The Orioles' streakiest player
Andy MacPhail didn't mince words when asked about Luke Scott during a fan forum at FanFest. He didn't try to put a positive spin on Scott's big ups and downs as a hitter.
"He is the streakiest hitter I've ever been around in my life. There was a three-month stretch where he absolutely carried us. As our guys say, it doesn't matter who is on the mound, when he is going good he can hit anybody.
"Our job is, and we think we can do it, is to get him to not have the peaks and valleys to the extent that he does. The way the lineup is going to shape up, we're going to need some left-handed power towards the back of the lineup."
Before the All-Star break last year, Scott was a potent power hitter, batting .305-18-51 in just 233 at bats. His OPS then of .976, if he could have maintained it all year, would have been second best in the AL.
But after the break, he hit just .208-7-26 with an OPS of only .667. He has streaks where it looks like he'll never get another hit and had one week last May where he homered six times.
"I wish I could be consistently good all the time, but this game is a lot like life. You only have control over so much. You have control over how you prepare and the effort you put out. There are so many things to deal with, it's a mental game," the 31-year-old Scott said.
"I have a tendency to overanalyze things too much. I live in that video room sometimes and it gets to the point where they lock me out.
"I'm very prepared but as for the results, no one can force that in this game."
Dave Trembley echoed the comments of MacPhail and Scott.
"When Luke is going well, he can hit anyone," Trembley said. "For me the key is when he's hitting to left-center field versus left-handed pitching. When he's hitting the ball hard that way, he is locked in.
"He's got to try and balance it out and stay away from those two for thirties. I think you'll see a different approach out of him this year. He's got an opportunity to be a guy that can knock in a lot of runs and hit 30 home runs."
For the year, Scott hit .258-25-77 with an OPS of .828 and he led the O's in homers in 449 at bats.
O's 2009 leaders, at bats per every home run:
18.0 - Luke Scott
23.8 - Nolan Reimold
24.9 - Adam Jones
28.0 - Felix Pie
33.1 - Aubrey Huff
35.6 - Nick Markakis
Scott presents a problem for Trembley. How does he know, if Scott is slumping, when to sit him and when he might be heating up, to get him back in the lineup?
Even with a poor second half, Scott led the team in homers, with nearly 200 fewer at bats than players like B-Rob and Markakis and only Nolan Reimold had a higher OPS.
Should the O's stick with Luke on a regular basis and what can they do to help him become a less streaky hitter?
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Categories (click for archive)Orioles News | Steve Melewski |
If his name is Jermaine Dye, Russell Branyon or Joe Crede forget about it. I'll stick with Luke. Could possibly make exceptions for Mike Sweeney or Johnny Damon. I'm on the fence with X. Nady, Blalock, Nomar, G. Anderson, Garko, M. Jacobs, Thome. All in all, Scott knows what he has to do this year and if he doesn't perform we have Wigginton, Pie, Aubrey, Chad M. and a farm system of prospects. I think Luke will perform. Imagine what he could do if he gets locked in for a whole season? Stick with Luuuuuke.
Steve,
I like Luke Scott, but think the Orioles have another opportunity at the moment. While the Orioles have a solid one to nine lineup, a true #4 batter would fill a hole while we give a year for Wieters or Reimold or someone else to emerge as the long term cleanup batter. That batter is still available, Jim Thome. He bashes right handed pitching still, more than any other Oriole at the moment. He could be the DH against righties, and you could rotate some of the other right handed bats through the DH slot agaist lefties. Scott could be traded for some pitching for now or later. Jim Thome would be another solid transition move.
Scott is what he is and the O's knew what they were getting when they brought him over. He has always been a streaky player even with the Astros. Scott and Pie will share alot of time at the DH spot. We will all be glad he is there when someone gets hurt so we do not have to start Wiggington everyday. On another note, with the Tejada sigining, assuming no trades, who are the 4 bench spots? Are they set? Does Turner have a shot?
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On the bench, I would think its a backup catcher (likely Moeller), Wigginton, Pie and Andino or Turner for utility IF. I think Turner defintely has a shot......Steve
Stick with Luke. When he's hot, he's hot. When he's not hot you have to push the panic button a lot quicker, though. None of this plugging him into 5th or 6th in the order and watch him go put up several 0-fors. Put him 8th when he's struggling, or sit him 3 times a week.
Does Montanez have any options remaining or would he be exposed to waivers? I hope the O's don't lose him because of a crowded outfield. I recall that was one of MacPhail's goals last year (not to lose talent on the waiver wire). Any chance they carry 6 OFers if he doesn't have options?
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I believe he has one option left.....Steve
Sounds like Luke needs a sports psychologist. I'm not kidding.
I am a big Luke supporter. I think getting rid of Luke for Thome (who will be 40 in August!) is idiotic. As you point out Steve, LUKE LED THE ORIOLES IN HOME RUNS LAST YEAR IN ONLY 449 AT BATS. I know that it was maddening watching him flail about in the second half last year, but I think everyone just needs to get off his back. If this guy can get his head screwed on right for a whole season, he could knock in 40 dingers.
Steve, what's Andino's contract status? He's out of minor league waivers right, i.e. he can't be stashed at AAA? Thanks.
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I believe that is true, Andino is out of options..........Steve
Steve,
I am a big Luke Scott fan but I think this lineup needs a true clean up hitter that can get the people in front of him and behind him some better pitches to hit. Im still saying that Carlos Delgado may be our best option as a DH. Again, i'd hate to see Luke Scott get traded but if there is a deal that can be done for pitching and/or dare i say (gulp)...more "prospects", and we can then sign someone like Delgado to plug into that four hole everynight, i'd go for it.
I dont think there is much the O's can do to keep him from being a streaky hitter other than just put him at the bottom of the line up and leave him there. Maybe they moved him around in the line up a little too much and it changed his approach. He does say that he overanalyzes things. There would be nothing to analyze about hitting eigth in a lineup....
Steve I got to say hi and good luck to Justin Turner on Saturday. He seems like a well spoken pleasant young man. I wished him luck on the upcoming season and of course I wished all the players and coaches I talked to good luck .I agree with your roster breakdown completely. I think this will be an important year for Andino. Izturis is only signed for this year. The O's either need to find a replacement for Izturis or resign him. I think Andino can play every day at SS and Turner can be a reserve. They both have to be thinking of Pedro Florimon though. Hopefully the O's can keep Turner at Norfolk in case of injury.
Steve,
Thanks for your informative blogs. My question is a bit off topic. It seems that our pen is lacking a situational lefty (unless you count our closer). Besides free agency...is there someone in our system who could step up?
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The only lefties are really Alberto Castillo and Wilfrido Perez and Hendrickson if they sign him. That's why MacPhail has talked about signing one or more lefties for the pen......Steve
Baseball is a game of streaks. Every single player goes through hot spots and slumps throughout the season; it simply is too long of a ride without ups and downs.
The bigger problem the Orioles deal with is the collective effort. It seems when one is slumpping, they all hit the skid. The offense might be on full throttle, but the pitching is shaky. The pitching could be light out and the offense scatters 6 hits and 1 run.
This is the only sport where you can fail 70% of your lifetime and still be on the cusp of being a Hall of Fame player.
If they want to get the best out of Luke Scott, they have to leave him through the thick and thin. Playing with a players mind could exacerbate the issues at the plate.
Steve-
The MLB is filled with these types of players. Swisher, Beltre, Figgins, Hafner, etc.
Thats why guys like Markakis are such rare finds.
Even look at Arod in the 1st half, or Texiera and Ortiz.
I personally, don't even think Scott had 3 months, it was more like 1 month, and 5 bad months.
I just look at him and don't get what the endgame is in keeping him. He isn't going to be here when we are good, if we ever get there, so why not trade him and try and land a prospect?
IDK, I would just prefer to go young, or a more well known name in the DH spot.
Scott is like the stock market. . .you can't try to guess the highs and lows. You're just better off letting him consistently play, and in the end, his numbers will be very positive.
This season, however, it will be easier to move him in the batting order, e.g., anywhere from 3d to 7th, based upon his streakiness. Thus, when he seems to be in a funk, he's moved down in the order until he hits his way back up.
He's very cerebral and likely studies too much, and thus puts too much pressure on himself. . .paralysis by analysis.
He should just relax and as HuffDaddy said, "see ball, hit ball."
Steve-
I think the O's will sign Biemel.
Also, did you read that manager's report on the draft and how to fix it?
I was half in, half almost right, they want to get mandatory slotting in place, which will be huge. Because, then you can draft who you want, and NOT have to worry about not signing the player, or being raped in the negotiation.
ALSO, majority think an international draft would be great, but.... UNLIKE the NBA, it won't be 1 draft, they will 2 drafts. '
I never thought of 2 drafts. I just figured 1 world draft. There would be a amateur draft, and an international draft.
So, teams will have to take their international scouts, and refocus onto who do we draft and when.
The international draft would be just 12 rounds. Then any player not taken could sign as an undrafted free agent like in the NFL.
That sound pretty cool huh?
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Two drafts would be interesting. I'm on record as skeptical that they can get together and resolve any issues to have an international draft but there is some sentiment among the industry to at least take a hard look at it.....Steve
"...towards the back of the lineup" sounds like they are not counting on Luke to hit 4 or 5. Which is fine with me, particularly if they can find someone else to hit well in those spots. It's nice to have 25+ HR potential hitting in the 6 or 7 spot in the lineup.
It's a huge "if" but if Atkins bounces back to his career average, let alone his career highs, along with everyone else performing as they have shown in the past with only normal development by the younger guys the lineup could be pretty good, or at least adequate. It will still come down to how good the pitching is, as always.
Being Dh doesn't help Scott because he has too much time to think about his last AB.I can tell when Scott's in a slump because he's figitity at the plate between pitches.The bad thing is we don't know if the leagues has caught up to him based on his second half.