Young Brewers Tracker: Hader's big outing, Ray raking
The Milwaukee Brewers are reshaping their franchise with an injection of youth and prospects.
Every Thursday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a closer look at some specific young players -- as well as noting others who might be stepping up -- measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress. Please note the glossary of advanced stats at the bottom of the story.
This is the 19th edition of the Young Brewers Tracker.
IN THE MAJORS
Orlando Arcia (age 22)
Last week: 6 games, 19 PA, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2b, 1 SB, 1 BB, 4 K, .222 BA, .263 OBP, .278 SLG, .541 OPS, 45 sOPS+, .286 BAbip
Season (MLB): 21 games, 82 PA, .176 BA, .256 OBP, .230 SLG, .486 OPS, 2 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 11 R, 5 RBI, 3 SB, 8 BB, 15 K, .220 BAbip, 31 OPS+, -0.6 WAR.
Season (Triple-A): 100 games, 404 AB, .267 BA, .320 OBP, .403 SLG, .723 OPS, 19 2B, 6 3B, 8 HR, 59 R, 53 RBI, 15 SB, 29 BB, 77 K.
Notable: While Arcia is still struggling at the plate, he has a Range Factor of 5.73 and a Range Factor per Game of 5.47. The current leaders in the National League in those categories are Arizona's Nick Ahmed, with a 4.79 RF, and Colorado's Trevor Story, with a 4.50 RF/G. Oakland's Marcus Semien is the American League leader at 4.77 and 4.65.
Zach Davies (age 23)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K, .208 OBA, .296 OBP, .375 SLG, 1.333 WHIP
Season: 23 games (23 starts), 10-6, 4.06 ERA, 133 IP, 1.263 WHIP, 9.1 H/9, 1.1 HR/9, 2.3 BB/9, 7.3 K/9, .262 OBA, .311 OBP, .418 SLG, 105 ERA+, 3.94 FIP, 1.5 WAR
Notable: Davies bounced back from a couple of rough starts with a good outing against Colorado on Wednesday. His eight strikeouts were his most since June 24, when he had nine. Since then, in nine starts he had five strikeouts twice with three or four in the remaining seven starts.
Jonathan Villar (age 25)
Last week: 6 games, 28 PA, 6 R, 3 RBI, 3 2b, 1 HR, 4 SB, 2 BB, 4 K, .360 BA, .407 OBP, .600 SLG, 1.007 OPS, 163 sOPS+, .400 BAbip
Season: 121 games, 535 PA, .300 BA, .382 OBP, .440 SLG, .822 OPS, 31 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 69 R, 45 RBI, 50 SB, 63 BB, 137 K, 118 OPS+, .403 BAbip, 3.1 WAR.
Notable: Villar is the only player in Brewers franchise history to have 30+ doubles and 50+ steals in a season. Riding a seven-game hit streak, which includes three two-hit games.
DOWN ON THE FARM
Phil Bickford (age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 2 games (2 starts), 1-0, 9 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 6 BB, 7 K
Season (Brewers only): 4 games (3 starts), 1-0, 3.86 ERA, 18 2/3 IP, 19 H, 0 HR, 9 BB, 22 K, .260 OBA, 1.50 WHIP.
Notable: Was used out of the bullpen on Aug. 18 and allowed 10 baserunners (4 hits, 6 walks) in 3 innings. Didn't walk a batter in six innings in his next start, Aug. 24.
Lewis Brinson (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 2 games, 8 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 3 K, .500 BA.
Season (Brewers only): 14 games, 54 AB, .407 BA, .393 OBP, .611 SLG, 1.004 OPS, 5 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 6 R, 15 RBI, 4 SB, 0 BB, 9 K.
Notable: Had been on the disabled list from Aug. 15-22. Hit a home run in his first game back then went 3 for 4 with a double and 3 RBI in his next outing.
Notable: Clark has three consecutive games with 2 RBI. Had his first three-hit game of the season on Aug. 22 vs. Peoria.
Isan Diaz (age 20/Single-A)
Last week: 7 games, 25 AB, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 11 K, .240 BA.
Season: 126 games, 475 AB, .274 BA, .365 OBP, .484 SLG, .849 OPS, 33 2B, 5 3B, 19 HR, 65 R, 72 RBI, 11 SB, 66 BB, 137 K.
Notable: The good: Had 3 hits, including a homer, and 3 RBI on Aug. 18. The bad: Struck out 4 times on Aug. 22 and is 1 for 12 in his last three games.
Lucas Erceg (age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 7 games, 27 AB, 8 H, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 7 K, .296 BA.
Season (with Wisconsin): 33 games, 133 AB, .293 BA, .336 OBP, .496 SLG, .832 OPS, 6 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 12 R, 22 RBI, 1 SB, 9 BB, 30 K.
Notable: Nine-game hit streak came to an end Aug. 24.
Josh Hader (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K
Season (Double-A): 11 games (11 starts), 2-1, 0.95 ERA, 57 IP, 1.00 WHIP, 38 H, 1 HR, 19 BB, 73 K, .194 OBA.
Season (Triple-A): 12 games (12 starts), 1-5, 4.79 ERA, 62 IP, 1.37 WHIP, 56 H, 3 HR, 29 BB, 81 K, .243 OBA.
Notable: Had a career-high 12 strikeouts at Round Rock on Aug. 21 to earn his first Triple-A win.
Gilbert Lara (age 18/Rookie)
Last week: 4 games, 12 AB, 1 H, 0 R, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 3 K, .083 BA.
Season: 48 games, 182 AB, .231 BA, .284 OBP, .311 SLG, .594 OPS, 6 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 20 R, 18 RBI, 2 SB, 12 BB, 47 K.
Notable: Lara's average dropped 10 points after reaching a season-high .241.
Jacob Nottingham (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 4 games, 15 AB, 1 H, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 6 K, .067 BA.
Season: 103 games, 385 AB, .234 BA, .298 OBP, .338 SLG, .636 OPS, 13 2B, 0 3B, 9 HR, 44 R, 33 RBI, 7 SB, 285 BB, 127 K.
Notable: After having a hit in eight of nine games, Nottingham is hitless in his last three (0 for 11).
Luis Ortiz (age 20/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K
Season (with Brewers): 4 games (4 starts), 2-0, 0.00 ERA, 17 1/3 IP, 14 H, 0 HR, 8 BB, 11 K, .215 OBA, 1.27 WHIP.
Notable: Ortiz threw 87 pitches, his most since arriving in Biloxi after being acquired from the Texas Rangers organization. He has allowed just one unearned run for the Shuckers.
Brett Phillips (Age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 6 games, 20 AB, 5 H, 1 HR, 3 R, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 6 BB, 7 K, .250 BA.
Season: 113 games, 408 AB, .225 BA, .325 OBP, .387 SLG, .712 OPS, 14 2B, 5 3B, 14 HR, 54 R, 55 RBI, 11 SB, 59 BB, 146 K.
Notable: Has followed up a five-game hit streak with a two-game hitless streak, although he walked twice in one of those games and had an RBI in the other. Hit a home run Aug. 22, his first since Aug. 8.
Corey Ray (age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 6 games, 23 AB, 9 H, 5 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 3 BB, 5 K, .391 BA.
Season: 49 games, 202 AB, .243 BA, .302 OBP, .371 SLG, .673 OPS, 13 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 21 R, 15 RBI, 7 SB, 17 BB, 44 K.
Notable: Ray, Milwaukee's first-round draft pick this season, had a pair of three-hit games this past week, including socking three doubles on Aug. 18 vs. Lakeland. He has raised his average 27 points since Aug. 8.
Others: Colorado Springs OF Kyle Wren hit .363 with 5 runs and 2 SB. He is batting .344 with 18 SB in 70 games with the SkySox. . . . Biloxi OF Johnny Davis (22nd round, 2013) was 5 for 12 (.417) last week with 4 runs and 2 SB. . . . Biloxi 1B Nick Ramirez is batting only .202 on the season, but he was 4 for 11 (.417) with two HR and 6 RBI last week. . . . Taylor Jungmann continues to turn things around at Biloxi. He had a 0.71 ERA and 1.148 WHIP with 13 K in 12.2 IP. Wisconsin SS Isan Diaz and RHP Nate Griep (8th round, 2015) were named Midwest League Postseason All-Stars. Griep set the Timber Rattlers single-season record for saves with 21. He has a 2.28 ERA and 1.05 WHIP this season. . . . Helena SS Trevor Morrison (12th round, 2016) was 8 for 22 (.364). . . .
A glossary of some of the advanced statistics used:
OPS: On base percentage + slugging percentage
OPS+: OPS compared to league average of 100, adjusted to the player's ballpark
sOPS+: OPS for the split (in our case the last 7 days) compared to the league's split OPS (100 being average).
BAbip: Batting average on balls in play.
WHIP: Walks plus hits divided by innings pitched.
ERA+: ERA compared to league average of 100, adjusted to the player's ballpark
FIP: Fielding Independent Pitching. Measures a pitcher's effectiveness at presenting home runs, walks and hit by pitches while causing strikeouts. The MLB average FIP is the same as the MLB average ERA.
WAR: Wins Above Replacement value. Represents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player would add (we are using WAR from baseball-reference.com).
Statistics courtesy baseball-reference.com and milb.com
Dave Heller is the author of the upcoming book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as Facing Ted Williams Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
