Situational Hitting

[33rdst]

I'm aware what the conversation is about, I just think that the notion that situational hitting on this team is a real problem is silly. Yes, it's nice when you make an out and a baserunner advances, but making a "productive out" is not a repeatable skill, and teams that do succed at productive outmaking at a way above-average rate see marginal gains in the standings.

Tejada could be more productive, sure, (and so could every single hitter in baseball) but I really can't see measuring a hitter by how many runners advance one base when he makes an out.

Well it coud be the difference between winning and losing a ball game. Yesterday Corey Patterson doubles and steals third to start an inning and our hitters are not productive enough to score him. We lost 4-3. I'm sure Bedard wishes we could have traded an out for a run.

And would you mind explaining why a productive out is not a repeatable skill ?

[Leitch]

There's no evidence that it's an actual repeatable skill to move a baserunner while making an out.

Also, the batter has little control over the balls he puts in play and has no control over the baserunner.

And yeah, yesterday we didn't score Corey Patterson, but it's because Ramon Hernandez can't touch righties, Markakis swung at the first pitch, and Brian Roberts got robbed by Lyle Overbay. If one of those first two gets on base, Overbay holds the runner on first and that line drive goes into right field. Patterson scores. The problem isn't just that we couldn't make the outs productive, it's that we made outs in that situation in the first place.

[Fairfax Bird]

There's no evidence that it's an actual repeatable skill to move a baserunner while making an out.

Also, the batter has little control over the balls in play and has no control over the baserunner.

There is also no evidence that it isn't a repeatable skill. I don't undestand where you are getting this notion.

The batter has little control over the balls in play? Do you mean that a hitter can't intentionally hit it to the right side with a runner on 2nd and no one out? These statements have me confused.

[Leitch]

Both players hit the ball to the right side. Markakis grounded to Overbay, and Roberts lined out to Overbay. Yet Corey Patterson could not advance and score on either play.

Unless you're suggesting that it's possible to intentionally make the ball travel more slowly across the turf to allow Patterson to score from 3rd.

[33rdst]

Both players hit the ball to the right side. Markakis grounded to Overbay, and Roberts lined out to Overbay. Yet Corey Patterson could not advance and score on either play.

Unless you're suggesting that it's possible to intentionally make the ball travel more slowly across the turf to allow Patterson to score from 3rd.

Actually there is a way, it's called a bunt. Although I'm not suggesting that they should have done that.

What does it mean to work the count ? If you accept the idea that a player can influence not only the type of pitch he is going to get but the likelyhood that he is going to get it, then the player can optimize his chances of hitting the ball where he wants to. It doesn't mean he will necessarily do it but he improves his chances.

Tejada does not work the count well. He's a slasher. See the ball, hit the ball. It is his style. It's probably why he is as "effective" as he is. Ramirez is selective and therefore has a better chance of getting the pitch he wants, thus increasing his chances of hitting the ball to the area of the field he wants to. He's more effective.

[osfan83]

I believe hitters do have some control. Have you ever seen a hitter inside out his swing to punch the ball the other way. When down in the count it is harder to do, so working the count would be the thing to do. If an O's hitter swings at the first or second pitch with a runner on second and no one out, they probably are not looking to work the count, thus not trying to move the runner via an out.

Down 3 runs in the 5th, sure there is no reason to give up an out for a run. But even early in the game with no score, I say lets do what we can to get on the board. We have very few hitters who get a base hit 3 out of 10 times, and I have to believe their odds of hitting a ground ball to the right side are better than their odds of getting a base hit.