The more you know about Orioles hitters

The proverb that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" states that even a tiny amount of it might fool people into believing they're an expert on a particular subject, which can lead to mistakes.

So true. But we still won't let that deter us this morning.

The more you know about Orioles hitters in 2021 ...

* Third baseman Kelvin Gutiérrez's five outs above average led Orioles infielders and ranked second on the team behind Cedric Mullins (11).

Gutiérrez registered a .327 on-base percentage in 47 games with the Orioles, compared to .254 in 38 games with the Royals.

* Outfielder Austin Hays registered the second-highest fWAR (2.4) among Orioles hitters behind Mullins (5.3). His three multi-homer games ranked second on the team behind Mullins (four).

Hays slashed .308/.346/.551 (61-for-198) with 24 extra-base hits, 10 walks and 33 strikeouts against left-handers, compared to .221/.283/.400 (64-for-290) with 28 extra-base hits, 18 walks and 74 strikeouts against right-handers.

Hays also produced his first career walk-off with a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning on Sept. 16 against the Yankees.

* Infielder Jahmai Jones slashed .267/.353/.400 (4-for-15) for a .753 OPS in eight road games, and slashed .115/.164/.135 (6-for-52) for a .298 OPS in 18 home games.

Jones slashed .375/.375/.625 (3-for-8) with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs in four games against the Yankees.

* First baseman Trey Mancini's four consecutive seasons with 20 or more home runs are tied for ninth in franchise history. His homer on July 25 versus the Nationals traveled 455 feet, the longest by an Orioles hitter last season.

According to Statcast, Mancini led the team with a 42.0 hard-hit rate.

Mancini posted an .853 OPS at home, compared to a .660 OPS on the road.

* Infielder Richie Martin's home run on Aug. 13 in Boston had an exit velocity of 93.0 mph and traveled only 320 feet inside the Pesky Pole for an xBA of .170. According to Statcast, it was one of only four over-the-fence home runs of less than 325 feet last season and would not have been a homer in any other ballpark.

Martin, who was outrighted off the 40-man roster, batted .382/.417/.382 (13-for-34) in 11 day games and .156/.191/.234 (10-for-64) in 26 night games.

* Infielder Jorge Mateo's 18 hits in his first 14 games were the most by an Oriole in that span since Tim Beckham had 29 hits in 2017. Mateo became the 27th player in club history to record at least 18 hits in his first 14 games with the Orioles.

Mateo's 10 stolen bases were tied for seventh among rookies.

* Outfielder Ryan McKenna joined Gene Brabender in 1968 and Glenn Gulliver in 1982 as the only Orioles to hit their first career home run in their 50th game.

I have no recollection of Brabender and had to look up his name on Baseball-Reference.com. He was a pitcher chosen from the Dodgers in the 1965 Rule 5 draft and traded to the Seattle Pilots in March 1969 for outfielder Chico Salmon.

Brabender, a Wisconsin native who died in 1996 at age 55, registered a 3.39 ERA in 82 games with the Orioles.

* First baseman Ryan Mountcastle: is the fourth rookie in Orioles history to have 250 total bases in a season, joining Mancini (265 in 2017), Cal Ripken Jr. (284 in 1982) and Eddie Murray (287 in 1977).

* Of the 30 home runs hit by Mullins, 29 came as a center fielder. The only Orioles to record at least 30 home runs in a season when in the lineup as a center fielder are Adam Jones (2012 and 2013) and Brady Anderson (1996).

* Infielder/outfielder Tyler Nevin's home run on Oct. 3 at Rogers Centre traveled 442 feet, the longest first home run by an Oriole in the Statcast era. It's tied for the ninth-longest first career home run in the majors since 2015.

* Outfielder Anthony Santander's four Eutaw Street home runs last year are a single-season ballpark record.

Santander batted .262/.303/.545 (49-for-187) with eight doubles and 15 home runs in 51 games at Camden Yards, compared to .224/.271/.338 (49-for-219) with 16 doubles and three homers in 59 road games. His 90.7 mph average exit velocity led the team, per Statcast.

* Outfielder DJ Stewart's last seven home runs came at home after he hit his first five on the road.

Stewart's seven multi-walk games led the Orioles.

Among players with a batting average of .205 or below, Stewart's .324 on-base percentage ranked second behind Joey Gallo's .351 in a minimum 300 plate appearances.

* Infielder Ramón Urías' .361 OBP led American League rookies and ranked fourth in the majors. He became the ninth Orioles rookie to record a season with an OBP of .360 or higher in a minimum 295 plate appearances and the first since outfielder Hyun Soo Kim (.382) in 2016.

Urías had the third-highest fWAR among Orioles hitters at 1.6, trailing Mullins (5.3) and Hays (2.4). He ranked sixth among AL rookies.