Austin Hays

[Tony-OH]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Putting Hays to one side, Rickard has been playing too much in any event.    He has a .638 OPS, and it's been .571 since July 1.   He's started 35 games vs. LH starters and has a .620 OPS against them.    He's started 19 games vs. RH starters and has a .660 OPS against them.     He simply doesn't belong in the starting lineup.

No doubt. Rickard is a 5th outfielder at best who's inability to hit breaking balls has caught up to him. He's just not a very good player overall. Hays is so much better right now that it's not even close, which is probably why the Orioles asked themselves, why are we starting an inferior player when we are trying for a playoff spot and every game counts?

With the addition of Hays and Santander to the 40-man roster this season along with the emergence of Mullins (event though he's struggled over the 2nd half at Bowie), he's a good candidate to be DFA'd this offseason if the team needs to clear a spot. 

[Frobby]

Hays’ 32 home runs are tied for second in all of minor league baseball. When Hays made his pro debut last year, he hit just four homers in 38 games for short-season Single-A Aberdeen. At that point, we could not have projected he’d hit 32 this year.

But in a recent interview, Hays explained to me that there is one key reason for his power display this year. Not long after he was drafted last June, several O’s hitting coaches noticed he was not properly tapping into his power potential.

“In college, I would jump at the ball and allow my hands to drift forward with my body,” Hays explained. “This season I’ve done a really good job of keeping my hands back, so I get those extra couple of inches of momentum and force and power into my swing. And I’m doing that more consistently now than ever.

“I started to understand that these couple of inches are making a big difference in being able to use center field and right center instead of just yanking everything to left. This gave me a lot more power than I had before. In baseball, the tiniest thing can mean everything.”

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/09/more-on-machados-heroics-plus-hays-on-his-power.html

[Pat Kelly]

 

35 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Putting Hays to one side, Rickard has been playing too much in any event.    He has a .638 OPS, and it's been .571 since July 1.   He's started 35 games vs. LH starters and has a .620 OPS against them.    He's started 19 games vs. RH starters and has a .660 OPS against them.     He simply doesn't belong in the starting lineup.

100% agree.   He should be a PR,  late inning def replacement,  once every 7-10 day starter, that's it. 

[Moshagge3]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Putting Hays to one side, Rickard has been playing too much in any event.    He has a .638 OPS, and it's been .571 since July 1.   He's started 35 games vs. LH starters and has a .620 OPS against them.    He's started 19 games vs. RH starters and has a .660 OPS against them.     He simply doesn't belong in the starting lineup.

Yup, he was redundant when Craig Gentry was healthy, now redundant again with expanded rosters.

[Luke-OH]

 

45 minutes ago, Frobby said:

  Quote

Hays’ 32 home runs are tied for second in all of minor league baseball. When Hays made his pro debut last year, he hit just four homers in 38 games for short-season Single-A Aberdeen. At that point, we could not have projected he’d hit 32 this year.

But in a recent interview, Hays explained to me that there is one key reason for his power display this year. Not long after he was drafted last June, several O’s hitting coaches noticed he was not properly tapping into his power potential.

“In college, I would jump at the ball and allow my hands to drift forward with my body,” Hays explained. “This season I’ve done a really good job of keeping my hands back, so I get those extra couple of inches of momentum and force and power into my swing. And I’m doing that more consistently now than ever.

“I started to understand that these couple of inches are making a big difference in being able to use center field and right center instead of just yanking everything to left. This gave me a lot more power than I had before. In baseball, the tiniest thing can mean everything.”

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/09/more-on-machados-heroics-plus-hays-on-his-power.html

I told you guys this two months ago .

[interloper]

38 minutes ago, Pat Kelly said:

 

100% agree.   He should be a PR,  late inning def replacement,  once every 7-10 day starter, that's it. 

I think we'll start to see Hays mixed in over Rickard very soon. After all, Gentry was getting ABs over Rickard recently. 

[Three Run Homer]

I think Duquette looked at what Rhys Hoskins and Cody Bellinger have done this season and figured that Hays might be able to do something similar--come into the league and start raking immediately.  

Ordinarily I might have said that the O's should save their 40 man roster spot until next Spring, but if you have a chance at the playoffs, you need to push your chips in, and I think that Hays is an improvement over Rickard/Gentry in RF.  If he mashes, it could make the difference between making the playoffs and not.

The O's starting pitching is terrible, and Austin Hays can't change that.  But it is possible to win games with terrible starting pitching, if your hitters can bludgeon the baseball enough.  I don't think any team has ever won a World Series just by out-pummeling the other team, but there's a first time for everything.  

[Ripken]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

This is honestly the best fit for Trumbo. The Orioles are going to need 2 to 3 starters next season so if they can move Trumbo to an AL team that wants to get rid of  SP contract then maybe we have something. Maybe someone can do some research to see potential options.

That's what I, and many others, were thinking... but I didn't have time to compile a good candidate list so I didn't offer the trade idea.  All I keep thinking is Davis (5/85 or 5/115 depending on deferred) for Jordan Zimmerman (3/74), hoping he bounces back.  That's terrifying all around.

[Fuzzball22]

I think the answer to this question is no, but would Hays be eligible for the postseason?

[Fuzzball22]

Also, is he any relation to Willie Mays Hays?

[Frobby]

48 minutes ago, phillyOs119 said:

 

I told you guys this two months ago .

Yes, you did.    Your insights have been confirmed repeatedly on this and other subjects involving our prospects.  

[Legend_Of_Joey]

12 minutes ago, Fuzzball22 said:

I think the answer to this question is no, but would Hays be eligible for the postseason?

If I'm reading the rules correctly, he would be eligible because he was not on the 40 prior to September 1st and is replacing someone who went on the DL.

Similar to what the Royals did a few years ago when they put Raul Mondasi Jr. on the roster for the World Series.

[Luke-OH]

23 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Yes, you did.    Your insights have been confirmed repeatedly on this and other subjects involving our prospects.  

Sorry if I'm calling too much attention to it.  I am completely self taught at this, so when what I see gets backed up by legit baseball sources or players themselves, it's reassuring to think I'm doing something right.  I can't help but get excited when that happens.

[weams]

2 hours ago, Fuzzball22 said:

I think the answer to this question is no, but would Hays be eligible for the postseason?

Good question and the answer is of course yes. Play must be in the organization on Sept 1.

[weams]

Seth tonight.