It's not that hard to see why they stopped hitting

[Number5]

I do remember him - the fans yelled "Swish" every time he missed the ball. He was one the fans loved when he struck out (perhaps it was the Giant fans since I was watching the NYG play the Phils)! I wonder if we do that with Davis, if he would improve (approve)? Yell "SWISH" every time he misses! We could do it for Stubbs but he won't be here next year.

I was in favor of the Stubbs move if he were to only play minimally in the OF, but his K rate is startling. When I told a Red fan friend that we had acquired Stubbs, he told me that. Oy!

Dave Nicholson played from 1960 -1967 with the Orioles, White Sox, Astros, and Braves. The 175 K year was 1963 with the White Sox. He never played for the Giants or Phils, and never played while the Giants were in New York. I believe that you may be thinking of someone else.

[Ori-Al]

There is a blueprint to beat the Orioles, the same one Porcello took advantage of. Most of our hitters are overaggressive. They are up there trying to hit 500 foot home runs. They will swing at pitches out of the strike zone too often (led by Jones and Schoop), rather than force pitchers to throw strikes, and accept the walk if they don't. Too rarely will they try to hit the ball where it's pitched, and use the whole field. Their situational approach to runner on third with less than two outs, and 2-0 and 3-0 pitches is poor-when they should be shrinking the strike zone to the area in which they hit best (and looking for pitch to drive in the air in sac fly opportunity), they swing at anything anywhere. There's a reason they are the worst hitting and on-base percentage team lead the last three months of the season, and it's not because they faced Cy Young Award worthy pitchers every game. They've been the antidote for some struggling pitchers.

[thezeroes]

There are 30 teams in MLB. The following is the comparison to the league from an Orioles stand point when having swung at the first pitch.

Of the thirty teams the Orioles have had 1802 Plate Appearances when they have swung at the first pitch. This ranks as eighth most.

They have had 445 Hits when swinging at the first pitch. This ranks eleventh most hits out of Thirty Teams

They have had 63 Doubles when swinging at the first pitch. This ranks as twenty-eighth out of thirty teams.

They have had 2 triples when swinging at the first pitch. This ranks twenty-ninth out of thirty teams.

They have had 92 Home-Runs when swinging at the first pitch. This is the best out of the thirty teams.

They have had 274 RBI when swinging at the first pitch. This is third best out of thirty teams.

They have had 54 walks after they have swung at the first pitch. This ties them at ninth or ranked eleventh overall.

They have had 376 strike-outs after swinging at the first pitch. This puts them as the seventh worst out of the thirty MLB Teams.

They had grounded into 29 double plays when swinging at the first pitch. Only two teams had grounded into less DP’s.

The Orioles had 11 Sac Hits when swinging at the first pitch. This puts them at twenty-eighth, with the least amount of Sac hits when swinging at the first pitch.

They had 15 sac flies when swinging at the first pitch. This ranks them at twenty-first overall.

They had reached on an error 15 times when they swung at the first pitch. This ranks them at nineteenth.

[foxfield]

I'd been wondering why they acquired him.

Thank you, thank you....That, is why I won't do two shows a night anymore babe, I won't..I won't do it!

[video=youtube;4d5O2q8xxq0]

[jtschrei]

Nothing I have read here explains why we did so well earlier in the year and have since fallen off a cliff. This from Roch's blog:

The Orioles posted a .333 on-base percentage in the first half that ranked third in the American League and eighth in the majors. Quite an accomplishment for a team routinely at or near the bottom.

Going into last night?s game, the Orioles had posted a .296 on-base percentage since the break that ranked last in the AL and 29th in the majors. The Padres were last at .291.

The Orioles? .234 average in the second half also ranked last in the AL and was 28th in the majors. They hit .272 in the first half to rank fifth in the majors.

Like, it seems like we have the ability to have a good approach. We have just failed in the second half. Why? Not listening to Coolbaugh? More offspeed stuff in the second half? Guys caring about their HR totals? was the first half just an outlier?

[Aristotelian]

Nothing I have read here explains why we did so well earlier in the year and have since fallen off a cliff. This from Roch's blog:

The Orioles posted a .333 on-base percentage in the first half that ranked third in the American League and eighth in the majors. Quite an accomplishment for a team routinely at or near the bottom.

Going into last night?s game, the Orioles had posted a .296 on-base percentage since the break that ranked last in the AL and 29th in the majors. The Padres were last at .291.

The Orioles? .234 average in the second half also ranked last in the AL and was 28th in the majors. They hit .272 in the first half to rank fifth in the majors.

Like, it seems like we have the ability to have a good approach. We have just failed in the second half. Why? Not listening to Coolbaugh? More offspeed stuff in the second half? Guys caring about their HR totals? was the first half just an outlier?

OP's point is that the league figured out a book (or I would argue multiple books) on the O's and the O's have failed to adjust.

[RayC]

Original statement, this is a very undisciplined team at the bat. They swing on too many first pitches, take too few pitches and do not shorten their swing to get a base hit (instead of the home run) with RISP. From top to bottom of the order, all swinging for the fences, except perhaps Kim.

All of that said, the lineup since the ASG with Jones leading off, is ridiculous. Now recently he has Davis batting second???? Makes no sense to me, and doesn't support an approach that will produce manufactured runs and a good RISP average.

The manager and GM do not seem to be concerned and just want more of the same old approach.

[turtlebowl]

Original statement, this is a very undisciplined team at the bat. They swing on too many first pitches, take too few pitches and do not shorten their swing to get a base hit (instead of the home run) with RISP. From top to bottom of the order, all swinging for the fences, except perhaps Kim.

All of that said, the lineup since the ASG with Jones leading off, is ridiculous. Now recently he has Davis batting second???? Makes no sense to me, and doesn't support an approach that will produce manufactured runs and a good RISP average.

The manager and GM do not seem to be concerned and just want more of the same old approach.

Basically my point. My guess is some of the players aren't capable of change. The part I get frustrated with is the attitude that this is who we are. In the real world when something isn't working your boss will tell you to change how you do it. Is that happening?

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[Hank Scorpio]

Basically my point. My guess is some of the players aren't capable of change. The part I get frustrated with is the attitude that this is who we are. In the real world when something isn't working your boss will tell you to change how you do it. Is that happening?

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Tigers aren't gonna change their stripes. It's the "fault" of Buck, Duquette and (IMO) Jones for leading the swing at everything charge. It's a poor offensive approach.

That said, it's another winning season so I don't want to complain too awful much. It's just frustrating because a teeny bit of offensive intelligence would go a long way.

[Ori-Al]

They're doing the same thing tonight, helping the pitcher by swinging at pitches way out of the strike zone while taking the few he throws in the zone. Brainless approach.

[turtlebowl]

Tigers aren't gonna change their stripes. It's the "fault" of Buck, Duquette and (IMO) Jones for leading the swing at everything charge. It's a poor offensive approach.

That said, it's another winning season so I don't want to complain too awful much. It's just frustrating because a teeny bit of offensive intelligence would go a long way.

You are so right!! Can't forget the fact that we are playing for a playoff spot. Like you said though, any little adjustment could have made a difference in a couple of games which would be huge right now.

[waroriole]

OP's point is that the league figured out a book (or I would argue multiple books) on the O's and the O's have failed to adjust.

You think it took half a season for opposing teams to figure out to throw Jones sliders out of the zone?

[Aristotelian]

You think it took half a season for opposing teams to figure out to throw Jones sliders out of the zone?

I am thinking more about Trumbo and Davis specifically.

[Can_of_corn]

I am thinking more about Trumbo and Davis specifically.

As some of said when he started hot, this isn't uncommon for Trumbo.

[Natty]

So like, why would you bat a guy second in the lineup who has a .220 BA and well over 200 strikeouts?

What am I missing here?