Chris Davis needs to hit for avg.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

 

What was Davis' hard hit % last year?

Hard contact was essentially the same in 2017 (41.5%) as in 2013 (41.3%) and 2015 (41.4%).    Soft contact was up about 3% though compared to those years.    

[bird watcher]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Hard contact was essentially the same in 2017 (41.5%) as in 2013 (41.3%) and 2015 (41.4%).    Soft contact was up about 3% though compared to those years.    

He is strong and hits the ball hard without a ton of effort. He just needs more balls in play from solid swings. 

If a pitch is close to the zone, hit it. Don’t think.  

If he starts making contact more balls will fly. When balls start to fly pitchers will be forced to pitch more waaay outside the zone. That will bring the walks. 

Be contact focused. Not patience plate discipline focused. 

[El_Duderino]

20 minutes ago, bird watcher said:

He is strong and hits the ball hard without a ton of effort. He just needs more balls in play from solid swings. 

If a pitch is close to the zone, hit it. Don’t think.  

If he starts making contact more balls will fly. When balls start to fly pitchers will be forced to pitch more waaay outside the zone. That will bring the walks. 

Be contact focused. Not patience plate discipline focused. 

I don’t think his major problem is his approach. If it were as easy as changing your focus then everyone would hit .330.

[bird watcher]

9 minutes ago, El_Duderino said:

I don’t think his major problem is his approach. If it were as easy as changing your focus then everyone would hit .330.

He has hit for avg. before though which is why I made this post. His good years and all through the minors his avg. was much better.  Now maybe he just can’t make contact even if he swings more. If true, he is just done. 

He needs to make pitchers afraid to throw strikes to him.  Make them try and make him chase way outside. Every watched strike is a missed opportunity to hit the ball. I would much rather him strike out swinging the bat in an effort to raise his avg. 

Lat off only if it is way out of the zone. 

[TouchemAll]

Davis better do something with that bat other then let it lay on his shoulder and collect looking strike 3's.

[Yossarian]

4 hours ago, MDtransplant757 said:

At least he's a stand up citizen. Even though his swing makes me want to shove screwdrivers into my head, at least he isn't this guy

 

Are the O's still paying Belle?

[Mayor McCheese]

6 minutes ago, Yossarian said:

Are the O's still paying Belle?

The Orioles insured 70% of Belle's contract.... they got back around $25MM of the $39MM contract.  It was a bad contract but the insurer took a huge loss, not the Orioles.

[waroriole]

4 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

 

Sounds like you know from experience! 

Get off your high horse. Potty pisser

[interloper]

Davis is leading off today, which would seem to indicate he's our leadoff hitter to start the year. I say why the hell not? I like the idea more than Beckham, but less than Machado. But at least he's not batting clean up. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, bird watcher said:

He is strong and hits the ball hard without a ton of effort. He just needs more balls in play from solid swings. 

If a pitch is close to the zone, hit it. Don’t think.  

If he starts making contact more balls will fly. When balls start to fly pitchers will be forced to pitch more waaay outside the zone. That will bring the walks. 

Be contact focused. Not patience plate discipline focused. 

From his comments in the offseason, I think Davis will definitely be attempting to be more aggressive.   We all know, and I'm sure he knows, that taking called strikes has been a growing problem for him the last two years.    The real issue to me is whether he simply doesn't have the bat speed/reflexes necessary to pull the trigger as well as he used to.    Approach is often tailored to physical abilities, not merely a choice to be more or less aggressive.   

[Frobby]

Just now, interloper said:

Davis is leading off today, which would seem to indicate he's our leadoff hitter to start the year. I say why the hell not? I like the idea more than Beckham, but less than Machado. But at least he's not batting clean up. 

I wouldn't assume that.     I think the O's are still trying to ensure Davis gets in as many live at bats as possible before the season starts, since he missed so much time this spring.   But, it's certainly possible they'll try it.    I wouldn't.

[TGO]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I wouldn't assume that.     I think the O's are still trying to ensure Davis gets in as many live at bats as possible before the season starts, since he missed so much time this spring.   But, it's certainly possible they'll try it.    I wouldn't.

Was going to say the same thing. His spot in the lineup right now means nothing other than Buck trying to get him the most at bats possible.

[interloper]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I wouldn't assume that.     I think the O's are still trying to ensure Davis gets in as many live at bats as possible before the season starts, since he missed so much time this spring.   But, it's certainly possible they'll try it.    I wouldn't.

I hear ya, but... I am 100% assuming that and my opinion is it's virtually guaranteed. Buck has mentioned it's not just about getting ABs and it's something Davis wanted to do, via a recent Roch article. 

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, TGO said:

Was going to say the same thing. His spot in the lineup right now means nothing other than Buck trying to get him the most at bats possible.

Incorrect. Via Buck himself.

[bird watcher]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

From his comments in the offseason, I think Davis will definitely be attempting to be more aggressive.   We all know, and I'm sure he knows, that taking called strikes has been a growing problem for him the last two years.    The real issue to me is whether he simply doesn't have the bat speed/reflexes necessary to pull the trigger as well as he used to.    Approach is often tailored to physical abilities, not merely a choice to be more or less aggressive.   

Loss of Bat speed is definitely something that could kill him completely if it hasn't already.  I don't think that is the problem.  He is in great shape and isn't that old.  He just needs to swing like he means it and not these flailing/not so sure swings.  Pull the trigger.  Bat to ball.  Easier to do when you aren't waiting too long to see if a pitch is 2" off the plate.  If it looks semi good, go for it.