Wow, Kim is untouchable

[Redskins Rick]

Started 4 in a row. Next game was against Happ so he sat. Started the next game against Sanchez.

In September he didn't start the 3rd, 4th, 6th or 7th. Those starters:

3rd: Sabathia (LHP)

4th: Pineda (RHP)

6th: Odorizzi (RHP, but reverse splits)

7th: Smyly (LHP)

I understand the 3rd and the 7th. The reverse splits situation makes sense, too...because it's pretty damn dramatic (200+ OPS difference).

Against Pineda, though? I don't understand that one. You can't make the excuse that Buck was giving his starters a day off because...well...Kim didn't play the day before.

Pineda isn't a reverse splits kind of guy.

Unless Buck really just wanted to get Pearce more ABs as well as Alvarez over Kim. Which I suppose is plausible.

Alvarez has a .910 OPS over last 5 games.

Only so many positions in the lineup card, and now with extra bodies on the bench, leaves ample room for questions.

[Shabadoo25]

For whatever reason, Kim looks like he'll never get a chance to be a "Buck guy."

It looks like Buck would rather have another boom or bust type like Steve Pearce playing, despite the lineup having plenty of those, instead of Kim.

[LookitsPuck]

Alvarez has a .910 OPS over last 5 games.

Only so many positions in the lineup card, and now with extra bodies on the bench, leaves ample room for questions.

That it does. I'm not going to be irked over a single start. But it is clear that Buck was very resistant to change w/ Kim and it all stems from spring training, IMHO.

Regardless, it's September. There are going to be scenarios where Buck benches guys like Kim in favour of others.

My main beef is I feel that Buck handled his bench terribly yesterday. But whatevs.

[TradeAngelos]

That it does. I'm not going to be irked over a single start. But it is clear that Buck was very resistant to change w/ Kim and it all stems from spring training, IMHO.

Regardless, it's September. There are going to be scenarios where Buck benches guys like Kim in favour of others.

My main beef is I feel that Buck handled his bench terribly yesterday. But whatevs.

Only thing I can think of is he is still pissed about him refusing the minor league assignment.

Get over it already, we have a World Series to win.

[weams]

His replacement's slash.

Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB Pos

2016 33 BAL AL 5 10 9 1 3 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 .333 .400 .778 1.178 199 7 0 0 0 0 0 /78

[weams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="ko" dir="ltr">Introducing the Hyun Soo Kim T-shirt for all fans on 9/23!<br><br>오리올스 Orioles<br>김현수 Kim Hyun Soo<a href="https://t.co/RCkINMMJb5">https://t.co/RCkINMMJb5</a> <a href="https://t.co/cmNuQeINwG">pic.twitter.com/cmNuQeINwG</a></p>— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) <a href="

">September 8, 2016</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[LA2]

Kim's last 8 games (7 started): .222/.276/.259 - .535 OPS with a .273 BABIP.

Prior his BABIP for the year was .370.

He's had a few line drives and tough luck snares over the last week. But looks like this is Kim's first slump.

That's almost too small a sample size and too far above Mendoza Line to even call a slump (it's like Jim Hunter citing to us all the 2-game hitting streaks). And obviously it's hard to break out of a slump when you don't play consistently, albeit all the lefties and reverse-splitters we've been facing recently are a sound rationale.

[DrungoHazewood]

That's almost too small a sample size and too far above Mendoza Line to even call a slump (it's like Jim Hunter citing to us all the 2-game hitting streaks). And obviously it's hard to break out of a slump when you don't play consistently, albeit all the lefties and reverse-splitters we've been facing recently are a sound rationale.

Slumps are usually just random clumps of at bats with poor outcomes. People naturally try to find deeper meanings in patterns even when there are none.

[Beef Supreme]

Slumps are usually just random clumps of at bats with poor outcomes. People naturally try to find deeper meanings in patterns even when there are none.

Slumps are usually minor injuries that negatively impact a batter's effectiveness. I wouldn't call Kim's couple of recent ABs a "slump."

[DrungoHazewood]

Slumps are usually minor injuries that negatively impact a batter's effectiveness. I wouldn't call Kim's couple of recent ABs a "slump."

I don't know that's true. Injuries have some influence over some slumps. But even if you had a world with zero injuries (say, a simulation that doesn't have injuries) you will still get slumps and hot streaks almost just like a world with injuries.

[Redskins Rick]

I don't know that's true. Injuries have some influence over some slumps. But even if you had a world with zero injuries (say, a simulation that doesn't have injuries) you will still get slumps and hot streaks almost just like a world with injuries.

He might even be healthy, sometimes its just a series of adjustments.

Pitcher find your hole and take advantage of it, and the hitter has to be adjustments.

[InsideCoroner]

I just think it's amazing that they're doing Kim's shirt with his name in Hangul (the Korean alphabet). That's got to be a great honor for him.

I can't make it to that game, but if anyone else here goes and gets one of these shirts in XL, I'll pay solid money for it (plus shipping). It would make me very happy. Otherwise I'll scour eBay.

[Beef Supreme]

I don't know that's true. Injuries have some influence over some slumps. But even if you had a world with zero injuries (say, a simulation that doesn't have injuries) you will still get slumps and hot streaks almost just like a world with injuries.

I'm not saying that players won't have hot streaks, whether in a fantasy scenario or otherwise. And I am not talking about a handful of games; rather, a slump that lasts a couple of weeks. Baseball players get banged up all the time and usually play through it. Consider Adam Jones' "slump" at the beginning of the season. That injury we knew about. Most small injuries we don't know about. Sometimes, trainers don't even know about them. Whether it's a hand or a foot or something else, small injuries can lead to periods of poor production at the plate.

[Sanfran327]

I'd love it if Kim didn't start another game this season. I was a huge Kim fan to start the year, but he's slowing down a little bit, and we have better options now. We need Trumbo in RF, Bourn in LF, and ?lvarez DHing vs righties. Against LHSP, put Pearce in LF, Rickard in RF, and let Trumbo DH.

Kim is still a very good option as a PH late in the game, and Stubbs lets Buck maintain OF defense if he needs to go this route.

[Aristotelian]

Personally I'm done with Kim and hope we bring in a legitimate LF next year. Seems like LF has been a black hole for 20 years with this organization. Enough is enough.

Did Kim make a bad play today? I only watched a bit. What does "enough is enough" refer to? His defense hasn't been good, but he has made zero errors while consistently having good ABs and high OBP.

I liked the lineup today with Kim LF, Bourn RF, and Trumbo DH. Pushes Pedro to the bench, but gives Buck some nice weapons on the bench regardless of what P they throw at us.