Eric Hosmer proving his worth so far in 2022
Credit: AP Photo
If the pundits had predicted that Eric Hosmer would be near the top of the leaderboards in multiple offensive categories or that his glovework would improve measurably, many fans of the San Diego Padres would have scoffed at the notion. However, through the first month of the season, Hosmer has produced gaudy batting stats (.397/.468/.574/ OPS 1.041, OPS+ 214) while also guarding first base.
The San Diego Padres will undoubtedly continue their non-stop search for a taker for the first baseman. But Hosmer has obviously come to play–and to prove his critics wrong. Most of his teammates (aside from third baseman Manny Machado at .388) are hitting under or just above the Mendoza line (.200), including center fielder Trent Grisham .134, Jurickson Profar .197, Austin Nola, and .200, Jake Cronenworth .213.
In the April 14 home opener, the Padres beat the Atlanta Braves by a score of 12-1 behind Joe Musgrove. Machado (five hits, two RBI) and Hosmer (four hits, four RBI) led the team in scoring. In fact, before Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Eric Hosmer’s average led all of baseball. Earlier in the season, he’d even flirted with a .400-plus average. Manny Machado leads the league with 31 hits, but Hosmer is not far behind with 27 (tied with Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals).
In OBP, Hosmer (.468) trails Mike Trout of Los Angeles Angels’.472, and he’s fifth in OPS at 1.042 ahead of Machado’s 1.038. According to FanGraphs’ the first baseman is fourth in BABIP .446 behind second-place Machado 0.452. Machado leads baseball with a 2.1 WAR, and Hosmer is tied with Trout 1.4 in seventh place. In the unlikely event that Hosmer (and/or Machado) continue at this pace in BABIP, they would challenge the records of Babe Ruth .423 (1923), Rogers Hornsby (1924) and George Sisler .422 (1922) of .422, and present-day Yoan Moncada of the Chicago White Sox .419 last year.
Since he began his career with the 2011 Kansas City Royals, Hosmer has excelled at hitting ground balls. As the launch-angle craze took over baseball, Hosmer continued his ground-ball tendency. In fact, the rate actually increased by five points in San Diego. However, during the Covid-shortened 2020 season, Hosmer began to change his approach and produced a 4.73 ground-ball rate, seven percent below his average over his career. In 2020 he began to increase his launch angle.
So far this year, Hosmer is having success with ground balls (.371 average) as well as fly balls (.400) and line drives (.769), a vast improvement over last year’s results: grounders .246, fly balls .287, line drives .689. He’s apparently laying off breaking balls and looking fastball.
For the first half of the month, Padres played error-free baseball, a streak broken in the final game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, April 24. Hosmer, not known for his defense (despite the multiple Gold Gloves in his possession), has yet to make an error and has two DRS. He’s no threat to Keith Hernandez and his 11 career Gold Gloves and total of 1.682 assists, but he’s been steady at first.
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Although hard work and a brand new season can account for Hosmer’s improvement on both sides of the ball, other factors are also involved. No matter how glorified they may be, baseball players are actually human beings. The unusually outspoken support of his fellow teammates(https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/padres-players-defend-eric-hosmer-amid-trade-rumors/) undoubtedly lifted Hosmer’s spirits. On New Year’s Eve, Hosmer married former Kansas City reporter Kacie McDonnell, and the two are expecting a baby this year.
For the Padres, Hosmer’s share of the $150 million payroll will decrease from $20 million (of his total $144 million) to $13 million next year. If Hosmer can continue to show improvement offensively and defensively, the team just may pull back on the constant search for a trade partner.
*stats through April 29
Baseball has been a part of Diane’s life since her father played professionally (mostly at the minor league level). She has written for a number of publications and concentrated on companion animal welfare. She welcomes the opportunity to write about the sport she loves. Diane shares her home with her husband and a house full of rescued animals.
Nice article Diane!
Most of us have been on the fence with Hosmer. It’s interesting that when there is so much talk and effort about trading him, he picks up his game considerably. I have always found it interesting when players “get up” for this game or that. I always put My best effort forward whenever I play the sports I play. I don’t “get up” or try harder one day over another.
Personally, I’ve liked Hosmer. Have I wanted more from him? Absolutely.
If the slighting he received motivates him to another level… great, we need that. If he tails off back to mediocrity, then too bad. Which Hosmer will be here the rest of this year and the next two? Has he been cruising and picking things up now? I have a very hard time believing that.
Preller is the one who has backed us into a salary corner. Giving Profar 7M, Kim 7M, and Martinez 5M, among others, is overpaying with hope attached to them. Profar started well but seems to be crashing back to his normal back up form. Will he deal Hosmer and negatively affect the chemistry simply because he’s on a mission? Likely.
I would rather he deal Martinez and apply that elsewhere. I don’t see how we can get better and not go over the luxury tax. He can change out a red apple for a green apple… he still only has apples.
Hi Tony,
I always value and appreciate your comments.
At the time, the acquisition of Hosmer troubled me (the amount of money, his sub-par defense, and the effect on Wil Myers). For the front office to then turn around and publically and constantly try to trade him definitely hurt team morale.
It appears that Preller has not learned from his mistakes and continues to throw around money. But, I personally think Kim is worth his contract. He’s a far better defender at short than Fernando Tatis Jr. However, Tatis will undoubteldy be the team’s shortstop when he returns. What is the plan at that point for Kim?
Thanks for your thoughts,
Diane
We know how this ends. A hot start, and then fade into negative WAR. Hosmer still stinks. He will regress to the mean, which, for him, is bad.
If he catches the simple ground ball in the 10th the Padres would have swept the Pirates, and still be on a win streak.
Greetings Random Dude,
Thanks for reading and commenting. Of course, Hosmer’s hot start could be a fluke, and he could revert to his old ways.
However, there’s still a chance that he’s changed his approach at the plate sufficiently and will at least be average defensively. Without Machado and Hosmer, the Padres would be in a world of hurt.
Diane
Thanks for the great article, Diane…I have long felt that Hos was way better than he’s shown, and the need to trade him, for less talent, would be a counter productive, simple salary dump…Well, at this point, AJ needs to stand pat, and see where Hos can take this season…Payroll can be adjusted in other areas, and the club still needs another outfield bat…but, trading a solid, productive first baseman, is not the answer…I’m glad to see all the Hos-Haters have calmed down a bit, and don’t forget how much value he would bring, at 13m next year…Let’s keep Hos, who his teammates love, and is productive, and deal a little pitching depth to increase the offense….I believe this club is a lot closer than a lot of people think…and both the evil-blue and the evil-orange are not insurmountable… Thank, Diane…P.
Hi Padres Fan,
Although I was opposed to signing Hosmer to that huge contract, I’ve been troubled by the constant trade rumors. Players, after all, are human beings. Aside from the amount of money for Hosmer, the signing also turned Wil Myers ( who had received that unnecessary extension) into a player without a position.
This is on Preller, not Myers and Hosmer.
For whatever reason Hosmer is off to a hot start, and he and Machado are basically carrying the team offensively. Only time will tell if he’s changed his approach sufficiently to be more productive offensively. Aside from the one error, his footwork looks better at first.
The fact that a number of his teammates publically voiced their solid support for Hosmer was eye-opening. It is rare for players to second guess the front office, which they most definitely did with their public comments.
Thanks much for your thoughtful comments,
Diane