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2018 Tribe offensive discussion

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Derek

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Thought it'd be helpful to have a few general discussion threads


1. Lindor - SS
2. Brantley - LF
3. Ramirez - 3B
4. Encarnacion - DH
5. Alonso - 1B
6. Cabrera - RF
7. Kipnis - 2B
8. Gomes - C
9. Martin - CF

Bench
Guyer - RF vs LHP
Perez - C when Bauer pitches
Davis - CF vs LHP
Gonzalez - UTIL

3rd in the MLB in runs/game
4th in wRC+
2nd in offensive fWAR
1st in baserunning (via fangraphs)
lowest K% in the MLB
16th in BB%
tied for 2nd in ISO power
 
I like what Kipnis has given us over the last 2 and a half months, and I really like Martin in CF most days with Davis spelling him.

However, I am eyeing Cabrera replacements. Guyer has been great against LHP this year, but his platoon mate Melky has not held up his end against RHP, albeit in a small sample size. Grabbing somebody who can hit at an above average clip against RHP on a near every day basis would make our lineup perhaps the best top to bottom in the league.
 
I like what Kipnis has given us over the last 2 and a half months, and I really like Martin in CF most days with Davis spelling him.

However, I am eyeing Cabrera replacements. Guyer has been great against LHP this year, but his platoon mate Melky has not held up his end against RHP, albeit in a small sample size. Grabbing somebody who can hit at an above average clip against RHP on a near every day basis would make our lineup perhaps the best top to bottom in the league.

I'm with you. The only areas I wanted to change on this club at the deadline were CF and RF. We got our defensive specialist in CF (I kinda wanted Hamilton over Martin, but I'll live with what I got) now we just need to find a RF before 8/31. McCutchen is still at the top of my list, with Adam Jones second. I just hope one of those guys is on the block by the time it's all said and done.
 
We discuss Kipnis's splits since June, but we haven't discussed that Brantley has somewhat fallen off.

April 6-May 30
201 PA
.337 / .383 / .560
+154 wRC
9 HR, 36 RBI

June 1 - present
219 PA
.257 / .303 / .381
+83 wRC
3 HR, 21 RBI

I imagine he lies somewhere in between these 2 sets of splits. Still striking out at an incredibly low rate. That early season power seems like an outlier from the type of hitter he is.
 
Yeah after ASB Kip and Brant literally cannot get anything going, but before the break it seemed like Brantley was getting a hit every game in a 15 game stretch. Kipnis is just a ridiculous wild card, I hope he gets hot at the right time. No worries on Brantley, he's playing for some money.
 
I’m not crazy about platooning Raj with Martin considering that Raj is faring even worse this season against LHP. He really shouldn’t be used for much more than pinch-running and defensive substitutions. Hopefully, McCutchen clears waivers and ends up here as the RF against RHP and as the CF against LHP.
 
We discuss Kipnis's splits since June, but we haven't discussed that Brantley has somewhat fallen off.

April 6-May 30
201 PA
.337 / .383 / .560
+154 wRC
9 HR, 36 RBI

June 1 - present
219 PA
.257 / .303 / .381
+83 wRC
3 HR, 21 RBI

I imagine he lies somewhere in between these 2 sets of splits. Still striking out at an incredibly low rate. That early season power seems like an outlier from the type of hitter he is.

For a while now, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not worried about losing him next year. I don't think it'll hurt that badly.
 
I’m not crazy about platooning Raj with Martin considering that Raj is faring even worse this season against LHP. He really shouldn’t be used for much more than pinch-running and defensive substitutions. Hopefully, McCutchen clears waivers and ends up here as the RF against RHP and as the CF against LHP.
I’m fine with just keeping Martin out there basically every day. Like you said, Davis doesn’t have strong numbers against lefties.
 
I’m fine with just keeping Martin out there basically every day. Like you said, Davis doesn’t have strong numbers against lefties.

Martin in his career though hasn't hit lefties well, but you aren't wrong about the fact Davis hasn't hit lefties well himself. He though has been putting up a lot better at bats lately and seems more confident at the plate. I think the combo will work out just fine.

I am not super duper worried about the Guyer/Cabrera combo either, though I do agree I would like an upgrade over Cabrera at the end of the day. We have been rumored with McCutchen for the past couple seasons, so if he hits waivers, we will try for him without a doubt. Just hope his price is reasonable.
 
I’ve tried to be positive, and I hope he proves me wrong, but I really think Melky blows.
 
I’ve tried to be positive, and I hope he proves me wrong, but I really think Melky blows.

He didn't have a spring training and he has a really good track record as a hitter, so I think he needs more time and he has been better since we brought him back. Now that being said, if he can find about equal production bat wise, plus a better fielder, then I think we have to do.
 
He didn't have a spring training and he has a really good track record as a hitter, so I think he needs more time and he has been better since we brought him back. Now that being said, if he can find about equal production bat wise, plus a better fielder, then I think we have to do.
He hasn’t actually been a good hitter since he got busted for PEDs in 2012.

In his last 6 seasons (including this one), he has been an above average run creator just twice, 2016 and 2014.

In each of the other 4 seasons he had 0.0 fWAR or lower. So, more often than not he has provided the value of a AAA replacement player.
 
For a while now, I've come to the conclusion that I'm not worried about losing him next year. I don't think it'll hurt that badly.

Considering our OF is already littered with average to below average hitters, I think losing the one guy who can hit will be a decent loss.
 
Considering our OF is already littered with average to below average hitters, I think losing the one guy who can hit will be a decent loss.

I think, going forward, he's going to be much closer to a replacement level player than his first half this season.

It's sad. I love Brantley. There aren't many professional hitters like him left. It's just my sneaking suspicion that he's on the downswing of his career.
 
I think, going forward, he's going to be much closer to a replacement level player than his first half this season.

It's sad. I love Brantley. There aren't many professional hitters like him left. It's just my sneaking suspicion that he's on the downswing of his career.

I somewhat agree, especially with his OF defense being pretty terrible. Don't really like the idea of just sticking him at 1B, whether that's with the Indians or any other team.
 

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