It’s early and hard to tell what we’ll remember most from this season. It might be the Jose Bautista home run or the Josh Donaldson performance. Conversely, it might be the tremendous 2015 rookie class. If you watched baseball this year, or even paid attention to it, you probably knew at some point that this […]
Category: Articles
Addressing a Potential Problem with David Stearns’ Roster Building
I will begin this by saying that I am a fan of what new Brewers GM David Stearns has done this offseason. He inherited a team with a promising farm system but little major-league talent, and he has spent this winter accumulating useful options. None of them are likely to break out, but many of […]
Which Brewer Had the Best Pitch in 2015?
Most fans of baseball seem to observe the game from a hitting-centric viewpoint. As Warren Spahn once quipped, “hitting is timing, pitching is upsetting timing.” This approach has never appealed to me — I think pitchers have a greater hand in the game than we credit them for. Aside from the fact that they succeed far […]
Introducing Catchella using Jonathan Lucroy Part 2: Holding the Runners
Two weeks ago, Baseball Prospectus released four new metrics that comprehensively measure a catcher’s positional contribution to the game. Whereas my colleague, Michael Bradburn, examined Jonathan Lucroy’s Called Strikes Above Average (CSAA) and Errant Pitches Above Average (EPAA), I will look at Lucroy’s Takeoff Rate Above Average (TRAA) and Swipe Rate Above Average (SRAA). If […]
Baseball’s Next Evolution: The National League DH
Back in October Ben Lindbergh looked at Kyle Schwarber and his squeamish defense. He talked to a few talent evaluators who weren’t high on his ability to play the outfield. One evaluator even described him as “unplayable.” Schwarber’s defensive struggles have been well-documented, but the early returns suggest that they have also been a bit overblown. While he’s not […]
Rolling Out the Barrel: How can there be a tank if we’re shedding WAR?
Folks, Brewers On Deck weekend has arrived! All your favorite Brewers will be there, except for Jonathan Lucroy, which makes us all very upset, dangit. Who’s this joker think he is answering questions honestly? Matt Garza will be there, so if you’re still furious at him about the way last season ended, you can yell mean […]
You Bet His Life: Setting Odds for Jonathan Lucroy’s New Employer
Jonathan Lucroy has kept the hot stove roaring into late January. First, Baseball Prospectus launched their new defensive catching metrics, and we were all reminded –despite his down 2015 — Lucroy has a long and deeply established track record as one of the best pitch framers of the modern era. Then, Lucroy had the audacity to […]
The Brewers and Bullpen Variability
Relief pitching has fascinated BP Milwaukee for quite some time. Back in July, Michael Bradburn mused on the Brewers bullpen’s success in spite of the team’s failure. In August, J.P. Breen highlighted the importance of a bullpen to a contending team. In November, Seth Victor summarized the club’s relief options and wondered what path they would take in 2016. […]
Correcting the Worst Decision in Brewers’ History
A couple months ago, our own Jack Moore wrote what I believe to be the most accurate article this site has posted: The Worst Decision in Brewers History. He correctly claimed that the organization’s biggest failure was its “ill-fated decision to ditch one of the greatest logo designs in sports history.” The design is perfect; […]
The Brewers and Prospect Promotion
A number of organizations are often characterized as being aggressive or conservative when it comes to promoting prospects to the majors. The Rays, for example, are famous for being cautious with calling up their prospects. On the other hand, a team such as the Marlins are known for quickly scooting their prospects through the minors and to the big […]