Luis...........Ouch!!!!

[McNulty]

Gomez is a guy you might feel better about because he makes fewer errors and maybe fewer defensive lapses, but his limited range would probably more than make up for that in actual runs saved.

Since 2005 Gomez has played 33 games at short. Total. In 3+ years. It would be fairly incredible if he was as good a defensive shortstop as a guy who was named best defensive player in the organization by BA last year.

You make a good point (as always), but I think you can actually see how badly the mental errors are affecting this team outside of anything UZR or any other metric can measure. I'd rather have Gomez and his "limited" range then LH continuing to make errors, base running mistakes, taking poor routes to balls, etc...

Do you think this is enough of a sample size, combined with last year, to make an adequate judgment on LH? I guess my general overall point is (instead of just focusing on Gomez), is that there has to be someone that we could acquire that will fill our needs (short term); which is a defensively sound and smart ballplayer. LH isn't anywhere close to that definition (for me, anyways), and I just don't see how the kid will improve in those areas (especially the decision making part).

I'm more than willing to take sub-600 OPS if it includes the two criteria I mentioned above.

And I still contend that Gomez is better than any option we have currently.

[Sports Guy]

All I will say about this post is that I was at the game today so I didn't hear anything that anybody on the TV had to say. I went straight from the game to the airport. As I waited for my flight home, I posted about the game.

While watching the play live, I thought LH clearly laid back on a ball that he should have moved toward a step or two. The runner going from 2nd to 3rd was far enough away from him that he didn't need to worry about running into his path so the runner has nothing to do with it IMO. We needed a DP in that situation and he reacted meekly in order to not make a mistake.

BTW, there were A's fans all around me and I heard a bunch of them commenting about how they got "lucky" because that should have been a DP. DT, Roberts, and Mora pretty clearly thought it should have been a DP too.

Minimize it if you want, but I expect a major league shortstop to make that play. And, if they screw it up, I want them to at least screw it up being aggressive, rather than passive. That was a critical situation and our SS took the less difficult path.

The reactions on here are a whole different story. My post doesn't pertain to that part of this issue.

Rshack is going to say everything positive he can about Hernandez because he thought he was going to be very good...Rshack is going to be upset when he has to admit he was wrong about LH, not that he will admit that though.

[DrungoHazewood]

Shack just does what he routinely savages everyone else for doing. He formed an opinion last summer, staked out a rooting interest because a lot of people didn't agree with him, and he's doing everything in his power to justify that opinion no matter the facts.

That's ok, we all do that to some degree with our favorite players. Hell, I still think Keith Hughes and Pete Stanicek could have been something.

[DrungoHazewood]

You make a good point (as always), but I think you can actually see how badly the mental errors are affecting this team outside of anything UZR or any other metric can measure. I'd rather have Gomez and his "limited" range then LH continuing to make errors, base running mistakes, taking poor routes to balls, etc...

Do you think this is enough of a sample size, combined with last year, to make an adequate judgment on LH? I guess my general overall point is (instead of just focusing on Gomez), is that there has to be someone that we could acquire that will fill our needs (short term); which is a defensively sound and smart ballplayer. LH isn't anywhere close to that definition (for me, anyways), and I just don't see how the kid will improve in those areas (especially the decision making part).

I'm more than willing to take sub-600 OPS if it includes the two criteria I mentioned above.

And I still contend that Gomez is better than any option we have currently.

I think Hernandez needs to be replaced, or at least demoted to non-starter. But I'm not at all convinced a 37-year-old Chris Gomez would be any better.

[osfansince85]

All of these posts going back and forth on LH and Bynum and who's better suited and what we need to look for in the future at SS has led me to one conclusion....

I definitely underappreciated Mike Bordick as a Baltimore Oriole...talk about consistency.

[Sports Guy]

All of these posts going back and forth on LH and Bynum and who's better suited and what we need to look for in the future at SS has led me to one conclusion....

I definitely underappreciated Mike Bordick as a Baltimore Oriole...talk about consistency.

The truly underappreciated guy was Tejada.

Those who complained about him never understood how good we had it at SS.

[ChaosLex]

The true underappreciated guy was Tejada.

Those who complained about him never understood how good we had it at SS.

I could've done without all the dead puppies though.

[Pickles]

The true underappreciated guy was Tejada.

Those who complained about him never understood how good we had it at SS.

Agree with this 100%.

[RShack]

Shack just does what he routinely savages everyone else for doing. He formed an opinion last summer, staked out a rooting interest because a lot of people didn't agree with him, and he's doing everything in his power to justify that opinion no matter the facts.

That's ok, we all do that to some degree with our favorite players. Hell, I still think Keith Hughes and Pete Stanicek could have been something.

Beans. AFAIK, I'm the only guy who pointed out that it coulda been a DP if not for LH's high throw. The high throw is a readily viewable objective fact. Making a federal case about whether he shoulda charged the ball with the runner crossing directly in front of him is highly debatable, and comes down to him getting to the ball a portion of one hop sooner. It was impossible to get to the ball one hop sooner, so a fraction of a hop is what we're talking about. I didn't say let him off the hook. I said at least criticize him for the right dang thing.

I've said that LH might play himself out of a job. Silly me for hoping he doesn't. I realize that a frequent modus operandi around here is to hate on an Oriole kid who's getting his big chance, but I still hope he does well. I've never said that he isn't at risk of blowing his big chance, I just hope he doesn't. Meanwhile, before the little losing streak, the O's were doing better-than-OK. But we hit a little losing streak and people start looking for somebody to hang. The idea that the reason the O's have created a little losing streak is because of LH is completely insane. If you wanna figure out the performance diff between what was expected of the various position players vs. what we're actually getting, and look at who isn't carrying their weight, LH is near the bottom of that list.

The main reason I took an interest in LH to begin with is because of Animal House level of so-called baseball analysis that comes up whenever his name is mentioned.

[RustyMcNail]

That's ok, we all do that to some degree with our favorite players. Hell, I still think Keith Hughes and Pete Stanicek could have been something.

Yes, but what? At least you didn't include Jeff Stone!

[RShack]

All I will say about this post is that I was at the game today so I didn't hear anything that anybody on the TV had to say. I went straight from the game to the airport. As I waited for my flight home, I posted about the game.

While watching the play live, I thought LH clearly laid back on a ball that he should have moved toward a step or two. The runner going from 2nd to 3rd was far enough away from him that he didn't need to worry about running into his path so the runner has nothing to do with it IMO. We needed a DP in that situation and he reacted meekly in order to not make a mistake.

BTW, there were A's fans all around me and I heard a bunch of them commenting about how they got "lucky" because that should have been a DP. DT, Roberts, and Mora pretty clearly thought it should have been a DP too.

Minimize it if you want, but I expect a major league shortstop to make that play. And, if they screw it up, I want them to at least screw it up being aggressive, rather than passive. That was a critical situation and our SS took the less difficult path.

I fully believe that you are honest and sincere. I also know that, just speaking for myself, replay often shows me that my initial impression was wrong. If you have a TIVO at home, and if it grabbed it, I'd be interested in knowing your opinion after you watch the replay in frame-by-frame slo-mo.

Not trying to make a federal case out your real-time impression, I'd just be curious, that's all.

The reactions on here are a whole different story. My post doesn't pertain to that part of this issue.

I understand what you're talking about and what you're not. I didn't think you were lynch-mobbing the guy...

[Black & Orange]

Let's see if DT continues to overlook the issues his pet has.

Hernandez isn't as good defensively as they thought(big surprise), he can't hit, isn't all that fast and, on top of that, doesn't seem to be an intelligent player and is a poor baserunner.

He has got to go. He is awful.

He's had his chance and has worn out his welcome as an everyday player. Totally agree.

[DrungoHazewood]

I've said that LH might play himself out of a job. Silly me for hoping he doesn't.

Hoping a guy doesn't fail isn't quite the same thing as looking at all of his accomplishments in a very positive light, and savagely ripping anyone who doesn't follow suit.

Saying anyone who doesn't think LH should be given a much longer rope is "hating on an Oriole kid" and that any analysis that says he shouldn't play is an "Animal House level of so-called baseball analysis", well, I'd call that savagely ripping.

It is possible to think that Luis Hernandez isn't good enough to play while simultaneously keeping your *Real* Oriole Fan credentials and maintaining a working knowledge of baseball analysis. And I don't know about you, but I don't hate Luis, in fact I hope the guy keeps giving his all and helps the O's win games. But I won't be delusional about it.

[byrdz]

We can all agree that LH is not our future and that we should be trying other players at the position In the interest of tireless effort that should be used to improve the team in any way possible, at all times. It wouldn't hurt to see what Bynum, Cintron or anyone from outside can do. How are we going to know what we have if we don't let them play?

[Sports Guy]

We can all agree that LH is not our future and that we should be trying other players at the position In the interest of tireless effort that should be used to improve the team in any way possible, at all times. It wouldn't hurt to see what Bynum, Cintron or anyone from outside can do. How are we going to know what we have if we don't let them play?

Right...No one on here thinks Cintron or Bynum are long term options..hell, they aren't even really short term options.

But they deserve at least a chance...LH got his and, predictably, he blew it.