How valuable is Norris Hopper?

[fearofpopvol1]

I mean, seriously. The guy is tearing it up and making the most of his opportunity. He's great defensively and has good speed. Not a lot of power, but a good hitter. Is he legitimate trade bait?

What should the Reds do with him? It just seems like he's more than a 4th outfielder.

[RedEye]

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

I mean, seriously. The guy is tearing it up and making the most of his opportunity. He's great defensively and has good speed. Not a lot of power, but a good hitter. Is he legitimate trade bait?

What should the Reds do with him? It just seems like he's more than a 4th outfielder.

It won't seem like it much longer. Small sample size can make anyone look good. Don't get me wrong, I like Norris... but I think his upside--and this is the best-possible scenario--is Herm Winningham.

[captainmorgan07]

we shall see he hit at the end of the year last year when he was up and he has down a very serivceable job when josh comes back freel should go back to his super sub role throughout the team have norris as the 4th outfielder and get castro the heck off this team

[pahster]

Hopper has a career minor league line of .290/.345/.337/.682. He's likely not even a legitimate 4th outfielder. Might as well ride him while he's hot, though.

[reds44]

Originally Posted by pahster

Hopper has a career minor league line of .290/.345/.337/.682. He's likely not even a legitimate 4th outfielder. Might as well ride him while he's hot, though.

He's not somebody I pay much attention to his slugging percentage or OPS. His batting average and OBP is more important to me. He's at best a 4th or 5th outfielder though, but he's doing well filling in for Freel.

He is awful in CF though. He doesn't get good jumps on the ball, and has a terrible arm. He looks to be much more of a LFer then CFer.

Looking at his minor league numbers, he has played 2B, SS, LF, CF, RF in his carrer. To me, he seems better suited for LF and 2B.

He makes consistent contact, can run like a deer, and has been a great pinch hitter though.

[NorrisHopper30]

Anyone know if Freel or Hopper is faster?

[reds44]

Originally Posted by NorrisHopper30

Anyone know if Freel or Hopper is faster?

At this stage in the careers, it's Hopper hands down. Freel is nowhere near as fast as Norris is.

[WVPacman]

If Norris,keeps hitting like he is now then I would put him in the leadoff spot and bat freel 2nd.That would put Narron having to sit somebody down maybe Conine or Hatti but I think they should bat first and second b/c they could cause some havic for the oppising team.

[Razor Shines]

Originally Posted by WVPacman

If Norris,keeps hitting like he is now then I would put him in the leadoff spot and bat freel 2nd.That would put Narron having to sit somebody down maybe Conine or Hatti but I think they should bat first and second b/c they could cause some havic for the oppising team.

Over the last ten games he's hit .355 and had an OBP of .375, so yeah if by some miracle he could keep that up I'd have no problem with him hitting lead off and Freel coming off the bench (I don't think I'd want to see a lineup with both Freel and Hopper starting regularly). But the chances that Hopper produces anywhere near those numbers are not very good. I have no problem riding him while he's hot though.

[TheWalls]

Two basic ideas: competition is ALWAYS good and so is a spark in the leadoff spot.

[RedlegNation]

Originally Posted by fearofpopvol1

What should the Reds do with him? It just seems like he's more than a 4th outfielder.

He's less than a 4th OF in my opinion. Hopper is a 5th outfielder, nothing more and nothing less. He's playing well in a limited sample size here, but even Juan Castro has had a good two-week stretch before.

On a good team, Hopper is a 5th outfielder, and he's a capable player in that role. He only gets any amount of playing time on a team as bad as the Reds.

I'm not putting Hopper down; he is what he is, and he's a nice player to have on the roster in the 5th OF role. If he's counted on for more than that, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed in the end.

...and this isn't directed at any of you, but to suggest that Adam Dunn should be traded to make room for Hopper, as a local radio host did...well, that's insanity.

[RichRed]

Originally Posted by RedlegNation

...and this isn't directed at any of you, but to suggest that Adam Dunn should be traded to make room for Hopper, as a local radio host did...well, that's insanity.

I thought I'd seen it all. Deal Dunn to make room for Hopper. I'm speechless. I am without speech.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by RedlegNation

...and this isn't directed at any of you, but to suggest that Adam Dunn should be traded to make room for Hopper, as a local radio host did...well, that's insanity.

I heard this last night after the game also and was just dumbfounded. You expect those kinds of comments from callers but not from a host who supposedly has some baseball smarts.

To top it off, I heard the next caller say that "Dunn is the worst major league player he's ever seen." I just couldn't listen to anymore after that.

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally posted by RedlegNation
He's less than a 4th OF in my opinion. Hopper is a 5th outfielder, nothing more and nothing less. He's playing well in a limited sample size here, but even Juan Castro has had a good two-week stretch before.

On a good team, Hopper is a 5th outfielder, and he's a capable player in that role. He only gets any amount of playing time on a team as bad as the Reds.

I'm not putting Hopper down; he is what he is, and he's a nice player to have on the roster in the 5th OF role. If he's counted on for more than that, I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed in the end.

Look I am not looking for an argument here, but I do wonder why you have that opinion of him. Don't get me wrong I don't necc. have a scouts eye but I do wonder why you or anyone else feels that he is nothing more than a 5th OF. Why couldn't he be say an average starting 2B in the bigs?

I'm not necc. disagreeing with the fact that he may only be a 5th OF/utility/ph type. But what insight do you have that gives you that impression?

The reason I ask is because I sometimes get the impression that a lot of people that post on these type of boards rely heavily on what they have learned on such boards. I am not making that statement about you, you may very well be a major league scout for all I know and if so I would like to know, because we must be looking at 2 different guys right now.

I see a guy that has better than average bat control, average to above bat speed, a decent eye (not a great eye) at the plate and seems to love the game. He has a reputation (at least that's what I have read) for not taking alot of walks, but why does that singular thing always seem to be the indicator for success. Tony Gwynn NEVER had more than 82 BB's in a season and he averaged about 50 per season, and has a career OBP of .388 with no wheels whatsoever.

Hopper seems determined and yet still plays within himself to an extent. Sure he has gotten a bit over-zealous at times but what rookie doesn't? His fielding needs some work sure but as was stated above he can fix getting a better jump on the ball with experience. And as far as his arm goes it looks like Vlads compared to Johnny Damon's (that guy throws like a girl) yet he continues to troll CF for a major league team. And his baserunning at lower levels has been very good and he has an excellent basestealing coach in Hatcher so that's bound to improve. He was an 8th round pick, that's not too shabby so he must have some degree of raw talent.

Look all I'm saying is give the kid a chance to show us he cannot be anything more than a 5th OF. Sure Tony Gwynn is likely a bad comparison he had an innate ability to hit 'em where they ain't, and from a young age which Hopper doesn't have on his side (28 yr. old). And 28 yr old rookies don't usually become superstars but they sometimes do become productive major leaguers once they carve out a niche and sometimes that niche is as a starter.

[PTI (pti)]

His market value is somewhere between Todd Coffey and Jose Rijo, if he were to again come out of retirement. He may be playing great right now, but he's widely considered a very marginal "prospect."

His short-term success reminds me of Chris Stynes....


1997 = .348 ba / 49 games / 6 home runs / 31 runs / 28 rbi / .394 on-base %

2000 = .334 ba / 119 games / 12 home runs / 71 runs / 40 rbi / .386 on-base%



I guess it's *possible* that he keeps playing out of his you-know-what......but I highly doubt it.