87 replies to this topic

[JeremyStrain]

I personally think a lot of people underrate the hell out of LJ Hoes.

He's been great lately and really great overall this season. Has he developed the power everyone wants? No, he hasn't, but a .300 avg, OBP pushing .400, and an excellent K/BB ratio would go really well on this team right now. Plus, he's still just 22.

Love the Lew Ford story and the way he plays the game, but I think LJ should get the call to play LF.

It would but at the expense of what position? At 2nd base it'd be great. In LF where you could get more offense easier? Maybe, maybe not. If I thought for as second he would hit.300 with a 400 OBP in the ML maybe. But I don't think he would right now.

[bnickle]

I'm convinced 15+ hr power will come with time. And it seems to me that's really the only reason he's not a top 50 prospect .

[Mackus]

No, he hasn't, but a .300 avg, OBP pushing .400, and an excellent K/BB ratio would go really well on this team right now.

While I would like to see him up over Ford or McClouth, I don't know if the numbers you are saying here are really likely for his first cup of coffee. I could see something like .270-.280 / .330-.345 / .365-380 being more realistic. Probably still an upgrade over those guys, especially with the OBP.

[BobPhelan]

#orioles have discussed promoting AAA. OF LJ Hoes but they also like him getting regular at-bats in Norfolk

Buck said Hoes hasn't put himself on the map. "He's continued to be on the map." #orioles

From Roch's twitter.

[Adam Wolff]

While I would like to see him up over Ford or McClouth, I don't know if the numbers you are saying here are really likely for his first cup of coffee. I could see something like .270-.280 / .330-.345 / .365-380 being more realistic. Probably still an upgrade over those guys, especially with the OBP.

Yeah, I think you're right. I was more just going off his current numbers at Norfolk. Some decline would obviously be expected and I think the numbers you posted are pretty fair.

If we had a viable option in LF right now, I don't think there would be much need to discuss this, but it's definitely one of the most glaring weaknesses at this point in time. Maybe he's not leaps and bounds better than the current options, but I think he's definitely an upgrade.

[BobPhelan]

Finished the season .300/.374/.397 (.771) with 14 doubles, 4 triples, 3 HR, 38 RBI, and 8 SB at AAA Norfolk.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Headed to the Show. Good for him. Not a typical September low-pressure audition, he will be expected to produce when he plays.

[JeremyStrain]

Headed to the Show. Good for him. Not a typical September low-pressure audition, he will be expected to produce when he plays.

Considering he had the minor league equivalent of Kakes' season, it's worth the gamble. If he can get on base and maybe even steal a couple bases (I know he's a terrible base runner) at the top of the order, he could plug that hole fairly well for the next month.

Crossing fingers.

[BobPhelan]

Awesome. He gives the team a better chance to win, he deserves to be here with the Markakis injury.

[BSLChrisStoner]

2013 Season: 2 for 15, 2 bb's, 2 k's

[BSLChrisStoner]

Season: 9 for 43 (.209), 1 double, 1 hr, 4 rbi, 6 bb's, 5 k's

[You Play to Win the Game]

I still have hope for Hoes, though he's off to a slow start... love the walks though.

[Adam Wolff]

Hoes has really picked it up lately. 3 straight multi hit games with a pair of RBIs in each game.

 

Average is up to .292. 10/8 K/BB as well.

[Mackus]

It'd be really great if Hoes were a better defender.  He's got a decent bat for contact and very solid OBP skills, but with zero pop, marginal speed, and only able to play average at best defense in the corners, he offers very little to an MLB team, even as a backup.

[bnickle]

I'm not so sure his defense isn't underrated.

[Mackus]

I'm not so sure his defense isn't underrated.

Maybe, though everything I've ever seen about him is that he isn't particularly good.  Not terrible, but definitely nothing above average or special.  And obviously he's only regarded as a LF.  He's played some CF, but I've not heard anyone suggest he's fit for that at the MLB level, even as a backup, 4th OF type.

 

He's great at the one thing that is such an obvious and glaring weakness throughout the organization.  It'd be terrific if we could find a spot for him, but he's just not good enough right now.  He needs to start showing more power or greatly improve his defense so he can be counted on to be a backup CF (more power seems much more likely).

[You Play to Win the Game]

I'm not very well versed on some of the studies that are out there - but OBP is supposed to be a skill which translates well to higher levels, no? (Or at least the differential in BA/OBP, meaning, contact could be negatively impacted, but he should still be counted on to reach base an appropriate relative number of times as in lower levels).

 

Just curious, no real reason... but it's just something I was wondering about.

[Mackus]

Really good question, Ricker.  I'm not 100% certain, though I have an educated guess.

[Tucker Blair]

Hoes is a player I would personally consider calling up. He is a really consistent player whom may not be anything more than average in the MLB...but that is better than what the Orioles have in their DH/Bench role. If he continues to be fairly productive within the next month, and Pearce/Dickerson/whoever struggles, I could see them just calling up Hoes to play some LF and be a reserve player.

 

His hit tool is basically what it is at this point IMO, which is a solid but unspectacular contact-driven style. average to a tick below-average power, but makes solid contact and can sometimes surprise with pop and gap power. Unless he adds on some weight or alters his swing towards a more power-driven style.

 

If he could still play 2B (which he can't), he would be the O's starting 2B.

[Russ]

I'm not very well versed on some of the studies that are out there - but OBP is supposed to be a skill which translates well to higher levels, no? (Or at least the differential in BA/OBP, meaning, contact could be negatively impacted, but he should still be counted on to reach base an appropriate relative number of times as in lower levels). Just curious, no real reason... but it's just something I was wondering about.

I don't know about the studies but intuitively I would say that OBP with no power wouldn't translate well. He has a good idea of the strike zone which allows him walks off pitchers who have trouble finding the zone, but with no pop ML pitchers aren't going to be afraid of him. That's just a guess though.