Time to Switch Hardy and Hart?

[nsimps]

I'm not so concerned as to Hardy getting more fastballs per plate apperance. My main concern is the void of production from the middle of the order and the fact that Fielder has been walked almost 1 out of every 5 plate apperances.

[mnevis]

I go back to the fact that both Hardy and Hart were scalding the ball, when they were batting 2nd and 5th respectively. I liked that lineup because it was highly productive during the spring. It just seems both guys were comfortable. Athletes are creatures of habit. I think Hart and Hardy should ask to switch ala Braun and Fielder.

[TheCrew07]

Assuming 4 pitches per plate appearance, we are talking about 1 extra fastball every 6 PA. As is often the case, what baseball accepts as common wisdom doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

Is the distribution of fastballs different though? Will the hitter "see" the pitch they are looking for instead of getting fooled sitting fastball and getting a curve? Do they get fastballs earlier in the count or later in the count? I know it's convenient to knock convention wisdom in certain circles, but when I'm having a beer with a former MLB pitcher and he tells me that they'll more aggressively go after someone who's hitting in front an elite hitter, am I supposed to believe you or him? Also, when you're dealing with averages, the crappy pitchers who can't locate worth a darn are going to bring the numbers back down, the difference in that one fastball for a hitter against an elite pitcher can be the difference in the outcome of that AB.

 

In some respects advanced scouting and computer generated statistical analysis of batters has done away with some of the old school mentality. Instead of pitching to a spot in the order, the pitcher and catcher are working a defined gameplan for each individual hitter trying to exploit their individual weaknesses. It's impossible to measure what's going on in a pitcher's head when he's on the mound, is he putting more pressure on himself to keep the bases clear ahead of an elite hitter? We really don't know, but based on my conversations with the one player I know, I don't think it's all that uncommon for pitchers to have said mind set.

 

In the end it doesn't matter what we believe just like the batting order issue, it matters what the players believe. If they believe it makes a difference then it absolutely has an impact on the game, regardless if it can be measured or not. It's not unique to Hardy and the 8 spot, it's much more common than that.

[hurricanecrush]

I'm wondering when the discussion of Hart to leadoff will start. His line coming into tonight of .354 /.486 /.840 is better than Weeks' .313 /.455 /.768. His approach is much better so far this year and he has been drawing a lot of walks. I've always thought that Weeks would benefit from moving down to the 6 or 7 spot where he could just rely on his natural abilities rather than thinking so much at the plate. I would probably move Cam to the 2 spot for now, at least until until he cools down.

[jhart05]

I think it's time to switch Hardy and Hall.

[FVBrewerFan]

MLB pitchers will not throw fastballs in the zone as long as Hardy is swinging at high fastballs and sliders off the outside corner. Moving him to #2 won't change that. In fact, until he starts hitting again, he needs to move down to #7- especially the way Hall is hitting. Hardy has always been incredibly streaky, and when he's in a funk like this you jsut need to hide him in the line-up.

 

It may be overly simple, but true. Don't swing at balls, and you'll see more fastballs in the zone. Until that happens, I see no benefit in taking a productive hitter out and repalcing a dead bat in front of Braun and Fielder.