Left out, right mindset
O’Hearn then went out and blasted a pinch-hit, two-run homer off Ray in the seventh inning, which only stoked the debate over whether O’Hearn should get more starts against lefties.
“He’s played against lefties,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said when asked if the homer could help lead to more starts for O’Hearn against left-handers. “… I mean, I don’t know how to answer your question. He’s getting a lot of opportunities and at-bats. We have other guys that are doing it too. He’s getting a lot of at-bats. I don’t know what else to say. He’s basically an everyday guy, but other guys play occasionally too.”
Let’s parse that.
O’Hearn started 11 of the 31 games in which the Orioles faced a left-handed starter. He has not started any of the five times the Padres have faced a lefty since he arrived at the trade deadline.
He has started nine of the 11 games against right-handers and has appeared in all five games started by lefties.
He started Aug. 6 in Arizona and hit a game-tying home run when he was left in to face left-hander Kyle Backhus in the ninth inning. He was left in Sunday to face left-handed reliever Anthony Banda and hit an RBI double in the sixth inning.
O’Hearn is 4-for-5 with two homers, two doubles and a walk against lefties and 3-for-30 (all singles) with five walks against righties since joining the Padres.
My afternoon story explained the reasoning behind O’Hearn sitting being that there essentially was not a place for him with Manny Machado getting a DH day and Shildt preferring Bryce Johnson’s defense in the outfield with Merrill out.
“I think there are so many good players on this team,” O’Hearn said after the game. “Every guy on the team is more than capable of impacting the game in a big way. And, you know, I haven’t been here all year. These guys have grinded together all year. So when you come over, it’s like, ‘Hey, how can I fit in and you do what you’re told?’”
Asked about his playing time, O’Hearn replied: “That’s above my pay grade, out of my control. I’m here to help out wherever I’m needed. I consider myself a team guy for sure, and I want to win with this team. And whatever they need me to do, that’s what I’m gonna do.”
O’Hearn, who is due to be a free agent after this season, spoke last week after a 2-for-5 day in San Francisco about the change going from the last-place Orioles to a team battling for first place.
“My mindset shifts from worrying more about my numbers and free agency coming up and things like that over the last couple of weeks to when I get here it’s more about, you know, ‘How can I help the team win?’” he said. “And that’s such a cliche statement. It’s true, whether it’s a sacrifice, working a walk, pinch-hitting, whatever it may be. I think ultimately that’s good for everybody.
“I would say, yes, it’s more fun playing on a team that’s playing meaningful baseball this late into the season. … You still want to perform and have good numbers and go to free agency and get paid and all that stuff. But I think when you get kind of consumed and lost in the competitive nature of a team trying to win games, trying to win a division, trying to win a World Series, things like that, the numbers aspect is going to work itself out.”
23 comments
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Looking at the numbers. Iglesias should for sure be taking the DH spot. Can’t beat the right lefty match up…. /s
He sounds like a really good dude and he sounds like a team player and he’s absolutely not going to be the squeaky wheel. I’m also glad that folks like Acee and Cassavell are going to be the squeaky wheel for him.
“He’s getting a lot of at-bats. I don’t know what else to say. He’s basically an everyday guy, but other guys play occasionally too.”
Schildt using the AL All-Star DH as a super-sub is infuriating
Let O’Hearn Cook!
800+ OPS against BOTH righties and lefties. He needs to be in the every day roster if this team is serious about winning
Free Ryan O’Hearn
An allstar who isn’t playing every day is WILD
His stats are there and he is tied for like 3rd in HRs this season. Give me the guy who has SLG in the lineup.
Shidlt is a fucking cuck for not doing anything with him and unwillingly doing nothing with the current order
It’s becoming more evident that Ohearn should be our 1B most of the time and Arraez should split DH with whoever else in the platoon. I would even be ok with Arraez playing 2B and switching with Crone. But to not have Ohearn in the everyday lineup is insane. Arraez is having a down year and it’s showing how little value he has when he’s not a 300.+ hitter
Man it’s funny how we have an NL sister team now with two former royals and us having wacha and lugo. I hope he kills for you guys I always liked him in Kc but our hitting development is so bad and Kauffman is so bad for hitters like o Hearn. I don’t think he should be more than a platoon but he should never sit when oppo pitcher is up he proved that with the orioles
I don’t think anyone can really complain when these joc Peterson types sit against lefties. He should know that
I’m not watching until O’Hearn is starting.
Maybe Shildt isn’t a Ted Nugent fan lol
Put him on 1st and let Luis DH.
Dude is being way more professional than he should be, given the situation. He needs to be an everyday starter. Shildt, get your act together.
Can’t we use him as an everyday(most) DH without changing crone and Arraez? I know we got Jose and sheets but everyday players need days off too. Need him in for sure
Free O hearn
I’m not trying to side with Schildt on this, it’s definitely weird and questionable. However, I have a theory about the reasoning.
I don’t understand how Johnson could start instead of O’Hearn. But besides that the only theory I have is that Schildt is going on Arraez’s history of batting titles and assuming he will come out of his slump. And also assuming that if Arraez becomes a bench player and/or dropped down in the lineup, that could be extremely bad for his morale (and rub off on the team) and possibly prevent him from beating the slump.
So it could be about chemistry, clubhouse energy, psychology, etc. It is a slight bit of a gamble to assume that O’Hearn is going to continue as he has been when that could be a big blow to Arraez’s morale giving O’Hearn more playing time.
It’s one thing for Diaz to get bumped from regular playing and Maldonado to get dropped off the team. That is sad, but those guys really haven’t been producing at a big league level and didn’t have an expectation to. Arraez is not like that. His ability to make contact is really exceptional and the batting titles is something you have to pay attention to.
So my theory is that Schildt is just making a calculation that giving Arraez what would effectively be a demotion and betting on O’Hearn is not something thinks is the best time to do yet. Especially since it’s still pretty close to after the trade and Arraez is still slumping. Because it might turn out to basically be losing a player and putting a lot of pressure on a new player.
Nobody here manages a pro team, FYI.
Please don’t take any batting tips from our guys and keep slugging.
We probably need to put Cronenworth on the bench, which is sad but just reality right now. O’Hearn should play 1st base, Arraez second base, and Sheets should DH or play left field until Merrill is back.
Yeah right shildt on the at bat opportunities. this ain’t soccer to use OHearn as a super sub when the team is playing from behind and you need to score
Ohearn already hinted here that Shildt is putting the vets higher than the newbies coming in no matter what which is BS! Need to play the players that are performing better than the others especially after the trade deadline as most of our offense is in a slump