFers. So I'm not saying Broxton is horrible, it's just that by the standard today, Broxton is not anything more than average. I've seen him botch way too many plays that the really good MLB CFers make. Just my opinion, I realize I'm alone on a limb.

[adambr2]

Broxton is a below average MLB CF, you may convince me is more or less average. But I always see and hear the media glowing like he's one of the best or something.

 

 

The statcast catch probability metrics have him in the top 10.

 

Good for statcast. I don't believe in any defensive metrics, they are incredibly subjective. I realize eye test is subjective also, but as I watch various MLB games, there's a ton of really good CFers. So I'm not saying Broxton is horrible, it's just that by the standard today, Broxton is not anything more than average. I've seen him botch way too many plays that the really good MLB CFers make. Just my opinion, I realize I'm alone on a limb.

 

One thing the eye test probably isn't telling you, at least not clearly, is how many plays that a CFer like Nieuwenhuis for instance might make a great diving play on, on a play that Broxton would have run down easily and made look routine.

[trwi7]

Broxton looks bad or appears to look bad because of plays like that. He makes really difficult plays but he'll majorly screw up an easy play more than he should which makes people assume he's bad all the time.

[Roderick]

I've seen him botch way too many plays that the really good MLB CFers make. Just my opinion, I realize I'm alone on a limb.

 

Well he has had three discouraging plays within a week. So it is in recent memory. Hopefully he goes two months now without an issue.

[Ennder]

Well the eye test is the worst way to judge anything since you don't watch every game by every team. Also a play that Dyson makes look easy requires the best dive of his life for Adam Jones to catch. The eye test is horrible at tracking route efficiency, speed etc. Kevin Kiermaier is probably the best CF in the game unless Buxton has surpassed him and he made 3 errors in one series this year. It happens.

 

As for Broxton, that is the first ball all year he hasn't caught that had a 10% or lower catch expectancy. He has caught 6 of 7 in the 10-24% range. 2 of 3 in the 25-49% range. 3 of 5 in the 50 to 74% and 2 of 13 in the 0 to 25.

 

So what you are likely seeing is that he has had a lot of tries at really really hard catches and just barely missed a number of them.

 

Ryan Braun is 0 of 15 on such catches. Adam Jones is 0 of 12. Andrew McCutchen 0 of 11. Pillar 0 of 10, Mookie Betts 0 of 9. Those catches are just really hard to make.

[adambr2]

Why did they have to humanize Espino by showing his family and everything? Now I'm going to feel sad when he gets sent back down.

[trwi7]

Espino's wife is easy on the eyes.

[adambr2]

That was a hanger.

[LouisEly]

That's probably true but his stuff isn't any good either. It's not like he's challenging then with 95. He's challenging them with 89-91.

Fiers struck out 14 Cubs, including Baez and Rizzo a combined 5 times, challenging them with 89-91. It's where you put it and how you deceive them.

[trwi7]

Gee, Augie, you think Espino wanted that belt high curveball down a little more? You don't say.

[adambr2]

Not liking where this is going. Espino can't afford to pitch from behind every AB.

[adambr2]

Needed to put up more earlier when Butler was walking everyone. Going to be lucky not to let this one get away this inning.

[trwi7]

Jerry says Espino was trying to go on the inside part of the plate. Bandy was set up in the outside. He is brutal.

[trwi7]

Yeah, Espino is pretty terrible.

[adambr2]

Holy brutal frame job Bandy. That first pitch was actually in the zone but Bandy made it look like it was in the dirt.

 

This debut is going to crap in a real hurry.

[markedman5]

2nd time through no good for Espino