Austin Hays 2022

[Pickles]

Just now, eddie83 said:

You go back to the base on contact. There is nothing to gain by going. 
 

Now it’s not an easy read. That said there is one out. What does it accomplish to go? 

There's nothing to gain by going?  What?!?!?!?!

He's the tying run.  He's taking a secondary lead so he can score on a base hit, and tie the game.  That whole thing.

And yes, Mullins hit a line drive at somebody and he got doubled off.  As you pointed out they could have thrown to first and doubled off Mateo too.

It's bad luck.  That's it.

[jdwilde1]

22 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Got to dispute all of this before it becomes accepted Gospel.

He made the right play on the Mateo hit, and the Mullins line out was just bad luck.

I disagree.  For what it’s worth, all three guys in the MLB network studio said the same thing.  At first, they were saying Hyde screwed up because he should have pinch run for whoever was on first, and then they saw it was Hays.  Watching on TV, it appeared that Mateo’s hit had no chance of being caught.  However, I wasn’t at the game, so I will absolutely defer to your opinion if you were at OPACY.

I also disagree on the line drive.  On that ball, the runner’s first move is back to the bag.  Personally, I think he was pressing because of the first base running mistake.  Again, for what it’s worth, MLB network guys were all over Hays on that too.  

[eddie83]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

There's nothing to gain by going?  What?!?!?!?!

He's the tying run.  He's taking a secondary lead so he can score on a base hit, and tie the game.  That whole thing.

And yes, Mullins hit a line drive at somebody and he got doubled off.  As you pointed out they could have thrown to first and doubled off Mateo too.

It's bad luck.  That's it.

Line drive? He is going to score on an infield looper? This wasn’t some smash right to a fielder standing on top of the bag. It was a flare. Once again not an easy read. His secondary lead is fine. He needs to react right away and he is safe. That said Mateo was out easily.  
 

Mateo handled the play much worse. 
 

It was bad luck. I’m just pointing out there is nothing to gain there by going. Hays froze and then he reacted. He picks it up right away he is safe. 
 

I’m just saying in general there is nothing to gain there. If the turn 2 on Mullins there is nothing you can do. 

[Pickles]

Just now, jdwilde1 said:

I disagree.  For what it’s worth, all three guys in the MLB network studio said the same thing.  At first, they were saying Hyde screwed up because he should have pinch run for whoever was on first, and then they saw it was Hays.  Watching on TV, it appeared that Mateo’s hit had no chance of being caught.  However, I wasn’t at the game, so I will absolutely defer to your opinion if you were at OPACY.

I also disagree on the line drive.  On that ball, the runner’s first move is back to the bag.  Personally, I think he was pressing because of the first base running mistake.  Again, for what it’s worth, MLB network guys were all over Hays on that too.  

Oh, I have the opposite take of the media?

Well, now I know I'm right.

They showed the replay during the telecast.  He's not making it to third on Mateo's hit unless he goes on contact, which he wisely did not do.

He did return to second on Mullin's liner, but was out anyway because he had take a robust secondary lead as he undoubtedly should have in that situation.

[eddie83]

3 minutes ago, jdwilde1 said:

I disagree.  For what it’s worth, all three guys in the MLB network studio said the same thing.  At first, they were saying Hyde screwed up because he should have pinch run for whoever was on first, and then they saw it was Hays.  Watching on TV, it appeared that Mateo’s hit had no chance of being caught.  However, I wasn’t at the game, so I will absolutely defer to your opinion if you were at OPACY.

I also disagree on the line drive.  On that ball, the runner’s first move is back to the bag.  Personally, I think he was pressing because of the first base running mistake.  Again, for what it’s worth, MLB network guys were all over Hays on that too.  

He delayed a little on the ball hit to RF. He can’t go once he stops for a second. Too risky. I can’t rip him too much on that. I think he gets there if goes off the bat.  

[Pickles]

1 minute ago, eddie83 said:

Line drive? He is going to score on an infield looper? This wasn’t some smash right to a fielder standing on top of the bag. It was a flare. Once again not an easy read. His secondary lead is fine. He needs to react right away and he is safe. That said Mateo was out easily.  
 

Mateo handled the play much worse. 
 

It was bad luck. I’m just pointing out there is nothing to gain there by going. Hays froze and then he reacted. He picks it up right away he is safe. 
 

I’m just saying in general there is nothing to gain there. If the turn 2 on Mullins there is nothing you can do. 

He's not taking a secondary lead to avoid getting doulbed off at third base.

He's doing it so he can score the tying run in the 9th inning of a game.

[Hank Scorpio]

That was a poooooooooooooooooooooooooopy loss. 

The Cubs? Ugh. 

[eddie83]

14 minutes ago, Pickles said:

He's not taking a secondary lead to avoid getting doulbed off at third base.

He's doing it so he can score the tying run in the 9th inning of a game.

Do you think I don’t know that?
 

This isn’t hard. This is not an easy play for a young player to make but I’m sorry in the majors I have higher expectations.

 

Any ball hit that soft the runners have to immediately go back to the base. If they flip to second and turn 2 on Mullins oh well. Mateo isn’t beating the ball to second. He is out either way. There is zero to gain by not breaking back immediately. Nothing. A major leaguer should know that. You aren’t scoring on that ball and they catch it you are still in scoring position. Make them turn 2 on the batter. 

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

Do you think I don’t know that?
 

This isn’t hard. This is not an easy play for a young player to make but I’m sorry in the majors I have higher expectations.

 

Any ball hit that soft the runners have to immediately go back to the base. If they flip to second and turn 2 on Mullins oh well. Mateo isn’t beating the ball to second. He is out either way. There is zero to gain by not breaking back immediately. Nothing. A major leaguer should know that. You aren’t scoring on that ball and they catch it you are still in scoring position. Make them turn 2 on the batter. 

Yep..even if it’s a secondary lead, he had the time to get back to the bag.  Now, maybe the infielder doesn’t catch the ball on purpose but we don’t know that he would do that.

[Pickles]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

Do you think I don’t know that?
 

This isn’t hard. This is not an easy play for a young player to make but I’m sorry in the majors I have higher expectations.

 

Any ball hit that soft the runners have to immediately go back to the base. If they flip to second and turn 2 on Mullins oh well. Mateo isn’t beating the ball to second. He is out either way. There is zero to gain by not breaking back immediately. Nothing. A major leaguer should know that. You aren’t scoring on that ball and they catch it you are still in scoring position. Make them turn 2 on the batter. 

He takes the secondary lead before the ball is struck; it wasn't a matter of him making a decision, good or bad, that was based on the strike of the ball.  There's a reason Mateo would have been out by more- he was making the same decisions before the pitch.  

They were getting good secondary leads to both score the tying run in the 9th inning of a game, and to avoid a game ending double play.  I mean the scenario cries out to be ready to run on contact.  It's not much different than the decision to send Mountcastle in the 8th.  It's a decision that didn't work out, but I believe it is the right one.

If the charge is simply they should have reacted to a ball hit 80 mph vs 100, think about the infinitesimal time change that delivers to when the ball the ball is caught.  The problem was that Mullins hit it directly in the air to an IF, and not that he hit it at 80 mph vs. 100.  Both would have resulted in the same result.

But it is fair for people in good faith to disagree so if you see something in that play that I don't that is your right.  But I respectfully disagree based on the above.

Edited August 19, 2022 by Pickles

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

I finally saw video of the last play of the game and Hays did screw up there. There's no way he should have been doubled up on that soft line drive out. I was thinking it was a hard line drive and Hays had no time to get back. 

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/cubs-vs-orioles/2022/08/18/661109#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=videos,game=661109

[Just Regular]

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.

 

[Jim'sKid26]

5 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.

 

My first question would be, what do the analytics say about the match ups?

My second question would be, is he a little bit dinged up?

I do not know the answer to either one of these questions so it is difficult for us to know the significance of the "Whoa" moment.

[Jammer7]

3 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

My first question would be, what do the analytics say about the match ups?

My second question would be, is he a little bit dinged up?

I do not know the answer to either one of these questions so it is difficult for us to know the significance of the "Whoa" moment.

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. 

[LA2]

7 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. 

Cedric pinchhit for Aguilar, not Hays. Rutschman drew the walk PH'ing for Hays.