JJ Hardy

[sportsfan8703]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

I wouldn't say that.    He's been their worst everyday player, significantly under replacement value.   That's been a pretty serious problem.  

Now, I do see some positives.    He got off to a rough start defensively but has rebounded.   He's clearly not as good defensively as a few years ago, but he's at about average for a major league SS after starting the year in negative territory.   

Hitting-wise, he's at .744 OPS over his last 15 games.   That's not exactly a hot streak, but we'd all be happy if he could be in that neighborhood for the rest of the year.  

All in all, I'm crossing my fingers that Hardy can manage his way back into "above replacement value" territory.    That said, he's clearly not the player he was, even as recently as last season.   

I think his slump at the plate and the late game blowups caused him to start pressing.  He was trying to make risky plays like cutting down runners at the plate and those just didn't go his way.  However, a few games ago he threw two out at the plate in the same game.  

A .750 OPS over 15 games with steady defense has not caused our slide.  Terrible SP, Over used BP, and Machado, Jones and Trumbo slumping are what's doing this team in.  

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, sportsfan8703 said:

A .750 OPS over 15 games with steady defense has not caused our slide.  Terrible SP, Over used BP, and Machado, Jones and Trumbo slumping are what's doing this team in.  

Right, Hardy has played decently in this period when we'd been losing.   But I don't think there's any convenient scapegoat for the losing streak.    It's mostly just timing.    We haven't had many games where the hitting, starting pitching, relief pitching and defense have been sufficiently in sync, and we keep falling short by 1-2 runs.     I firmly believe that worm will turn.