2022 Brewers Offense

[TheEndless7]

Yelich is hitting .364 with an OBP of .529.  I'm fully confident that if he stays healthy and finishes the season with those numbers he'll be the MVP.

[BruisedCrew]

1 hour ago, TheEndless7 said:

Yelich is hitting .364 with an OBP of .529.  I'm fully confident that if he stays healthy and finishes the season with those numbers he'll be the MVP.

Those numbers look good but anyone who has seen every one of Yelich’s ABs can see that he hasn’t looked anything like the hitter that played in the first half of 2018, much less the MVP of the second half of 2018 and 2019 before the knee injury. 
 

I would like to see him drive a ball into the alleys once in a while.

[Jopal78]

Don't look now, but the Dodgers only scored 11 runs in 3 games against Colorado and dropped 2 out of 3. 

I hope I am wrong, but I have my doubts Cain, Hiura and McCutchen will offer much of anything this year. Cain and McCutchen due to age/injuries, Hiura only because we're approaching almost 3 years since he last tore the cover off the ball regularly still waiting for the turn around.

The rest of the regulars are all good, if not great players who are young enough that they should perform at least near the career averages; which if the pitching holds up their end of the bargain will be enough to win a lot of games. 

 

 

[BruisedCrew]

18 hours ago, MVP2110 said:

They were 6th in MLB in runs scored after the Adames trade. They absolutely went cold in the playoffs but judging anything off a 4 game sample is usually a terrible idea

They really went cold well before the playoffs. In September they were 12th in the NL in runs scored while they took their time trying to wrap up the division. So, basically they had two terrible offensive months to start the season (12th in NL at the time of the Adames trade), followed by 3 good months and capped off by another poor month.. Some of that was affected by various injuries, but there were also several regulars who floundered to the wire and that continued in the Braves series.

A significant part of the concern coming into this season is whether players like Adames, Urias, and Narvaez will contribute as much offensively as they did in 2021 and whether Renfroe can replace Garcia's production. It's certainly reasonable to question whether Adames can repeat the .365/.521/.886 he produced after joining the Brewers. And Urias getting injured and essentially missing all of the spring games doesn't help either.

Recognizing that the season is still in its pre-embryonic stages, any concerns about the offense certainly haven't been alleviated by the early season woes against some pretty mediocre pitchers.

[KeithStone53151]

4 hours ago, MVP2110 said:

"I see no possible chance we finish in the top 12 offensively this season, but we shall see" 

that's a quote from you earlier in this thread.  They finished 12th in runs scored per game last year. If you see no possible chance that happens again then you believe they are going to be worse than last season

But we're 4 games in, the season is already over. Why even watch the games anymore?

[Sixtolezcano]

20 hours ago, MVP2110 said:

What makes you think they'll fall off from last season? I do agree they probably need to be a top 10 offense to be a World Series contender but I also believe they are closer to a top 10 offense than a bottom 10 offense.

I don’t think you’ve watched any games yet this year. Or for that case the 2021 Brewer playoffs or last Sept. either. Lol!!!

[MVP2110]

19 minutes ago, Sixtolezcano said:

I don’t think you’ve watched any games yet this year. Or for that case the 2021 Brewer playoffs or last Sept. either. Lol!!!

Lol cause 4 games is clearly a sample size worth judging and adjusting your priors over. Or cherry picking specific parts of last season

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

15 hours ago, Sixtolezcano said:

I don’t think you’ve watched any games yet this year. Or for that case the 2021 Brewer playoffs or last Sept. either. Lol!!!

Why do fans do this? I get the frustration, but really?

[brewers888]

The concerns about the offense run way deeper than this awful stretch to start the season against mostly terrible pitching. The team ended last season with a thud and if you honestly look at the makeup of this lineup its just not very good any way you want to look at it.

Who besides Adames looks like a real consistent threat at the plate. Hopefully Yelich is that guy again but who knows after the last two seasons.

We've spent a ton of money on what looks like mediocre at best outfield and its hard to feel confident in the first base duo of Tellez and Keston. Yes it would be quite reactionary to kill the pitching staff for their bad start but in regards to the offense the concerns are more than valid.

[MVP2110]

14 minutes ago, brewers888 said:

The concerns about the offense run way deeper than this awful stretch to start the season against mostly terrible pitching. The team ended last season with a thud and if you honestly look at the makeup of this lineup its just not very good any way you want to look at it.

Who besides Adames looks like a real consistent threat at the plate. Hopefully Yelich is that guy again but who knows after the last two seasons.

We've spent a ton of money on what looks like mediocre at best outfield and its hard to feel confident in the first base duo of Tellez and Keston. Yes it would be quite reactionary to kill the pitching staff for their bad start but in regards to the offense the concerns are more than valid.

I think there is a large difference between saying this offense might not be elite versus saying this offense is one of the worst in all of baseball which I have seen some posters claim. I don't think anybody is trying to say the Brewers as currently constructed have a top 5 offense in MLB, but they were 12th in runs scored last season(were just outside top 5 after the Adames trade) and the only major changes in the offseason were to replace Avi for Renfroe(they had very similar seasons last year) and to add McCutchen. So this doom and gloom some posters are stating about having one of the worst offenses in all of MLB really seems unfounded and honestly perplexing. 

[SeaBass]

13 minutes ago, MVP2110 said:

I think there is a large difference between saying this offense might not be elite versus saying this offense is one of the worst in all of baseball which I have seen some posters claim. I don't think anybody is trying to say the Brewers as currently constructed have a top 5 offense in MLB, but they were 12th in runs scored last season(were just outside top 5 after the Adames trade) and the only major changes in the offseason were to replace Avi for Renfroe(they had very similar seasons last year) and to add McCutchen. So this doom and gloom some posters are stating about having one of the worst offenses in all of MLB really seems unfounded and honestly perplexing. 

Some people just prefer to wallow in negativity. This season has barely started and they just want to wrap themselves in last season's ending. Even if I was in that mindset I'd get tired of typing the same stuff out every single day. What are they doing, trying to recruit members to their weird cult of cancerous pessimism? The glass isn't even half empty to these folks, it's broken with a jagged rim too.

Edit: Before people accuse me of being unfair, sure I have moments of frustration and think "here we go again" sometimes. But I'm a Brewers fan. I don't want to just bash away at the team I'm rooting for. I'd think if I was that unhappy I'd just lose interest.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

2 minutes ago, SeaBass said:

Some people just prefer to wallow in negativity. This season has barely started and they just want to wrap themselves in last season's ending. Even if I was in that mindset I'd get tired of typing the same stuff out every single day. What are they doing, trying to recruit members to their weird cult of cancerous pessimism? The glass isn't even half empty to these folks, it's broken with a jagged rim too.

To be fair, a few of those who are wallowing in negativity have wallowed since their first post here. That's just the way some fans operate. If I've learned anything here over the years, and after dozens of squabbles with the pessimist portion of this site's membership, its that there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to be a fan. And while the pessimism still irks me, by engaging with those posters, you are really just giving them what they want ... i.e., an argument.

[SeaBass]

54 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

To be fair, a few of those who are wallowing in negativity have wallowed since their first post here. That's just the way some fans operate. If I've learned anything here over the years, and after dozens of squabbles with the pessimist portion of this site's membership, its that there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to be a fan. And while the pessimism still irks me, by engaging with those posters, you are really just giving them what they want ... i.e., an argument.

I hear you, I've been a pessimistic leaning fan in the past (mostly when it came to the Packers) and I never considered myself less of a fan so the concept isn't foreign to me.

I mostly resist responding, sometimes it gets to be a lot though. I've typed countless responses in the past and then deleted them without posting because it just wasn't worth it.

[jerichoholicninja]

Concern for the offense is not based on the first 4 games, or last year's playoff dud, or last September's collapse. It has been what has held the team back the last few seasons and Stearns does little to address it every offseason. I'm not "freaking out" about it right now because it's about what I expected.

[MVP2110]

11 minutes ago, jerichoholicninja said:

Concern for the offense is not based on the first 4 games, or last year's playoff dud, or last September's collapse. It has been what has held the team back the last few seasons and Stearns does little to address it every offseason. I'm not "freaking out" about it right now because it's about what I expected.

In 2018 the Brewers were 12th in runs scored at 4.63 runs per game, in 2021 the Brewers were 12th in runs scored at 4.56 runs per game. Last years offense was basically identical in production to 2018, a year where few were complaining about our offense

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 hours ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

If I've learned anything here over the years, and after dozens of squabbles with the pessimist portion of this site's membership, its that there really isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to be a fan.

There isn't but if we're being honest, there are more and less annoying ways to be a fan.

And like pretty much anything in life, persistent negativity wears on everyone else.

[MVP2110]

One thing I've seen alot of people complain about is the Brewers signing Cutch to be their DH, so I went and looked at who every other NL team started at DH on opening day

 

Cubs- Rafael Ortego

Cardinals- Albert Pujols

Pirates- Dan Vogelbach

Reds- Mike Moustakes

Mets- JD Davis

Braves- Alex Dickerson

Marlins- Jesus Aguilar

Nationals- Nelson Cruz

Phillies- Nick Castellanos

Giants- Darin Ruf

Dodgers- Justin Turner

Diamondbacks- Seth Beer

Padres- Luke Voit

Rockies- Connor Joe

 

So how many of those guys are better than what we signed with Cutch? Castellanos & Cruz are probably the only 2 surefire and even Cruz has significant age risk and could fall off at anytime

[Jim French Stepstool]

On 4/12/2022 at 10:50 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

Not really, I've seen teams do this across baseball with increasing frequency over the past 3-4 years. I'm not sure how effective it is but it's almost certainly effective to some degree.

I hate to think where we would've been last night had Cutch not been in a position to drive in some runs. I get it to a point....Counsell doesn't feel good about Wong leading off vs LHP & apparently no longer feels good about Cain being up there. I just think Cutch is ill-fitted for the leadoff spot & needs to be further down if his full value is to be realized.

     

[SeaBass]

12 minutes ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

I hate to think where we would've been last night had Cutch not been in a position to drive in some runs. I get it to a point....Counsell doesn't feel good about Wong leading off vs LHP & apparently no longer feels good about Cain being up there. I just think Cutch is ill-fitted for the leadoff spot & needs to be further down if his full value is to be realized.

     

Cutch vs. LHP

2018: .363 OBP & .819 OPS
2019: .429 OBP & .840 OPS
2020: .394 OBP & .944 OPS
2021: .405 OBP & 1.027 OPS

1st in batting order at bats per season

2018: 174 of a possible 569
2019: 219 of a possible 219
2020: 213 of a possible 217
2021: 161 of a possible 482

3 of the last 4 years he's had more at bats from the lead off spot than any other position in the batting order. That's total, not just against LHP.

[Robocaller]

On 4/12/2022 at 12:41 AM, Jim French Stepstool said:

I know many folks think who hits where in the batting order is immaterial, but I'm no fan of this McCutchen hitting cleanup vs RH & leading off vs LH nonsense. Otherwise I think Umphrey is correct in that they want to put themselves in the best spot they can, then strike the mid-season deal(s). That's been their M.O. for awhile, will continue to be, and IMO should be.

There is absolutely nothing surprising about a player hitting first or fourth, depending on the handedness of the pitcher, and depending on the other guys in the lineup (who might have different sorts of splits). Some guys walk a lot more against one handedness and hit for more power against the other.
What is surprising is McCutchen batting higher than 7th against RH hitters. In fact, he should probably be the 5th OF on days when a RH starts.

 

[stoutdude04]

4 minutes ago, Robocaller said:

There is absolutely nothing surprising about a player hitting first or fourth, depending on the handedness of the pitcher, and depending on the other guys in the lineup (who might have different sorts of splits). Some guys walk a lot more against one handedness and hit for more power against the other.
What is surprising is McCutchen batting higher than 7th against RH hitters. In fact, he should probably be the 5th OF on days when a RH starts.

 

I think that may change as the year progresses.  Riding the hot hand currently.  Maybe I am wrong though.

[Brock Beauchamp]

44 minutes ago, Robocaller said:

What is surprising is McCutchen batting higher than 7th against RH hitters. In fact, he should probably be the 5th OF on days when a RH starts.

Agreed. I'm surprised he's as high in the lineup as he is against RHP.

[yourout]

While they have not faced the cream of the pitching crop they have cut down on the strikeouts so far.

[KeithStone53151]

23 hours ago, brewers888 said:

The concerns about the offense run way deeper than this awful stretch to start the season against mostly terrible pitching. The team ended last season with a thud and if you honestly look at the makeup of this lineup its just not very good any way you want to look at it.

Who besides Adames looks like a real consistent threat at the plate. Hopefully Yelich is that guy again but who knows after the last two seasons.

We've spent a ton of money on what looks like mediocre at best outfield and its hard to feel confident in the first base duo of Tellez and Keston. Yes it would be quite reactionary to kill the pitching staff for their bad start but in regards to the offense the concerns are more than valid.

This lineup looks good on paper for sure, especially when you factor in defensive metrics. I get the impression that since we aren't the dodgers and don't have a legit all star or mvp candidate at every position that the offense just sucks...or something. You're also one of the primary people shedding all the tears in the in game threads and literally ruining those. 

[brewers888]

On 4/14/2022 at 9:52 AM, KeithStone53151 said:

This lineup looks good on paper for sure, especially when you factor in defensive metrics. I get the impression that since we aren't the dodgers and don't have a legit all star or mvp candidate at every position that the offense just sucks...or something. You're also one of the primary people shedding all the tears in the in game threads and literally ruining those. 

No this lineup does not look good on paper or in the batters box. The discussion is about the Brewers offense not whether or not a guy like Cain can offer value despite hitting like a pitcher.

This is probably a bottom 10 lineup in baseball and certainly as bad a lineup as there is for any team considered a potential championship team. As for my posts if you don't like them you are free to ignore them.