TheIrrelevantWriter

Halfway there 😉 best believe I screamed his entire trot 😆

Week 2 of the Milwaukee Metric Mix‑Up felt different. The glaring difference between the first week and the second one was how grounded everything felt. My predictions weren’t powered by pure vibes, caffeine, and whatever emotional turbulence the Brewers created that week. They were steadier, a little more analytical, and surprisingly accurate. It felt good to hit on a few calls, even if it meant I spent fewer innings cheering for chaos and more innings quietly tracking whether someone was about to walk for the third time. That is the price of responsibility, I guess, especially when the kids are asleep and I am trying not to yell at the TV like a feral raccoon in a Brewers hoodie. In honor of Father’s Day this past Sunday, enjoy this Dad‑Rock‑Themed Milwaukee Metric Mix‑Up for Week Three. We are leaning fully into the spirit of summer baseball, questionable musical choices, and the emotional chaos that comes with watching this team every night. So let’s lean into it. Let’s embrace the math, the vibes, the summer of "Divorced Dad Rock", and the hope that the Brewers give us something loud to write about. Let’s have an electric week and make some picks. Today’s Line Up: 1. Jackson Chourio (R) LF 2. Brice Turang (L) 2B 3. William Contreras (R) DH 4. Andrew Vaughn (R) 1B 5. Jake Bauers (L) RF 6. Gary Sanchez (R) C 7. Blake Perkins (R) CF 8. Cooper Pratt (R) SS 9. Joey Ortiz (R) 3B SP: Brandon Sproat RHP 1-4, 5.94 ERA 63 SO Games This Week (6/24-6/30) 6/24 Reds 6/25 OFF 6/26 Cubs 6/27 Cubs 6/28 Cubs 6/29 Reds 6/30 Reds Metric Mix-up: . Jackson Chourio — LF YTD Stats: AVG .294 | OBP .347 | SLG .528 | 10 HR | 5 SB | 139 OPS+ Prediction: 3 RBI Chourio has been driving the ball with authority, and his ability to produce with runners on has quietly become one of the Brewers’ most reliable traits. With every game at home this week, he should see plenty of traffic in front of him. All he needs to do is stay locked in and keep "Rollin'" at the plate. Brice Turang — 2B YTD Stats: AVG .263 | OBP .372 | SLG .456 | 11 HR | 12 SB | 129 OPS+ Prediction: 2 3B Turang’s gap power and speed make him one of the most dangerous players in the league when he gets a pitch he can drive. Two triples is bold, but his swing path and aggression fit the prediction. He can create the chaos. He is the Brewers’ Captain America. It is time for Brice Turang to stand up and say “Imma do things ‘My Way’.” William Contreras — C YTD Stats: AVG .295 | OBP .357 | SLG .413 | 7 HR | 1 SB | 113 OPS+ Prediction: 4 BB Contreras has been controlling the zone and forcing pitchers into uncomfortable counts, especially at home. His patience has been trending upward, and this feels like a week where he can quietly rack up free passes without needing to chase production. If he keeps guiding the offense with that steady presence, it will feel like he is saying “It’s My Life.” Andrew Vaughn — 1B YTD Stats: AVG .349 | OBP .432 | SLG .523 | 2 HR | 0 SB | 164 OPS+ Prediction: 3 R Vaughn continues to reach base at an elite clip, and the hitters behind him are starting to heat up. Three runs feels like the natural outcome of his consistency. If he keeps avoiding the pitches that give him trouble, he might just turn this week into his own version of “It’s Not My Time.” Jake Bauers — RF YTD Stats: AVG .266 | OBP .371 | SLG .489 | 13 HR | 5 SB | 137 OPS+ Prediction: 1 2B Bauers has been living in the extremes, either launching balls or rolling over on them. A double feels like the perfect middle ground for a hitter who has been oscillating between gap shots and moonshots. If he finds his timing early in the homestand, he could turn this week into his own personal “Headstrong” highlight reel. Gary Sanchez — C YTD Stats: AVG .222 | OBP .366 | SLG .453 | 7 HR | 0 SB | 126 OPS+ Prediction: 4 SO Sánchez is still taking aggressive swings, and with Milwaukee facing pitchers who like to challenge hitters up in the zone, he is going to have to fight through some tough at‑bats. The strikeouts will come with the territory, but the power threat keeps him in every plate appearance. Gary is going to be Gary, and lets see if he will be "Breaking the Habit" this week. Blake Perkins — CF YTD Stats: AVG .157 | OBP .247 | SLG .253 | 1 HR | 3 SB | 40 OPS+ Prediction: 2 H Perkins has been fighting it at the plate, but he still finds ways to sneak a couple hits into every rough stretch. Two hits is modest, but it fits the role he is in right now. Blake, you showed everyone you can square up one of the best pitchers in the league against Cristopher Sánchez, but now you need to keep pushing your game “Higher” and build on it. Cooper Pratt — SS YTD Stats: AVG .350 | OBP .391 | SLG .350 | 0 HR | 3 SB | 108 OPS+ Prediction: 1 HR Pratt has been putting together mature at‑bats, and the swing is clean enough to run into one. A first big‑league homer during a full Milwaukee homestand feels like the exact kind of baseball moment the universe likes to script. If he connects, the whole dugout might start shouting “Bring Me to Life.” Joey Ortiz — 3B YTD Stats: AVG .203 | OBP .287 | SLG .253 | 1 HR | 5 SB | 52 OPS+ Prediction: 4 SB Four steals is bold, but the matchups and home environment give him a real chance to make noise. What the Brewers need from Ortiz this week is simple. "In the End" he needs to find a way to get on base and keep moving. Baseball in June is a strange mix of hope, frustration, and the kind of stubborn optimism only dads and Brewers fans truly understand. This week’s predictions carry all of that energy, wrapped in guitar riffs and questionable early‑2000s nostalgia. So here’s to a full homestand, a loud crowd, and a team that keeps giving us reasons to believe. Let’s make Week Three one worth remembering. Metric Mix-Up Week 2 Results Alright, that’s enough dad‑rock for one week. Let’s drop the guitar riffs, pick the bat back up, and take a look at how last week’s predictions actually played out: Yelich — 3 BB Result: 3 Nailed it. A rare moment of competence. Chourio — 5 H Result: 5 Perfect. I’ll take the win and pretend I meant it with confidence. Turang — 1 SB Result: 0 Brice decided stealing bases was beneath him this week. Contreras — 2 HR Result: 1 Halfway there, which is basically a win in my world. Bauers — 2 2B Result: 0 The gap‑shot lifestyle was closed for renovations. (Cool Triple tonight, bro👍) Vaughn — < 4 SO Result: 2 Correct. Vaughn stayed chill and kept the bat moving. Mitchell — 4 R Result: 2 He got on base. The lineup behind him did not cooperate. Pratt — 3 RBI Result: 2 One swing away from making me look like a genius. Hamilton — 1 3B Result: 0 No turbo button this week. CheezWizHed’s Scorecard As promised, CheezWizHed officially joins the Metric Mix‑Up scoreboard, and he came out swinging. Chourio — 5 H Result: 5 Perfect. Man called it like he had access to the dugout iPad. Yelich — 3 BB Result: 3 Another bullseye. Yeli walked exactly on brand. Turang — 1 SB Result: 0 Even Cheez couldn’t convince Brice to hit the gas this week. Vaughn — < 4 SO Result: 2 Correct again; Vaughn cruised under the bar. Pratt — 3 RBI Result: 2 Close, and the logic was solid. Pratt almost made him pay for calling this the toughest one. Final tally for the week: 3‑for‑5. Add in his 1‑for‑1 from last week, and CheezWizHed sits at 4‑for‑6 overall: a scorching start for the star PH. Meanwhile, I’m sitting at 4‑for‑18, which means Cheez currently has a higher batting average than half the league and my predictions are hitting like a pitcher in an interleague game. Lower your expectations, -Irrelevant Follow a writer on X whose relevancy cannot be understated: @IrrelevantRiter

This is awesome! I bought a few packs of Draft Pick cards a few years ago and I pulled this sick Dylan O’rae auto and I have been tracking him for a few years. Unfortunately the site does not favor Mr. O’Rae so retirement plans are on hold. But this is such a cool tool! Thank you for sharing!

that was fun.. lets never do that again.

"And that day, Joey succeeded the only way Joey knew how."

I'm playing a game in the blogs here and I predicted Turang to get a stolen base this week, and he hasn't even attempted one so I 2nd this.

Brice almost over jumped that too haha

LOOK AT ASHBY TWIRLING THE DAMN PILL! that pitch was nasty against Cincinnati Sal

2 of Ashby's last 3 appearances have come with an aLi above 2. putting him in high leverage positions is the cost of his success. He NEEDS to make the most of it today.

nope :'(

Matt Chapman would be better than both right now and the Giants should be forced to eat most of his contract but it won't happen.. I wish it would though.

10 ks through 6 innings.... think Ashby gets the 7th?

Levering... jinxed it again... wow

Pratt for Ortiz would be insane but I would absolutely love it.

sweet baby jesus he's on his game tonight..

I understand all of the nerves about Woody, but I mean, I believe he's playing with house money at this point I would not have faulted him if he would have retired at any point of this season to date due to medical. Who knows what tomorrow will bring so lets just enjoy this Maestro of a performance.

The "honor system" on the 2 seconds for the ABS is laughable. Stephenson was within 2 seconds I think but they just need to say Ump discretion at this point if there isn't going to be any type of hard rule on "you took too long"

We have a Maddux that throws 105... and one that throws 85...

in the 3 games Singer pitched against the Brewers last year, he started looking really rough in the 4th inning and he gave up 3 runs each of those games. Just speaking it into existence.

Another week of Brewers baseball is in the books, and if you’re feeling a little whiplash, congratulations: you watched the games. Milwaukee went 3–3 in a stretch that started with two convincing wins in Cleveland, dipped into a three‑game pit of blown leads and walk‑offs, and then somehow ended with an eight‑run second inning in Atlanta that felt like someone finally kicked the jukebox. It was a week where the bullpen was asked to do everything: protect leads, stop bleeding, survive chaos, and occasionally just hold on for dear life. And in the middle of all that, we saw three very different stories unfold; one about trust, one about stability, and one about the cost of success. Without further ado, let’s take the walk up to the mound. Chad Patrick: Trust, Tough Love, and a Three‑Inning Answer If there was one reliever who defined the week, it was Chad Patrick, not because he was perfect, but because he was trusted. And that trust came straight from Pat Murphy, who coached this week like a dad who knows when to put a hand on your shoulder and when to shove you back out there to figure it out. After the Las Vegas meltdown, fans were circling Patrick like sharks. The easy move (the modern baseball move) would’ve been to hide him. Murph didn’t do that. He handed Patrick real innings and essentially said: “Go pitch. Go learn. Go grow. I’m not pulling the plug on you.” And Patrick took that opportunity and ran with it. 6.1 innings 9 strikeouts 2.84 ERA 2.79 FIP 16 swinging strikes A three‑inning save in Atlanta Patrick has been finding the strike zone and missing lumber all week, posting a 12.8 K/9 that shows he’s sharpening up. Just like a Blacksmith, in order to sharpen, you need a bit of heat. He pitched like someone trying to claw his way back into the rotation, or maybe just someone fighting to keep his job. Either way, the progress is real, and it’s impossible to ignore. This was a pitcher taking the trust he was given and turning it into momentum. Trevor Megill: From Wobbling to Steadying the Ship If Patrick was the week’s surprise, Trevor Megill was the week’s reminder that progress doesn’t always look like dominance, sometimes it just looks like a guy finally standing on solid ground again. Megill entered May looking like a closer in name only (barely). The numbers were rough and every save opportunity felt like a coin flip with a dent in it. Before May: 0–2 4 saves 1 blown 13 K in 11 IP 6.55 ERA But since the calendar flipped to May? Since May 1st: 1–0 5 saves 1 blown 24 K in 16 IP 2.25 ERA He’s not “dominant Megill”… yet but he’s no longer the liability he was in April. And this week was another step forward: 2 scoreless innings 0 hits 3 strikeouts 0.307 WPA aLI over 2.0= Murphy trusted him with the highest‑stress moments of the week Megill pitched like a guy who finally stopped fighting himself. The delivery looked calmer. The misses were competitive. The fastball had intent instead of panic. He’s become something far more valuable to a bullpen that’s been stretched thin: A stabilizer. A grown‑up inning. A guy you can hand the ball to without bracing for impact. Aaron Ashby: The Weight of Opportunity If Patrick’s week was about trust and Megill’s was about stability, Aaron Ashby’s week was about something a little heavier: the weight that comes with success. Seven days ago, I was bragging about the Brewers’ secret bearded, goggled weapon; the guy who’d quietly become one of the most reliable arms in the bullpen. And then baseball did what baseball always does: it reminded us that the moment you start thriving, the game starts handing you bigger moments. Ashby didn’t pitch poorly this week. He pitched in bigger situations than he’s ever been asked to handle. 3 games 2.1 innings 3 ER 2 blown saves Walk‑off HR to Albies -0.948 WPA And that’s the point. Ashby’s leverage has skyrocketed because he earned it. The “closer by committee” approach means the hot hand gets the fire, and Ashby has been the hot hand for a month. This week was the bill coming due for his own success. He was no longer hidden in easy spots, no longer pitching with a cushion, but trusted with the ball in the highest-pressure moments. Ashby’s week was a collision with the reality of high‑leverage baseball. The stuff is still there. The confidence is still there. The role just got bigger, faster than anyone expected. And if this bullpen is going to survive the long haul, they’re going to need him to learn from this week, not run from it. Closing: A Week Defined by Trust, Tests, and Turning Points If there’s a theme to this week on the mound, it’s that the Brewers’ bullpen grew while they pitched. Growth comes in a lot of different forms. Most of the time it’s character development (Patrick). Other times it’s redemption (Megill). And yes, there is always a bit of emotional damage (Ashby). But the growth will be present regardless. Chad Patrick showed what can happen when a manager believes in you more than the moment does. Trevor Megill reminded everyone that stability isn’t a switch you flip, it’s something you build one pitch at a time. And Aaron Ashby learned the hard truth that success doesn’t make the game easier; it just hands you tougher assignments. Three different pitchers. Three different arcs. One bullpen trying to find its identity in real time. The Brewers went 3–3, but the record doesn’t tell the whole story. The bullpen did. And if this week was any indication, the pieces are there. The question now is whether they can keep growing in the right direction. Because if Patrick keeps sharpening, if Megill keeps steadying, and if Ashby learns from the fire instead of fearing it, this group might come out of June looking a whole lot more dangerous than they did going in. Milwaukee Metric Mix-up Week 2 Update Yelich — 3 BB = 3 Chourio — 5 H = 4 Turang — 1 SB = 0 Contreras — 2 HR = 1 Bauers — 2 2B = 0 Vaughn — < 4 SO = 2 Mitchell — 4 R = 1 Pratt — 3 RBI = 2 Hamilton — 1 3B = 0 Check in tomorrow night after the game for the results and next week's lineup for Week 3 of the Milwaukee Metric Mix-up. Lower your expectations, -Irrelevant Follow a writer on X whose relevance cannot be understated: @IrrelevantRiter

I absolutely love his enthusiasm for Pokémon. My kids love Pokemon and because of that, they love the Miz. The reach (pun intended) that Jacob Misiorowski has to get baseball in front of people that would have otherwise not been interested in it, is insane. I really liked this piece! Thank you for putting the effort into this that it deserves!

I appreciate the feedback! I’m definitely going to work more outliers back in, this week was just a little suicide‑squeeze attempt to get on the board haha.

Willy Adames was a Brewer from 2021 through 2024, and in that time, he became one of the most productive and durable players Milwaukee has had in the last decade. In 548 games with the Crew, he slashed .244/.324/.457 with an .781 OPS and a 121 OPS+, piling up 511 hits, 119 doubles, 107 homers, 348 RBI, 38 steals, and nearly a thousand total bases. Four straight years of showing up, playing elite defense, and carrying the offense through more than a few dry spells. He was the heartbeat of the infield and a huge part of the clubhouse identity. But baseball moves fast, and the last week has been rough for him in San Francisco. His last five games tell the story of a guy pressing hard: 1-for-20, no extra-base hits 0 RBI, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts Negative WPA in all five games A pair of multi‑strikeout nights and no real impact swings It’s the kind of stretch where you can feel the frustration in the box score, a player trying to carry the load he was brought in to carry, even if the results aren’t following. He’s still taking the at‑bats, still taking the responsibility, still trying to be the guy the Giants signed him to be. The production just isn’t there right now. And that’s where the trade block comes in. Because sometimes a player doesn’t need a lecture, or a demotion, or a new swing thought; sometimes he just needs a reset. A new clubhouse, a new voice, a new ballpark, a new set of expectations. Willy’s been that guy before: the spark plug who walks into a room and changes the temperature. And after a stretch like this, you can’t help but hope he lands somewhere that lets him be that version of himself again. Wherever he goes next, Brewers fans will be cheering for him to shine again.

Love this breakdown, and honestly, I feel way better about myself now that you’re backing more than one of my picks this week. The new system must be working.😆 Hopefully Cooper has his night tonight against the AL leader in wins!

You’re absolutely right. I guess I whiffed as bad as Bauers 😅 I missed that 8th‑inning hit against the Phillies, the Pratt news dropped right after the game and I didn’t even bother checking the box score in my disgust. My bad. Thanks for pointing it out, and HEY, you nailed your prediction that I would get right! I’ll take my 1‑for‑9 proudly on the chin. and put you in my box score as PH next week.