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The Brewers and Home Runs

You know how any mention of the Brewers offense focuses on how they hit the long ball and don't do much else? The jury is out on how this year's squad with an on base percentage among NL leaders changes the story but I thought it would be fun to look at numbers from years past.

One of the recent knocks against the team's power offense is that they hit a lot of solo home runs. The reasons thrown out there for this seeming trend are numerous: changing approach with runners on base, too much swinging for the fences and not enough getting on base for other sluggers, and just plain being bad with runners in scoring position are just a few. It seems to me if the Brewers were/are solo home run heavy, they should score fewer runs per home run than the rest of the league. Granted, people only care about the last few years, but the numbers are out there so why not post all of team history?

Year MIL HR MIL R/HR MLB HR MLB R/HR
2009 145 1.634 3995 1.579
2008 198 1.500 4878 1.598
2007 231 1.576 4957 1.607
2006 180 1.506 5386 1.582
2005 175 1.571 5017 1.609
2004 135 1.600 5451 1.587
2003 196 1.587 5207 1.582
2002 139 1.561 5059 1.587
2001 209 1.555 5458 1.563
2000 177 1.520 5693 1.615
1999 165 1.558 5528 1.614
1998 152 1.605 5064 1.593
1997 135 1.504 4640 1.580
1996 178 1.629 4962 1.619
1995 128 1.898 4081 1.609
1994 99 1.606 3306 1.594
1993 125 1.440 4030 1.600
1992 82 1.634 3038 1.601
1991 116 1.690 3383 1.612
1990 128 1.578 3317 1.575
1989 126 1.524 3083 1.584
1988 113 1.655 3180 1.557
1987 163 1.718 4458 1.573
1986 127 1.583 3813 1.575
1985 101 1.624 3602 1.599
1984 96 1.552 3258 1.595
1983 132 1.561 3301 1.574
1982 216 1.597 3379 1.598
1981 96 1.740 1781 1.592
1980 203 1.542 3087 1.590
1979 185 1.541 3433 1.588
1978 173 1.671 2956 1.598
1977 125 1.440 3644 1.586
1976 88 1.443 2235 1.621
1975 146 1.507 2698 1.593
1974 120 1.625 2649 1.622
1973 145 1.676 3102 1.587
1972 88 1.534 2534 1.586
1971 104 1.462 2863 1.571
1970 126 1.563 3429 1.609

The 2009 numbers are through Wednesday's games. Barring a major collapse in September, this will be the first season since 2004 and eighteenth in team history in which the Brewers score more runs per home run than the major league average.

That's all well and good, you might be saying, but it doesn't really matter. That's true, this is more trivia than a diagnosis of the ills and skills of the Brewers offense, such as they are. After all, the 1992 Brewers finished fifth in the majors in runs scored but 24th (of 26) in home runs hit. The fact they scored more runs per home run than average really didn't have much of an impact on their ability to score.

For another chart that is perhaps interesting but not meaningful, let's look at the percentage of total runs scored coming from home runs. In the chart, HRR stands for "home run runs," a fun way to say RBI resulting from home runs. The higher the percentage, the more reliant on long balls a team is, obviously.

Year MIL HR MIL HRR/R MLB HR MLB HRR/R
2009 145 .389 3995 .359
2008 198 .396 4878 .345
2007 231 .454 4957 .342
2006 180 .371 5386 .361
2005 175 .379 5017 .362
2004 135 .341 5451 .370
2003 196 .436 5207 .359
2002 139 .346 5059 .358
2001 209 .439 5458 .368
2000 177 .364 5693 .368
1999 165 .315 5528 .361
1998 152 .345 5064 .346
1997 135 .298 4640 .339
1996 178 .324 4962 .352
1995 128 .328 4081 .336
1994 99 .291 3306 .335
1993 125 .246 4030 .309
1992 82 .181 3038 .281
1991 116 .245 3383 .301
1990 128 .276 3317 .292
1989 126 .272 3083 .281
1988 113 .274 3180 .285
1987 163 .325 4458 .353
1986 127 .301 3813 .324
1985 101 .238 3602 .316
1984 96 .232 3258 .290
1983 132 .270 3301 .286
1982 216 .387 3379 .298
1981 96 .339 1781 .254
1980 203 .386 3087 .272
1979 185 .353 3433 .292
1978 173 .359 2956 .274
1977 125 .282 3644 .308
1976 88 .223 2235 .234
1975 146 .326 2698 .264
1974 120 .301 2649 .268
1973 145 .343 3102 .301
1972 88 .274 2534 .293
1971 104 .285 2863 .298
1970 126 .321 3429 .327

Once again, the numbers are through Wednesday. The Brewers are on pace to score more runs via the long ball than the average team for the fifth straight season. This is the fifteenth such season in franchise history. The 2007 Brewers were really home run or bust. Again, this doesn't really mean anything other than the Brewers like power hitters. If you wind up in the top 5 in runs scored, it doesn't matter if you get there by slap hitting or big flies, although the goal should always be to hit 200+ home runs and still be below average in HRR/R, no?