Hays: my favorite current Oriole

[Frobby]

Love this guy.   He’s a really fiery player who so obviously loves playing baseball.    Was watching his homer on the highlights and he was just grinning ear to ear as he crossed home plate.    I really like his skill set, but beyond that he’s just fun to watch.    I’m really hoping he can stay healthy and show us what he’s capable of.   

[SteveA]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Love this guy.   He’s a really fiery player who so obviously loves playing baseball.    Was watching his homer on the highlights and he was just grinning ear to ear as he crossed home plate.    I really like his skill set, but beyond that he’s just fun to watch.    I’m really hoping he can stay healthy and show us what he’s capable of.   

Did you read how his Dad came up with his HR ball?   The whole family couldn't sit together because of Covid restrictions so Dad was out in the outfield and everyone else from his family that came to the game was behind home plate.   And somehow his Dad wound up with the HR ball.

[IPlayGM]

I’m with you Frobby! I fall in love with the toolsy, big outfielders (see Bigbie, Larry). Will be fun to watch his season unfold, as I feel a full-potential Hays really makes this lineup (and future team potential) dynamic.

[Jagwar]

9 hours ago, Frobby said:

Love this guy.   He’s a really fiery player who so obviously loves playing baseball.    Was watching his homer on the highlights and he was just grinning ear to ear as he crossed home plate.    I really like his skill set, but beyond that he’s just fun to watch.    I’m really hoping he can stay healthy and show us what he’s capable of.   

I think he's shown us the 2nd part of the bolded, it's just a matter of him succeeding with the 1st part. 

[Sports Guy]

Yep..I have full confidence that he is the best CFer on the team and in the organization and that if he stays healthy, he will be an asset.

 

I do not have any confidence that he can stay healthy and become the asset he can be.

Hoping he proves that wrong because, like Frobby, I’m a big fan.

[joelala]

I like Hays a lot too and would absolutely love to see him play even 120 games this season. The ear to ear grin as he came home was awesome. 
 

How’s this for a Hays comp: Adam Eaton. 

[jabba72]

Other than the injuries whats not to like? Hays has got speed and power and plays a premium defensive position. Now If they could find a SS with those attributes. 

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

Other than the injuries whats not to like? Hays has got speed and power and plays a premium defensive position. Now If they could find a SS with those attributes. 

I’d love to see a little more plate discipline.    That’s his one weakness, other than injuries.   But I feel if he can make modest strides in that area he could be an outstanding player.   

[LookinUp]

I'm not sure how you can rank him ahead of Paul Fry. 

[LTO's]

18 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I’d love to see a little more plate discipline.    That’s his one weakness, other than injuries.   But I feel if he can make modest strides in that area he could be an outstanding player.   

I'd hope to see a little more power this year. Pretty small sample size for him last year but he didn't really tap into the power he's displayed at times. He only had 6 extra basehits.  I think he has the raw power and bat speed to improve those numbers. 

[jabba72]

49 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I’d love to see a little more plate discipline.    That’s his one weakness, other than injuries.   But I feel if he can make modest strides in that area he could be an outstanding player.   

In an ideal world that would be nice if Hays could draw walks in addition to all his other skills. But as it is, I think hes a solid player. Probably not an All Star. unless the O's have no better options, but still a valuable player. 

[oriole]

I’m hoping Hays and Mullins can combine for a solid CF, LF combo with Diaz or Santander in RF, Mountcastle at 1B and Stewart relegated to strictly DH duties. But I’m showing my bias. Call me Homer

[Ruzious]

Hayes is projected to OPS .770 Austin Hays Stats | Baseball-Reference.com (baseball-reference.com)  If he does that and stays healthy, we got ourselves a good situation in CF going forward - with more upward potential.    

[Aristotelian]

10 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

Hayes is projected to OPS .770 Austin Hays Stats | Baseball-Reference.com (baseball-reference.com)  If he does that and stays healthy, we got ourselves a good situation in CF going forward - with more upward potential.    

Adam Jones' career OPS is .771. If Hays can throw in some plus defense he could stick as part of the next core and replace Jones' production. Some of his antics are a little much but I'd rather have too much energy than too little.

[Frobby]

After a 3 for 3 day featuring a couple of doubles, Hays is now slashing .370/.433/.667.    If he stays healthy, he could be a beast this year.