Aaron Hill and E5

TorontoJock · Post #1 » by **TorontoJock** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 8:20 pm

Another great game today but what are we going to do about the black holes that are Aaron Hill and Edwin Encarnacion? Through the first series this pair has been almost completely useless and looked really bad doing it. Neither of them can hit the ball. And I don't mean like outside corner strikes but right down the pipe bs. Fast balls, off speed, nothing. They are getting great pitches to hit and just can't touch them. Edwin is at least swinging at stuff in the zone but Aaron has swung at ball 4 multiple times. I know it's early but it's been years of this crap and two black holes as your 5 and 6 batters will cost you games.

I think we're stuck with Aaron regardless (and there are worse people to be stuck with) but if they don't get better fast, AA needs to work some more magic to find a real 3rd baseman because the pair combined is going to hurt us.

raps4life~ · Post #2 » by **raps4life~** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 8:25 pm

I really don't feel that it's fair to group Aaron Hill with E5.

Post #3 » by **Schad** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 8:28 pm

Hill is 2 for 11 with a double and single and 2 Ks...not great by any means, but neither is it unusual to see in an opening series, and it isn't as if he has struck out a half-dozen times and failed to reach base. Stop panicking.

Randle McMurphy · Post #4 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 8:31 pm

Simmer down, this isn't the Raptors board.

Post #5 » by **Geddy** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 8:41 pm

162 game season. Things will pick up once they have had more ABs.

TorontoJock · Post #6 » by **TorontoJock** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 9:03 pm

I think it's fair to group Aaron and E5 together when you are discussing batting only. Aaron is much better defensively and thus can contribute to the club in other ways but their at bats have both been similarly terrible.

I have played baseball a long time and I worry about Aaron a lot going forward. In any other profession Aaron would be back at work contributing normally and nobody would have ever looked back at his concussion again, but because he plays professional baseball it has impacted him. His bat is slow and he is guessing at the plate. Even if Aaron doesn't realize he's guessing, he is. Thus putting him a little behind the fastball, a little in front of the breaking balls and swinging outside the zone. I have been a huge fan of Aaron Hill's since he came up with the club as the "Super Rookie" but I fear his future will be more of a Johnny Mac role.

People can tell me to relax, but in this thread I wanted to find out if we had options at third/second (I just remembered Lawrie). As well, what has been the history of people coming back from serious concussions in baseball? Are Hill and Morneau kinda setting the benchmarks for future injuries?

We should also have many other threads discussing the many, many positives we have witnessed (how about Bautista still dominating!)

Post #7 » by **Schad** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 9:10 pm

TorontoJock wrote:I think it's fair to group Aaron and E5 together when you are discussing batting only. Aaron is much better defensively and thus can contribute to the club in other ways but their at bats have both been similarly terrible.

I have played baseball a long time and I worry about Aaron a lot going forward. In any other profession Aaron would be back at work contributing normally and nobody would have ever looked back at his concussion again, but because he plays professional baseball it has impacted him. His bat is slow and he is guessing at the plate. Even if Aaron doesn't realize he's guessing, he is. Thus putting him a little behind the fastball, a little in front of the breaking balls and swinging outside the zone. I have been a huge fan of Aaron Hill's since he came up with the club as the "Super Rookie" but I fear his future will be more of a Johnny Mac role.

His biggest issues last year were a tendency to pull off balls down and away, and a serious dose of bad luck; he won't hit .196 on balls in play again this year.

As for his at-bats, he had a couple poor ones tonight. However, he also had a few good ones in the first two games, including two hard-hit liners, an area of his game that was wanting in 2010. So in conclusion, you're just panicking. And no, he's not going to end up in a Johnny Mac role.

As well, what has been the history of people coming back from serious concussions in baseball? Are Hill and Morneau kinda setting the benchmarks for future injuries?

There have been hundreds of players who have suffered concussions, and dozens who have suffered serious ones. Most recover fully...some (like Mike Matheny and Corie Koskie) don't. It's hardly a new issue.

luvtheteam · Post #8 » by **luvtheteam** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 10:18 pm

I agree neither has looked good at the plate. EE just to me looks like his timing is off. Maybe the late changes as to where he is playing as thrown him off a bit. I'm sure he will come around soon.

Hill as we know was injured during ST and hasn't had his cuts in.

Overall, let's give it a couple more weeks and see how they look then.

CanadianKnicksFan · Post #9 » by **CanadianKnicksFan** » Sun Apr 3, 2011 10:40 pm

Edwin Encarnacion needs to stay DH

satyr9 · Post #10 » by **satyr9** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 3:09 am

Talk about jumping the proverbial gun.

Do you think Twins fans are having this discussion about Mauer and Morneau after they went a combined 2/17 in the series?

One thing I'll admit is EE made some pretty bad plays at 3B, but even that I'll forgive 'cause you can see all kinds of crazy **** the first week or two of the year out of even elite perennial Gold Glove types. I'm sure he didn't get the reps in ST that he might've if they'd gone in planning to play him at 3B, but he will have to improve fast or I'll start agreeing with the post above about DHing. Still, booting it the first weekend in the field is hardly a serious cause for concern even if it's not much fun to watch.

And one last thing, I have no idea how you can call Hill's bat slow. He might be off so far a bit at the plate, but that statement is crazy. I'm not a big Hill fan, but I do not see what you're seeing at all. He's not Paul Molitor or anything, but the guy's swing can catch up to a fastball.

CapeCrusader · Post #11 » by **CapeCrusader** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 3:23 am

Waaaaay too early to jump into a panic mode.

Post #12 » by **OldNo7** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 10:50 am

E5 is just keeping third warm for Lawrie. In fact, the more errors he makes the better as hopefully it means the sooner Lawrie will be called up.

Hill is going to be fine, he is hitting the ball right at guys again.

hyper316 · Post #13 » by **hyper316** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 1:22 pm

OldNo7 wrote:E5 is just keeping third warm for Lawrie. In fact, the more errors he makes the better as hopefully it means the sooner Lawrie will be called up.

Hill is going to be fine, he is hitting the ball right at guys again.

Or in the meantime we can see what jayson nix can do at 3B. I have no idea about the guy in the second game and he played well.

Post #14 » by **tsherkin** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 3:51 pm

*ahem*

PANAC!

Sorry, had to.

I'm not overly thrilled with Hill in general but like 3 games into the season when he had a head injury the year before AND a quad injury in spring training is definitely not the time to be evaluating the long-term value of a hitter.

J-Roc · Post #15 » by **J-Roc** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 6:33 pm

Randle McMurphy wrote:Simmer down, this isn't the Raptors board.

Our official calling card is "CLICK HERE IF YOU LOVE B.J's". You reap what you sow.

Post #16 » by **Schad** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 6:42 pm

hyper316 wrote:
OldNo7 wrote:E5 is just keeping third warm for Lawrie. In fact, the more errors he makes the better as hopefully it means the sooner Lawrie will be called up.

Hill is going to be fine, he is hitting the ball right at guys again.

Or in the meantime we can see what jayson nix can do at 3B. I have no idea about the guy in the second game and he played well.

Jayson Nix is a career .216/.290/.385 hitter. Just no.

Hoopstarr · Post #17 » by **Hoopstarr** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 6:44 pm

I feel like we're going to be repeating "it's a 162 game season" a lot this year

WpgPage · Post #18 » by **WpgPage** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 7:47 pm

Hoopstarr wrote:I feel like we're going to be repeating "it's a 162 game season" a lot this year

Come game 40 ish that argument starts to lose its effectiveness, as for EE and Hill its way to early to see of ether will be effective I will say that I'm not sure what game the OP was watching but Hills swing looks much shorter and quicker similar to his 2009 swing and hes making good contact hitting the ball hard. Just hitting the ball straight at guys check back in 37 games.

J-Roc · Post #19 » by **J-Roc** » Mon Apr 4, 2011 10:34 pm

Hoopstarr wrote:I feel like we're going to be repeating "it's a 162 game season" a lot this year

lol

Watch sports long enough and you get used to the usual phrases.

flatjacket1 · Post #20 » by **flatjacket1** » Tue Apr 5, 2011 2:36 pm

E5 is one of our best power hitters (HR/AB) and lost some weight.

He was told just before the season started that he would open at 3rd. Sure he made a few errors, but his bat is good.

46 innings per error isn't too terrible (last year), I still can't believe people booed him when he E'ed in the game.

Lawrie comes up too quick and it will cost us controllable years. He can't contribute more than Edwin atm so calling him up is pointless.