Who were the best Oriole clutch hitters?

[Frobby]

First of all, let's just skip the whole debate about whether there's such a thing as clutch hitting, or whether it's all just random variations from the mean, etc.

In the time you've been an Oriole fan, who were the players who you were very confident of in clutch situations, or who seemed to you like they elevated their games in clutch situations?

#1 obviously is Eddie Murray. You can look at just about any statistical measure that would relate to clutch hitting and Eddie was great in those situations. And even if you never looked at a statistic in your life, anyone who watched the guy play, or who spent time in Memorial Stadium when Eddie was up in a big situation in a close game, could tell you that Eddie was just frighteningly good (I chose that adverb intentionally) in the clutch.

Honestly, whoever #2 is, is far behind Eddie. I always liked Mora in clutch spots. BRob is another guy who seems to be able to dial it up. Both these guys have better stats in high leverage situations than otherwise.

Other candidates, past or present?

[Old#5fan]

First of all, let's just skip the whole debate about whether there's such a thing as clutch hitting, or whether it's all just random variations from the mean, etc.

In the time you've been an Oriole fan, who were the players who you were very confident of in clutch situations, or who seemed to you like they elevated their games in clutch situations?

#1 obviously is Eddie Murray. You can look at just about any statistical measure that would relate to clutch hitting and Eddie was great in those situations. And even if you never looked at a statistic in your life, anyone who watched the guy play, or who spent time in Memorial Stadium when Eddie was up in a big situation in a close game, could tell you that Eddie was just frighteningly good (I chose that adverb intentionally) in the clutch.

Honestly, whoever #2 is, is far behind Eddie. I always liked Mora in clutch spots. BRob is another guy who seems to be able to dial it up. Both these guys have better stats in high leverage situations than otherwise.

Other candidates, past or present?

Frank, Brooks, and John Lowenstein come to mind although Lowenstein seemed to come through best as a pinch hitter as did Jim Dwyer and Terry Crowley. In the more modern era I though Gary Matthews Jr was pretty good. Nobody else though stands out. This team just isn't very clutch at all.

[Satyr3206]

You're right it's Murray by a mile. I saw him at Memorial Stadium a ton of times and to this day I would want him up with the game on the line over ANYONE else.

F. Robbie comes to mind.

[BRob51]

I haven't been watching baseball for long, but I instantly thought about that game in Philly where Zaun tied it with a bomb and Roberts won it. Nick hasn't been very clutch with the bat, but he did get that double against Papelbon in that comeback, and he seems to be pretty clutch with the OF assists.

[Skeletor]

I remember Fred Lynn winning a bunch of games for us with late-inning homers in 86 and 87. It wasn't the best of times to be an O's fan, but he made a lot of games exciting.

[BillySmith]

It was a lot of fun to be 13 or thereabouts and watch Earl run out guys like Lowenstein, Crowley, Pat Kelly and Jose Morales to pinch hit late in games. It was probably just my youth, but they each seemed like professional hitters who consistently delivered.

These guys weren't all that in the field, but they could hit.

When I think of clutch, it goes back to these guys, as opposed to a regular who can deliver. Just seemed like more of a stage for a guy coming off the bench.

[BRob51]

Also, Oscar Salazar seemed to always get a clutch hit for us over the past two seasons.

[JTrea81]

Rafael Palmeiro definitely should make the list as should Chris Hoiles...

[Moose Milligan]

Present day, Nick Markakis.

Yep, I'm going there.

I wish I could remember Murray in his prime.

[McNulty]

Alomar son.

[El Gordo]

I don't know how folks define clutch, but the Baseball Reference clutch stats show Frank to be well ahead of Eddie. :scratchchinhmm:

[sangar]

I always thought of Grich as a really good clutch hitter.

[Frobby]

I don't know how folks define clutch, but the Baseball Reference clutch stats show Frank to be well ahead of Eddie. :scratchchinhmm:

I am writing from my blackberry so I can't look stuff up right now. But I don't think Frank's clutch numbers were better than his overall numbers. He was just a great hitter in all situations. Eddie was not as good an overall hitter but he was noticeably much better in clutch situations than he was overall.

[Old#5fan]

I don't know how folks define clutch, but the Baseball Reference clutch stats show Frank to be well ahead of Eddie. :scratchchinhmm:

I knew that without looking at stats. The problem here is there are so few of us posting who even remember watching Frank. The majority of posters here are mere babies when it comes to being Oriole fans (sadly).

[El Gordo]

I am writing from my blackberry so I can't look stuff up right now. But I don't think Frank's clutch numbers were better than his overall numbers. He was just a great hitter in all situations. Eddie was not as good an overall hitter but he was noticeably much better in clutch situations than he was overall.

True, but Frank's clutch OPS were all in the .900 range where Eddie's were in the upper .800 range. Also the more the game got close and late, the better Frank got. Not so with Eddie. Eddie may have hit better in clutch situations than he did normally, but he wasn't a better clutch hitter IMO. If I had to choose between Eddie and Frank in the clutch, I'd choose Frank, and I certainly wouldn't regard him as a distant second to Eddie