Why is Rasmus on the team again?

[mdbdotcom]

Somewhere around May 10 will be the point at which they will have saved a year of Hays' service time by optioning him. At that point, if he's playing well, Hays should become the regular RF, with Rasmus on the bench and Gentry gone.

[Orioles0615]

9 hours ago, ChuckS said:

I rather have had Dyson or Jay.

Jay right now though in only 22 PAs has a .455 OBP 

[weams]

48 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I did see Rasmus line a hard single off a 100 mph fastball from Syndergaard during spring training.   So, bat speed isn’t the issue.    But his timing is just way off at the moment. 

I think so too. 

[weams]

9 hours ago, ChuckS said:

I rather have had Dyson or Jay.

I have no use for either of them. I hoped Rasmus would be more. 

[panick]

14 hours ago, Luke-OH said:

More of an eye-hand thing than mechanics in his case I think. Of course it can be mechanical if the backside collapses and causes the bat head to dip or the front shoulder comes open too soon and causes the batter to fly off the ball. Those are just a couple of common examples.

For Rasmus, it looks more like he's just not seeing the ball and he's not just barely missing pitches (like Schoop does when it's offspeed and he's sitting FB), his swing path isn't even matching where the ball is.

Could someone explain what "seeing the ball" means?

Palmer keeps using that excuse for why Davis has such lousy at-bats. What is the remedy for batters who can't see the ball? Just leave them in the lineup so they can hurt the team? That didn't seem to work for Davis last year.

[weams]

2 minutes ago, panick said:

Could someone explain what "seeing the ball" means?

Palmer keeps using that excuse for why Davis has such lousy at-bats. What is the remedy for batters who can't see the ball? Just leave them in the lineup so they can hurt the team? That didn't seem to work for Davis last year.

There are about 700 MLB batters that see the ball. The cure for not seeing the ball is selling insurance.  Or Youth ministry. 

[weams]

Just now, weams said:

There are about 700 MLB batters that see the ball. The cure for not seeing the ball is selling insurance.  Or Youth ministry. 

Seriously, it is an eye hand coordination sped up to an incredible speed. Very few people can do this. 

[Luke-OH]

7 minutes ago, panick said:

Could someone explain what "seeing the ball" means?

Palmer keeps using that excuse for why Davis has such lousy at-bats. What is the remedy for batters who can't see the ball? Just leave them in the lineup so they can hurt the team? That didn't seem to work for Davis last year.

 

2 minutes ago, weams said:

Seriously, it is an eye hand coordination sped up to an incredible speed. Very few people can do this. 

Like Weams said, seeing the ball is being able to pick up the ball out of a pitcher's hand and adjust your swing to it's eventual location. It's all done in a split second with very little room for error.

[ReclaimTheCrown]

35 minutes ago, mdbdotcom said:

Somewhere around May 10 will be the point at which they will have saved a year of Hays' service time by optioning him. At that point, if he's playing well, Hays should become the regular RF, with Rasmus on the bench and Gentry gone.

Thanks, was wondering about the date for him. Would like to see Hays force his way up by that point. Then whoever is playing worse - Rasmus or Gentry - goes. Santander also remains a possibility; he’s looked pretty good and has shown flashes, but especially if we plan to play Hays every day, we could option Santander to ensure he gets regular ABs. Less likely at this point, but possible.

We also have to figure out what to do when Trumbo comes back. Probably DFA Alvarez I guess.

[TommyPickles]

It’s really the terrible haircut that worries me...

[foxfield]

1 hour ago, webbrick2010 said:

Why the O's thought adding a high K low OBP batter to this roster had any merit is beyond me

We know....we know...  

[Just Regular]

1 hour ago, glenn__davis said:

Not gonna pile on Rasmus this early in the season, but chief homer Mike Bordick had some great commentary before that AB.  Talking about how Chad Green had a great fastball but Rasmus was a "fastball crusher".  And then Rasmus swings through 3 fastballs and doesn't come close to any of them.

To his credit, Rasmus did smack a Green fastball for a key hit in Thursday's rally.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Luke-OH said:

More of an eye-hand thing than mechanics in his case I think. Of course it can be mechanical if the backside collapses and causes the bat head to dip or the front shoulder comes open too soon and causes the batter to fly off the ball. Those are just a couple of common examples.

For Rasmus, it looks more like he's just not seeing the ball and he's not just barely missing pitches (like Schoop does when it's offspeed and he's sitting FB), his swing path isn't even matching where the ball is.

Thanks, I get it now.    As someone who never played beyond 7th grade, the subtleties of why a guy isn’t hitting often escape me.   I still play softball at age 60, but nobody has trouble “knowing where the bat head is” at that speed.