Question: Whatever happened to the notion that good hitters could hit lefties and righties? The O’s think they can play the matchups — and while certain hitters hit lefties or righties better, can we get players who simply hit day in and day out? Even our situational hitters totally hit .220. That doesn’t win games.
I’m a huge, longtime fan but putting subpar hitters in different positions— at which they are mediocre fielders, too — doesn’t translate to wins.
Answer: In theory, I agree with you. However, the Orioles and many other teams believe that lefties have an advantage when facing right-handed pitchers, and righties have the advantage when facing left-handed pitchers.
It’s more pronounced with left-handers. Oriole left-handed hitters are hitting .248 against right-handed pitchers and .217 against left-handed pitchers.
Right-handers are hitting .234 against right-handed pitchers and .231 against left-handers.
Let’s look at a few players’ stats: Pete Alonso, a right-handed hitter, is hitting .271 against right-handers and .263 against left-handers. Blaze Alexander, another right-handed hitter, is hitting .321 against right-handers and .271 against left-handers.
For a couple of left-handed hitters, Colton Cowser is hitting .225 against right-handers and .149 against left-handers, and Samuel Basallo is hitting .241 against right-handers and .186 against lefties.
Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday have roughly equal numbers against left-handers and right-handers.
Question: My level of frustration with this year’s Orioles is heightened by the amount of two-out, two-strike runs that are allowed. Do you have a stat on how many runs this staff has surrendered? It has to be a significant number. From: Dave Lingman, North Wales, Pa.
Answer: Dave, I couldn’t find a stat that addressed the number of two-out, two-strike runs surrendered, but I can answer them individually.
The Orioles have allowed 400 hits with two outs, the seventh most in baseball, and 481 hits with two strikes, third most in baseball.
Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. If you’d like to submit a question, send it to: [email protected]. Questions may be edited for clarity, length and style.