Is this the O's hitting philosophy in this quote?

[Can_of_corn]

The difference is when you lack pitch recognition. If you're a bunch of hackers, you're going to get out because of your aggression. Getting ahead in the count is very advantageous. What I hate is when a guy walks a batter...and the immediate next hitter swings at the first pitch. Or a reliever comes in, and you're swinging first pitch. Guess what? Give your team a chance to track the pitcher. I feel that the O's get out because of their aggression whereas the teams we face don't get out because they're selectively aggressive. There's a subtle difference there.

The thing is, most everyone in the majors can throw strikes on command.

The thinking is that, after a walk, the pitcher will not want to get behind in the count with the next batter.

My guess is the O's probably have a pretty good track record swinging at those first pitches following walks.

[Ori-Al]

O's batters are aggressive. They swing at hittable pitches and they swing at unhittable pitches. They swing at just about everything. Must be in a hurry to end this season. To swing at any good pitch to hit is wise. Execution of this strategy by O's batters is pathetic.

Exactly. This isn't just a 2015 issue. They swing at far too many pitches out of the strike zone, led by Adam "Why Limit my Swings To Strikes" Jones, who throughout his career has ranked near the top of the league in swinging at non-strikes. And they constantly swing at lousy pitches on 2-0 and 3-1 counts, when they should be shrinking the strike zone, not expanding it. They don't cut down their swings with two strikes to try to make contact. Aggressive in the strike zone is one thing, just plain aggressive is another.

And, they too often don't adjust to what the pitcher is doing. If he's pitching you away, hit the ball to the opposite field. Don't swing for the 450 foot pulled home run on outer edge pitches.

[LookitsPuck]

The thing is, most everyone in the majors can throw strikes on command.

The thinking is that, after a walk, the pitcher will not want to get behind in the count with the next batter.

My guess is the O's probably have a pretty good track record swinging at those first pitches following walks.

I'd venture to say they're not very good.

[sportsfan8703]

I understand that you guys have some new philosophy. Which is cool. But it's not like our guys are up there taking called strikes. If the opposition was consistently lobbing in 1st pitch fastballs then yeah they should be swinging all day. Most of the times we are taking wild swings at pitches that are not strikes. Maybe patience is the wrong word, it should be discipline. But the two go together. Let's look at our top hitters.

Adam Jones- Still cannot layoff the low and away breaking stuff. Usually they are so far out of the zone he cant even get a bat on it to foul it off.

Manny Machado- Has learned to lay off the outside breaking stuff, for the most part. Manny's problem comes when he's ahead in counts and tries to swing for the fences instead of just using his normal line drive stroke. Go watch the Twins series.

Chris Davis- Has a gigantic hole in his swing on the inside part of the strikezone. The book is out. He likes to get his arms extended. He's the rare lefty that doesn't just eat up that low inside pitch. Any RHP with a brain throws him breaking pitches that start in the middle of the plate and finish on the inner third. It's easy money.

Jonatan Schoop- Like Jones with chasing the outside pitches. The infamous pitch in the other batter box chase.

These are our core guys. Pitchers aren't just going up there laying in strike one on them. They swing out there shoes early in the count then have to expand the zone late in the count. Except for Davis. His weakness is there, pitchers just are either too scared to hang one or don't have the pitch to attack it. The new theory sounds great. But it just doesn't apply to this group of players. This team needs some discipline.

[Can_of_corn]

I understand that you guys have some new philosophy. Which is cool. But it's not like our guys are up there taking called strikes. If the opposition was consistently lobbing in 1st pitch fastballs then yeah they should be swinging all day. Most of the times we are taking wild swings at pitches that are not strikes. Maybe patience is the wrong word, it should be discipline. But the two go together. Let's look at our top hitters.

Adam Jones- Still cannot layoff the low and away breaking stuff. Usually they are so far out of the zone he cant even get a bat on it to foul it off.

Manny Machado- Has learned to lay off the outside breaking stuff, for the most part. Manny's problem comes when he's ahead in counts and tries to swing for the fences instead of just using his normal line drive stroke. Go watch the Twins series.

Chris Davis- Has a gigantic hole in his swing on the inside part of the strikezone. The book is out. He likes to get his arms extended. He's the rare lefty that doesn't just eat up that low inside pitch. Any RHP with a brain throws him breaking pitches that start in the middle of the plate and finish on the inner third. It's easy money.

Jonatan Schoop- Like Jones with chasing the outside pitches. The infamous pitch in the other batter box chase.

These are our core guys. Pitchers aren't just going up there laying in strike one on them. They swing out there shoes early in the count then have to expand the zone late in the count. Except for Davis. His weakness is there, pitchers just are either too scared to hang one or don't have the pitch to attack it. The new theory sounds great. But it just doesn't apply to this group of players. This team needs some discipline.

I am guessing there is just a ton of incorrect statements mixed up in there.

[OsEatAlEast]

O's need to grab a few guys who walk about as much as they strike out. This offense needs some balance! With one of said players preferably being fast.

[Triple Crown]

I am guessing there is just a ton of incorrect statements mixed up in there.

If that's the case, point them out. I see quite a bit of truth in those statements

[sportsfan8703]

I am guessing there is just a ton of incorrect statements mixed up in there.

Great reply.

[Can_of_corn]

If that's the case, point them out. I see quite a bit of truth in those statements

Great reply.

I don't have the time or the inclination to go through line and line and parse out every falsehood.

I'll give one example.

Most of the times we are taking wild swings at pitches that are not strikes.

Jones' O-Swing% is under 50% so he is obviously not swinging at pitches that are not strikes "most of the time". His O-Contact% is at 68% so obviously he is not taking wild swings "most the time".

Pretty sure if I check the rest of the players I will see the same thing.

Hyperbole, lots of hyperbole.

Bonus second example.

Davis was red hot for a couple months after being ice cold earlier in the year. He was red hot in 2013 and pretty cold last season.

Why do you think the "book being out on him" is the cause? You don't think they had the book finished on him by 2012?

[Triple Crown]

Its called adjustments, the Orioles hitters are one dimensional. Obviously, pitchers are not going to be able to throw pitches exactly where they want, it isn't that easy, but the Orioles as a whole refuse to adjust to what's being done to them

[MDtransplant757]

It means you will never get a pitch that you can possibly hit in today's game if you allow the pitcher to control the at bat by getting ahead by taking first. We belong to the "ambush a get me over pitch" school.

I always thought this could have helped JJ this year, he gets good pitches but just doesn't swing at them.

[MrOrange82]

The O's are in the top 1/3 of MLB in runs per game, no?

[weams]

Its called adjustments, the Orioles hitters are one dimensional. Obviously, pitchers are not going to be able to throw pitches exactly where they want, it isn't that easy, but the Orioles as a whole refuse to adjust to what's being done to them

No, it's not really called making adjustments. By the time a hitter is in the MLB, they pretty much are who they are. They just need to be good about who they are. If they are able. If not, then they probably are not one of the best 750 players in the world.

[Triple Crown]

No, it's not really called making adjustments. By the time a hitter is in the MLB, they pretty much are who they are. They just need to be good about who they are. If they are able. If not, then they probably are not one of the best 750 players in the world.

I wholeheartedly disagree with this. So, you are saying players don't adjust to other teams game planning and rookies don't get better with experience. You can always improve and the better players continually try to develop their game. Saying you are who you are is a cop out IMHO

[George]

I don't.

Yes, the sentence about ending the season asap is a facetious comment. Of course, the season will only end a few minutes sooner if batters swing at unhittable pitches. The statement is clearly intended as a humorous comment about a frustrating situation.

Time to move forward...Hey, the Terrapins may have a very good basketball team this year.