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The Tigers were nervous... The Losers called the Cardinals were in their 3rd World Series in a row... It shows what it can do to a person, and that is why I am leaning towards BSchwartz with his first argument. I will hold off, but Round 1 goes to BS.

The expectations (hitting wise), are a lot higher for Braun....he's more likely to slump.

that sucks it came out as one long blob, oh well.

How were you trying to make it look?

spaced out. I don't like one huge blob. No one reads it when it is a blob. I like to seporate my points.

vote to the right,much better arguements

Oh, yeah, blobs are eye-sores...

here, nice and spaced out

"That number is obviously going to go way up this year allowing for even more production."

There it is, that is the pressure that is on Braun. Even by your standards needs more than 34 HR, more than 97 RBI, and to hit over .300. Pedroia needs to "be on base for Papi and Manny".

Now the guys that you mentioned as pick ups for the Brewers are all role players. Trust me pitchers may not intentionally walk Braun , they will not see the pitches that a Kendall will see.

On to the Pressure. People love to watch power hitters. When you are at a game and one of the better power hitters are up everyone takes notice. When Braun does well, they will notice and when he doesn't the will be watching.


As for Pedroia, well you see he is one of those role players. Ask a Red Sox fan how many HR Papi hit last year, then ask them how many people were on when he hit them (not RBI, how many runners were on when he hit HR's).

You see Braun is expected to be a leader on this team, he and Fielder are supposed to take this team to the next level. All the while he has to learn a new position.

Pedroia just has to do what he has done in the past. Nothing new.

You still fail for no reason...

Brewer fan here. I don't think Braun will struggle this year, but there's no way you can't say there's no pressure for Brewers players. The teams great start in 2007, got a lot of casual fans fired up for Brewer baseball. After the slump that ended the season a lot of player's were calling for Yost's head. If you don't think pressure get's to Brewer players look at Derrick Turnbow. The former closer has admitted that Brewer fan's booing gets to him. Turnbow is usually great, but when he has a bad game he gets into a slump because the fans turn on him.

I agree with the left side, but the right has the better argument.

I like Yost, hope he keeps his job.

Pedroia will fizzle out this year.

Regression to the mean dictates that the more extreme performance is the one most likely to diminish. Therefore, I'd have to say that Braun is more likely to be closer to average than Pedroia. Plus, Braun is more of a power guy, and the type of player more prone to injury, streaks, and strikeouts. He's one of 2 or 3 stars on that team whereas Pedroia is a supporting cast member.

The possibility of either having a sophmore slump has very little to do with pressure or any other of the reasons mentioned and almost everything to do with what type of hitter each is and what is expected of them. As a baseball coach and having spent years as a hitting coach I can tell you that power hitters are 4 times more suseptible to such thigs as are hitters lie Pedroia. Braun is expected to hit home runs and drive in runs. Pedroia is expected to get on base. Pedroia can walk, beat out infield ground balls or punch a dying quail over the second baseman's head and all of that is considered success while the Brewers do not ant their big stud hitting like a diminutive second baseman. Pitcher's tend to figure out power hitter's and where their power zones are and try to stay away from them. This in turn frustrates the young power hitter and he begins to expand his own strike zone. Once this happens he has played into the pitchers hands. He begins to get behind in counts and thus never sees "his pitch" or he begins to pop up pitches in on his hands or ground out on pitches down ans away. Anyone know how Mickey Mantle used to deal with this issue? He would drag bunt (a lost art) and use his speed to get on base forcing pitchers to be honest. Of course HE had Maris and a host of other murderous hitters behind him that Braun does not. Pedroia on the other hand, has only to keep making contact, dropping balls intp the cavernous right field of Fenway and occacionally bouncing 320 foot fly balls off the monster and its all good for him!

MOH Coach, I did mention that. the only reason I brought up the "Pressure" issue is that it was brought up.

Like I have said that as long as Pedroia can get on he is golden. if Braun hits .300 with 15 HR on the year, he isn't getting it done.

About Braun, you wrote: 'The Brewers have moved him to left field to make room for other offseason pick ups. '

This sentence could not be MORE false...they moved him cause he was HORRIBLE at D...and the guy replacing him at 3B was not an offseason pick up...it's Bill Hall...

About Braun, you wrote: 'The Brewers have moved him to left field to make room for other offseason pick ups. '

This sentence could not be MORE false...they moved him cause he was HORRIBLE at D...and the guy replacing him at 3B was not an offseason pick up...it's Bill Hall...

Jim L. | 02/19/08, 11:01 PM


Whoops.

Schwartz, check out my comments in the "Most Overrated Pitcher" TD.

LCHobber24 said 02/18, 09:14 PM
I am still a firm believer that there is more pressure on Pedroia than Braun. Braun plays baseball in Milwaukee, some people don't even know where that is.

What does people knowing/not knowing where Milwaukee is having anything to do with this argument. I mean, your argument would have some relevance if Milwaukee was a new team, but anyone who watches baseball knows the Brewers have been around awhile and play in Milwaukee.

Here's hoping another Cleveland series gets snowed out and moved to Milwaukee!!! $5 tickets were awesome!

That said, Braun is going to have a tougher time matching last year's accomplishments, but at least he'll have a full season to do so.