Memory Lapse?

by richfry on Jun 2, 2008 12:50 PM CDT Comment 24 comments

I want to start out by saying that I was in favor of bringing up Russell Branyan from Nashville to bolster the flaying Brewer offence - although my idea was to have him replace Weeks with Hall or Dillion taking over at second base.

He sure is off to a great start. In limited action. BA, OBP, and SLG all exceed his lifetime figures. His SO and BB %'s are also up. What I can't understand is this. In 10 prior seasons, the pitchers always found his weaknesses everey time he played. Last year he could not hit .200 and had an OPS+ under 100 one of the few times in his career (lifetime 109). How can pitchers forget how to pitch him?

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Part of it is the fact it's only 30 PA

His numbers will start to come back down soon enough. You can find 30 PA samples for guys like Kendall (like this) and Cameron (see here) that are way above their lifetime numbers. Ryan Braun (though without the decade of experience) is in the midst of one right now.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jun 2, 2008 2:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yikes

Clicking through your link to the Kendall numbers piqued my curiosity and led me to discover that Kendall is 2-for-19 with a .332 OPS since being moved into the eight hole.

Derek Jeter is day to day after being hit by a pitch and being gorilla press slammed by a Bizarro Ray.

by KLSnow on Jun 2, 2008 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

improving

but in his last 2 games Kendall is 1 for 6 with .453 ops, and over his last 4 at bats, he’s 1 for 4 with a .650 ops. If that trend continues he should have a tiny sample .900 ops by wednesday.

Bring Back The Old Logo!

by jacob on Jun 2, 2008 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Depressing

Kendall’s been a quality defensive improvement and I can’t quantify his impact in the clubhouse. But his OPS+ is 78, identical to Estrada’s mark of 78 last year.

Whenever prince is at first, he should charge the mound and yell "MEAT!"

by Jordan M on Jun 2, 2008 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And a bit worse than the 84 he put up for the Cubs last year in almost exactly the same about of PAs

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jun 2, 2008 6:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Braun

was on a run like that for most of last year.

by keephopealive on Jun 2, 2008 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

for what its worth

Branyan reportedly said that he worked on his hitting in Nashville with the idea of K-ing less and becoming a more complete hitter.

by ol Pete on Jun 2, 2008 4:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

And yet somehow...

He’s still struck out 11 times in 24 official ABs.

Derek Jeter is day to day after being hit by a pitch and being gorilla press slammed by a Bizarro Ray.

by KLSnow on Jun 2, 2008 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder what he would've said

If he wasn’t known for striking out a lot.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jun 2, 2008 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I must not think bad thoughts?

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Jun 2, 2008 5:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

F you Jobu

I do it myself. Chickens scatter.

by molitorfan on Jun 2, 2008 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK, OK

I’LL hit in front of the pitcher. Sheesh. Bunch of babies.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 2, 2008 5:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ned's idea*

hit the pitcher leadoff. Then no one has to hit in front of him the first time through the order.

Note, this is not really Ned’s idea just in case anyone isn’t getting the joke on a Monday night.

by molitorfan on Jun 2, 2008 6:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

!!!

Bat all pitchers! An all-pitcher lineup!

Of course, Ned will do it on a Sunday, we’ll complain about it, and then the Brewers will win by 9.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 2, 2008 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The other team will forfeit?

Can’t take the field because they’re too busy laughing and the Crew wins 9-0?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jun 2, 2008 9:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Super genius!

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Jun 3, 2008 12:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

branyan

may be hitting over his head according to his lifetime numbers, but so what? If he can catch lightning in a bottle for a season, is that so bad? Seeing Branyan absolutely mashed in Nashville (yes, even in a BIG sample size…gasp!), predicting a downfall is just pessimism. You can look at his numbers all you want, but people have career seasons then never produce again. Ask Bill Hall about that.

Come check out BrewersNation, a new Brewers blog that keeps you up to date on ALL Brewers news and rumors.

by jimmyb1799 on Jun 2, 2008 6:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

180 PA is a "BIG" sample size now?

Mike Cameron hit pretty well from May 10 to June 30 last year, I guess he’s a .950 OPS hitter? Acting like 180 PA in Nashville and 30 PA Milwaukee combined trump his 2100 PA MLB track record predicting lesser numbers is wishful thinking. I’d be glad if he hits like he did in Nashville all season, but until then, I’ll keep on thinking his ten-times-larger MLB track record is more his true level.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jun 2, 2008 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Better link for Cameron

Highlighting that stretch.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jun 2, 2008 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jay

Are you just hanging around the game logs pages at BR today and waiting for someone to say something you can refute?

If so, find me a Turner Ward hot streak. One has to exist, right? ;-)

Derek Jeter is day to day after being hit by a pitch and being gorilla press slammed by a Bizarro Ray.

by KLSnow on Jun 2, 2008 7:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh, no

It’s just not that hard if you pick short enough intervals. I’m not sure how long a streak you want for Ward, but he was a monster his final 105 PA in 1997. ;)

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Jun 2, 2008 7:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really

Predicting his downfall isn’t pessimism, it’s realism. He’s hitting way over his head. We’ll all be happy if he succeeds. We all like watching the Brewers win. But I think “How long can he keep this up?” is a fair question right now, since he’s dramatically exceeding expectations and his career numbers.

He could shock us all, but we also shouldn’t forget that this is a guy no one wanted and we got him on a minor league contract.

Derek Jeter is day to day after being hit by a pitch and being gorilla press slammed by a Bizarro Ray.

by KLSnow on Jun 2, 2008 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

The guy has a good eye and great power but it’s impossible to sustain a major-league acceptable batting average when you’re striking out as often as he does.

Because he has great power he’s more likely than most to have a great stretch but he’ll get adjusted to quickly or he’ll cool off and be a liability defensively and offensively.

by kingcharlesxii on Jun 3, 2008 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

My love for Branyan blinds me to his faults, so I think its possible he could throw up a .900 ops year.

by Braunstalker on Jun 3, 2008 5:19 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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