Ryan O’Hearn 2024

[Sanity Check]

44 minutes ago, dystopia said:

Sometimes it makes you wonder if the umps even know the rules. 

It's not really that complicated, if it's a reviewable play, the team has a right to have it reviewed, whether it's stupid or not.  The umpires can't tell them they won't review it if it qualifies as a reviewable play.  The umpires really shouldn't even give an opinion on whether it's a smart review or not, they are just administering the request.

And, I think the verbiage they use on the field - like the "play stands" or the "call is confirmed" - are really interchangeable and do not mean different things. (I do realize this part was not your comment).

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

He just hits the ball so hard.  It’s hard to believe he’s just going to go back in the toilet. 
 

He may end up being nothing more than a 300-400 at bat guy and someone you can’t play vs lefties but I’m guessing that’s still a role he will be very solid in.

He also seems like a good teammate. 
 

I kind  of doubt he’s back here next year at 7.5M but it wouldn’t surprise me if he was either. 

I think that option gets exercised, whether or not he’s on our roster in 2025.   Someone will be very happy to have him at that salary.  

[Sanity Check]

49 minutes ago, ArtVanDelay said:

His career OPS vs LHP is .541. 

Fair point, but what was his prior OPS vs. right handers vs. what he's done in 2023/2024?  My point is, has he improved there enough to think that maybe he could also begin to hit left-handers better if he had more reps? 

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I think that option gets exercised, whether or not he’s on our roster in 2025.   Someone will be very happy to have him at that salary.  

Yea I agree with that. They aren’t just not picking up the option and letting him go for nothing unless he really does go in the tank this year.

[dystopia]

17 minutes ago, Sanity Check said:

It's not really that complicated, if it's a reviewable play, the team has a right to have it reviewed, whether it's stupid or not.  The umpires can't tell them they won't review it if it qualifies as a reviewable play.  The umpires really shouldn't even give an opinion on whether it's a smart review or not, they are just administering the request.

And, I think the verbiage they use on the field - like the "play stands" or the "call is confirmed" - are really interchangeable and do not mean different things. (I do realize this part was not your comment).

If that’s true, and it may very well be, they should be more careful about the verbiage. It definitely comes off as two different meanings. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

I wasn't sure how good O'Hearn would be this year and if anything he's even better. His OPS is up over 120 points and strikeout rate has declined from 32% to 10%.

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/ryan-o-hearn-656811

Edited May 4 by OsFanSinceThe80s

[EddeeEddee]

Good article on O'Hearn and how he leads the league in xwOBA

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/ryan-o-hearn-is-one-of-best-hitters-in-2024

 

 

[LA2]

1 hour ago, EddeeEddee said:

Good article on O'Hearn and how he leads the league in xwOBA

https://www.mlb.com/orioles/news/ryan-o-hearn-is-one-of-best-hitters-in-2024

 

 

There was an attempt to debunk this article in the other O'Hearn thread where it's the OP, but in it O'Hearn explains that his efforts to change launch angle and severely limit when he swings underlie the improved performance since coming to the Orioles.

Quote

“I’ve always hit the ball hard but hitting it hard at better launch angles is the key. That’s how you do damage,” O’Hearn said. “It doesn’t matter how hard you hit it if you hit it right into the ground.”

 

[Satyr3206]

Goes right back to Ted Williams. Get a good pitch to hit and drive it.

[baltfan]

He is a great story. We will have to continue to make room for him because he is the 90% outcome for many behind him. 

[Frobby]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:48 AM, Sanity Check said:

Fair point, but what was his prior OPS vs. right handers vs. what he's done in 2023/2024?  My point is, has he improved there enough to think that maybe he could also begin to hit left-handers better if he had more reps? 

Fair question.  Before coming to the Orioles, vs. RHP O’Hearn had a .706 OPS (.228/.302/.414), whereas as an Oriole he has an .842 OPS vs. RHP (.303/.342/.500).   So, that’s an OPS improvement of 136 points.  

Versus LHP, O’Hearn was a .492 OPS hitter in KC (.163/.244/.248).  As an Oriole, he has a .192/.206/.538 OPS vs. LHP for a .744 OPS.  That’s in 34 PA, so tiny sample size there.  

My inclination is to think that given more PA vs. LHP, O’Hearn might improve from the .492 OPS guy he was vs. LHP to something like a .650 guy.   To me, that’s not good enough to bother with.  I’d just leave him in the role where he’s excelling. 

 

[ChosenOne21]

3 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Fair question.  Before coming to the Orioles, vs. RHP O’Hearn had a .706 OPS (.228/.302/.414), whereas as an Oriole he has an .842 OPS vs. RHP (.303/.342/.500).   So, that’s an OPS improvement of 136 points.  

Versus LHP, O’Hearn was a .492 OPS hitter in KC (.163/.244/.248).  As an Oriole, he has a .192/.206/.538 OPS vs. LHP for a .744 OPS.  That’s in 34 PA, so tiny sample size there.  

My inclination is to think that given more PA vs. LHP, O’Hearn might improve from the .492 OPS guy he was vs. LHP to something like a .650 guy.   To me, that’s not good enough to bother with.  I’d just leave him in the role where he’s excelling. 

 

O'Hearn actually has a career .748 OPS versus LHSP in 157 PA. It's the near helplessness against LHRP in 41 PA that makes it look like he can't hit lefties. He's around .080 OPS lower against lefties in his minor-league career, which is roughly the average platoon advantage split.

I don't think it's some foregone conclusion he can't hit lefties. Maybe he doesn't need to the way our roster is constructed, but I think the idea he can't hit lefties deserves some scrutiny.

[RZNJ]

On 4/17/2024 at 8:46 AM, Sanity Check said:

It's not really that complicated, if it's a reviewable play, the team has a right to have it reviewed, whether it's stupid or not.  The umpires can't tell them they won't review it if it qualifies as a reviewable play.  The umpires really shouldn't even give an opinion on whether it's a smart review or not, they are just administering the request.

And, I think the verbiage they use on the field - like the "play stands" or the "call is confirmed" - are really interchangeable and do not mean different things. (I do realize this part was not your comment).

They do mean different things.  “The call stands” means it was too close to overturn.  “The call is confirmed” means they feel the replay clearly supports the call on the field.

Joe Adell was safe at 2B.   They felt it was too close to overturn and said “The call stands” because it clearly didn’t support the call.

[Bemorewins]

If O'Hearn as anything close to this player for the entire season, I don't see how the Orioles don't bring him back next year. He's been that good!