Austin Hays 2022

[SteveA]

21 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Him being pinch hit for in a big spot last night was kind of a "Whoa" moment.   

How does the Club brand this?    #RisingTide and all.

The "B" starting lineups introduce some fresh possibilities Close and Late for what guys have gotten used to the last few years.

 

They started a lefty so we had all but one of our lefty bats on the bench.  They even brought a left in relief.  So it wasn't until that 8th inning that they had a right-handed pitcher in the game.  It was the right time to unleash those good LH bats on the bench, and Hyde did it.  Framing this as some sort of insult to Hays or something is silly.  Earl Weaver did this all the time.  Of course Earl often had an 8 man bench and we spent most of this year with a 4 man bench.  But in September we have 5.

This is another side of the coin of sitting Mullins and Rutschman.  The lineup crybabies have tantrums when they aren't in the lineup vs a lefty even though their season #s vs lefties are poor.  It's like they pretend those numnbers, which are in fact real, don't exist or something.

Bottom line is we now have a lot of guys who can hit and have depth on our bench.    Hyde has some flexibility to put guys in the best place to succeed.  It's a good thing.

[Jim'sKid26]

9 minutes ago, Jammer7 said:

I do believe he is dinged up. All of those two seamers in on his hands and wrists have taken a toll.

I have said this for two years that he dives in and tries to yank pitches to left far too often. This has been a change I do not like for him. When he first came up, he was hitting balls out to all fields with big power. The plate discipline was poor, and he could not stay healthy. He was destined to be a star.

Now, he has stayed on the field, but he has holes that can be exploited. He hits the ball hard, but on the ground far too often. Since getting banged up, he has taken to chasing the slider down and away again.

I think Ced hitting for him was more to do with this moment in time, and the situation, rather than an indictment on Hays overall. But he has work to do to get back to the player he was in the first half. 

Well said. Agree with all you point out. 

[Just Regular]

19 minutes ago, SteveA said:

They started a lefty so we had all but one of our lefty bats on the bench.  They even brought a left in relief.  So it wasn't until that 8th inning that they had a right-handed pitcher in the game.  It was the right time to unleash those good LH bats on the bench, and Hyde did it.  Framing this as some sort of insult to Hays or something is silly.  Earl Weaver did this all the time.  Of course Earl often had an 8 man bench and we spent most of this year with a 4 man bench.  But in September we have 5.

I'd frame it shy of insult, but don't figure any regular first-stringer likes being spotted out, even if it is both the right process and produces a positive outcome.    For me it was more a notable byproduct of the team talent level ascending.

Hays looked a little surprised and I did note Hyde in postgame going to talking points about daily best lineup, checking egos, etc.     Jordan Lyles dexterity at talking his way into extra innings should be tapering off too as the finish line nears.

[SteveA]

3 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

I'd frame it shy of insult, but don't figure any regular first-stringer likes being spotted out, even if it is both the right process and produces a positive outcome.    For me it was more a notable byproduct of the team talent level ascending.

Hays looked a little surprised and I did note Hyde in postgame going to talking points about daily best lineup, checking egos, etc.     Jordan Lyles dexterity at talking his way into extra innings should be tapering off too as the finish line nears.

Yep, we've got more talent now which means that guys with talent will occasionally be sitting on the bench or pinch hit for.   It's a good thing.

We hit a guy with a .780 OPS vs RH for a guy with a .740 OPS vs RH.   And, more importantly since the bases were loaded in a tie game, we hit a guy with a .355 OBP vs RH for a guy who is at .309.

I'm a big Austin Hays fan, bit it was clearly the right move.   He's going to have to compete for playing time now.  When he was one of the few talented players we had, he was pretty much handed a spot.   Now he's going to have to be good enough to keep it.

I love it.  And I love having options off the bench in the late innings.

[RZNJ]

Mountcastle has been looking better.   Hays didn't try to do too much and bounced a single up the middle last night.   I think both are getting a bit of a wakeup call.   I'm sure the hitting coaches have been preaching selectivity and using RF from the beginning but sometimes it takes the wakeup call that your job is not guaranteed.    The presence of Stowers and Henderson.    Getting rested or PH for.   It's time for reflection.   Is Hays banged up?    He sure doesn't swing the bat like someone who has a wrist problem.

[wildcard]

Started a thread about this but saw this thread so I deleted it.

"Check your ego at the door.  We are trying to win games."  is such a cool way to express what Hyde is doing in this last month of the season IMO.

Throughout the season Hyde has put guys in situations to help them grow and experience pressure in games.   But now the teaching approach is out the window.  Time to win.

Edited September 3, 2022 by wildcard

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, Just Regular said:

Him being pinch hit for in a big spot last night was kind of a "Whoa" moment.   

How does the Club brand this?    #RisingTide and all.

The "B" starting lineups introduce some fresh possibilities Close and Late for what guys have gotten used to the last few years.

 

It was just a perfect situation for Adley.  Nowhere to put him, and a pitcher who was struggling with control.  As much as I like Hays (and everyone here knows I’m a big fan), in that situation I’ll take the guy with the best eye on the team, rather than the guy who often expands the strike zone.  

[Aristotelian]

Adley PH for Hays is not especially notable. Adley PH for Hays ahead of Mateo is definitely noteworthy. Maybe if Adley doesn't get the walk Mateo would have been pulled for Stowers or Vavra? I'm guessing nobody asked Hyde in the presser. Can't argue with the result.

 

[RZNJ]

A question.  Hays defense seems to have slipped.  How much, if any, of that can be chalked up to the new dimensions.  Has he slipped or just being exposed?   Do they break down drs and oaa by home/road?

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

A question.  Hays defense seems to have slipped.  How much, if any, of that can be chalked up to the new dimensions.  Has he slipped or just being exposed?   Do they break down drs and oaa by home/road?

What are you basing the idea that his defense has slipped?  The eye test or the defensive "stats?"

I don't trust the stats- never really have- and I certainly don't trust them to have contextualized the drastic change in LF dimensions Camden has undergone.

To the eye test he doesn't seem to have made as many wow plays this year, but I think the bigger left field has made his arm less of a weapon.  He was very good at keeping guys to one or even throwing them out at 2nd last year, but the bigger dimensions make that less common.  He did make a good throw last night, and he is tied for 8th in ML OF assists with 7, so his arm is still a weapon.

[RZNJ]

45 minutes ago, Pickles said:

What are you basing the idea that his defense has slipped?  The eye test or the defensive "stats?"

I don't trust the stats- never really have- and I certainly don't trust them to have contextualized the drastic change in LF dimensions Camden has undergone.

To the eye test he doesn't seem to have made as many wow plays this year, but I think the bigger left field has made his arm less of a weapon.  He was very good at keeping guys to one or even throwing them out at 2nd last year, but the bigger dimensions make that less common.  He did make a good throw last night, and he is tied for 8th in ML OF assists with 7, so his arm is still a weapon.

We’ll, SportsGuy said his defense had slipped and I checked fangraphs.  I believe his DRS numbers are still positive but his OAA is -5 or something.  I really don’t know but that’s what some are saying.   Hays and Santander both pass the eye test for me.  They both look solid but statistically both are considered below average this year.

[Pickles]

2 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

We’ll, SportsGuy said his defense had slipped and I checked fangraphs.  I believe his DRS numbers are still positive but his OAA is -5 or something.  I really don’t know but that’s what some are saying.   Hays and Santander both pass the eye test for me.  They both look solid but statistically both are considered below average this year.

SG says a lot of things. 

I still think Hays is a positive defender in a COF spot.  He's certainly the best one the Orioles have.

Santander looks better than last year, but I think he's more average/touch below.  His range isn't great, and he isn't graceful so it looks worse than it is, but he has a strong arm.

But neither of them are of the caliber of Mountcastle or Mancini; basically DH/1b masquerading as OFers.  And it's important to note, a lot of teams have those exact kind of guys playing the OF consistently.

[Frobby]

16 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

We’ll, SportsGuy said his defense had slipped and I checked fangraphs.  I believe his DRS numbers are still positive but his OAA is -5 or something.  I really don’t know but that’s what some are saying.   Hays and Santander both pass the eye test for me.  They both look solid but statistically both are considered below average this year.

Santander for me gets very poor jumps and isn’t very fast.  I think Hays is significantly better.   That said, I feel like Hays hasn’t made a noteworthy play in the last couple of months.  

[Pickles]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Santander for me gets very poor jumps and isn’t very fast.  I think Hays is significantly better.   That said, I feel like Hays hasn’t made a noteworthy play in the last couple of months.  

Oh, yeah, Hays and Santander shouldn't be in the same category when it comes to defense.

[RZNJ]

9 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Oh, yeah, Hays and Santander shouldn't be in the same category when it comes to defense.

Probably but I wouldn’t be surprised if Santander’s sprint speed is as good as Hays and even though Hays has a stronger arm, Santander’s is pretty solid.