Ryan Braun – Padre Killer

At the start of each series, we at Chicken Friars will zero in on an opposing player known to be a “Padre Killer.” No matter the day, time or place, this player is known to be a one-man wrecking crew when it comes to playing against the San Diego Padres.

In this column, I will analyze that player’s statistics against the Friars and try to offer some insight into how not to let that player beat our beloved team.

The Padres leave home after a six-game homestand that saw them push their Major League worst record (19-38) farther down last place with series losses to divisional rivals Arizona Diamondacks and San Francisco Giants. Now, the Padres will look to test their fortune in the beer capital of the world, Milwaukee.

 When the Padres play the Milwaukee Brewers, National League MVP Ryan Braun in particular always seems to catch the Padres playing like they had a little too much to drink.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com

The last time the Padres played the Brew Crew, Braun slugged three home runs in consecutive at-bats and added a triple. That was all in pitcher friendly Petco Park. If Braun terrorized the Padres at Petco, imagine the destruction he will cause at Miller Park, where he holds a career .308 batting average with 92 home runs and 287 RBI

Ryan Braun is a beast. There is no doubt about that. But he is beatable. The way I recommend to beat him is to mix up pitches and make him chase pitches outside the strike zone. Basically, make him get himself out. When doing this, however, Padres pitchers must be careful not to leak a pitch over the plate or miss with location because if that happens, Braun will continue to be a Padre Killer. Just hope that Braun won’t leave the Padres with a hangover.