Bobby BradGOAT

[CDAV45]

He hit in the minors, but he also struck out an obscene amount down there too. Not every player is entitled to 600 plate appearances in the majors. Bradley isn't even playing every day over the past month, which is telling.

Who cares if he strikes out a lot? What is his OBP, SLG, OPS, and OPS+ are the more important questions. Everyone on planet earth that follows Cleveland baseball knows that Bradley always has and likely always will strike out more than the average hitter, but he can do more damage when he makes contact than the average hitter as well. It's not like there's a plethora of 1B to choose from. He's pretty much it until he isn't. The other options are Naylor, who I completely dislike and Jones who is hurt and never been exposed to MLB pitching. This is why I've been saying that going with Bradley is fine, but there needs to be a backup plan and it would be beneficial if that backup plan could play a corner OF as well. Unless of course the Franimal plays a corner spot and they pick up someone like Cron.

 

[DickyLeftridge]

How about Goatby Gradbley?

Has potential. Taking it under advisement for next season. Good work.

 

[Kevalier]

Who cares if he strikes out a lot? What is his OBP, SLG, OPS, and OPS+ are the more important questions. Everyone on planet earth that follows Cleveland baseball knows that Bradley always has and likely always will strike out more than the average hitter, but he can do more damage when he makes contact than the average hitter as well. It's not like there's a plethora of 1B to choose from. He's pretty much it until he isn't. The other options are Naylor, who I completely dislike and Jones who is hurt and never been exposed to MLB pitching. This is why I've been saying that going with Bradley is fine, but there needs to be a backup plan and it would be beneficial if that backup plan could play a corner OF as well. Unless of course the Franimal plays a corner spot and they pick up someone like Cron.

Great, let's look at his OBP, SLG, OPS and wRC+ this season:

OBP: .299
SLG: .443
OPS: .742
wRC+: 100

The OBP is well below-average, while the SLG% is about 20 points above-average and the OPS and wRC+ league average. If you look at the numbers in the 2nd half overall, they're brutal. You're telling me that the organization can't find an affordable upgrade from this at 1B?

 

[Criznit]

Great, let's look at his OBP, SLG, OPS and wRC+ this season:

OBP: .299
SLG: .443
OPS: .742
wRC+: 100

The OBP is well below-average, while the SLG% is about 20 points above-average and the OPS and wRC+ league average. If you look at the numbers in the 2nd half overall, they're brutal. You're telling me that the organization can't find an affordable upgrade from this at 1B?

It depends on the leash you want to give the new guys.

If he is batting 6th-7th in the order most days that is acceptable for the cheapest option available.

FWIW Amed Rosario's OBP is .318 and his OPS is .729 and WRC+ 99.. He will be a 4 million or so dollar player next year.

 

[CDAV45]

Great, let's look at his OBP, SLG, OPS and wRC+ this season:

OBP: .299
SLG: .443
OPS: .742
wRC+: 100

The OBP is well below-average, while the SLG% is about 20 points above-average and the OPS and wRC+ league average. If you look at the numbers in the 2nd half overall, they're brutal. You're telling me that the organization can't find an affordable upgrade from this at 1B?

In all of his 237 AB this season? You don't think he'll at least migrate towards his minor league numbers?

 

[sportscoach]

Great, let's look at his OBP, SLG, OPS and wRC+ this season:

OBP: .299
SLG: .443
OPS: .742
wRC+: 100

The OBP is well below-average, while the SLG% is about 20 points above-average and the OPS and wRC+ league average. If you look at the numbers in the 2nd half overall, they're brutal. You're telling me that the organization can't find an affordable upgrade from this at 1B?

Small market teams cannot just afford to sign players just because someone who is a rookie has had league average production... who are we signing that will be above league production at a good price?

 

[BimboColesHair]

Doesn't matter what kind of market you are in, you do not give up on a young power hitter with less than a full season of ABs under his belt that is putting up league average numbers and above league average power numbers. 113 out of 304 players with at least 250 PAs in slugging %, 51st out of those same 304 players in ISO.

Give him a chance to adjust. He saw a ton of sliders when he was recalled and smoked them after being miserable against them in his previous MLB stint. Pitchers adjusted and are now killing him with change-ups. See if he can make the adjustment back and start hitting those like he did sliders.

200 to 300 more PAs to go for me to start leaning one way or the other on moving on. To this point he has shown me more than enough to stick around.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Doesn't matter what kind of market you are in, you do not give up on a young power hitter with less than a full season of ABs under his belt that is putting up league average numbers and above league average power numbers. 113 out of 304 players with at least 250 PAs in slugging %, 51st out of those same 304 players in ISO.

Give him a chance to adjust. He saw a ton of sliders when he was recalled and smoked them after being miserable against them in his previous MLB stint. Pitchers adjusted and are now killing him with change-ups. See if he can make the adjustment back and start hitting those like he did sliders.

200 to 300 more PAs to go for me to start leaning one way or the other on moving on. To this point he has shown me more than enough to stick around.

Jesus Aguilar was cut loose by the Tribe after 58 AB's. He hadn't shown much, but I thought that was premature.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Jesus Aguilar was cut loose by the Tribe after 58 AB's. He hadn't shown much, but I thought that was premature.

Meh. Different scenario. No place for him to play with Santana occupying 1B and them signing Encarnacion to DH while trying to win a WS.

Not exactly faced with that scenario where DH and 1B are locked up by 2 guys clearly better with Bradley.

 

[Kevalier]

Doesn't matter what kind of market you are in, you do not give up on a young power hitter with less than a full season of ABs under his belt that is putting up league average numbers and above league average power numbers. 113 out of 304 players with at least 250 PAs in slugging %, 51st out of those same 304 players in ISO.

Give him a chance to adjust. He saw a ton of sliders when he was recalled and smoked them after being miserable against them in his previous MLB stint. Pitchers adjusted and are now killing him with change-ups. See if he can make the adjustment back and start hitting those like he did sliders.

200 to 300 more PAs to go for me to start leaning one way or the other on moving on. To this point he has shown me more than enough to stick around.

113th out of 304 qualified hitters in slugging percentage isn’t really that impressive. CJ Cron, a FA 1B this winter that should fit into this team’s budget is 24th in that same category. Also, what has he shown over the past three months that is encouraging? His numbers in the 2nd half aren’t just subpar. They’re brutal.

wRC+: 65
SLG%: .338
.OBP%: .270
ISO: .158
K%: 37.5%

Why should we want him to be the starting 1B here next season again? Because a remarkable June outweighs three months of massive struggles at the plate?

 

[BimboColesHair]

113th out of 304 qualified hitters in slugging percentage isn’t really that impressive. CJ Cron, a FA 1B this winter that should fit into this team’s budget is 24th in that same category. Also, what has he shown over the past three months that is encouraging? His numbers in the 2nd half aren’t just subpar. They’re brutal.

wRC+: 65
SLG%: .338
.OBP%: .270
ISO: .158
K%: 37.5%

Why should we want him to be the starting 1B here next season again? Because a remarkable June outweighs three months of massive struggles at the plate?

Not impressive. Still above league average.

Again, pitchers adjusted to him. That is the main reason his numbers have gone down. He is being pitched to differently than he was when he was first called up. He was crushing fastball/slider combos when he was called back, and he was being pitched to like that because scouting reports showed that's what he struggled with based on the last time he was seen in the MLB. Now he is getting fed fastball/change-up/splitter and struggling.

So why does he, a young player with less than a seasons worth of MLB ABs, not get a chance to make the adjustment? He's already proven he can make the adjustment on sliders. Unless you think 150 PAs is enough for the book to be out on a guy and he has shown he can't make that adjustment.

150 PAs, to me and most of the baseball world, would be an incredibly short-sighted leash for a team not staring a no-brain improvement right in the face. The Indians are not staring at that right now either.

 

[Kevalier]

Not impressive. Still above league average.

Again, pitchers adjusted to him. That is the main reason his numbers have gone down. He is being pitched to differently than he was when he was first called up. He was crushing fastball/slider combos when he was called back, and he was being pitched to like that because scouting reports showed that's what he struggled with based on the last time he was seen in the MLB. Now he is getting fed fastball/change-up/splitter and struggling.

So why does he, a young player with less than a seasons worth of MLB ABs, not get a chance to make the adjustment? He's already proven he can make the adjustment on sliders. Unless you think 150 PAs is enough for the book to be out on a guy and he has shown he can't make that adjustment.

150 PAs, to me and most of the baseball world, would be an incredibly short-sighted leash for a team not staring a no-brain improvement right in the face. The Indians are not staring at that right now either.

There will be 1B upgrade opportunities externally this winter that won’t require a ton in either money or prospect capital. I also don’t buy the idea that the organization views Bradley as some sort of core player. He got a cup of coffee here in 2019, didn’t see action in the abbreviated 2020 season and then was in Columbus for the first two months of this season before getting an opportunity after they cut bait with Jake Bauers. Additional plate appearances should be earned not just handed to because of one brilliant month in the big leagues.

 

[BimboColesHair]

There will be 1B upgrade opportunities externally this winter that won’t require a ton in either money or prospect capital. I also don’t buy the idea that the organization views Bradley as some sort of core player. He got a cup of coffee here in 2019, didn’t see action in the abbreviated 2020 season and then was in Columbus for the first two months of this season before getting an opportunity after they cut bait with Jake Bauers. Additional plate appearances should be earned not just handed to because of one brilliant month in the big leagues.

They don't view him as an untouchable core piece, but they do value him and you'd be hard pressed to find many who aren't satisfied with what he showed this season.

And I'd rather see if there is more improvement there from a young homegrown player well liked by the FO than a vet on a 1 year deal.

The money they want to spend is going to get spent elsewhere.

 

[Kevalier]

They don't view him as an untouchable core piece, but they do value him and you'd be hard pressed to find many who aren't satisfied with what he showed this season.

And I'd rather see if there is more improvement there from a young homegrown player well liked by the FO than a vet on a 1 year deal.

The money they want to spend is going to get spent elsewhere.

I assume, in addition to a Jose extension, they would look to spend/trade for at least one outfielder and catcher then? If that's the case, hopefully they could sign a high-impact outfielder like Starling Marte then instead of a marginal upgrade out there.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I wouldn't say Bradley had one brilliant month followed by suck. I would divide his season into four segments.

June 5 to July 10 (All-Star break): .240/.913
July 16-31: 2-for-30 (what did he do over the break?)
August: .276/.724
Sept: .203/.639

Looks more like a wave to me - hot, cold, fairly hot, cold. He was also injured for three weeks starting Aug. 6. He had 5 hits in 15 AB's right before getting hurt so it looked like he was getting hot.

I don't know if it's as simple as the pitchers adjusted and he has not adjusted back. It could be, but I don't know if the numbers completely support that theory.

I think the key for Bradley is to be more patient and selective at the plate and try to hit up the middle. This should reduce the K's while increasing the walks and hits. The home runs will come naturally.