Nick Ahmed is not a Major League hitter

[BC867]

As I posted yesterday in the "Has J. Lamb played anywhere but 3B in his career?" thread . . .

The point I have been trying to make is that D-backs management made Ahmed their lead SS before he started hitting.

No matter what we on ASFN think or hope (and I started a previous thread stating that Nick Ahmed is not a Major League hitter), the decision was made and, so far, they made it work. Ahmed is a much better hitter now than previously.

Kudos to the Hitting coaches, Turner Ward and Mark Grace. (And that is not easy for me to say about Gracie, who offered more negatives than positives to the D-backs after he retired as a player.)

Nick Ahmed was not a Major League hitter until recently. In addition to a game-winning hit and a hitting streak, he even hit a HR one day and just missed one the next.

I am happy to have been wrong about Ahmed. He is our SS. Lambe is our 3B and Tomas should be moved to RF when Lamb is ready. Trumbo needs to go, now that Tomas is ready to take his place in the batting order.

Which would still leave us with four starting outfielders. I don't like it but I'll go along with it. And Hill and Pennington as veteran backup infielders gives us good depth.

And Tuffy (just as domineering defensively at C as Ahmed is at SS, plus an excellent handler of Pitchers) and Pacheco give us two Catchers who can pick up key base hits (plus two more Catchers on the DL to choose from).

With the starters and Hernandez returning from the DL, the D-backs just might exceed my 82-80 prediction for the season.

And with Chip Hale and our super Front Office at the helm, it is fun rooting for the D-backs. Maybe I can watch their reruns during the next NBA season.

 

[BC867]

Update - Is it Ah'-med or Ah-med' ?

Our TV broadcasting team of Steve & BB is such an improvement over their predecessors that it is a pleasure to listen to them.

But it bugs me that Steve pronounces our Shortstop's name as Ah'-med and BB pronounces it as Ah-med'.

You'd think they would research it with Nick and get together on it.

I can't ask Nick so I checked online.

MLB.com (as well as another site) shows it as Ah-med'. BB is right!

http://m.mlb.com/player/605113/nick-ahmed/2015/career/R/hitting/MLB

And, yes, as sung by Dennis DeYoung and STYX, I have too much (clap clap) time on my hands.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Great thread! Rich and compelling.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Great thread! Rich and compelling.

 

[Matt L]

You have literally been on fire in this forum.

 

[BC867]

Nick Ahmed is up to .240. He has arrived . . . especially considering the sub-Mendoza line at which he started the season.

Bravo to Turner Ward and Mark Grace, our hitting coaches, and to Chip Hale for sticking with Nick.

At this time, he is tied for 4th on the team in HR's. Who would have thought?

It would be great if he could finish the season with a .270 batting average. It is within sight.

 

[sundevil04]

first 77 AB's of the season

.130 BA 0 HR 1 RBI .221 OBP .143 SLG

since then 142 AB's

.296 BA 6 HR 19 RBI .351 OBP .479 SLG

 

[82CardsGrad]

first 77 AB's of the season

.130 BA 0 HR 1 RBI .221 OBP .143 SLG

since then 142 AB's

.296 BA 6 HR 19 RBI .351 OBP .479 SLG

I guess the question is - who is he? I have a hunch he's gonna end up being a .260ish hitter, putting up 8-10 HR's a season.
He's Gold Glove material who is an above average base-runner. With proper parts around him, he's more than good enough to be an everyday starter.
We desperately need a better offensive solution at second base and most likely third base.
But of course, none of that matters if we can't get our pitching in better shape.

 

[sundevil04]

I guess the question is - who is he? I have a hunch he's gonna end up being a .260ish hitter, putting up 8-10 HR's a season.
He's Gold Glove material who is an above average base-runner. With proper parts around him, he's more than good enough to be an everyday starter.
We desperately need a better offensive solution at second base and most likely third base.
But of course, none of that matters if we can't get our pitching in better shape.

I can see him at .260, but I see more than 8 - 10 HR's. I'd put him in the 12 - 15 range

 

[BC867]

I guess the question is - who is he? I have a hunch he's gonna end up being a .260ish hitter, putting up 8-10 HR's a season.
He's Gold Glove material who is an above average base-runner. With proper parts around him, he's more than good enough to be an everyday starter.
We desperately need a better offensive solution at second base and most likely third base.
But of course, none of that matters if we can't get our pitching in better shape.

I had predicted .270 for Ahmed next season. Not too far from your .260ish.

But looking at his HR's (6 in in his last 142 AB's projects to 21 and I had predicted 20 off the top of my head. His last one to the opposite field drove home the point (to coin a phrase).

I agree with you about 2B and 3B and a permanent solution at C. Although Welington Castillo (Beef Welington, as Steve calls him) is filling that need with these stats so far.

BAVG.. .268
OBP.... .328
SLG.... .554
OPS.... .881

Along with good fielding and handling of pitchers.

 

[AZ Native]

Nick has slipped quite a bit because he has only batted .069 the last 2 weeks.

His defense is stellar and helps to makes up for a lack of productivity.

Hopefully, this is must a mini slump. I think he only has to bat around .240 to be our starting SS. Of course I would like to see .250+ but it is a joy watching him in the field. Currently he is:

BAVG.. .223
OBP.. .286
SLG.. .335
OPS.. .621

 

[GatorAZ]

Ahmed is slugging .292 vs RHP. That can't be right, right?

 

[BC867]

Nick Ahmed started coming on strong and steady, showing signs that he might be a .260-.270 hitter. Then the bottom fell out.

Beef Wellington has removed the Catcher position from the weak part of the batting order, but Lamb and Owings now occupy it. That's four in a row counting the Pitcher's spot.

That cannot be a plan for the future. The difference between a good fielding Shortstop and a great fielding Shortstop like Ahmed does not make up for the deficiency in the batting order.

 

[Dback Jon]

4-4 today

 

[AZ Native]

4-4 today

6 of 8 in the last 2 games. Good sign.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

4-4 today