Why isn't Heyward a 9 hitter?

[Raskolnikov]

I don't believe that Heyward is a 9 hitter.

I believe that he has the toolbox to be a great 1 hitter.

I would rather see how it plays out and review it honestly. He just might be in a slump or adjustment period and the gets hot again.

Regardless the impact has been 2-5 in the line up and it works out fine right now. Heyward getting on or not is really not going to matter if Bryant, Rizzo and Baez go cold that day. Or if none get on base for Happ to clean up.

that is the entire point...

he is built alot like a 1 hitter, but just isn't. He has proved he isn't over a long course...

and that is the type of guy who would make a great 9 hitter and I believe, you would see the metrics prove that is good for you team if put your 3 best hitters 1,2,3 and stuck with it for 2 months...

yeah...maybe that makes schwarber 6 and catcher 7 enticing, where the pitcher can help them over, I don't want to get into that...but when Schwarber is hot that 4 spot would look good for him.

Its more about what Almora/Heyward are not that make them a 9. If they look like a 1, quack like a 1, run almost like a 1...but aren't....

I suggest trying them at 9 and running the metrics for a bit. St. Louis was big into working this problem out but gave it up as soon as they no longer had Pujols. I think the shorter innings starters began going led to nobody else vetting the math out of this enough...

and I just see a Cubs squad set up for success using it if they tried. Its actually not a knock on Heyward and Almora...its because they are almost good enough to be lead-off men that make them ideal. They can do alot of things a lead-off man can do...and you let them do it where it doesn't harm you.

You remove the harm of their strike-outs from the team while allowing their OBP to help you out. But the reason you can't bury Schwarber's strike-outs there is just his speed isn't ideal...though it is sufficient I would argue it would even work with him, but his power makes him more valuable 4-6.

 

[CSF77]

that is the entire point...

he is built alot like a 1 hitter, but just isn't. He has proved he isn't over a long course...

and that is the type of guy who would make a great 9 hitter and I believe, you would see the metrics prove that is good for you team if put your 3 best hitters 1,2,3 and stuck with it for 2 months...

yeah...maybe that makes schwarber 6 and catcher 7 enticing, where the pitcher can help them over, I don't want to get into that...but when Schwarber is hot that 4 spot would look good for him.

Its more about what Almora/Heyward are not that make them a 9. If they look like a 1, quack like a 1, run almost like a 1...but aren't....

I suggest trying them at 9 and running the metrics for a bit. St. Louis was big into working this problem out but gave it up as soon as they no longer had Pujols. I think the shorter innings starters began going led to nobody else vetting the math out of this enough...

and I just see a Cubs squad set up for success using it if they tried. Its actually not a knock on Heyward and Almora...its because they are almost good enough to be lead-off men that make them ideal. They can do alot of things a lead-off man can do...and you let them do it where it doesn't harm you.

You remove the harm of their strike-outs from the team while allowing their OBP to help you out. But the reason you can't bury Schwarber's strike-outs there is just his speed isn't ideal...though it is sufficient I would argue it would even work with him, but his power makes him more valuable 4-6.

1. NL play really doesn't work with your opinion.

2. A typical 9 hitter in AL play is typically a lead off hitter with a weaker OBA. IE Billy Hamilton. Thus he gets the least opertunites to generate a out.


Again I do disagree with you on this.

Now you are not wrong with Rizzo having the 'best' profile as a lead off but the team would have a gap elsewhere in the line up.

So IMO sense the majority of run generation has happened 2-6 in the line up we are really talking about a non factor.

I don't see a perfect answer here but at least you are getting your money's worth.

In reality, right now most of the runs have come by The OBA generated by Castellino, Bryant and Rizzo. That sets up Baez, Schwarber and Happ to clean up runs.

So to me if Heyward is slumping you don't want him in the main run production chain. Moving one up to struggle and pushing a struggling Heyward into a vital production role? I'm not really seeing the logic of it.

If you are going to make a hitter struggle then Heyward is a minimum loss.