Cruz has quietly been horrible since June 1st

[McLovin]

When all you see are pitches from Oakland, LAA and Seattle its hard to get out of the slump. That's all the O's hitter have seen since the break.

Fair point.

[Aristotelian]

I expected some regression from Cruz. He has never been a .300+ or 45+ HR hitter over a full year, although he has been capable of 2-3 hot months.

I was hoping for a hot streak from Davis to offset the inevitable regression from Cruz, but it hasn't happened.

So far we have gotten pretty lucky that either Cruz or AJ have been able to carry the offense at any point in the season. Definitely need another guy to step up.

[Ripken]

Without a doubt it will be tough on the team to score if both Cruz and Davis continue to struggle. I like the idea of giving Lough some more ABs here down the stretch as well so they can start getting days off if they don't start producing.

I've been very unhappy DD hasn't addressed LF and 2B, especially LF. Nick-Manny-Adam is good at the top. They've all had some down streaks but I trust them going forward. There's not much to do with Catcher; Matt got hurt and at least the replacements are playing good defense. I think Joseph will hit some, too. Just put him 9th and let him go. However, that 4-8 is just terrible right now. We'll win or lose with Cruz, Davis, and Hardy. I hope there's someone useful added in August.

[isestrex]

It hasn't been that quiet for me.

I'm not worried, however. He was due to hit a dry spell. The great thing about Cruz is that he's proved multiple times that he can carry a team in the playoffs and win a playoff series almost single handedly. We've seen evidence of that with the Orioles already how he almost single handedly carried the Orioles in April to a .500+ record before the rest of the bats got going.

Cruz will got hot again... if that's not until late Sept and Oct, I won't mind a bit.

[mdbdotcom]

Ever since he was hit by that pitch on his hand he hasnt been the same. Not saying thats all of it, but that seemed to take him out of his groove and he hasnt got it back.

I think you are exactly right. I remember when it happened, hoping that he wouldn't play while hurt and risk losing his stroke.

It also looks to me like he's put on a few pounds since the beginning of the season. Has anyone else noticed that, or is it my imagination?

[Aristotelian]

To me, it's painfully obvious what is happening. He's pulling off everything - and I mean EVERYTHING. Breaking balls, fastballs, outside part of the plate, down, up, in, everything.

When he was rolling, it was the same as what we say about Chris Davis, he was driving the ball to RF and RCF. I don't know why the coaching staff waits so long to start working on these things. We always hear about them working on it after like a billion ABs. Get to work! Everyone knows what the problem is!

I agree with this. Also like Davis, the shift has been a factor.

[isestrex]

I agree with this. Also like Davis, the shift has been a factor.

If the solution for Davis is to hit the ball to LF, then the shift shouldn't be a factor at all...

I agree with Dan, I don't know what the hitting coach does all this time while hitters get into slumps. My guess is that he promptly makes the suggestion but the player isn't ready to accept help until their slump is pronounced. That's my only guess because otherwise the hitting coach seems completely incompetent sometimes.

[Ripken]

To me, it's painfully obvious what is happening. He's pulling off everything - and I mean EVERYTHING. Breaking balls, fastballs, outside part of the plate, down, up, in, everything.

When he was rolling, it was the same as what we say about Chris Davis, he was driving the ball to RF and RCF. I don't know why the coaching staff waits so long to start working on these things. We always hear about them working on it after like a billion ABs. Get to work! Everyone knows what the problem is!

Yeah, not to over simplify but it sure seems clear what the problems are when watching them swing. I've seen hundreds of my little league kids doing the same thing. I guess it's just being HR happy but those guys are strong enough to hit HRs to any part of the yard.

[justice98]

I've been very unhappy DD hasn't addressed LF and 2B, especially LF. Nick-Manny-Adam is good at the top. They've all had some down streaks but I trust them going forward. There's not much to do with Catcher; Matt got hurt and at least the replacements are playing good defense. I think Joseph will hit some, too. Just put him 9th and let him go. However, that 4-8 is just terrible right now. We'll win or lose with Cruz, Davis, and Hardy. I hope there's someone useful added in August.

I don't think we can go too much longer with both of them stinking out the joint. The only reason we're where we are is Cruz became last year's Davis and picked up the slack of Weiters going out and Hardy losing his power stroke. One of those two out of Davis or Cruz needs to snap out of it.

[saltman241]

A 3.35 combined starter average ERA last 12 games (minus the Hammel start) can lead to alot of "slumping" players. I'm sure the sentiment will change once we start rolling through the cupcakes coming up.

[LookitsPuck]

This club can't afford to have both Cruz and Davis ice cold for this long. The only way it works is if the starting pitching is lock down (as is the bullpen). It's made worse by guys like Schoop. Cruz has a track record. Schoop has a track record of not doing much hitting wise at AA and AAA.

[Redskins Rick]

This club can't afford to have both Cruz and Davis ice cold for this long. The only way it works is if the starting pitching is lock down (as is the bullpen). It's made worse by guys like Schoop. Cruz has a track record. Schoop has a track record of not doing much hitting wise at AA and AAA.

Manny didn't hit at AA either, and he skipped AAA altogether.

[Reboulet'sStache]

A 3.35 combined starter average ERA last 12 games (minus the Hammel start) can lead to alot of "slumping" players. I'm sure the sentiment will change once we start rolling through the cupcakes coming up.

Is Cruz only in a 12 game slump?

[AdamK]

Hoping 50+ games is enough to get it out of his system.

[Ohfan67]

To me, it's painfully obvious what is happening. He's pulling off everything - and I mean EVERYTHING. Breaking balls, fastballs, outside part of the plate, down, up, in, everything.

When he was rolling, it was the same as what we say about Chris Davis, he was driving the ball to RF and RCF. I don't know why the coaching staff waits so long to start working on these things. We always hear about them working on it after like a billion ABs. Get to work! Everyone knows what the problem is!

Emphasis should be "We always HEAR about them...". There's no way the coaches aren't trying to help Cruz, Davis, et al. on a daily, series-to-series, weekly, etc., basis. I think your just frustrated because surely you can't believe Buck and the coaching staff wait a month or six weeks or more to try to help a player.