Does this team have a power problem?

[Little Slide Rooter]

yes, because ryan braun is a better hitter than aramis ramirez.

 

how can you argue with this evidence

 

since he was at .325 last year, .305 this year, he's not even reached his peak years and his PECOTA projections have him between .305 and .310 for the next several years.

 

ARam's EqA the past four years, by the way: .307, .302, .292, .294

 

i'm just saying, either braun is a better hitter than ARam, or you're assuming that his minor league and major league performances are both flukes, and his PECOTA projections are too high.

 

i think he probably is too, but it's not so clear cut that i'd be comfortable acting really pompous about it while ramirez is in a huge slump and braun is in the streak of his life

 

And Albert Pujols career so far has been a 7 year fluke. Hes bound to crash to earth eventually.

[erik316wttn]

This team doesn't have a power problem. Over the last month, it's had a winning problem.

[Hacking Out Machine]

i think he probably is too, but it's not so clear cut that i'd be comfortable acting really pompous about it while ramirez is in a huge slump and braun is in the streak of his life

 

well i think it's very clear cut, though this is a cubs board and i suspect that there will be enough homers that disagree with me. anyway, i've presented my argument, so i'll leave it up to the reader to decide.

 

Well, for what it's worth, this reader read your last two responses to TT and will likely remember your pompous attitude about it much more than any logical arguments you might make in the future.

[CyHawk_Cub]

What others have said--the TEAM doesn't have a power problem. Certain individuals do, but as a unit, power isn't a problem, IMO.

[TruffleShuffle]

i think he probably is too, but it's not so clear cut that i'd be comfortable acting really pompous about it while ramirez is in a huge slump and braun is in the streak of his life

 

well i think it's very clear cut, though this is a cubs board and i suspect that there will be enough homers that disagree with me. anyway, i've presented my argument, so i'll leave it up to the reader to decide.

 

Well, for what it's worth, this reader read your last two responses to TT and will likely remember your pompous attitude about it much more than any logical arguments you might make in the future.

 

to each his own

[slieb85]

I just did this real quick while watching the Brew Crew go back to back and thinking to myself (man I'm not sure we have anyone on this team I feel comfortable thinking they may end this with one swing). This is basically the cubs leader in each category, with other contenders leading players in each stat (and the # of players on their team before the first cub player. I'd really like to see us sell the farm for Dunn or give up a big chunk of it for Bradley. (i hope this shows up correctly)

 

• (# of players before first cubs player) SLG% rank OPS rank HR Rank
   
  cubs 46th 45th 38th
  brewers 5th (2) 13th (3) 3rd (2)
  cardinals 2nd (4) 3rd (4) 13th (3)
  diamondbacks 35th (1) 21st (1) 21st (1)
  dodgers 65th 57th 88th
  rockies 11th (2) 6th (2) 41st
  Mets 31st(2) 24th (2) 15th (2)
  phillies 6th (3) 7th (2) 2nd (3 all in top 10)
  marlins 10th (3) 12th (2) 6th (3)
   
   
  yankees 3rd (3) 5th (3) 21st (2)
  red sox 14th (3) 9th (3) 24th (2)
  tampa 27th (1) 36th (1) 32nd (1)
  chicago 8th (3) 8th (3) 4th (3)
  minnesota 32nd (1) 25th (2) 54th
  detroit 35th (1) 30th (1) 24th (1)
  anaheim 57th 55th 44th
  oakland 94th 78th 32nd (1)
  texas 7th (3) 4th (3) 10th (2)

 

 

Obviously it's not where we want to be in the same class as LAA, OAK, LAD, COL, and ARI. I would also probably (without being privy to park figures) say we play in the 5th best hitters ballpark (behind CHW, TEX, PHI, and COL). I know we have a good team OPS, but this is scary to me.

[Geech]

Truffle is like a Meph that doesn't actually contribute anything.

[sneakypower]

yes, because ryan braun is a better hitter than aramis ramirez.

 

how can you argue with this evidence

 

since he was at .325 last year, .305 this year, he's not even reached his peak years and his PECOTA projections have him between .305 and .310 for the next several years.

 

ARam's EqA the past four years, by the way: .307, .302, .292, .294

 

i'm just saying, either braun is a better hitter than ARam, or you're assuming that his minor league and major league performances are both flukes, and his PECOTA projections are too high.

that's not to mention the otherworldly projection Bill James had for him

 

i'd gladly take Braun and his career .617 slg over Ramirez, offensively

[cubscausestress]

yes, because ryan braun is a better hitter than aramis ramirez.

 

how can you argue with this evidence

 

since he was at .325 last year, .305 this year, he's not even reached his peak years and his PECOTA projections have him between .305 and .310 for the next several years.

 

ARam's EqA the past four years, by the way: .307, .302, .292, .294

 

i'm just saying, either braun is a better hitter than ARam, or you're assuming that his minor league and major league performances are both flukes, and his PECOTA projections are too high.

that's not to mention the otherworldly projection Bill James had for him

 

i'd gladly take Braun and his career .617 slg over Ramirez, offensively

 

how are those bill james otherworldly rich hill projections doing?

[bukie]

how are those bill james otherworldly rich hill projections doing?

 

What does Rich Hill have to do with anything?

 

Because Bill James failed to predict Rich Hill would stop being able to throw strikes, his entire projection system is faulty?

[sneakypower]

no, but ramirez' performance is below where it has been the last four years. braun's recent hot streak has brought his performance up to what would be consistent with his play last year and his minor league ability.

 

If you had made this evaluation a month ago, Ramirez was right where Braun is now(to speak nothing of where Braun was a month ago, or of the fact that Ramirez has done this for the four previous seasons). But Braun is a "middle of the order beast" and Ramirez isn't?

 

yes, because ryan braun is a better hitter than aramis ramirez.

 

I give up then.

 

so i was curious how everything fared out at the end of the season

 

Player     OPS+   EqA   VORP    wOBA
Ramirez    130    .297   44.6   .375
Braun      127    .294   43.5   .367 

 

interesting since most would probably perceive Braun had the better year without looking into the numbers, but Ramirez clearly had the better offensive season of the two

 

good call on TT's part for sure

[David]

Props to TT

[sneakypower]

another fun fact

 

Soriano had more BBs than Braun

 

in 160 fewer PA

[imb]

another fun fact

 

Soriano had more BBs than Braun

 

in 160 fewer PA

 

I was just thinking about this argument the other day

 

not that this has a lot to do with anything, but i saw corey hart's obp the other day and had to do a double-take

[treebird]

ryan braun is a lot better when he hits .450/.516/.964 for the season against lhp.

[snoodmonger]

truffle looks kinda silly in this thread. Mad props to TT.

[Peoriaman]

props to Cro from dredging up this old thread. :)

[Tracer Bullet]

ryan braun is a lot better when he hits .450/.516/.964 for the season against lhp.

 

He's also much better when he doesn't take a huge dump on the field during the entire month of September.

[abuck1220]

another fun fact

 

Soriano had more BBs than Braun

 

in 160 fewer PA

 

I was just thinking about this argument the other day

 

not that this has a lot to do with anything, but i saw corey hart's obp the other day and had to do a double-take

 

when i watch him face a rhp with a decent slider i wonder how he made it to the big leagues.

[rocket]

another fun fact

 

Soriano had more BBs than Braun

 

in 160 fewer PA

 

I was just thinking about this argument the other day

 

not that this has a lot to do with anything, but i saw corey hart's obp the other day and had to do a double-take

 

when i watch him face a rhp with a decent slider i wonder how he made it to the big leagues.

 

and when he faces bob howry's 90mph meatball fastball it all makes sense.