StaTuesday: Brewers showing more patience at plate
In this modern age of baseball, where analytics are important and on-base percentage is stressed, the Milwaukee Brewers are taking it to heart.
While the Brewers' OBP entering Wednesday's game in Minnesota might not be high (.309), that is more a result of the bats just not getting going yet. Milwaukee is batting just .215 -- which means their on-base percentage is 94 points higher. Only Chicago, at +104, have a higher margin in the National League (the average difference in the NL is +72).
The Brewers rank third in the majors in walks with 54, which is 4.15 per game. Only the Cubs (64) and Pittsburgh (61) have more bases on balls. New York leads the American leagues with 44 walks in 11 games, the 4.0 average the best in the AL but short of Milwaukee's rate.
Every position player has at least one walk, with six having four or more.
BREWERS WALK PERCENTAGE
| Player (walks) | 2016 | 2015 | Pre-2016 |
| Scooter Gennett (9) | 18.00% | 3.10% | 4.00% |
| Domingo Santana (8) | 14.80% | 10.40% | 10.20% |
| Jonathan Villar (7) | 16.30% | 7.80% | 8.10% |
| Chris Carter (6) | 12.80% | 12.40% | 11.50% |
| Ryan Braun (4) | 8.50% | 9.50% | 8.10% |
| Colin Walsh (4) | 27.60% | n/a | n/a |
| Kirk Nieuwenhuis (3) | 16.70% | 7.10% | 9.10% |
There is, of course, a lot of time left in the season and this is just a small sample size, but Milwaukee is on pace for 673 walks, which would be a franchise record. In 1999, the Brewers had 658 walks, led by Jeromy Burnitz's 91. Four other players had 50+ walks that year -- Jeff Cirillo (75), Ronnie Belliard (64), Dave Nilsson (53) and Mark Loretta (.52). In addition, eight players had an OBP of higher than .350 with Jose Valentin (.347) just missing out on being the ninth.
This year's Brewers team currently has five players with an OBP of .350+ with Chris Carter (.340) close to being No. 6. (In case you were curious, the most walks in a season in Brewers history is 114 by Prince Fielder in 2010.)
BREWERS YEAR-BY-YEAR WALKS, OBP IN NATIONAL LEAGUE
| Season | Walks (League rank*) | OBP (League rank*) |
| 2016** | 54 (3) | .309 (9) |
| 2015 | 412 (12) | .307 (13) |
| 2014 | 423 (12) | .311 (7) |
| 2013 | 407 (15) | .311 (10) |
| 2012 | 466 (11) | .325 (5) |
| 2011 | 481 (12) | .325 (5) |
| 2010 | 546 (5) | .335 (4) |
| 2009 | 610 (3) | .341 (3) |
| 2008 | 550 (9) | .325 (10) |
| 2007 | 501 (14) | .329 (11) |
| 2006 | 502 (12) | .327 (13) |
| 2005 | 531 (8) | .331 (9) |
| 2004 | 540 (9) | .321 (12) |
| 2003 | 547 (7) | .329 (11) |
| 2002 | 500 (13) | .320 (14) |
| 2001 | 488 (12) | .319 (14) |
| 2000 | 620 (7) | .325 (16) |
| 1999 | 658 (4) | .353 (4) |
| 1998 | 532 (9) | .330 (8) |
* -- 2013-16: 15 teams; 1998-2011: 16 teams
** -- Through 13 games
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