The Brewers have signed outfielder Keon Broxton to a minor league contract, the team informed reporters (including Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). Presumably, the 31-year-old will be assigned to Triple-A Nashville.
Broxton appeared in the majors during every season from 2015-19. The bulk of that time came with Milwaukee, where Broxton started a little more than half the club’s games in center field between 2017-18. Broxton’s combination of power, speed and plate discipline were all evident, but he never made enough contact to consistently perform at the plate. The right-handed hitter owns a .209/.297/.388 line over 1026 career plate appearances in the big leagues. Broxton’s .179 isolated power and 10.4% walk rate are both productive, but a massive 38.6% strikeout rate has driven those low batting average and on-base numbers.
The Twins added Broxton on a minor league deal over the offseason. He spent much of the year with Triple-A St. Paul but struggled even more than normal to make contact. Broxton hit .186/.288/.335 with Minnesota’s top affiliate, punching out in 44% of his plate appearances. The Twins released him a couple weeks ago.
Despite his 2021 struggles, there’s no harm for the Brew Crew in adding Broxton as minor league depth behind Lorenzo Cain and Jackie Bradley Jr., both of whom have had tough years at the plate. The Milwaukee front office and coaching staff are obviously familiar with Broxton’s skillset and ability to fit into the clubhouse. Because the NL Central-leading Brewers signed Broxton before September 1, he’ll be eligible for their postseason roster. He will again be eligible for free agency this offseason.
Welcome back
Depth signing and can’t be any worse at the plate than JBJ.
There was a period, not long ago, that the White Sox desperately wanted JBJ, so much so that it was talked about him being the headliner in the Chris Sale deal. I have never thought he was anything better than a 4th OF, even when he was crushing it in Boston.
We got a real Bostradamus over here!
He’s actually much worse at the plate and not as good on D.
JBJ has had his most productive portion of the season over the last 3-5 weeks and is putting up decent numbers since then. Not great. Still below league average.
Still way better than what Keon did in AAA.
Keon did Hit a Home Run in the 2018 NLDS even after being a non-factor for much of the season for the Brewers. So maybe he’ll get another shot
If it’s the Brewers year, JBJ will factor in October at the plate. Picking up Broxton was done because Tyrone Taylor has the dreaded “oblique” injury. Need someone, if another injury occurs.
What about David Dahl?
Dahl is a nice addition, but Broxton is an elite defensive OFer. A Gold Glove caliber defender. If he could hit .250 with his power, he’d likely win a couple.
Dahl’s a different type of player. Clearly a better hit tool, but you’d rather have Dahl PH whereas in the playoffs, a pinch runner, late defensive replacement, those can be incredibly valuable.
Of course both are just depth for us. Very good depth, but depth. Though…Dahl is 27, so I could see him being a non-roster invitee next year with a real chance to make the team.
No other place to put this MLB update:
Ozzie Albies just fouled a ball off his knee and had to be carried off the field. It looked to be directly off his knee cap. A freak injury in that we see players foul balls off themselves all the time without injury. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious. He’s such a good player.
Jermaine Dye did that several years ago. It’s painful to watch
Jermaine Dye was the first one that came to mind to me, he ended up breaking the bone in his leg.
Really?
I don’t even remember Dye, but I remember Yelich doing this.
It made him stink for a year and a half.
I was convinced this was why Yelly was struggling…because he was bailing out, but you look at his 2018-’19 seasons and always looked like he was pulling off with that front foot. The shoulder’s still opening up a bit more, but he’s looking better.
The happenstance of the game can be weird like that. A seemingly innocuous foul ball that was directed to exactly the wrong spot. As an older person with chronic knee pain, yes, it was painful to watch.
How the heck did Ripken do it? He sprained an ankle once but didn’t miss any games.
Yelich did that 2 years ago
That was Yelich’s injury in 2019. He is finally getting back to normal
To be fair, a broken bone–especially a mere kneecap–heals in 6-8 weeks and that particular bone cannot cause any muscle issues that would change the swing.
It wasn’t the injury.
Yelich was scared of getting hurt again and this entire year and a half of terrible hitting is finally over because he’s MENTALLY back (and maybe even saw a Brewcrewball post about how he had been the best bad ball hitter in baseball when he was great and is now swinging at pitches out of the zone again).
It wasn’t the injury.
So none of this would have been a problem if he hadn’t suffered the injury, right?
Sounds like it was the injury to me.
As a former logic tutor and a physical therapist, I would have to flunk you for being a moron.
The injury was completely healed in under 8 weeks. The off season was another 4-5 months, which might have taken care of any lingering physiological issues (though there should have been none and none were reported by the team).
To have a psychological issue that made him afraid to swing the bat the way he used to but was now scared to do is the height of idiocy and had NOTHING to do with the injury itself (at least not directly).
I could see it for a month or so, but the fact that he let that linger for another 3-4 months is horrifying.
His mental game is weak and I was calling for him to be traded just a month ago.
Glad he made it back, but it wasn’t from injury during the entirety of 2021, as the injury was fully healed and he was fully cleared by January.
It’s not like it was an ACL, where pushing your limits leads to lots of minor pulls and setbacks.
Well…it CAN absolutely impact the patella tendon(and does), but you also just made the argument for why it IS related to the injury.
But you’re wrong about him swinging at pitches out of the zone. He’s back to TAKING too many pitches. The thing that changed from Florida to Milwaukee. In Milwaukee,
Yelich’s issues last year were mostly bad luck and small sample size. He hit the ball harder than he ever had before…highest exit velocity, but he hit into abnormally poor luck(BABIP down ~120 points from MVP season). His hard hit % was 8 points higher than his 2019 season and ~5 higher than his MVP season.
So he was hitting the ball and he was hitting it HARD.
This year it would appear the problem has more to do with his back…issues he’s had going back to his mid 20’s in Miami.
What is DEFINITELY not the problem…is him swinging at balls out of the zone. He’s reverted back now to the hitter he was in Miami. Watching far too many strikes and his chase rate is the lowest of his career. He’s not swinging at bad pitches.
I thought the issue was due to the injury and I thought he was pulling off the ball…but there’s just nothing there to support that. You match up his 2018, 2019 tape with 2020, ’21 and the swing is identical.
The numbers are even similar. This year, he’s just not hitting the ball as hard as often.
So if it was just the back, things wouldn’t have changed between this year and last year.
As a physical therapist, I can assure you that you are wrong about this. The break took on almost ALL of the force. Any issues with either the patellar ligament or tendon would be VERY minor to the point of not being torn or even strained that much. The FACT of the matter is that those tendon and ligament in these cases heals up in a week or two at most. 5-6 weeks BEFORE the bone is fully cemented.
See the Brewcrew article from the last few weeks. He WAS taking more pitches this year than at any point in his career. Walking WAY more (career low SLG% and close to his career high in OBP).
Agree about last year’s sample size and season being meaningless. He has, however, since the BCB article been swinging WAY more and walking WAY less (since about August 11).
I NEVER said he’s swinging at bad pitches. Statistically, he’s exceptional when he does and has gone away from that this year. His hard hit rate this year IS the WORST of his career (even worse than last year).. His last 4 HRs were on pitches WAY out of the zone.
What I and BCB was saying is that he’s such a good bad ball hitter that he SHOULD be swinging at those pitches again.
The problem with him this year is that he is letting pitches out of the zone go that he used to drive the opposite way. And then he strikes out LOOKING at the next one down the middle. Not saying he should chase. Saying he SHOULD HIT those balls he used to and stop WATCHING the strikes right down the middle.
It was solely mental.
I can also tell you that I once did a LeBron pin block high on the backboard in a full court game on the playground.
The knee that was tucked went full force–and I ran a 4.5 forty–into the pole holding the backboard.
I never even went out for a play (and the dude called a weak foul).
I couldn’t play for a mere 2 weeks and the doc said it was nearly shattered but I got lucky.
I have a dent in that kneecap to this day, but at 6′ 1″ I was dunking the ball again easily after only two weeks and the slightly pulled patellar tendon/ligament were healed with ice and heat in two days.
I know what I’m talking about. Athlete and physical therapist.
You, on the other hand, have no clue.
There are about 9 things that I find HILARIOUS about this post!
But the BEST has to be you talking about a “LeBron Pin block while running a 4.5 40 into the pole…but you never went out for a play! Well gee,…that’s FANTASTIC!
Awww…but the guy called a cheap foul! Womp….womp!
Bruh…are you serious? You’re talking about playing a pickup game of basketball and then bragging about not coming out for a play? SO WHAT? I mean…seriously as if it’s not sad enough that you’re using the “As a physical therapist” line, but you’re using the “as an athlete” line and all you’re going off of is…literally…pick up basketball.
I spent 5 years as an athlete in the Big10…and you know what that has to do with this discussion? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Nor does your accreditation for being a physical therapist!
Of ALL the very-very sorry arguments I’ve read on here, the nonsense about your “dented knee,” which….right there tells me you’re NOT someone who’d be trusted with athletes and then you’re own bragging about your 40 time and dunking…things that just could not POSSIBLY be more irrelevant…it’s just hilarious!
I only wish I’d read this before now so I could have gotten a good laugh…but hey, maybe it was worth waiting!
Unreal….this really felt like the most satirical post…but you were 100 pct serious, weren’t you? I’mma definitely have to take a screen shot of this and post it!
“A Lebron Pin Block and I’m 6’1 and run a 4.5 40…so I know what I’m talking about!”
Oh…and let me guess, you WOULD have gotten that big scholarship or even gone pro, but you and your Coach just didn’t see eye to eye, right? Yeah, you were just like Skip Bayless, Water Pistol Pete!
Thank You SOOO much for this! I genuinely cannot thank you enough….it has been a joy!
Oh…and by the way….as juuuuust about anyone who knows ANYTHING about Yelich and his time in Florida can tell you, his problem…was SPECIFICALLY that he WASN’T AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH.
So…part of what you said was just pure nonsense like how he needs to swing at more balls out of the zone. That’s ridiculous. Even Vlad had less success swinging at balls out of the zone and he was maybe the best bad ball hitter of all time, but that you didn’t understand the reference…one that’s REALLY extremely well known…to the point of being almost common knowledge among Brewers fans or anyone who’s followed Yelich’s career….well, it’s not as bad as you talking about your 40 time in relation to this discussion or how someone called a bad foul in a pickup game(which honestly, almost has me giggling like a school girl imagining someone posting that thinking…”wow, this is gonna be a REALLY salient point! If I say and they even called the foul, THAT’LL really hammer the point home!) but it IS hilarious in how you ARGUED…but you didn’t even understand WHAT you were arguing!
But…again, cool. I’m sure of all the injuries and the ~15 surgeries I’ve had, if I only played pickup ball or screwed around and didn’t have to spend 30-40 hours a week, I could have come right back and been fine as well.
But…for future reference lil bud, we’re talking about real athletes, not the pickup superstars who ‘could have been.’ Or the guy who stretches you out and tells you to use the band to regain your flexibility.
You on the other hand…have no clue what you’re talking about!
Now…in the future, when someone needs someone to tell them to stretch their ankle and then ice it after so they can go back to a regular job, you’ll be the first one we look at for the inside info!
When we’re talking about a professional athlete’s injuries, some random dude talking about what a great athlete he was…who’s also not a Doctor and never actually saw Yelich…you can just…shhhh….
Pinch runner deluxe for the playoffs. And solid defensively, stealth move.
More tonight: Blake Snell threw a career-high 122 pitches his last start against the Dodgers. He left the game with two outs in the eighth after a Will Smith homer. The Padres ended up losing the game, 5-3.
Tonight, he has a no-hitter through seven innings in Arizona but is being removed after throwing 107 pitches. Tough spot but I think the correct call. Snell was given an extra day’s rest for this start. The Padres lead the game, 3-0.
Easy no brainer decision. Take him out. Padres have already lost too many starting pitchers now. They can’t afford to lose Snell. It’s about the playoffs not snells personal achievements.
Absolutely. but you know how fans can be. Some Dodger fans still hold it against Dave Roberts for removing Ross Stripling during a no-hitter. Stripling had recently returned from Tommy John Surgery. The next morning in the hotel lobby, Stripling’s father approached Roberts in the hotel lobby, shook Dave’s hand, and said, “Thank you for caring about my son.”
I’m glad the Padres hung on. Otherwise, Tingler might have been crucified by some people for doing the right thing. Interesting race for that second WC spot. I have a strong suspicion the Reds don’t hang on.
Well…I don’t know about the anecdote about Stippling’s father, but as nice of a story as that is, it’s largely just about the team watching out for it’s own investments.
They gave up a lot for Snell, they need him down the stretch, AND they traded for him knowing they’d have him for 3 years(this being one of them).
It would have been completely irresponsible to let him throw 130-140 pitches after throwing….what, 125 the previous outing?
People love to point to Nolan Ryan or other seemingly indestructible pitchers from years past. They forget the loooong list of pitchers who ruined their arms after a single 300 inning season.
And while we can fix a elbow now, it’s much more difficult to repair a shoulder. Either way…the “players today are soft,” crowd is annoying.
Considering how many players are being pulled due to Covid-19 issues, or other injuries this move is not surprising. For one Keon was a okay player here. He was never a .325 avg with 35 HR’s and 125 RBI’s, but he could easily be a .270 10 Hr 40 RBI guys. Again not nearly a bash battalion but easily a .240-.270 hitter with 10 Homeruns to finish the year and 25-30 RBI’s. He could easily be a moderate power clunker. So GO BREWERS! They’ve resurrected other guys careers, let’s hope they do it again! Go Brewers!
No, he could not be those things because he’s proven he isn’t.
He has terrible plate discipline and a bad eye at the plate.
The Crew had him for years and couldn’t fix him.
How is it they could now?
He stinks.
Take it from this guy! He ran a 4.5 and did a LeBron like pin block…so he knows what he’s talking about!
Hey, maybe if Keon would just start swinging at more pitches “WAY out of the zone” like you want Yelich to do, maybe that’d fix him!
Ahahahahahahaha!!!