513 replies to this topic

[Oriole85]

Is it just me, or does Hardy seem like he's in a really, really good mood all the time?

Everybody *says* they're happy as a clam just to be playing baseball... everybody *says* "I'm just happy to be here"... but with Hardy that seems to be the actual truth...

(Maybe he's just like that... maybe he'd be a happy guy regardless of what he's doing...)

I think he's a player that just goes about his business, nothing really flashy about him.

[Chris B]

Brittany Ghiroli ‏@Britt_Ghiroli

Hardy is getting X-rays on his ribs.

He was hit by a pitch in the game.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Per Roch:

Hardy X-rays on ribs negative: "They're fine. They hurt but they're fine. They hurt a lot."

Sounds like he could at least miss a game or two, but glad to hear the x-rays were negative.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Feels like Hardy has been playing better, but the numbers don't really show that.

He had a .642 OPS prior to the All-Star break, and has had a .654 OPS since.
Pretty crazy that he has had 3 full months during '12 (April, June, July) with his batting average below .200. Even in August it is just .222.

I've said it over and over, but the O's really need him to produce down the stretch.

[Adam Wolff]

Please.Get.Him.Out.Of.The.2.Hole.

Rock solid defense at SS, though, which certainly has not gone unnoticed, given the rest of the defensive performance.

[SportsGuy]

Incredibly unlucky year for Hardy...234 BABIP.

Contact% is up as well.

[Mackus]

Incredibly unlucky year for Hardy...234 BABIP.

Contact% is up as well.

I don't think the bad luck can explain this drastic of a dropoff in his performance(not that you were claiming it did). I think it's mostly just a bad season. The unlucky BABIP certainly is exacerbating (I love that word) the situation, though.

[Oriole85]

Incredibly unlucky year for Hardy...234 BABIP.

Contact% is up as well.

I've thought he's gotten the short end of the stick, and that's before I even saw that stat. What really stands out for me (granted it's only one AB) is the Trout catcher, 9 out of 10 times thats a homer.

That being said, it's a down year compared to last. I expected a bit of a drop-off but not this much.

[Oriole85]

Rock solid defense at SS, though, which certainly has not gone unnoticed, given the rest of the defensive performance.

That's why I can tolerate his shortcomings this year.

[SportsGuy]

I don't think the bad luck can explain this drastic of a dropoff in his performance(not that you were claiming it did). I think it's mostly just a bad season. The unlucky BABIP certainly is exacerbating (I love that word) the situation, though.

Well, at the moment, his LD% is the highest it has been since 2007, although its barely higher than last year and the year before. In those years, his BABIP was much higher.

His walks are the same as last year..His K rate is what it usually is.

His HR/FB % is a little down from his career average.

Most of his other batted ball data is fine.

His numbers are down because of his BA and his unlucky BABIP really explains that.

If his average were in the 260 range, then he would probably be pushing his OPS closer to where you would expect.

You still expect him toend up with 50ish XBH, which isn't far behind last year...a season where he hit more homers than you would expect.

[BobPhelan]

Hes still a valuable guy and I think he'll bounce back like SG says. But he'd be alot more valuable hitting in the bottom half of the lineup.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Beautiful double play started by Hardy tonight in Detroit. For the spot, one of the best defensive plays of the year.

[Oriole85]

I know many aren't happy with his offense and I'm disappointed myself. I think his defense makes up partially his offensive shortcomings. I don't think it'd be so bad, if he were lower in the lineup. His year last year really raised expectations. I still maintain he's gotten a bit unlucky.

[Mike B]

I know many aren't happy with his offense and I'm disappointed myself. I think his defense makes up partially his offensive shortcomings. I don't think it'd be so bad, if he were lower in the lineup. His year last year really raised expectations. I still maintain he's gotten a bit unlucky.

I feel the same way. Those who are in a big hurry to trade Hardy forget what a wasteland SS was here after Bordick left. JJ has struggled at the plate, and does not belong in the 2 spot but he maybe the best SS in the AL. He plays everyday and is brilliant with the glove. Maybe MM could take his place but Mannny looks very good defensively at third and I feel we are a lot better off with JJ and MM rather than Manny at SS and Betemit at third.

[FlavaDave10]

I know many aren't happy with his offense and I'm disappointed myself. I think his defense makes up partially his offensive shortcomings. I don't think it'd be so bad, if he were lower in the lineup. His year last year really raised expectations. I still maintain he's gotten a bit unlucky.

The fact that the Orioles could have gotten a pretty good return for him last year and didn't jump all over it makes me mad. I know the Reds were throwing around Zack Cozart and even Todd Frazier. No idea who the Braves would have been willing to give up for him, but I remember hearing that they were interested. At this point, it would be stupid to trade Hardy because his value is so low right now. Hopefully he can have a rebound year next season and we can trade him.

Hardy can field whatever he can get to on defense, but I can count on zero fingers the number of times I can remember him actually diving for a ball. His inability to draw walks is concerning as well.

[RShack]

Hardy can field whatever he can get to on defense, but I can count on zero fingers the number of times I can remember him actually diving for a ball.

I think that's a silly thing to keep track of. You don't measure a SS by how often he falls over. Belanger never dove for balls either, and he was as good as anybody ever.

Personally, I'm very happy to have Hardy at SS. With him there, you don't have to worry about anything. Plus, he's a better hitter than his numbers this year indicate. I see no reason why we shouldn't start next year with SS and 3B just like we have right now...

[JeremyStrain]

I think that's a silly thing to keep track of. You don't measure a SS by how often he falls over. Belanger never dove for balls either, and he was as good as anybody ever.

Personally, I'm very happy to have Hardy at SS. With him there, you don't have to worry about anything. Plus, he's a better hitter than his numbers this year indicate. I see no reason why we shouldn't start next year with SS and 3B just like we have right now...

Yeah I completely appreciate being solid and Fielding what you get to. I'm good with this set up and I'd be good with Hardy at 2nd Manny at short if we brought in a good defensive 3b too.

[RShack]

Yeah I completely appreciate being solid and Fielding what you get to.

It's the Web Gems disease... they'd never show Hardy getting to a ball that some other guy would dive to get to... even though Hardy would be more likely to throw the guy out...

[SportsGuy]

I think that's a silly thing to keep track of. You don't measure a SS by how often he falls over. Belanger never dove for balls either, and he was as good as anybody ever.

Personally, I'm very happy to have Hardy at SS. With him there, you don't have to worry about anything. Plus, he's a better hitter than his numbers this year indicate. I see no reason why we shouldn't start next year with SS and 3B just like we have right now...

Put Manny in the position he will be in for years.

Trade Hardy or move him to second. Those should be the only 2 options IMO.

[RShack]

Put Manny in the position he will be in for years.

Trade Hardy or move him to second. Those should be the only 2 options IMO.

I don't see why. Manny playing 3B isn't gonna hurt anything. Earl played Cal at 3B during his ROY season until July, and the only reason he moved him then is because he decided he'd rather have Rayford's bat at 3B instead of Sakata at SS.

Just because Manny is gonna play SS before too long, that doesn't mean there needs to be a big rush to do it. It comes down to plusses and minuses about what the fall out is for the team's overall offense and defense. Unless Hardy forgot how to hit, there's no good reason to rush him out of being our SS.

The bottom line should be whether or not we can wind up with an overall better IF, both hitting and fielding. That's what should decide it, not some knee-jerk rush to hurry Manny into the SS role.