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Bat is literally on fire for Brewers’ catcher Jonathan Lucroy

By Kyle Franzoni

Aug 20, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 20, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Milwaukee Brewers all-star catcher Jonathan Lucroy is known for a hot bat, but it was literally on fire for a recent photo shoot.

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There’s an old phrase that when a hitter is doing well it is said that, “he’s swinging a hot bat.” For Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, you can’t get much hotter than swinging a bat that is literally on fire.

For a recent Milwaukee Brewers photo shoot, Lucroy stood at home plate with a bat that had apparently been lit on fire, likely eluding to the fact that Lucroy is one of the most dangerous hitters in the Brewers line-up. Of course, the Brewers won’t want that fire extinguisher around for opposing pitchers to put that bat out when Lucroy is at the plate.

Courtesy of SideLeague.

Now in his third season with the Brewers, the 28-year-old Lucroy finished fourth in the National League Most Valuable Player voting in 2014. He led all catchers with 6.2 wins above replacement (WAR), was second in home runs (22), and wRC+ (133). Additionally, he ranked third among all catchers in pitch framing, showing why the Brewers value him so much defensively as well.

Over the course of his career, Lucroy is a .285/.343/.437 hitter with 59 home runs and 294 RBI in 607 games played. The Brewers must have known what they had in Lucroy pretty early on. In 2012, Milwaukee signed him to a 5-year, $11 million contract extension, buying out his arbitration years and guaranteeing themselves a below-market club option valued at $5.25 million in 2016. For comparison purposes, FanGraphs had Lucroy worth $34.2 million in 2014, and he hasn’t played a single season in the major leagues valued below $15.7 million.

Needless to say, the Brewers are hoping that Lucroy continues to provide that value, swinging a hot, occasionally on-fire bat along the way.

(h/t For The Win)

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