Austin Hays 2024

[ShoelesJoe]

Four games into the season he's batting  .133 / .235 / .133, two singles, two walks, and four strike outs. This is obviously a small sample, but the worse news is that in his last 81 games Hays is batting .227 / .290 / .364. I understand that he brings a lot with the glove, but with all the OF talent in our system how long can the team carry a .550 OPS in a corner OF position? 

[Spy Fox]

Similar to the Mullins concerns, it's just four days. If he put up this performance in a random 4-day stretch midseason, it's probably barely noticed.

But practically, I think he (or any other struggling incumbent) gets at least 1-2 months before being relegated to a minor role. 2+ months if he he's kinda bad, 1-1.5 months if he's really bad. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

40 minutes ago, Spy Fox said:

Similar to the Mullins concerns, it's just four days. If he put up this performance in a random 4-day stretch midseason, it's probably barely noticed.

But practically, I think he (or any other struggling incumbent) gets at least 1-2 months before being relegated to a minor role. 2+ months if he he's kinda bad, 1-1.5 months if he's really bad. 

Aaron Judge has a .398 OPS at the moment. As amusing as it would be to see Yankees fans having meltdowns over Judge having an off year more than likely he's going to start mashing again.

Same goes with Cowser not playing much yet it's only four games so far even if many of us want to seem him playing regularly right now.

[forphase1]

While I don't disagree that 4 games is a VERY SSS and should be taken with a huge grain of salt, these 4 games combined with the very poor 2nd half last year IS troubling.  

[EdwinRip]

Hays is average across the board.  Average defense and offense….a valuable player but not someone that deserves to be starting every game if you have viable options.  He could also be protected much more against righties which should increase his effectiveness.

[Frobby]

Hays is definitely off his game at the moment, just hitting a ton of balls into the ground that he would normally drive.  But I don’t make anything of it, nor do I think the second half of last year is particularly relevant.  His timing just looks a little off.  He’ll find his groove and get hot eventually.   He’s a hot and cold guy, like many hitters.  It’s just more noticeable when he starts cold in the first four games of the year.  

[glenn__davis]

18 minutes ago, EdwinRip said:

Hays is average across the board.  Average defense and offense….a valuable player but not someone that deserves to be starting every game if you have viable options.  He could also be protected much more against righties which should increase his effectiveness.

His splits vs. LHP/RHP for his career aren't very extreme.

He's a pretty streaky hitter, which I think we've learned many players are except for the really elite ones.  He'll probably end up with an OPS+ a little over 100, so a slightly above average hitter.

To me the big thing about Hays is what do you think about his defense.  All indications are that the Orioles think he's a very good LF, particularly at OPACY.  I'm not convinced but they don't ask me for some reason.

[DirtyBird]

His at bat with Mateo pinch running was pathetic 

[Sports Guy]

11 hours ago, forphase1 said:

While I don't disagree that 4 games is a VERY SSS and should be taken with a huge grain of salt, these 4 games combined with the very poor 2nd half last year IS troubling.  

He did turn it around the last 5ish weeks of the season.

But he’s not an everyday player and the Os have to stop treating him as one.

[ChosenOne21]

If he's still looking bad in a month, I'll bet he starts losing serious playing time. For now though, they'll give him a chance to work through it.

[AlbNYfan]

Define MOMENT....second half of last year, Spring Training (often not facing top pitchers) and now this. Not concerned? A couple weeks ago, a thread, 3 Concerns for the Season....of course pitching was and always is for any team. My three concerns were Mullins, Hays and McKenna. Mullin has had a couple moments..3 run homer, hit in the 9th last night. But, so many K's (OK one was a terrible call by the umpire). He is one of my favorites..but he seems lost. Hays...like his D, probably need the D at home because of LF. But of any O, he is the last player I want to see with runners on, O's needing run(s). In those situations he is a K machine, or groundout machine. Right now the bottom of the order Hays, Mullin, Urias...good D (minus Mullins arm), no hitting...You can't have 1/3 of your lineup sucking it up. You can talk all you want about "streak" hitting....hits aren't the only thing...runner on third, less than two outs, hitting the ball to the right to advance the runner(s) does require a streak, it requires plate discipline...shorten your swing, find the open hole put it in play.

[interloper]

I don't think it will be too long before he's basically platooned with Cowser. I think Hyde's giving him the benefit of the doubt for the first few series, which is no big deal IMO. 

[OriolesMagic83]

The time to do something would have been the offseason when he could have been traded.  Elias is not going to tell Hyde to sit Hays to crater his trade value.  The only way for Hays to get off the team is to be good but not great or to be,absolutely horrible.  Batting .100 with no power horrible over a couple of months.  If he's too good, O's will keep him till end of year.

[EdwinRip]

I don’t think his defense is anything special - defensive metrics don’t think it’s anything special - it’s perfectly fine(not trying to knock the guy).  He has value but he’s certainly not the type of player that should get everyday at bats when you have Cowser/Heston/Stowers.  You should be able to squeeze out more WAR by limiting his at bats and putting at least 1 of your lefty prospects in a position to succeed.  I see him in a Jose Siri type role-getting somewhere between 300-400 PAs.

[Pat Kelly]

43 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He did turn it around the last 5ish weeks of the season.

But he’s not an everyday player and the Os have to stop treating him as one.

This is the point.  Play him 4-5 times per week, primarily against LHP, provides Mullins the occasional day of in CF, late inning def replacement.  He is a valuyable player to have if used effectively.  He is not an everyday starting LF but doesn't need to be.  

Edited April 2 by Pat Kelly