Luis Hernandez gets nod at SS.

[Gurgi]

I watched most of the game before I had to pick up my daughter. I thought Hernandez showed excellent defence.

[Dr. FLK]

I gotta be the first to do it. Luis Hernandez's glove looks pretty damn good today. He made a hell of a snag on a liner and then he just cut down a runner trying to score at the plate on a double steal. He also damn got Guthrie out of a jam by getting to a shot up the middle. I realize its pretty meaningless but he's looked good today (in the field).

I also saw some balls that he should have gotten to that he didn't. One in particular saves a run if he can even knock it down. It would have been a tough play. But, to make up for having no offensive ability, it's a play that he needs to be able to make.

[Mashed Potatoes]

I gotta be the first to do it. Luis Hernandez's glove looks pretty damn good today. He made a hell of a snag on a liner and then he just cut down a runner trying to score at the plate on a double steal. He also damn got Guthrie out of a jam by getting to a shot up the middle. I realize its pretty meaningless but he's looked good today (in the field).

Maybe I was watching a different game but I completely disagree. I don't think he made a single above average play. The hell of a snag play he didn't get a jump on the ball, and then almost stopped because he was surprised how slow the ball was coming, and dove in a more dramatic fashion than was necessary.

The cut down a runner play he did a good job of getting rid of the ball quickly but the guy on third got a really bad jump and any decently accurate throw would've got him out.

The getting to a shot up the middle looked pretty routine to me, in fact that was a play I was pissed about because I thought he should've turned it. He got his glove on the ball but couldn't hold on to it. Instead of a potential inning-ending double play a run scored and no outs were converted.

Finally, he looked pitiful at the plate, completely overmatched. I've never seen so many hopeless swings so far away from the baseball.

I had some awesome seats today about 14 rows behind home plate, I had a great angle to judge his play.

[Pickles]

I also saw some balls that he should have gotten to that he didn't. One in particular saves a run if he can even knock it down. It would have been a tough play. But, to make up for having no offensive ability, it's a play that he needs to be able to make.

Since you pluralized it I gotta ask: What other ball or balls are you talking about? The ball you are talking about no ss in mlb fields that ball cleanly. That's a fact. It wouldn't have been a tough play; it would have been a miraculous play. And since I know what is coming I'll go ahead and respond to your next point: Someone in the gamethread (I don't know if it was you or not) said he should have got the ball that was blasted up the middle in the 6th and STARTED a 6-4-3. That's downright laughable. The fact that he even got a glove on it was impressive enough considering it was hit 110 mph directly through the box.

He look like Willie May's sister:) at the plate but to say his defense was anything less than excellent today is just biased. He made a hell of a snag on a bullet and he gunned a guy at the plate and he made all the routine stuff too. He didn't do anything to dissuade me from thinking he is an excellent defensive player; how excellent remains to be seen.

[Jik]

Maybe I was watching a different game but I completely disagree. I don't think he made a single above average play. The hell of a snag play he didn't get a jump on the ball, and then almost stopped because he was surprised how slow the ball was coming, and dove in a more dramatic fashion than was necessary.

The cut down a runner play he did a good job of getting rid of the ball quickly but the guy on third got a really bad jump and any decently accurate throw would've got him out.

The getting to a shot up the middle looked pretty routine to me, in fact that was a play I was pissed about because I thought he should've turned it. He got his glove on the ball but couldn't hold on to it. Instead of a potential inning-ending double play a run scored and no outs were converted.

Finally, he looked pitiful at the plate, completely overmatched. I've never seen so many hopeless swings so far away from the baseball.

I had some awesome seats today about 14 rows behind home plate, I had a great angle to judge his play.

yeah you were watching a different game or went in with your mind already made up. Hernandez played a very great defensive game today.

[Dr. FLK]

Since you pluralized it I gotta ask: What other ball or balls are you talking about? The ball you are talking about no ss in mlb fields that ball cleanly. That's a fact. It wouldn't have been a tough play; it would have been a miraculous play. And since I know what is coming I'll go ahead and respond to your next point: Someone in the gamethread (I don't know if it was you or not) said he should have got the ball that was blasted up the middle in the 6th and STARTED a 6-4-3. That's downright laughable. The fact that he even got a glove on it was impressive enough considering it was hit 110 mph directly through the box.

He look like Willie May's sister:) at the plate but to say his defense was anything less than excellent today is just biased. He made a hell of a snag on a bullet and he gunned a guy at the plate and he made all the routine stuff too. He didn't do anything to dissuade me from thinking he is an excellent defensive player; how excellent remains to be seen.

1st: I didn't say he needed to field it cleanly. I said he needs to at least knock it down. Knocking it down isn't easy. But guess what? When you are incapable of hitting, you sure as heck better make the "not easy" plays. He can't get by just making the plays that "above average" fielders make. He needs to be absolutely stellar. And, even then, we're losing with him in the lineup.

2nd: I don't remember the inning. But, there was one ball when he was going to his left, and another where he was going to his right that I thought he should have gotten to.

[Pickles]

Maybe I was watching a different game but I completely disagree. I don't think he made a single above average play. The hell of a snag play he didn't get a jump on the ball, and then almost stopped because he was surprised how slow the ball was coming, and dove in a more dramatic fashion than was necessary.

Uhh, okay. The snag he made on the liner was smoked. It wasn't about a jump and it wasn't about how "slow" the ball was coming and it wasn't about diving in a more "dramatic fashion than was neccessary". It was about making a quick, correct read on the ball and playing it perfectly.

The cut down a runner play he did a good job of getting rid of the ball quickly but the guy on third got a really bad jump and any decently accurate throw would've got him out.

He did his job and cut down a potential run. That isn't as easy a play as it looks and a lot of it is judgement- he made the right choice and if his throw wasn't on line the runners safe. It was bang bang.

The getting to a shot up the middle looked pretty routine to me, in fact that was a play I was pissed about because I thought he should've turned it. He got his glove on the ball but couldn't hold on to it. Instead of a potential inning-ending double play a run scored and no outs were converted.

I've already answered this. I don't know what to tell you. I guess you were watching a different game. I don't know what's routine about laying completely out for a ball that's hit 110 mph BEHIND second base and starting a 6-4-3. If that's routine then Ozzie Smith was a decent SS.

Finally, he looked pitiful at the plate, completely overmatched. I've never seen so many hopeless swings so far away from the baseball.

Oh he looked like crap, no doubt. Of course he had 2 abs and swung and missed 3 times so if that's the most swings and misses you've seen from a player in one afternoon I guess you were in the bathroom or getting a beer when Huff was at bat today.

[Mashed Potatoes]

yeah you were watching a different game or went in with your mind already made up. Hernandez played a very great defensive game today.

Wow...maybe that double of scotch my dad bought me had an anti-Luis Hernandez agenda.

[TGO]

Are you guys gonna do this after every game?

Cause it seems pretty tiring.

[rolliefingers]

Doing that in the past isn't the same as being likely to do that in the future.

I hope for your sake that you've been getting residuals every time you've said this over the years.

[Pickles]

1st: I didn't say he needed to field it cleanly. I said he needs to at least knock it down. Knocking it down isn't easy. But guess what? When you are incapable of hitting, you sure as heck better make the "not easy" plays. He can't get by just making the plays that "above average" fielders make. He needs to be absolutely stellar. And, even then, we're losing with him in the lineup.

By this logic Manny Ramirez is an excellent defensive left fielder because his bat scores so many runs. It isn't fair to judge the kid in the field based on what he does at the plate. He didn't win a gold glove today but he played very well in the field; he didn't write himself into future plans but he played well in the field. That's all I'm saying.

2nd: I don't remember the inning. But, there was one ball when he was going to his left, and another where he was going to his right that I thought he should have gotten to.

The fact that he was even close on either ball is a testament imo to his range. Like I said before those weren't tough plays; they were miraculous.

[Terps23]

I'm still curious to see Drungo's response to my earlier question, I'm not sure if it was buried in the thread, being that it was the last post on the 6th page.. Hope he has the time to answer a simple question about the spot Trachsel takes up in the rotation

[Mashed Potatoes]

Uhh, okay. The snag he made on the liner was smoked. It wasn't about a jump and it wasn't about how "slow" the ball was coming and it wasn't about diving in a more "dramatic fashion than was neccessary". It was about making a quick, correct read on the ball and playing it perfectly.

I thought it was smoked at first because upon contact the bat made a loud cracking sound, but Hernandez was surprised as well when he had more time than he thought. I thought the play was routine.

He did his job and cut down a potential run. That isn't as easy a play as it looks and a lot of it is judgement- he made the right choice and if his throw wasn't on line the runners safe. It was bang bang.

That was a good play, he recognized the double steal immediately, I still feel that any short stop converts the out.

I've already answered this. I don't know what to tell you. I guess you were watching a different game. I don't know what's routine about laying completely out for a ball that's hit 110 mph BEHIND second base and starting a 6-4-3. If that's routine then Ozzie Smith was a decent SS.

Where's this 110 mph number coming from? We're definitely not going to come to a consensus on this one.

Oh he looked like crap, no doubt. Of course he had 2 abs and swung and missed 3 times so if that's the most swings and misses you've seen from a player in one afternoon I guess you were in the bathroom or getting a beer when Huff was at bat today.

What does this have to do with anything? We're talking about Luis Hernandez not Aubrey Huff.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Are you guys gonna do this after every game?

Cause it seems pretty tiring.

I haven't been a part of the endless Hernandez debates, I don't really have a horse in this race. I was excited however because of those debates to see his defense in person, and I left unimpressed given how much he'll need to make up for his bat in the lineup.

[Pickles]

I thought it was smoked at first because upon contact the bat made a loud cracking sound, but Hernandez was surprised as well when he had more time than he thought. I thought the play was routine.

Yeah I guess in that 1.3 seconds it took that ball to get to him he was shocked. Go watch the play again if you can; there was no time to be shocked. The ball was smoked. He had enough time to see it, dive, and catch it. Which he did.

That was a good play, he recognized the double steal immediately, I still feel that any short stop converts the out.

Any ss that recognizes what is taking place and makes a good throw. That isn't everybody. The throw didn't have to be perfect but it had to be quick and on the third base side of the plate. It wasn't routine.

Where's this 110 mph number coming from? We're definitely not going to come to a consensus on this one.

The ball came in at 90+; it went out harder, thus the 110. It too was a bullet.

What does this have to do with anything? We're talking about Luis Hernandez not Aubrey Huff.

You said you'd never seen a player swing and miss so much in your life. I pointed out LH swung and missed three times today; Aubrey Huff swung and missed like 6 times today. He looked terrible at the plate admittedly but let's not get carried away here.