Yeah Hernandez!!!!!!

[Frobby]

I will take one game winning hit and two productive (run scoring outs) any day over a SS who has six non productive hits over 5 games and is hitting 300. This isn't fantasy league baseball this is the real thing where the idea is winning games which is what the team has shown a propensity to do with LH as their starting SS. Maybe that is upsetting to some here but for the life of me I cannot fathom why anyone would be upset at winning regardless of what offensive stats LH is putting up. The lad is a "winner."

Problem is, you don't necessarily know what hits are going to be productive. Sure, in the case of Hernandez's 9th inning hit, you know. But if a guy gets a hit in the 3rd inning, it may turn out to be productive or unproductive, important or unimportant, for reasons beyond his control. Over the course of 162 games, though, it is pretty unlikely that a guy who hits far below average is nonetheless going to be more "productive" or contribute to more wins than a guy who hits much better overall.

I'm glad you feel LH is a winner. I hope you still feel that way in October, after we've seen his work over a full year. I truly do.

[RShack]

I think he could make a very good, late inning, infield defensive replacement type of utility guy. But, he's not a starting SS...

That depends on how good he is in the field. Last year, the combination of his glove and bat provided total runs that were above league average. Yeah, I fully realize that it was a small sample size, but it's still the truth. I don't know why people keep insisting on ignoring the truth. Whether he will do that again remains to be seen. In the meantime, I can't believe how important it is to some people that we not-find-out. I guess OPS is more important than the truth.

[Fan4Life]

Problem is, you don't necessarily know what hits are going to be productive. Sure, in the case of Hernandez's 9th inning hit, you know. But if a guy gets a hit in the 3rd inning, it may turn out to be productive or unproductive, important or unimportant, for reasons beyond his control. Over the course of 162 games, though, it is pretty unlikely that a guy who hits far below average is nonetheless going to be more "productive" or contribute to more wins than a guy who hits much better overall.

I'm glad you feel LH is a winner. I hope you still feel that way in October, after we've seen his work over a full year. I truly do.

How about this question... obviously it is very early.. however... how far into the season does this team have to continue to play like this past week before AM can no longer consider trading BRob and perhaps speeds up a replacement for LH assuming he's done little more to that point?

[NewMarketSean]

That depends on how good he is in the field. Last year, the combination of his glove and bat provided total runs that were above league average. Yeah, I fully realize that it was a small sample size, but it's still the truth. I don't know why people keep insisting on ignoring the truth. Whether he will do that again remains to be seen. In the meantime, I can't believe how important it is to some people that we not-find-out. I guess OPS is more important than the truth.

I know you are not a stats guy, at least not as big a stats guy as some people, but lets face it that stats are the only way we track the performance of players. Outside of defensive stats, his offensive stats have been terrible. So how do we establish a performance based incentive of being promoted when Luis Hernandez is in the MLB? Luis basically says to everyone in the organization that performance doesn't matter.

And the only problem I have with "the truth" part is... define the truth. OPS is a clearly defined measurable thing. "The truth" is your opinion... anyway you can spin it.

[RShack]

LOL...Seriously....LH gets one well timed hit and people are going crazy.

He has a 416 OPS!!!!!!!!

Yes indeed, but he has been productive in 45% of his PA. We ought to have a stat to measure productive plate appearances. Siimilar to the quality start for SP's. IMO a productive plate appearance should be anything more than a 5 pitch AB, a BB, a Sac.,moving the runner, or a base hit.

Be interesting to see how some players would rate.

I agree. Is there no stat like that already? I'd think there would be. (???)

If there's not, I'd guess it's because you can't get it by just slicing-and-dicing the traditional hitting stats...

[Old#5fan]

That depends on how good he is in the field. Last year, the combination of his glove and bat provided total runs that were above league average. Yeah, I fully realize that it was a small sample size, but it's still the truth. I don't know why people keep insisting on ignoring the truth. Whether he will do that again remains to be seen. In the meantime, I can't believe how important it is to some people that we not-find-out. I guess OPS is more important than the truth.

It is also true that the Orioles had a better W-L percentage with LH as their starting shortstop than Tejada, which has to annoy the heck out of these same folks who no doubt will attribute it to every other possible reason than LH. Its that simple. Your last sentence says it all unfortunately.

[RShack]

I can't believe you guys continue these conversations. What possible upside is there? What am I missing?

It's a two-pronged religious argument: "total contribution vs. OPS-uber-alles" combined with "systematic rebuilding vs. one-year McDeal fixes".

At least it's not about BRob trades...

[NewMarketSean]

I don't see how a full-count K is a productive AB.

[RShack]

I don't see how a full-count K is a productive AB.

Watch your mouth about Babe Ruth ;-)

[Maverick2143]

I see the carnival is back in town.

[Old#5fan]

I agree. Is there no stat like that already? I'd think there would be. (???)

If there's not, I'd guess it's because you can't get it by just slicing-and-dicing the traditional hitting stats...

I agree if some variation of a productive at bat as a stat would be tracked it would be more useful than any stat now produced. If thistype of stat becomes available I might change my view that most stats are a uselsess waste of time in predicting anything and only useful as a valid measurement of the past.

[NestMinder]

Just wanted to chime in and say that was awesome. Thats gotta go down as one of my favorite O's games of this decade, at least, if not all time. Shut down by a young stud pitcher for 8 innings only to put together 3 in the 9th to win it, and with a guy getting his first hit of the season to boot! Can't write this stuff.

[The Wedge]

I see the carnival is back in town.

The Merry-Go-Round is, at least.

[Old#5fan]

I don't see how a full-count K is a productive AB.

I can see some limited value to it. Say you have three hitters who strikeout in order in the first inning. The first guy goes to three and 2 and fouls off three or four pitches after getting the second strike before whiffing on strike three. This meant the pitcher had to throw at least 9 or ten pitches to this batter. Say the next two batters strike out on consecutive pitches. The first batter at least did his part in elevating the pitch count which could pay dividends later on in the game when the pitcher gets tired and either becomes more hittable or is removed from the game.

[El Gordo]

I can see some limited value to it. Say you have three hitters who strikeout in order in the first inning. The first guy goes to three and 2 and fouls off three or four pitches after getting the second strike before whiffing on strike three. This meant the pitcher had to throw at least 9 or ten pitches to this batter. Say the next two batters strike out on consecutive pitches. The first batter at least did his part in elevating the pitch count which could pay dividends later on in the game when the pitcher gets tired and either becomes more hittable or is removed from the game.

I picked a 5 Pitch AB because a 5.00 P/PA is an excellent ave. 15 P per inning is ave. for a SP, so anything over 5 raises his pitch count more than usual.