Brantley's Career Batting Order Position & LF/CF/PH/DH #s as an Indian

hello again, Brantley fans! this is the second blog in my series analyzing Michael Brantley's career numbers and stats from his 10 years as a Cleveland Indian. it consists of his batting order position numbers, along with his left field, center field, PH, DH, PH for DH, and PR numbers. the format is the same as my typical BOP wrap up blogs, though keen-eyed readers will be quick to spot that there are a few changes.

the thing is, as i mentioned in my previous post, from 2009-2011, i did not document and personally calculate Michael's game stats during his first 214 games in the majors. i very recently researched back through those to complete this. and again, my writing and coverage of Michael's numbers expanded as time went by, so there are certain things that i've been keeping track of in his last few campaigns that i didn't take notes on in the early days even when i was documenting his stats. therefore, i was unable to get an accurate total count for various data and, unfortunately, the following had to eliminated from this blog:
--first at bat hits,
--runners left on base,
--which specific bases Michael stole and which specific bases

Brantley's 2018 ALDS #s

hi, Brantley fans. so it would appear as though we have watched Michael play in a Cleveland uniform for what most likely was the last time. that's because yesterday, on October 8, the Cleveland Indians were eliminated from postseason play when they lost the American League Division Series to the Houston Astros in a very quick three-game series. i wish i could say i didn't see this coming, but i think a lot of us did. the only thing that surprised me is that the Tribe got swept. i really thought they'd make it a close series and go the full five games. i was at Game 3, the first and only game in Cleveland, so my blog is going up a day late. my apologies.

the format of this is much like a monthly post, except i've added some pre-ALDS news to start with. also, because i only had three games to cover, i went ahead and listed out all of Michael's at bats in my redesigned Game Talk, At-Bat Details, Pictures, and Quotes section.

while many want to say that the top of the order didn't perform well, i'm about to prove that Michael was actually one of the top performers and did

Brantley's 2018 Batting Order Position & LF/PH/DH #s

hi, Brantley fans! hope you are well. this is the second Michael Brantley wrap up blog, which contains all of his number breakdowns based on his batting order positions and LF, PH, and DH #s for the 2018 regular season.

let's take a quick dive back into the past before i get into the present. in case you don't remember, prior to this season, Michael was the Indians' 3 hole hitter. in fact, he'd been regularly batting 3rd in the order since May 3, 2014 (minus the couple of games he played in 2016). even when Michael was out hurt, he would always return to the 3 spot, which he rightfully earned after his outstanding 2014 and 2015 seasons. even manager Terry Francona admitted to essentially building the lineup around Michael in the 3 hole. but while Michael was on the 10-Day DL battling his right ankle sprain in the second half of 2017, Jose Ramirez replaced him in the 3 hole. and Tito liked what he brought to that spot so much that he decided to continue letting Ramirez bat 3rd whether Michael was playing or not.

Michael started the 2018 campaign on the 10-Day DL and he remained in Arizona as he continued to build up endurance after spending another offseason/spring training rehabbing, this time from right ankle surgery. once he returned to the Tribe, Michael alternated between the Tribe's cleanup hitter and 5 hole hitter, depending on

Brantley's 2018 Game-by-Game Numbers & Notes

hi again, Brantley fans! it's time for my series of wrap up blogs where i break down Michael's 2018 season numbers in a couple different ways, so as not to overwhelm you all with a plethora of stats and information.🕮

i'm going to begin with a post concentrating on Michael's 2018 Game-by-Game Numbers and Notes.🖩📓


for the third straight year, Michael was behind everyone in spring as he was working to come back from an injury. this time his delay was a result of the right ankle surgery that he had in October 2017 for ankle synovitis and a deltoid ligament sprain. Michael spent most of spring training still rehabbing from his surgery while the rest of the Indians played in Cactus League games. in the middle of March, Michael finally got some game action, first with the minor leaguers before "graduating" to playing with his Tribe teammates. but since he only played in three Cactus League contests, it was decided that Michael would open the season on the 10-Day DL in order to continue building up his endurance to ensure that he'd be capable of playing full games right away upon his return.

Michael only missed the first

Brantley's Second Half 2018 #s

hello, Brantley fans! you're going to see a lot of blogs coming out this week from me containing all of Michael's final 2018 #s. but first, i have to tell you about his second half #s and statistics! the schedule after the All Star Break consisted of 67 games for the Cleveland Indians. Michael received extra rest days towards the end of the year in preparation for the playoffs, but he still played enough to be considered a qualifying player. so let's check out his performance!


post-All Star Break in 2018, Michael had a total of 259 plate appearances and 229 at bats in 59 games (481.0 innings). in total, he had 71 hits, 17 extra base hits, 54 singles, 11 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs, 20 RBI, 2 sac flies, 34 runs, 23 walks, 3 hit by pitches, 6 stolen bases (5 - 2nd, 1 - 3rd), 4 reached on fielder's choice, 1 reached on forceout, 2 reached on fielding error, 1 reached on catcher interference, 1 reached on passed ball, 1 sac bunt, 5 GIDP, 29 strikeouts (23 swinging, 6 looking), 13 first at bat hits, 99 total bases, 86 left on base, 97 putouts, 3 assists, and 1 double play.

2nd Half 2018 batting average:

Brantley's September 2018 #s

hello, Brantley fans! and welcome to the last regular season monthly blog about our boy! thank you to everyone who read my previous Brantley's August 2018 #s and Brantley's 2018 #s Through August blogs! i'm so grateful that you took time out of your day to come to my site and catch up on All Things Brantley!✋

now let me reveal which countries visited my blogspot the most over this past month. the #1 viewers came from... the United States!🥇 the 2nd largest audience resided in... Ukraine!🥈 and rounding out the Top 3 in September is... Spain!🥉 hello!👋 and wow! it is so humbling to see that Michael has amazing fans all over the world!🌐 you guys rock!👊

quick note: i have a new schedule regarding posts coming up before and during the postseason. make sure to read all the way to the end of this post for information about what to expect from here on out!

okay, ready to see how Michael did in September? let's go!

September Overview

this September very well could have been Michael's final regular season month as an Indian.

Brantley's 7th Career Walk-off!

Michael Brantley has done it again! during the game on September 22, just before the 11th hour, in the 11th inning, he hit his second walk-off of the season to help the Indians defeat the Boston Red Sox, 5-4!👏👏👏

 

photos courtesy of @Indians on twitter

let me first backtrack before i get into Michael's heroics. the Tribe had

Brantley's 2018 #s Through August

hey, Brantley fans! can you believe we're into September already? seriously, how have five months of baseball season gone by so fast? and it's very bittersweet this year because that means we have also come upon the final month in the regular season that Michael will play as an Indian before he explores the free agent market. the Michael Brantley Era in Cleveland is truly almost over. ugh. i can't even process that reality yet...😞😟😢😭💔

okay, now that i've depressed the hell out of everyone, let me try to pick things back up. Michael's 2018 campaign has gone extremely well so far. he did much better in some months than others, but he's currently on the upswing and right track with his hitting. highlights to this point include his 19-game hitting streak, his career high 27-game on-base streak at home, hitting his first and second career grand slams, hitting his sixth career walk-off, and being named an All Star for the third time. lowlights include difficulty finding consistency out of the break, continued problem areas, specifically hitting with RISP and 2 outs, struggles against left-handed pitching, and an inexplicable inability to hit well on road (until last month, that is). but overall, he's mainly got exceptional season stats.

and let me remind y'all, too, that the most important thing to focus on might just be the fact that he's healthy! for the first time since 2015, Michael is not

Brantley's August 2018 #s

what's new, Brantley crew? i'm back with the latest monthly post! but first let me express my thanks to those who read my Brantley's July 2018 #s blog and Brantley's 2018 #s Through July blog! i truly appreciate it.😊

okay, so where did my Top 3 audiences come from in August? that would be the countries of Russia, the United States, and Spain.🥇🥈🥉 hello, welcome, and thank you for stopping by!👋 not from one of those locations? let me know where you reside in a comment below!🌎 if you want to up your chances of being named one of my top viewers, share my posts on all your social medias and your friends and family. then check back here next month to see who's been reading up on Dr. Smooth the most!😉 

now let's get into Michael's performance in August!

August Overview

Michael is back, people! lol this was by far and away his best month since April and May. he improved and/or excelled in several areas. what i found particularly relieving was that

Brantley's 2018 #s Through July

hi there, Brantley fans! we are two-thirds of the way through with the 2018 baseball campaign, can you believe it? i mean, where has the time gone, am i right? sadder still is this means Cleveland Indians fans only have two months left (in the regular season, at least) to enjoy watching Michael play in a Tribe uniform before he becomes a free agent and most likely signs somewhere else. sigh.😟💔

to give you a brief summary of what's occurred thus far in Michael's season, he put up excellent performances in both April and May, but the past two months have been challenging to say the least. he's been struggling in some areas that he generally does very well in, particularly with runners in scoring position, on the road, and against left-handed pitching. normally one of the most consistent, reliable, and clutch hitters in the game, it's surprising that Michael is having trouble in these specific categories. there is definite room for improvement, as you will soon see, and i know he'd agree. with this being his walk-year especially, him playing well is very important. the good news is, he still has a good amount of time to turn things around. oh and on another positive note, he's remained healthy this year, too!😀🙏

okay, let's get to the numbers. in this blog, you will find Michael's 2018 regular season numbers and statistics covering March 29 - July 31.

so far in 2018, Michael has

Brantley's July 2018 #s

hey, Brantley fam! i hope you're all doing well! first, as always, i want to take a minute to thank everyone who read any or all of my previous stats blogs, including Brantley's June 2018 #s, Brantley's 2018 #s Through June, and Brantley's First Half 2018 #s.🕮

secondly, i have to acknowledge my Top 3 viewer countries from the last month, those being the United States, France, and Russia.🥇🥈🥉 thanks so much for coming here to get all your Michael Brantley news! i'm so grateful for your views! if i didn't shout out your location, leave it in a comment below and let me know you stopped by!🌎 make sure you're sharing my blogs with your friends, family, and other Dr. Smooth fans because that will definitely help your chances of getting in my top 3 audiences next month!😉 

okay, now it's time to dissect Michael's July!

July Overview

Michael achieved some big milestones in his career this month. he acquired his 500th career RBI, scored his 500th career run, played in his 1,000th Major League game, and set a new career high with

Brantley's First Half 2018 #s

hello, Brantley faithful! the All Star Break is finally upon us. why do i say finally? because the break is later than normal this year due to extra off days having been added to the schedule. that makes it even more ironic to call what has passed thus far as the "first half," but that's just how it goes. this part of July has always been considered the halfway point in baseball regardless of teams having played more than 81 games--the true half mark in the sport. the Indians, in particular, have already played 95 games!

it won't be much of a break for those players who are going to the Midsummer Classic in Washington, D.C., however, and that includes our boy, Michael Brantley! in case you missed it, Michael was selected as an OF reserve for the American League team for the second straight ASG, third time overall in his career. so while he and the other All Stars prepare for the 89th annual affair, i shall provide you with Michael's first half numbers of 2018.


so far in 2018, Michael has 372 plate appearances and 341 at bats in 84 games (655.1 innings). in total, he has 105 hits, 38 extra base hits, 67 singles, 25 doubles, 1 triple, 12 home runs (2 grand slams), 56 RBI, 4 sac flies, 55 runs, 25 walks, 2 hit by pitches, 6 stolen bases (2nd), 3 caught stealing (2 - 2nd, 1 - 3rd), 3 reached on fielder's choice, 1 reached on forceout, 2 reached on fielding error, 1 reached on throwing error, 10

Brantley's 2018 #s Through June (+ All Star Ballot Results)

hey, Brantley fans! so we're already halfway through the season in terms of both games--81 down, 81 to go--and months. the year is just flying by. luckily, i've been keeping busy with my blog work in an attempt to distract myself from the reality that there are only three months left in the Michael Brantley Era in Cleveland... the tears will be coming, but for now, i'm trying to enjoy every day that he's still playing in a Tribe uniform.😔

to recap Michael's season thus far, he had a very hot start to 2018, but has since cooled off. if you read through my Brantley's June 2018 #s blog, then you know he struggled in just about every facet of the game. it was very disheartening to see Michael go from batting .366 (30-for-82) during his 19-game hitting streak in May, to batting .243 (25-for-103) over his next 26 games, including nine 0-fers, since then. however, because he excelled so much in both March/April and May, the majority of his overall numbers and situational statistics remain strong.

another big positive is, he's been healthy. not only that, but the extra off days Terry Francona was giving Michael in the beginning of the campaign are no longer necessary. i think we can officially stop worrying about his ankle now (knock on wood👊). and here's hoping that the new calendar month will bring Michael back to the high level of performance that we're used to and he's capable of.

this post contains Michael's

Brantley's June 2018 #s

hello, Brantley fans! i'm back with another monthly blog. thank you for reading my previous Brantley's May 2018 #s blog and Brantley's 2018 # Through May blog. i know there was A LOT going on in Michael's May, so i hope you enjoyed all the content i provided spotlighting everything.✍

i didn't see any new viewer countries on my blog this month, but that's okay because heavy traffic continues to come through from some certain regulars.😉 in June, the United States, Germany, and Italy🥇🥈🥉 represented my top 3 visitors, specifically (with France, Brazil, and Spain very close behind!). thanks to all of you in those locations for stopping by and checking out my posts.👏 let know know you were here by leaving a comment! and if you aren't from one of the places listed, feel free to shout out your country in the comments, too.🌎 i'm sure my top audience will change over the course of the next month again, so be sure to come back at the end of July to find out which areas are reading about Brant the most! as always, you can share my posts on social media to increase your chances of being in the top and then recognized here.👍

reminder: if you haven't voted for Michael to go to the 2018 All Star Game yet, you've still got six days to cast 25 ballots.🗹 please help Brant get to his third career Midsummer Classic, and final as a Cleveland Indian.🙏 click here for details, tips, and tricks!

now let's get into Michael's June!

Brantley's 2018 #s Through May

hey, all! two months of Michael Brantley's final year with the Tribe have already passed, can you believe it?!😔 the season is going by fast, but Michael is making every second of it fun to watch.😎

so this is the second blog of the two that you can expect from me at the end of every month and it includes Michael's overall numbers for the 2018 campaign so far. this specific post covers March 29 through May 31. if you're not that concerned with stats per month and just want to know Michael's total numbers to this point in the year without all the extra detailed information that i provide in my monthlies, then this is the blog for you.

in this and all my future 2018 #s Through... posts, you will find the following sections:
--current overall #s recap
--batting average competition
--team leads and career highs
--HR:RBI ratio, LOB, K Rate, and Outs
--reached base vs. left stranded
--streaks and situational statistics
--#s versus AL Central Division teams
--Interleague play #s
--league rankings

Brantley's May 2018 #s

what's up, Brantley fans? thank you all who read my Brantley's March/April 2018 #s blog. it was a long one, but i hope you found it informative and worth your time.😀

i also want to thank and welcome my new viewers from Cameroon! hi!👋 i'm honored that you found my site and it's great to see Michael has fans all the way in Central Africa!👌 throughout the duration of this month, my site saw the most visitors from Russia, the United States, and Germany (in that order). props to all of you in those countries for keeping up with all the news about Dr. Smooth and i appreciate all of your clicks.👍 leave a comment below and let me know you were here. then check back next month to see if there were any changes in where my largest audience is coming from. feel free to share my posts to better your chances of being in the Top 3!🥇🥈🥉

as i stated in my previously monthly blog, you're going to get two posts from me filled with numbers and statistics at the end of every month now. this one focuses on May and May alone. the upcoming second post will contain Michael's overall numbers and stats so far for 2018 and will be linked at the bottom of this blog once i finish it.

and if you haven't heard, 2018 MLB All Star Game voting begins

Brantley's First Career Grand Slam!!!

there was one really big benchmark that Michael Brantley hadn't yet achieved in his Major League career. i've been waiting for it patiently and tonight, on May 1, 2018, during his 10th big league season, it happened--Michael finally hit his first career grand slam!😁

photo courtesy of Tony Dejak via Associated Press

let me set the scene. the Indians were playing the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Michael came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning with 2 outs and the Tribe down, 6-2. he stepped into the batter's box to face right-handed closer Keone Kela with the bases loaded--Bradley Zimmer at 3rd, Francisco Lindor at 2nd, and Jason Kipnis at 1st. after an 0-2 count, Michael

Brantley's March/April 2018 #s

hi, Brantley fans! i'm back with the first monthly blog of the 2018 regular season!📅 as i left off in my previous post, Michael Brantley was activated from the disabled list on April 6 after opening the year on the 10-Day DL. despite his time in extended spring, Michael received additional days off in April in an effort to make sure the left fielder didn't overexert himself as he continued to get back to playing on a regular basis again. (btw, if you haven't read my two Brantley's Cactus League 2018 Rehab blog posts, i will link them here: Rehab Details and Rehab #s. if you did already read them, thank you so much!🤗)

the team's caution seems to be working because so far, Michael's ankle has been holding up well and he repeatedly says he feels great. (we can't ask for more than that, right?) the DL stint and extra time off, however, resulted in Michael only playing in two-thirds of the games this month. nevertheless, there's a lot of things to discuss and i'm going to get into it all for you shortly. but first, i need to go over some important information.

ordinarily, i like to acknowledge viewers from countries who've never visited my blog before in my intro. well, i didn't see any new countries in my audience over the past month. my readers come from many different places all around the world and at this point, i think it will be a surprise if any newbies pop up here going forward. (i'd love it if they did though!) so instead, when no new views appear, i'm going to shout out the Top 3 countries to view my blog. in April, those include

Brantley's 2017 ALDS #s

it is with a heavy heart that i post this blog. even though Michael Brantley finally got to be a part of the Cleveland Indians' postseason as an active player, the team's playoff appearance was very short-lived, taking practically everyone by surprise. earlier tonight, on October 11, the New York Yankees eliminated the Tribe in the American League Division Series by beating them, 3 games to 2. if you need a minute to cry, go ahead; then keep reading. believe me, i'm right there with you.😭

i had originally planned on posting separate blogs for each series that the Indians played in but... this is it. the format here consists of sections from both the Brantley's 2016 Postseason blog and my monthly Brantley blogs. i've also changed some things around a bit because i felt like it made a little more sense for such a short series.

now without further ado, let's relive the last 10 days.😟


Pre-American League Division Series News

October 2: the Indians held an optional workout on Monday and Michael

Brantley's 2017 Batting Order Position & LF/PH/DH #s

let's keep this series of wrap up blogs going with my breakdowns of Michael Brantley's BOP numbers for 2017.

not one Cleveland Indians player bat in the same spot in the lineup for the entire year, but Michael sure came close. when he was healthy, he owned the 3rd spot--at least until the end of the season, that is. Terry Francona really liked Michael batting in the 3 hole, so much so that he repeatedly defended his choice to critics. the guys hitting in front of and behind Michael, however, changed numerous times throughout the 2017 campaign.

Carlos Santana was batting leadoff for the team when the season got underway. Francisco Lindor bat 2nd ahead of Michael, with Edwin Encarnacion batting cleanup and Jose Ramirez hitting in the 5th spot. Yandy Diaz, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Jason Kipnis all got their turns batting 6th in April.

in May, Tito settled on a lineup with Kip leading off, and Lindor, Brant, Santana, Encarnacion, and Ramirez batting consecutively after him. June's main lineup was similar to what it was in May until Michael went