JJ Hardy's plate discipline

[ChuckS]

Looking at JJ's walk rate per season:

2007: .46

2008: .61

2009: .73

2010: .52

Traded to Orioles

2011: .41

2012: .44

2013: .43

2014: .41

2015: .34

.63 was the league average last year. These numbers may include HBP, but that does not make a significant difference. JJ had more or less, average plate discipline prior to getting traded to Baltimore and it has dropped off since and was abysmal last season. What's the explanation? This is a skill that for a lot of players improves with age, but JJ has seem to have gotten worse.

From watching him play it seems like JJ is patient early in at bats and then is looking to drive the ball when he gets ahead, so that may play into it. Would be nice to see him get back to the .60 range he showed in Milwaukee. If he can get that OPS near or above .700 that would be huge for us this year. it would be nice to see a .260, .310, .400 season from him and I don't think that is unrealistic if his shoulder does not act up.

[Aristotelian]

I think it is more about how pitchers are pitching him than his plate discipline. When he is not hitting well, they can challenge him every time and get away with pitches down the middle.

[ChuckS]

I think it is more about how pitchers are pitching him than his plate discipline. When he is not hitting well, they can challenge him every time and get away with pitches down the middle.

Sure, that might explain last season but what about the others? There seems to have been a deliberate change of approach since he was traded to Baltimore. I really think the tools are there for JJ to walk a little more and it's important for him to do so because he may not have any more 20+ homerun years in him.

[Can_of_corn]

Sure, that might explain last season but what about the others? There seems to have been a deliberate change of approach since he was traded to Baltimore. I really think the tools are there for JJ to walk a little more and it's important for him to do so because he may not have any more 20+ homerun years in him.

There was.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-03-19/sports/bs-sp-orioles-jj-hardy-0320-20110319-24_1_orioles-minnesota-twins-logan/3

That feeling resonated with Hardy after his first batting practice this spring. He was approached by Presley, who asked the shortstop about his approach at the plate. For the past couple of seasons, Hardy acknowledged, he had changed his approach, looking to stay on top of the ball and go the other way more. Presley, the former Florida Marlins hitting coach who remembered seeing Hardy at his best from the other dugout, urged him to "get back to what you used to do."

Presley has encouraged Hardy to try to pull the ball more and drive the ball in the gaps rather than being content to direct the ball the opposite way. Presley feels that with Hardy's swing and a more aggressive approach, he could be a guy who hits 15 to 17 home runs and drives in 70 runs in the eighth or ninth spot.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear," said Hardy, who still feels he's capable of having an offensive season like the ones he had for Milwaukee in 2007 and 2008. "I'm very confident. I feel like had I not done it before, it would be a little bit different trying to come in and do something that I haven't done. As long as I stay healthy, I really believe that's what I'm capable of and that's what I'm going to do."

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/2012-02-27-3194843900_x.htm

"What are you doing?" Orioles hitting coach Jim Presley asked him.

Hardy told him he was doing what the Twins asked him to do in his lone season in Minnesota in 2010.

"That was my approach for the Twins," Hardy said on Monday. "And then Presley's approach was 'I want you to drive the ball. I want you to hit homers. I want you to do what you did in '07 and '08 with Milwaukee.'"

[ChuckS]

I remember reading about this. I think he needs to find a balance, especially if his shoulder is bothering him and he is not able to drive the ball. With that said, I would be happy with a repeat of any of JJ's 2011 to 2014 seasons in Baltimore.

[Just Regular]

I think it was a known known among pro scouts last year too that he was hobbled, and pitchers weren't worried about firing it in there. I'm encouraged by reports he looks well so far. I am positive to start the year the scouting report will remain the same until Hardy makes pitchers pay, so if he's really healthy again, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few early dingers while still enjoying the he's harmless scouting report.

[MDtransplant757]

I remember reading about this. I think he needs to find a balance, especially if his shoulder is bothering him and he is not able to drive the ball. With that said, I would be happy with a repeat of any of JJ's 2011 to 2014 seasons in Baltimore.

Well said. He's looked really good this spring, and it wouldn't surprise me if he turned into an OBP type of guy versus airmailing the ball like Jones and Davis.

[DrungoHazewood]

Looking at JJ's walk rate per season:

2007: .46

2008: .61

2009: .73

2010: .52

Traded to Orioles

2011: .41

2012: .44

2013: .43

2014: .41

2015: .34

.63 was the league average last year. These numbers may include HBP, but that does not make a significant difference. JJ had more or less, average plate discipline prior to getting traded to Baltimore and it has dropped off since and was abysmal last season. What's the explanation? This is a skill that for a lot of players improves with age, but JJ has seem to have gotten worse.

From watching him play it seems like JJ is patient early in at bats and then is looking to drive the ball when he gets ahead, so that may play into it. Would be nice to see him get back to the .60 range he showed in Milwaukee. If he can get that OPS near or above .700 that would be huge for us this year. it would be nice to see a .260, .310, .400 season from him and I don't think that is unrealistic if his shoulder does not act up.

Since 2007 the league walk rate has fallen by about 10% while the K rate has gone up 17%. Looks like about half the difference can be explained just by that. Also, changes in the structure of the game don't effect all players equally, it's pretty much a given that some people will see large changes in production from a strike zone redefinition while others might not see any. Or even benefit from it. Hardy may be one of the people who can't walk as often because of the types of pitches that are now called strikes.

And, in general, when your power is sapped by injuries pitchers challenge you more.

[thezeroes]

Walk rates and plate discipline are two separate animals. With J J Hardy you get a player that sees an abundance of pitches. He seldom swings at the first pitch. His strike out rate on looking third strikes is at 36.4% of strike outs. His pitches seen per plate appearances was at 4.08 with the AL League average being 3.84.