Chase Anderson carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and the Brewers never looked back after an early-inning outburst, beating the A’s 4-0. Top Play (WPA): With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, the Brewers had a 2-0 lead and runners on second and third when Jonathan Villar, one of the league’s hottest […]
Author: Seth Victor
What Does Will Smith’s Return Mean for the Bullpen?
During spring training, the Brewers’ stated plan was to use Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress as co-closers. Manager Craig Counsell said that he would not be choosing either to be his Opening Day closer, and this logic made a certain amount of sense. Neither Jeffress nor Smith was a Proven Closer, but both were successful […]
Game 53: Brewers 3 Cardinals 1
The Brewers did the world a favor, defeating the Cardinals 3-1 and notching another victory against the Best Team in Baseball™. Top Play (WPA): This was as straightforward a game as there can possibly be, at least in terms of WPA. The Brewers took the lead in the bottom of the first and were never […]
Jonathan Villar and Orlando Arcia Delay the Rebuild
There is no questioning the fact that the Brewers’ plan is for Orlando Arcia to be the shortstop of the future. However, when exactly “the future” will begin is a bit of a question mark at this point, as we are not yet at the Super Two deadline and Jonathan Villar has been playing very […]
Game 46 Recap: Brewers 3 Braves 2
The Brewers were able to pull out a 3-2 victory over Atlanta in yet another long game, proving once again that there are in fact tiers of terribleness. Top Play (WPA): After another solid outing from Junior Guerra, Chris Capuano allowed a two-run home run to Gordon Beckham, of all people, that put the Braves […]
Pitching Staff and the Rebuild
It’s no secret that the Brewers’ pitching staff has struggled tremendously this year: they rank last in baseball in DRA, are the only group to have posted negative WARP, and are leading only Cincinnati in FIP. And unfortunately for the Brewers, many of the culprits are young pitchers who the club was hoping to be […]
Game 40 recap: Cubs 2 Brewers 1
In a marathon affair lasting 13 innings, the Cubs beat the Brewers 2-1. Top Play (WPA): It will come as no surprise that the most impactful play from Wednesday’s game was the walk to Travis Wood with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the thirteenth. After struggling with his command all […]
The Impact of a Productive Middle of the Lineup
There can be no disputing the fact that the Brewers are rebuilding. The club spent the offseason taking on upside plays, and they are not and should not be in any hurry to make moves to improve on their current fourth-place standing. But that sub-.500 record is the mainly the fault of the pitchers; the […]
Game 34 Recap: Marlins 3 Brewers 2
On a night that was dominated by Max Scherzer’s 20-strikeout performance, the Brewers and Marlins played a relatively uneventful game that ended in a 3-2 win for Miami. Top Play (WPA): Chase Anderson has had a rough year so far; his 6.39 FIP is really bad, and it ranks ninth-worst among all pitchers with at […]
Carter’s Career Year Improvements
Chris Carter is having a career year thus far in 2016; as of last Sunday, his .344 TAv is by far the highest of his career, and his .283 batting average and .404 ISO are the key driving forces behind that increase. But the key question is how sustainable is this improvement? Carter is arbitration-eligible […]