Heston Kjerstad 2022

[Aglets]

11 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

I believe Gunnar struck out a lot at Delmarva as well and Cowser started improving his strikeout numbers before his promotion.  And last nights Aberdeen game was on the road, I think.

Correct.  The Ironbirds are in Asheville this week.

[Aglets]

Overall this season the Ironbirds have a .732 team OPS.   That is 8th in the league out of 12 teams.  So admittedly below average.

However they have a .720 at home (8th) and a .745 on the road (6th) so while yes there does seem to be a slight impact it doesn't seem to be super large.  Definitely not talking about an inverse Coors effect or anything.   More like what the Orioles hitters experience at the MLB level actually with the new wall.

[Tony-OH]

3 hours ago, RZNJ said:

I believe Gunnar struck out a lot at Delmarva as well and Cowser started improving his strikeout numbers before his promotion.  And last nights Aberdeen game was on the road, I think.

There also could be lighting or backdrop problems in other stadiums in the league. I really don't know. The league as a whole is putting 4.98 runs per game but slashing just .246/.336/.398/.733 while striking out 10.0/9 and walking 4.1/9. The Ironbirds are about league average in hitting at .242/.336/.396/.732 while but scoring a bit under ay 4.8.

Both Mayo and Cowser hit better at home than away, so it's not Aberdeen stadium's large power alleys that's hurting them.

 

 

 

[LookinUp]

 

[glenn__davis]

I couldn't believe the above tweet was true so I looked it up and they're correct - of course, he's had exactly 1 hit in each of those games.

Quit an underwhelming start at ABD but not surprising.  Let's see how he finishes this last month and hopefully he can start in Bowie next year.  Reps, reps, reps.

[BohKnowsBmore]

On 7/29/2022 at 11:51 AM, Aglets said:

Overall this season the Ironbirds have a .732 team OPS.   That is 8th in the league out of 12 teams.  So admittedly below average.

However they have a .720 at home (8th) and a .745 on the road (6th) so while yes there does seem to be a slight impact it doesn't seem to be super large.  Definitely not talking about an inverse Coors effect or anything.   More like what the Orioles hitters experience at the MLB level actually with the new wall.

One potentially important thing to point out here - you would typically expect hitters to be better at home than on the road. If the hypothetical park neutral home-road split is a difference of .020 OPS, then this difference is actually a magnitude of .045 OPS, rather than .025.

[Frobby]

6 hours ago, glenn__davis said:

I couldn't believe the above tweet was true so I looked it up and they're correct - of course, he's had exactly 1 hit in each of those games.

Quit an underwhelming start at ABD but not surprising.  Let's see how he finishes this last month and hopefully he can start in Bowie next year.  Reps, reps, reps.

Baby steps.   Getting a hit every day is a good thing.  Not super hot but warming up.  

[Frobby]

Kjerstad kept his hit streak alive in the least impressive way possible, going 1 for 6 in a 13-inning game.   

Edited August 3, 2022 by Frobby

[owknows]

Years later... his hitting streak is alive at 500 games... but he's only hitting .207

[Tony-OH]

It will be interesting to see what he looks like next year. Right now, he's hitting the ball on the ground way too much including when he hit .463 with Delmarva (53.2% GB rate). I'm not surprised he's having to adjust a bit to High-A pitching because he was mostly ambushing Low-A first pitch fastballs. 

Now the real adjustments start. 

[Frobby]

Kjerstad broke his streak of consecutive one hit games today by going 2 for 4.  Maybe he’ll go on a two-hit streak now. 

[Flash- bd]

5 hours ago, Frobby said:

Kjerstad broke his streak of consecutive one hit games today by going 2 for 4.  Maybe he’ll go on a two-hit streak now. 

A double too, so we know he probably managed to get the ball off the ground. 

[RZNJ]

8 hours ago, Flash- bd said:

A double too, so we know he probably managed to get the ball off the ground. 

Read the gameday all plays.   I believe both hits were in the air.   Line drive single to the RF in the first and a flyball double to the CF in the 2nd inning.   

[Just Regular]

Last year Gunnar 289 PA of .775 OPS was enough to earn him the AA cup of coffee and playoff roster berth for the Baysox.

Kjerstad at 65 and .665 with a month and a half to play.

[RZNJ]

14 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Last year Gunnar 289 PA of .775 OPS was enough to earn him the AA cup of coffee and playoff roster berth for the Baysox.

Kjerstad at 65 and .665 with a month and a half to play.

At this point I'm not really worried if he gets up to Bowie before the end of the year.  Just remain healthy and put up some numbers at Aberdeen.   Next year he'll start at Bowie and hopefully be in the conversation for a major league callup sometime in the 2nd half.