The New Guys

[e16bball]

29 minutes ago, terpoh said:

If this was the 8th or 9th inning I would agree.  But to lose someone for the rest of the game in the 6th? Just leave Holliday in. He would’ve had another at bat against a righty later anyways. 

1st and 3rd with 2 outs in a two-run game, and we’re just giving up that at-bat? Because it’s only the bottom of the 6th?

I think that’s very reasonable pinch-hitting territory. What are we saving it for? The blind hope that maybe there’d be a different high-leverage situation with an opportunity to tie/go ahead the next time the bottom of the order came around? The way this offense is going, you have to take the chances when they’re there — you just can’t count on the opportunities coming back around again.

[EddeeEddee]

Most of these guys are only playing because of injuries to starters.  But Austin Slater I'm guessing was brought in to replace the traded Austin Hays. 

The problem is that Slater has shown little ability to hit lefties this year, after hitting them pretty well up to this season.  This must be why two teams dropped him before the O's picked him up.  I know he was let go much earlier in the season, but is Ryan McKenna actually worse than this guy? 

I don't understand how the front office went from releasing McKenna to later trading Hays and Norby -- thinking their right handed bats could adequately be replaced by someone like Slater.  

[Warehouse]

4 hours ago, EddeeEddee said:

Most of these guys are only playing because of injuries to starters.  But Austin Slater I'm guessing was brought in to replace the traded Austin Hays. 

The problem is that Slater has shown little ability to hit lefties this year, after hitting them pretty well up to this season.  This must be why two teams dropped him before the O's picked him up.  I know he was let go much earlier in the season, but is Ryan McKenna actually worse than this guy? 

I don't understand how the front office went from releasing McKenna to later trading Hays and Norby -- thinking their right handed bats could adequately be replaced by someone like Slater.  

Yes, Ryan McKenna is worse that Austin Slater.  Slater has had a wOBA of .318 and xwOBA of .311 against LHP since August 1 compared to a league average of .302.

Sure, if you look at 140 PAs this year (to include time with Giants) against LHP in isolation, you would say he is not a good hitter against lefties. However, that is still a relatively SSS and it doesn’t work that way where you just disregard a player’s track record before their most recent 140 PAs for a certain split.

 

[terpoh]

7 hours ago, e16bball said:

1st and 3rd with 2 outs in a two-run game, and we’re just giving up that at-bat? Because it’s only the bottom of the 6th?

I think that’s very reasonable pinch-hitting territory. What are we saving it for? The blind hope that maybe there’d be a different high-leverage situation with an opportunity to tie/go ahead the next time the bottom of the order came around? The way this offense is going, you have to take the chances when they’re there — you just can’t count on the opportunities coming back around again.

Thats not what I was saying at all. I would argue that pinch hitting Slater was “giving up that at bat”

Holliday had hit two balls hard, including one of our only hits to that point. He was the bette option in my opinion for that at bat and the eventual future at bats. 

[StottyByNature]

7 hours ago, e16bball said:

1st and 3rd with 2 outs in a two-run game, and we’re just giving up that at-bat? Because it’s only the bottom of the 6th?

I think that’s very reasonable pinch-hitting territory. What are we saving it for? The blind hope that maybe there’d be a different high-leverage situation with an opportunity to tie/go ahead the next time the bottom of the order came around? The way this offense is going, you have to take the chances when they’re there — you just can’t count on the opportunities coming back around again.

I don't think it was giving up the at-bat at all.  Holliday has finally started hitting balls hard again and Slater has looked pretty lost of late.  It was Hyde robotically playing the L-R matchup rather than having a feel for how the game was playing out.  I would bet the Giants were thrilled he made that move.

[Safelykept]

12 minutes ago, StottyByNature said:

I don't think it was giving up the at-bat at all.  Holliday has finally started hitting balls hard again and Slater has looked pretty lost of late.  It was Hyde robotically playing the L-R matchup rather than having a feel for how the game was playing out.  I would bet the Giants were thrilled he made that move.

I would bet the Giants were thrilled he made that move.

Why? they were in a good spot either way. Has the hitting become so bad that were giving out merit badges for balls that are hard hit? Holliday wa just as eligible to fall on his ass there.

[StottyByNature]

4 hours ago, Safelykept said:

I would bet the Giants were thrilled he made that move.

Why? they were in a good spot either way. Has the hitting become so bad that were giving out merit badges for balls that are hard hit? Holliday wa just as eligible to fall on his ass there.

Generally hard hit balls are good.  So I guess the answer is yes?  

[EddeeEddee]

10 hours ago, Warehouse said:

Yes, Ryan McKenna is worse that Austin Slater.  Slater has had a wOBA of .318 and xwOBA of .311 against LHP since August 1 compared to a league average of .302.

Sure, if you look at 140 PAs this year (to include time with Giants) against LHP in isolation, you would say he is not a good hitter against lefties. However, that is still a relatively SSS and it doesn’t work that way where you just disregard a player’s track record before their most recent 140 PAs for a certain split.

 

I'm not disregarding his past performance, but in general recent performance is more relevant if it's a decent sample size.  140 PAs is a pretty high number.  It's been pretty clear for awhile now that what he was once good at he's not good at right now.  I'd rather see Kjerstad bat against lefties than Slater at this point.