Hays: my favorite current Oriole

[Sports Guy]

The slash lines vs lefties and his home stats are great.  The slash lines vs righties and on the road are ugly.

Overall, the OBP isn’t good but the slugging is solid. 
 

The defense has been good.  The power is good and it appears he will get 500 plate appearances.  It’s been a successful year for him.  
 

Now, the question becomes, can he learn to hit righties better?  If he can, he can be an everyday player.  If he can’t, he’s a platoon guy.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

The slash lines vs lefties and his home stats are great.  The slash lines vs righties and on the road are ugly.

Overall, the OBP isn’t good but the slugging is solid. 
 

The defense has been good.  The power is good and it appears he will get 500 plate appearances.  It’s been a successful year for him.  
 

Now, the question becomes, can he learn to hit righties better?  If he can, he can be an everyday player.  If he can’t, he’s a platoon guy.

Data I included in another thread:

In the minors:

2017 .833 v. RHP, 1.133 v. LHP

2018: .643 v. RHP, .828 v. LHP

2019: .865 v. RHP, .622 v. LHP

2020 in the majors: .720 vs. RHP, .729 vs. LHP

It remains to be seen if Hays’ struggles vs. RHP this year reflect a real weakness or are a SSS phenomenon.   He’s raised his OPS vs. RHP from .621 on August 3 to .687 now, so that’s a step in the right direction.  

[ChrisP]

This has absolutely been a successful season for Hays. I doubt less that 50% of fans thought he'd have 450+ AB's, let alone 20+ HR's with solid defense. Starting next year at 26, we possibly have 2-4 years of solid or increased production. I'm looking forward to it.

[Ruzious]

Hays finishing the season strongly and getting 500 plate appearances will be a big positive for the O's and... he may become more valuable if the O's trade Mullins and move Hays to CF.  Hays' development makes it easier to justify trading Mullns.        

[Moose Milligan]

Trade him, make room for the guys coming up behind him.  Santander, too.

[7Mo]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Trade him, make room for the guys coming up behind him.  Santander, too.

With Santander, I think you have to consider whether it's a good bet to see if he has a great start next year and trade him by the deadline. 

Of course, if a good offer is made this offseason, I'd take it. I just tend to think he'll have more value in July than he will in a few months.

[Moose Milligan]

6 minutes ago, 7Mo said:

With Santander, I think you have to consider whether it's a good bet to see if he has a great start next year and trade him by the deadline. 

Of course, if a good offer is made this offseason, I'd take it. I just tend to think he'll have more value in July than he will in a few months.

It's possible.  No one knows for sure.

I don't trust Hays at all.  Too many questions about hitting RHP consistently, not enough OBP skills and he's never too far from the IL.  

He's fun to watch, he brings energy but I'd try to shop him this offseason for sure.

Sorry, Frob.

[7Mo]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

It's possible.  No one knows for sure.

I don't trust Hays at all.  Too many questions about hitting RHP consistently, not enough OBP skills and he's never too far from the IL.  

He's fun to watch, he brings energy but I'd try to shop him this offseason for sure.

Sorry, Frob.

I'm kinda the other way. I'm a believer in Hays. Of course you shop him and if a good offer is on the table, I'd take it. But I think Hays can build value from where he is today. 

Or you might be 100% correct. 

[Moose Milligan]

4 minutes ago, 7Mo said:

I'm kinda the other way. I'm a believer in Hays. Of course you shop him and if a good offer is on the table, I'd take it. But I think Hays can build value from where he is today. 

Or you might be 100% correct. 

I'm a believer that he's a pretty good player when he's on the field.  

 

[7Mo]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

I'm a believer that he's a pretty good player when he's on the field.  

 

Well said.

[vab]

This guy is going to have to get at least one full, healthy season in to get to his maximum trade value. The question is do you hold on to him and give him the chance to do that next year or do you think he probably isn't capable of it and go ahead and trade him this offseason. I could argue both ways, it will be interesting to see what they do. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Trade him, make room for the guys coming up behind him.  Santander, too.

I think Hays is better than the guys coming up immediately behind him (Neustrom and Stowers).    I could be proven wrong, but that’s my opinion.   

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think Hays is better than the guys coming up immediately behind him (Neustrom and Stowers).    I could be proven wrong, but that’s my opinion.   

Agreed..at the very least, he’s a platoon option with them.

Hays doesn’t have much value by himself.  He could be the second or third piece in a bigger deal though.

[interloper]

2.3 WAR, which was surprising to me. Pretty sure that's 3rd on the team after Mullins and Means. Hays has had a nice little mostly healthy season. 

[Moose Milligan]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think Hays is better than the guys coming up immediately behind him (Neustrom and Stowers).    I could be proven wrong, but that’s my opinion.   

Maybe a better defender than Stowers.  But I think Stowers has better OBP skills, for sure.  

66 games at AA Bowie in 2018, Hays went .242/.271/.432 for a .703 OPS 288 plate appearances

66 games (yes, they both played 66 games in AA Stowers went .283/.377/.561 for a .938.  276 plate appearances

2018 for Hays was after his big 2017 campaign at AA where he had a .960 OPS.  I can't remember the excuses for the big fall off in performance, I'm assuming it had to do with injuries or something.  

I think Hays is a good player, I just don't deem him as necessary.  Wouldn't hesitate to include him in a trade if we get back something good.