How Well Do the Brewers Do the Things That Don't Show Up in the Box Score?

Growing up as a Brewers fan who was not living in the Milwaukee area, I didn’t get to watch the Brewers games, unless they aired on a local network against the local team. That left me looking at box scores and often maybe three paragraphs of descriptions. This is why Jim Gantner ranked fifth among all-time Brewers second basemen in my estimation, while Rickie Weeks took the top spot.

Those who saw him day in and day out and saw what he did on and off the field may rank him higher than I did, in an extremely limited view in the days before one could listen to Bob Uecker through Gameday audio or follow the team closely on the World Wide Web.

So, what are some of the things that don’t show up in a box score?

The Types Of Putouts and Assists That Happen

Putouts and assists seem very straightforward. A fielder either tagged the runner or stepped on the bag to put the runner out, or they threw the ball to another fielder who did the same. Sounds simple, right?

Not so much. In November 2016, manager Craig Counsell made the same point when discussing Orlando Arcia after his rookie year, during a forum at Miller Park–saying that despite times Arcia went 0-for-4, he still had good games and helped the Brewers win.
Well, it is before you realize that these box score numbers don’t tell the whole tale. A lazy fly ball to center caught by Joey Wiemer is treated the same way as a sinking line drive in right center that Wiemer has to sprint 25 yards and stretch out to catch or when he scales the wall to take away a home run.

The same goes for assists. A routine grounder to second that Brice Turang scoops up to throw to Rowdy Tellez at first is the same as one he has to dive to stop, and flip to Willy Adames to get a force out at second, or the sharp throw to nail a runner at the plate.
Both Turang and Wiemer have struggled at the plate early on, although Turang’s posted a .391 OBP his last seven games and Wiemer had a monster game against the Dodgers May 8. But both are making a lot of the tough defensive plays.

Taking The Extra Base

Stolen bases get noted in the box score, but what often is missed is how well runners take an extra base. This is crucial, because taking an extra base can often give an offense options, particularly if it means a runner gets from first to third with less than two outs.

Take, for instance, Sunday’s game to complete the sweep of the Royals. Wiemer going from first to third opened up second base for Christian Yelich to get his ninth steal. Add in a couple of errant throws, and what was a 4-2 deficit became a 4-4 tie, followed by four more runs. 

In other cases, taking that extra base means that a sacrifice fly or squeeze play can bring a run in. When the Brewers have Corbin Burnes or another ace on the mound ,just getting that run in can matter.

Do those extra bases taken show up in box scores? No. Do they matter? A lot.

The Clubhouse Factors

Then there is another non-box score factor: The clubhouse, or more precisely, how well a player fits into it. We know from coverage of the “lunch dates” players are having this season that the management of the team had determined it’s a factor. Former Brewers President of Baseball Operations David Stearns also admitted he underestimated the effect the Josh Hader trade had on the team.

So, how might clubhouse considerations fit in? For example, with potential trades of Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Adames, plus the looming free-agent departures of Jesse Winker and Wide Miley, the Brewers may want to extend proven commodities that aren’t necessarily superstars. Think Adrian Houser or Tellez, both of whom could provide extended stability on the pitching staff and at first base, respectively. Both are known quantities inside the clubhouse – and if the big names are traded, it may not hurt to have some veterans around. 

Obviously, this team has held together this year, despite being short-handed due to Woodruff, Aaron Ashby, Garrett Mitchell, and Luis Urias being on the injured list. In addition, it's obvious that even with some players not doing so well statistically, the team is more than holding its own, maintaining a one-game lead over the Pirates. A significant share of that success can be attributed to what hasn’t shown up in the box scores.