Durham to Brewers = Done

[rchap24]

How does Durham go from .218/.295/.343 last year to .293/.385/.414 this year?

 

This move reeks of Matt Lawton to me. Remember how excited we were to get a leadoff hitter with no pop and a decent OBP that year? That didn't work out too well for us.

 

Matt Lawton with Pittsburgh that year .273/.380/.433.

 

True, but Lawton was roided up that year and got caught during the off season the next year. So I don't know could be different.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

How does Durham go from .218/.295/.343 last year to .293/.385/.414 this year?

 

This move reeks of Matt Lawton to me. Remember how excited we were to get a leadoff hitter with no pop and a decent OBP that year? That didn't work out too well for us.

 

Matt Lawton with Pittsburgh that year .273/.380/.433.

 

Well, let's look at Durham's numbers the last few seasons.

 

This year: 293 .385 .414

Last year: 218 .295 .343

2006: 293 .360 .538

2005: 290 .356 .429

2004: 282 .364 .484

2003: 285 .366 .441

 

What he's doing this year looks right in line with his last few years excepting last season. He's getting on base a little better, slugging a little less. When he performed so poorly last season, most assumed age had caught up with him. But looking at his performance in the first half this year and comparing it to his other performances, I think he'll stay pretty close to that level. It's a good deal for the Brewers and if Yost is smart (hint: He's not), then Durham would supplant Weeks in the line-up.

[UMFan83]

How does Durham go from .218/.295/.343 last year to .293/.385/.414 this year?

 

This move reeks of Matt Lawton to me. Remember how excited we were to get a leadoff hitter with no pop and a decent OBP that year? That didn't work out too well for us.

 

Matt Lawton with Pittsburgh that year .273/.380/.433.

 

Well, let's look at Durham's numbers the last few seasons.

 

This year: 293 .385 .414

Last year: 218 .295 .343

2006: 293 .360 .538

2005: 290 .356 .429

2004: 282 .364 .484

2003: 285 .366 .441

 

What he's doing this year looks right in line with his last few years excepting last season. He's getting on base a little better, slugging a little less. When he performed so poorly last season, most assumed age had caught up with him. But looking at his performance in the first half this year and comparing it to his other performances, I think he'll stay pretty close to that level. It's a good deal for the Brewers and if Yost is smart (hint: He's not), then Durham would supplant Weeks in the line-up.

 

Well thats what I'm saying. His 2007 numbers aren't just like a slight deviation from the norm, they are a collossal dropoff. Why did he play so poorly in 2007? There is no explanation.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

His BABIP was a freakishly low .233 last year. This year it's a bit high, but he's also hitting more line drives than he has in years.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

seems to me he was playing hurt most of last year too

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

seems to me he was playing hurt most of last year too

 

This would be my explanation, but from time to time players have flukishly bad seasons just as from time to time players have flukishly good seasons. Because Durham had his in his mid thirties, we all assumed he was done. Had he had a season like that a couple of years earlier, many would have seen him as a good buy low candidate.

[FergieJ31]

I've always been a Durham fan - I wanted the Cubs to pick him up two years ago. I think this is a great move for the Brewers that gets even better the more PT time Durham gets. He's historically done well against the Cubs, lifetime 821 OPS w/a 384 OBP .. ugh.

[Ball And Glove]

It's a good deal for the Brewers and if Yost is smart (hint: He's not), then Durham would supplant Weeks in the line-up.

 

Yost is already saying he'll only start Durham 1-2 times per week: http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/07/20/yost-defends-weeks.aspx

 

Yost, who routinely defends his players, whether they are producing or not, said it was unfair to have expectations too lofty for Weeks.

 

"I wouldn't say he has underachieved," said Yost. "He has never been a .300 hitter (in the majors), so who says he is underachieving?'

 

"He's working his way up. He's getting better in all phases of his game. For me, he has never underachieved because he never achieved up here. How can you say he has underachieved?"

 

I'd say the fact that he was the #2 overall pick and the way he shot through the Brewers' farm system with ease would lead a lot of people to believe he's been underachieving in the majors, Ned.

[davearm2]

It's a good deal for the Brewers and if Yost is smart (hint: He's not), then Durham would supplant Weeks in the line-up.

 

Yost is already saying he'll only start Durham 1-2 times per week: http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/07/20/yost-defends-weeks.aspx

 

Yost, who routinely defends his players, whether they are producing or not, said it was unfair to have expectations too lofty for Weeks.

 

"I wouldn't say he has underachieved," said Yost. "He has never been a .300 hitter (in the majors), so who says he is underachieving?'

 

"He's working his way up. He's getting better in all phases of his game. For me, he has never underachieved because he never achieved up here. How can you say he has underachieved?"

 

I'd say the fact that he was the #2 overall pick and the way he shot through the Brewers' farm system with ease would lead a lot of people to believe he's been underachieving in the majors, Ned.

Perhaps someone needs to recite to Ned some of his own quotes from spring training, when he was predicting a big breakout year for Weeks, building off of his hot finish in '07.

 

So Weeks has underachieved relative to Yost's own stated expectations for him.

[berniebrewer4life]

Perhaps someone needs to recite to Ned some of his own quotes from spring training, when he was predicting a big breakout year for Weeks, building off of his hot finish in '07.

 

So Weeks has underachieved relative to Yost's own stated expectations for him.

 

I'm really just waiting for Ned to use some hunting analogies and his dustification will be complete.

[Ball And Glove]

Perhaps someone needs to recite to Ned some of his own quotes from spring training, when he was predicting a big breakout year for Weeks, building off of his hot finish in '07.

 

So Weeks has underachieved relative to Yost's own stated expectations for him.

 

I'm really just waiting for Ned to use some hunting analogies and his dustification will be complete.

 

"Setting your lineup is a lot like deer hunting..."

[TruffleShuffle]

i completely missed this one because i was moving and didn't have internet at my house during the trade... i was looking at the brewers box score last night and was like "what the hell, when did they trade for ray durham?"

 

but seriously, congratulations to the brewers for finding a way to make their defense even more atrocious.

[evv98]

Wrong thread. :banghead:

[Brett]

The terrifying part is Durham is just now entering his prime. Now they don't have to keep trotting out that aging, decrepit Rickie Weeks.