Jones the last 16 games: .328/.359/.492

[Frobby]

You guys make way, way, WAY too big a deal out of walks. Give me a hitter versus a walker any day of the week. I am less worried about Jones and his lack of walks than I am about Markakis and his lack of home run power. That is what you should be worrying about.

This kind of drivel is why nobody takes you seriously. Jones isn't anywhere near as good a hitter as Markakis is, and until he learns when not to swing, he never will be. It's not just the value of drawing a walk, it's the value of not swinging at lousy pitches and making outs you shouldn't make.

Nick Markakis is getting on base 41.7% of the time he comes to the plate. Adam Jones is getting on base 28.1% of the time. For every 2 times Jones gets on base, Markakis gets on 3 times. If you don't understand the importance of that, I can't help you.

[Old#5fan]

Old Fan, do you understand that for a team to score runs, that they need to get guys on base?

Sure I do. I just prefer doubles, triples and homers over singles, walks and HBP.

[Moose Milligan]

I just wanted to drop in and announce that Old#5fan will be sponsoring Nick's baseballreference.com page for the forseeable future.

Carry on.

[makoman]

Sure I do. I just prefer doubles, singles triples and homers over singles, walks and HBP.

Oh I see. You like hits and extra base hits.

So, you must like the guy that was in the top 10 in the league in hits the past 3 years (7th, 10th, 7th).

You must like the guy that was in the top 6 in the league in doubles the past 3 years (6th, 3rd, 6th).

You must like the guy that was in the top 10 in the league in extra base hits 2 of the past 3 years (9th, 10th, last year was 15th).

Just admit it, homers are everything to you, and you think Tony Batista is a better baseball player than Nick Markakis.

Or just admit you're a troll who will find fault with anything he does, like the latest bit about him only being good late in the year when it doesn't matter. If it was the opposite you'd complain that he isn't good when the pennant races are heating up and we can't rely on him when we want to actually compete in September.

[Frobby]

Sure I do. I just prefer doubles, singles triples and homers over singles, walks and HBP.

As does everybody else. (Although you have singles in both sides of your equation.) But you clearly underrate the value of walks. Analysis shows that a walk is worth about .3 runs.

Walk .30

Single .46

Double .75

Triple 1.0

Homer 1.4

http://www.tangotiger.net/runscreated.html

Aside from that, walks force the pitcher to throw a lot of pitches, which helps everyone else in the lineup, both in terms of tiring out the pitcher and allowing the hitters to see what the pitcher's got. How many times do you see a guy walk after 9-10 pitches and then the next hitter gets an extra base hit? It seems to me that happens an awful lot.

[ledzepp8]

Oh I see. You like hits and extra base hits.

So, you must like the guy that was in the top 10 in the league in hits the past 3 years (7th, 10th, 7th).

You must like the guy that was in the top 6 in the league in doubles the past 3 years (6th, 3rd, 6th).

You must like the guy that was in the top 10 in the league in extra base hits 2 of the past 3 years (9th, 10th, last year was 15th).

Just admit it, homers are everything to you, and you think Tony Batista is a better baseball player than Nick Markakis.

Or just admit you're a troll who will find fault with anything he does, like the latest bit about him only being good late in the year when it doesn't matter. If it was the opposite you'd complain that he isn't good when the pennant races are heating up and we can't rely on him when we want to actually compete in September.

Great post but he probably won't respond and if he does he'll ignore what you said and go off on something completely unrelated.

[TiredofLosing20]

You guys make way, way, WAY too big a deal out of walks. Give me a hitter versus a walker any day of the week. I am less worried about Jones and his lack of walks than I am about Markakis and his lack of home run power. That is what you should be worrying about.

Chicks and Old#5fan dig the long ball.

[murrayfan420]

It's definitely nice to see Jones getting more hits, and generally looking less lost out there. Hopefully he'll continute his solid contact and start hitting more XBH.

[CrimsonTribe]

Yep I do, and he is a better hitter and walker than Jones, but his lack of power has become a problem if he is expected to hit third like tonite. Leaving him in the second spot is fine but this team has never been provided an adequate three hitter by MacPhail. Thus, a big reason for the offensive struggles.

You make WAY, way too big a deal out of position in the batting order.

[Mackus]

Reading the threads that OldFan poops all over while you have greasemonkey enabled is high comedy.

[Mashed Potatoes]

Why people continue to engage this person is beyond me. They just let him ruin thread-after-thread by responding to that brick wall that he calls a brain. One hand clapping makes no sound, folks.

That's not true. I had a friend in high school we called Big Bird, his hands were monstrous and he could produce ample noise with one handed claps. It was the coolest thing ever.

[Old#5fan]

As does everybody else. (Although you have singles in both sides of your equation.) But you clearly underrate the value of walks. Analysis shows that a walk is worth about .3 runs.

Walk .30

Single .46

Double .75

Triple 1.0

Homer 1.4

http://www.tangotiger.net/runscreated.html

Aside from that, walks force the pitcher to throw a lot of pitches, which helps everyone else in the lineup, both in terms of tiring out the pitcher and allowing the hitters to see what the pitcher's got. How many times do you see a guy walk after 9-10 pitches and then the next hitter gets an extra base hit? It seems to me that happens an awful lot.

I don't mind walks from poor hitters at all as they are actually a plus (much better than an out). However, would I prefer someone like Frank Robinson in his prime being walked? Hell no, I would boo my head off (and did) as it is eliminating the potential homer, triple or double. As far as Markakis getting walks, that is great as a #2 hitter (which is what he truly is) but not so great as a #3 hitter (which is where Frank hit as his team's best hitter). No way Markakis would have been hitting third on any of those great Orioles teams of the past if he was around then. He would have been great though, hitting second!!

[Say O!]

I don't mind walks from poor hitters at all as they are actually a plus (much better than an out). However, would I prefer someone like Frank Robinson in his prime being walked? Hell no, I would boo my head off (and did) as it is eliminating the potential homer, triple or double. As far as Markakis getting walks, that is great as a #2 hitter (which is what he truly is) but not so great as a #3 hitter (which is where Frank hit as his team's best hitter). No way Markakis would have been hitting third on any of those great Orioles teams of the past if he was around then. He would have been great though, hitting second!!

No wonder OF5 thinks Markakis is below par. His frame of reference is only one of the top 10-15 best hitters of all time!

[blid]

However, would I prefer someone like Frank Robinson in his prime being walked? Hell no, I would boo my head off (and did) as it is eliminating the potential homer, triple or double.

Frank Robinson in his prime... let's say 1962.

116 singles, 51 doubles, 2 triples, 39 home runs. Using the values given above, that kind of performance is likely to equal (116 * .46) + (51 * .75) + (2 *1.0) + (39 * 1.4) runs generated. That's 148.21 runs generated in 609 at bats, or .24 runs per at bat. Walks are worth .30 runs.

Therefore, yes, you should have been happy if he managed to draw a walk. Not to mention, by working towards a walk he increases the pitchers' pitch count, helping the other hitters, and he's more likely to get a mistake to hit (getting those doubles and home runs you like), and he's less likely to swing at a bad pitch, so less likely to make an out, and also not going to hit into a double play which 13 of those outs were.

[ledzepp8]

I don't mind walks from poor hitters at all as they are actually a plus (much better than an out). However, would I prefer someone like Frank Robinson in his prime being walked? Hell no, I would boo my head off (and did) as it is eliminating the potential homer, triple or double. As far as Markakis getting walks, that is great as a #2 hitter (which is what he truly is) but not so great as a #3 hitter (which is where Frank hit as his team's best hitter). No way Markakis would have been hitting third on any of those great Orioles teams of the past if he was around then. He would have been great though, hitting second!!

Once again, one has to wonder why you always feel the need to compare Markakis to HOFers. Why is he held to such a high standard?

That being said, you must have booed Frank Robinson a hell of a lot. He was in the top 10 in walks 12 times during his career. He is 23rd all time in walks.

You would think that you would get tired of looking like a total fool, but apparently you don't. I don't even really care about your trolling anymore because the threads you post in are downright comical with the ridiculous crap that comes from your keyboard.