That's it... time to send Adam to Norfolk

[Jersey O's fan]

I doubt it will help sending him down, but it sure as hell can't hurt.

Give a different set of eyes a chance to see what's going on with him.

Because to me it's starting to look more like those 1st 2 months of last year was a fluke and this is what he is.

He reminds me alot of Delmon Young. Everybody kept saying he's going to be great this is just an adjustment period. But it just never happened because of such poor plate discipline.

And his D his horrendous right now to boot.

[amateurfan]

You're right that Adam has gotten some bunt singles lately and that should be taken into account. So, lets take a look:

http://www.fangraphs.com/statsp.aspx?playerid=6368&position=OF&season=2010

His line drive rate over the latest at bats is:

10 in the last 42

8 in the last 38

3 in 27

So, he was hitting quite well there for a bit but has slowed down over the past 6 games or so on LD%. I'd like to point out again that the 3 LDs that Adam has in the past 27 ABs are more than Reimold had in his last 50 ABs or something before he was sent down. Also, the 4 bunt hits count in the analysis I just did as "bad at bats" since they weren't line drives, but they were all intentional (except the one swinging bunt). Reimold's bloopers and infield rollers weren't intentional.

And again, since I'm being painted into a position I haven't taken, I have NEVER written that Adam is performing to expectations with his recent results. I've only pointed out that his results have improved dramatically and he looks better than he did. This is unequivocally true. I've gone out of my way several times in previous threads to say that he still needs to build more patience/walks and extra base hits into the equation before he'll be where he needs to go.

The only point in my original post (and I think I was pretty clear) is that Adam is performing significantly better than he was, you don't send him down to the minors when he has hit 350 over the last 14 games or whatever regardless of his other issues, and I think folks should be even handed in their criticism / praise. I've seen almost no criticism of Wieters' results. Same with Reimold before he was sent out. Both have hit the ball worse than Adam over the last 20 games. I'd just like to see a little consistency and analysis rather than hysteria over him swinging at a 3-1 pitch that is out of the zone. Analysis leads to good decisions, not emotion.

I agree with your last paragraph and was thinking about this just last night. Jones here receives a lot of criticism, and I am not sure why. Wieters hitting the first ball he saw with men on, and it did not appear to be a good pitch to hit, drove me nuts. That directly led to me wondering why he does not receive the same amount of criticism.

As for the first part, I'm pretty skeptical about batted balls. Those are very subjective identifications. Either way, I think Jones can hit a baseball hard and well, when he hits it.

[SteveA]

I am accusing no one in particular, and I am certainly not accusing the collective board. But, yes. I do think that race plays into the equation and that given the choice between having a white superstar vs a black superstar the consensus among O's fans would be a preference for fairer skin.

Trash me if you want, but Baltimore is a town with a race problem and a lot of racial tension.

As the original poster in the thread, I would like to state that the main reason I want to see Adam go to Norfolk is to improve his approach at the plate. I see a ton of talent in him and I **want** him to be the superstar I believe he can be.

As long as he takes as many bad swings at bad pitches as he does, the word will get out (maybe it has already) and he will not see a damn thing that is in the hittable part of the strike zone unless the pitcher makes a mistake. Sometimes it takes a kick in the pants like getting sent back to the minors for a player, of ANY race, to realize that they have to make some changes.

Look for example, at Ricky Nolasco last year.

[Boy Howdy]

You're just saying that because I am white.

I joke. I joke. But fine. Let's go back to baseball. This was not about hijacking a thread. It was about airing an opinion on something that has bothered me -- and others judging by the private feedback I have received.

I positive repped you for one of your posts, and I'll say for the record that I don't think you're way off the way some posts are making it seem.

[Hank Scorpio]

I positive repped you for one of your posts, and I'll say for the record that I don't think you're way off the way some posts are making it seem.

For me, it's not about race with Jones at all. Its about him being a bad baseball player to this point in the season when you know he's better.

He's a great guy, having met him and talked to him at length. He just has all the talent in the world and it drives people crazy that he's not fulfilling it for just about a year now.

That is compounded by the ridiculously hilarious start this team is off to. I think people feel like Jones was thrust into the spotlight here immediately and was basically unprepared for it.

[LookinUp]

Again, you're painting me into a position I never took. Please read my previous post (#125). I think you're inferring meaning I never wrote from my initial post. However, I'll refrain from calling your post idiotic.

Idiotic was a poor choice of words. I apologize.

[El Gordo]

Because everybody's racist obviously.

I'm half-kidding. Just trying to lighten to mood on a Friday.

Racism remains a factor in 2010, and Baltimore's history on such things is not a proud one. Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson were subjected to brutal treatment in Charm City prior to their MLB debuts, and Frank Robinson got treated like trash at times in his Triple Crown year. Some of our parents, grandparents, etc. --or at least their contemporaries-- passed along their ignorant views...so it's a factor, though not so much in the Crowley/Murray question.

I'm a firm Terry Crowley supporter FWIW. Went to his Baseball School as an 11 & 12-y.o. and respect him as "The King of Swing" and an asset to the Orioles past, present & future.

Just to reiterate what you are saying, racism remains as intregal a part of American culture, as anti semitism was intregral to 19th century European culture. It is so interwoven that it is nearly invisable to those who aren't that particular color. Be that as it may, AJ is not being criticised for his race IMO. He is being criticised because on the one hand he has performed poorly, but on the other he has sought to become a team leader and "out there" media personality. With AJ it's as simple as, if you're gonna talk the talk, walk the walk (pun intended). :wedge:

[mikezpen]

Jones has been gradually coming back from a long hitting decline that stretched over the better part of a year. There's no way I'd send him out now.

I think one problem is that people expected too much from him, he felt the same way and tried too hard to live up to that rep. Instead of superstardom, maybe what we'll get is .260-.275, .320 OBA, 25 homers and 75-85 RBI plus a real good glove in center. That's pretty decent.

[sangar]

I am pretty sure name calling is against the rules here.

Not if he's right. I've been coming here for thirteen years now and you are the first obvious racist I've seen.

That kind of garbage has no place here.

[Boy Howdy]

Adam Jones & Matt Wieters are sporting identical .681 OPS figures after today's game.

[El Gordo]

Adam Jones & Matt Wieters are sporting identical .681 OPS figures after today's game.

AJ is hitting for a .740 OPS in May, .876 for the past 2 weeks and .974 for the past week. Don't think it's time to send him down just yet. :laughlol:

[JackO]

Not if he's right. I've been coming here for thirteen years now and you are the first obvious racist I've seen.

That kind of garbage has no place here.

Fine. Idiot.

edit- Jesus Christ, guys. Read the whole thread. The guy said name calling is appropriate if the shoe fits.... So I called him a name. It's pretty much a joke.

[DannyO]

Not if he's right. I've been coming here for thirteen years now and you are the first obvious racist I've seen.

From my experience, individuals who label others as "racists" are thinking in racial terms themselves and consequetly are the ones who are the racists.

Not saying that is the case here, but it is prevelent in political discouse today where genuine differences and political opposition are labeled as "racism" because those being disagreed with have no effective arguments to combat the opposing viewpoint.

It is unfortunate whenever someone uses the "racist" label given this climate, and it should be avoided, since it makes the accuser appear weak and ineffective and raises the spectar of that individual being racist themselves since they are quick to think in racial terms.

[enchiridion]

given the choice between having a white superstar vs a black superstar the consensus among O's fans would be a preference for fairer skin.

This might be the most absurd suggestion I've read on this board.

[PaulBako]

I'd rather have a green superstar than a white or black one. But that's just me.