If Jonathon Lucroy isn't your favorite player on the Milwaukee Brewers, you seriously need to reevaluate what you are doing wrong with your life. Because I promise you that this isn't the only mistake that you are making. If you tell me that Carlos Gomez is your favorite player, I'm willing to give you a pass. I love Gomez so much that I would probably let him marry me (seeing that Rickie Weeks is now off the market). But isn't Gomez married? I know that he has a girl and some kids, but I don't have the heart to look it up if he is legally taken. But why am I talking about him here? He'll get his in due time when I recap his 2014 season. I can't be another one of those assholes who doesn't give proper credit to Jonathon Lucroy after he put up one of the better seasons I've seen in a long time. Sure, some of the numbers may not be all that flashy, but it's what can't be measured in numbers is where he really shines.
There are statistics for everything and I could bore with by rattling them off (but I'm not going to. You're welcome). They even have many defensive stats that help qualify a catcher's worth like defensive runs saved above average, catcher's ERA and of course errors, fielding percentage and stolen bases numbers (runners thrown out, allowed and percentages). OK, so maybe I did manage to bore you a little bit. But know that Lucroy and Maldonado were around the league average in every category. While that certainly doesn't instill a lot of confidence, they were invaluable behind the plate as they helped the pitching staff to championship numbers (3.67 in 2014 as compared to 3.63 in 2011 and 3.85 in 2008). So you can't blame Lucroy, Maldonado or the pitching staff for the great collapse of 2014. These two men crouched behind the plate did everything they could on defense, calling the game and on offensive to get them to the playoffs. But it wasn't enough. The team just came up a little short, but there is no way a finger should every be pointed in their direction.
There are statistics for everything and I could bore with by rattling them off (but I'm not going to. You're welcome). They even have many defensive stats that help qualify a catcher's worth like defensive runs saved above average, catcher's ERA and of course errors, fielding percentage and stolen bases numbers (runners thrown out, allowed and percentages). OK, so maybe I did manage to bore you a little bit. But know that Lucroy and Maldonado were around the league average in every category. While that certainly doesn't instill a lot of confidence, they were invaluable behind the plate as they helped the pitching staff to championship numbers (3.67 in 2014 as compared to 3.63 in 2011 and 3.85 in 2008). So you can't blame Lucroy, Maldonado or the pitching staff for the great collapse of 2014. These two men crouched behind the plate did everything they could on defense, calling the game and on offensive to get them to the playoffs. But it wasn't enough. The team just came up a little short, but there is no way a finger should every be pointed in their direction.
Braun had to step out of the limelight a little bit because of the whole PED suspension shit, so the Brewers wisely moved Lucroy into the marketing spotlight. He's got Southern charm (born in central Florida but went to college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and played for the Ragin Cajuns) and seems like an all around nice guy. Fans really got behind the "LUUUUUUUUUUUUCCC!!!" cheer and jumped right on that marketing bandwagon. They voted him in to the All-Star game and he started the game. He hit 53 doubles and led the league, setting a NL record for most doubles as a catcher in the process (falling 1 short of tying Lyle Overbay's franchise record set in 2004). On top of that he gave his time to charity, smiled for the cameras and seemed like an all around nice guy. There's really nothing bad that I can say about Lucroy or Maldonado and that continues in the video below.
It was the middle of the night after I had a few. I don't expect you to watch this because it's a real piece of work (as was I during this video). I should never get drunk. And I should never film a video. And I should never talk about the Brewers. And I should be embarrassed of my actions and where I am at this stage in my life. But I'm not. That's why I have problems.
Jonathan Lucroy #20 - .275 batting avg, 24 HRs, 81 RBIs, 125 games caught and his first All-Star appearance, which is not only well deserved but will also lift him out of the underrated ranks into the catching elite.
.301 batting avg, 13 HRs, 69 RBIs, 53 doubles, 133 games started at Catcher, 16 games started at 1st, made his 1st All-Star appearance (and started the game), was totally snubbed for a Gold Glove award but is at least beginning to earn a little respect, which puts him one step above Rodney Dangerfield.
Martin Maldonado #12 - .215 batting avg, 4 HRs, 19 RBIs, 37 games caught and the best god damn backup since the Time backed up Morris Day. That shit was the mad note! My Jungle Love, oo wee oo wee oo.
.234 batting avg, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs, 29 games caught, 2 games at 1B, 1 inning pitched (0.00 ERA) and a backup extraordinaire like my portable hard drive - there in case you need it in when the primary one crashes (but you hope to God that it never does).
There's nothing really to say about these bastards anymore. I don't even know why I called them bastards. In fact, I'm sure both of them know their birth fathers, so what I'm saying right now is complete bullshit. But that's the story of my life pal. Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, real shit, bullshit, bullshit and more bullshit. See how I managed to stick in some real shit in between there? That's because it happened. I don't know how it happened (because I wasn't there) but the 2014 season fell apart, but don't go pointing the finger at these two.
Catchers weren't the problem. Sure, people may point to Maldonado's numbers and have a problem with it, but he's a backup. How much did he really impact the 2014 team? But he was the perfect backup. When Lucroy needed a day off, the team was in perfectly capable hands. How many teams has that kind of benefit? Maldonado could start on a team without a front-tier starter. Could it be a frontier starter? Like Billy the Kid or Wyatt Earp? I could get behind that a whole lot more than the other option. Maybe because I admire Old West dudes who took the law into the hands, carried six shooters on the hips and banged some dirty prostitutes? Western Union train? There's only so much whiskey that money can buy, so you might as well just give that money to some old dusty broads. They're going to die from STDs in a few years anyway, right? And it doesn't matter that they gave you AIDS. A gunshot wound to the chest during a shootout at high noon will kill you faster. How would I know? I don't. I'm just guessing. I have never had AIDS or a gunshot wound to the chest, so I can't weigh in on that. But I have a feeling gunshots are worse, especially without the benefit of modern medicine.
Catchers weren't the problem. Sure, people may point to Maldonado's numbers and have a problem with it, but he's a backup. How much did he really impact the 2014 team? But he was the perfect backup. When Lucroy needed a day off, the team was in perfectly capable hands. How many teams has that kind of benefit? Maldonado could start on a team without a front-tier starter. Could it be a frontier starter? Like Billy the Kid or Wyatt Earp? I could get behind that a whole lot more than the other option. Maybe because I admire Old West dudes who took the law into the hands, carried six shooters on the hips and banged some dirty prostitutes? Western Union train? There's only so much whiskey that money can buy, so you might as well just give that money to some old dusty broads. They're going to die from STDs in a few years anyway, right? And it doesn't matter that they gave you AIDS. A gunshot wound to the chest during a shootout at high noon will kill you faster. How would I know? I don't. I'm just guessing. I have never had AIDS or a gunshot wound to the chest, so I can't weigh in on that. But I have a feeling gunshots are worse, especially without the benefit of modern medicine.
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