NEWS/RUMORS/AROUND MLB Thread

theres no doubt in my mind that bruce will immediately revert to his dog shit form once he starts playing in games that count outside of that lefty hitter haven in cincy.

 

Bruce dealt with some knee issues and surgery the last couple years, but if he struggles at this point he stands to lose a lot of money after next season.
If he's completely healthy, which he looks to be, then it's money time.
Ethier's return is uncertain, and even then, of course Ethier's not an option against lefties and sitting in important games, whereas Bruce's line against lefties this year is .301/.333/.534
Perhaps more importantly, Bruce's line in high leverage/clutch spots is .431/.474/.863 and he has a .815 OPS against power arms.
At the very least catch lightning in a bottle here, way too desperate to turn a nose up at a man slugging .575, all we do is talk about the lack of power @ key power positions on the field as it is

 

Phils tie!

 

Re: Bruce...

a) he's having a career year in a contract year.
b) he's a defensive liability (-3.1 dWAR career)
c) he has a negative Rbaser and Rpos career (obscure stats, but I suddenly like them)
d) I don't like him.

 

probably doesn't care much for you, either

 

Healthy being the key word but he's 34 and how likely is it he comes back and produces? Bruce has a 1 million dollar buyout so if it doesn't work out, ya know. Remember too the Gnats are after him so who knows, it would depend on the asking price.

 

Yeah it's really not even Bruce's contract year, there's a club option for another year on his deal, so it's no guarantee that he finds the market after this season.
But sure, he is in the process of rebuilding his value, no question.
Price admitted that they should've let Bruce get right before bringing him back last year, he hurt his knee the year before and played some through it and it just bled over like Turner's thing did this year with a lack of recovery time after surgery.
LAD's had negative dWAR guys in their OF all season and it hasn't hurt the pitching all that much.
This wouldn't be like adding a Matt Kemp, who has a major negative dWAR and a negative oWAR to boot, not at all.

And he's actually been better away from Cincy this year, .995OPS away to .819OPS @ home.
Anyway, MLBRumors has Bruce ranked as the #1 get at the deadline this year.
It's not a perfect fit, but if everything were perfect for LAD then they wouldn't need to add a bat at all.
It's a weird time to get picky, like I can't stand Braun, but at least he produces.
You do what you think can help bolster the team under the circumstances, and with Ethier's return uncertain and very little faith in Puig, welp.

But Bruce is gonna strike out a lot, so one could say he'll be a perfect fit now that I think about it.
However, he's still an established power bat at the show level with some power presence and LAD does need some of that.
If he regresses to where he was at his peak, before the knee stuff which was about a 120 wRC+, then he'd still be the 2nd best hitter in LAD's lineup this year.
Anybody that joins and goes immediately into the 4 or 5 spot on an everyday basis would help this shitty offense.

 

What'd I ever do to him?

 

you're a victim of coicumstance

 

Runs from positional scarcity

 

Bruce looks like a SFG TBH

 

He's too good.

Their specialty is the Cody Ross/Pat Burrell type.

 

Well just imagine if they get their hands on Bruce.
McCovey Bruce Cove

 

Connor Fucking Gillespie with the walkoff.

Typical SF.

 

Not saying he wouldn't be good, but a lot of the fly balls that reach the stands in Cincy will die in the outfield in SF.

 

He isn't all that hot in Cincy, not this year