To Adam Frazier, his purpose is apparent.
The veteran second baseman is aware of what he’s, and what he isn’t.
“I’m not a middle-of-the-order bat,” he stated. “It’s about knowing your role.”
Frazier, top-of-the-line hitters at making contact within the main leagues, desires to stroll extra occasions this season than he strikes out — a feat he’s by no means completed and one which solely six certified batters did in 2022. Despite the truth that he’s a part of a small proportion of gamers able to attaining that purpose, he doesn’t view it as uncommon.
“Well, why wouldn’t it be a goal?” Frazier quipped, noting that, in fact, any participant would need to stroll greater than he strikes out.
However, merely having that as a purpose — one which no Oriole has achieved since Rafael Palmeiro in 2004 — exemplifies Frazier’s ability set and worth within the Orioles’ lineup to this point this season, his first in Baltimore.
“I’ve got a special contact ability, so yeah maybe it’s not possible for a lot of guys in the league, but it’s possible for me,” Frazier stated. “It’s something I’ve set a goal out to do. If you’re able to do that, you look back at the end of the year, and your numbers should be halfway decent.”
Frazier is inside putting distance of his purpose with 17 walks and 21 strikeouts. The 31-year-old second baseman is way from a high-walk participant with a below-average 8.5% stroll charge this 12 months — the best of his eight-year profession. But his elite contact means is why he hardly ever strikes out. His 15.2% swing-and-miss charge ranks within the prime 7% of main league hitters and is sort of 10 proportion factors higher than common, whereas his 10.5% strikeout charge (a career-best to this point) is within the 97th percentile, in accordance with Baseball Savant.
Frazier credit his contact means to a mix of his good eyesight and the terrible feeling he had as a little bit leaguer at any time when he struck out.
“It’s god-given, I guess,” Frazier stated. “But I keep in mind being a child, I struck out and I used to be embarrassed. You’re strolling again to the dugout with the bat in your hand and that man simply received the higher of you. Nowadays, the stuff’s ridiculous, so there’s nonetheless that sense the place you say, ‘He got me there.’
“I don’t know, I just feel that sense of embarrassment, and I don’t like that.”
He was strolling greater than he struck out for many of May, however he failed to just accept a free move within the second half of the month. During that point, nevertheless, is when Frazier’s bat got here to life after a gradual begin, as he hit .284 with a .787 OPS and three residence runs. Frazier’s contact-focused strategy is why he ranks within the backside 10% of common exit velocity and hard-hit proportion, in accordance with Baseball Savant, however his six homers are greater than he’s had in any season since 2019, when he totaled a career-high 10.
On the season, Frazier is slashing .240/.310/.397 — good for a near-league-average .707 OPS. The numbers signify a half bounce again from his down 2022 marketing campaign, by which he posted a .612 OPS for the Seattle Mariners, however inferior to his All-Star 2021, when he hit .305 with a .779 OPS with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres.
“I’ve felt like at times this year I’ve seen the ball really good and had some lineouts. The [batting] average isn’t really there. For me, average is a thing I take pride in, especially being a contact guy,” Frazier stated. “It’s about putting a barrel on a mistake. If you can do that more than not and walk more times than you strike out, you should be at a good place at the end of the year.”
The tough feat didn’t was once all that tough. For a lot of the twentieth century, earlier than pitchers recurrently threw within the mid-to-upper 90s, it wasn’t uncommon for a batter to stroll greater than he struck out. In the Orioles’ first 50 years, it occurred 52 occasions, together with a number of occasions by Baltimore legends Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr. and Brooks Robinson.
As velocity has gone by the roof, although, and pitch arsenals are sharper than ever, contact hitters have began to go extinct. In the previous 10 seasons, solely 30 occasions did a participant obtain Frazier’s purpose.
When requested for a participant with a contact means just like Frazier’s, supervisor Brandon Hyde stated former MLB utilityman Ben Zobrist, who Hyde overlapped with whereas teaching for the Chicago Cubs.
“Zobrist never struck out. Way different kind of profile — Ben was a lot bigger [than Frazier]. But the similar sort of balanced approach at the plate,” Hyde stated. “Not afraid to get to 2 strikes as a result of they’re not afraid to get beat, they’re quick to the baseball, not making an attempt to do an excessive amount of, not trying to pull the whole lot. Just making an attempt to make use of the entire discipline and have an actual good plan on the plate after they go up there.
“[Frazier] is a real pro. He does his homework. He knows how guys are gonna try to attack him, and he tries to take good at-bats, and normally he does.”
However, regardless of his success to date, Frazier isn’t the probably Oriole to attain the feat. Adley Rutschman is certainly one of 4 certified hitters in 2023 with extra walks than strikeouts, becoming a member of Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, Cleveland Guardians third baseman José Ramírez and Miami Marlins second baseman Luis Arráez. In his second massive league season, Rutschman is main the American League with 43 walks versus 32 strikeouts.
Aside from Rutschman and Frazier, although, no different Oriole is near an excellent strikeout-to-walk ratio. A hitter reminiscent of Ryan Mountcastle, whose goal as a middle-of-the-order bat is to mash residence runs (on tempo for 31 this season), has 57 strikeouts versus 11 walks. But having a hitter like Frazier in the identical lineup as one like Mountcastle provides the Orioles an attention-grabbing steadiness.
“He’s always putting the bat on the ball, hitting low line drives all over the field,” Mountcastle stated of Frazier. “That’s his game, and he’s really good at it.”
Frazier’s worth, although, goes past the stat sheet, stated Hyde, who has complimented the veteran for doing the “little things” reminiscent of taking command of popups on the infield and shallow outfield, being a sensible base runner and bunter. Hyde tapped Frazier to pinch run in Baltimore’s walk-off win April 23 towards the Detroit Tigers, with Frazier scoring the profitable run on a wild pitch. Frazier then elected to put down a vital sacrifice bunt in an extra-inning win May 20 towards the Toronto Blue Jays.
Frazier, whose 1.1 wins above alternative on Baseball-Reference ranks fourth among the many crew’s place gamers, has stepped up in massive moments, too. He’s hitting .267 with a .749 OPS with runners in scoring place. In 38 high-leverage plate appearances, he’s hitting .344 with a .917 OPS.
Recently, Hyde has employed Frazier as Baltimore’s leadoff hitter towards right-handed beginning pitchers with Cedric Mullins on the injured record with a proper groin pressure.
“He’s doing a great job,” Hyde stated. “I just like the quality of his at-bats.”
Hyde’s reasoning is just like why Frazier has his purpose.
“It just comes down to being a tough out,” Frazier stated.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com