Gator Baseball 2023 Official Roster Tracker/Lineup???

Tennessee has plenty of RHP, not just starters but most of their bullpen as well. They have 3-4 LHP they've used but most are short relief only. I believe our lineup will look something like.....

CF - Robertson (L)
LF - Langford (R)
1B - Caglianone (L)
SS - Rivera (R)
C - Riopelle (L)
DH - Heyman (R)
3B - Halter (L)
2B - Kurland (R)
RF - Evans (R)
SP - Sproat

I would prefer Prevesk as a batter against RHP but Evans can also make the big play in the field to quiet the crowd. Look for Prevesk to PH late if we are behind.

 

Here's the overall ERA for the starting pitchers but the in conference ERAs are a bit more telling. The last stat to the right is their SEC ERAs.
Florida's Starters
RHP Brandon Sproat (4-1, 5.45 ERA) - 7.47 ERA
RHP Hurston Waldrep (5-1, 4.74 ERA) - 5.82 ERA
LHP Jac Caglianone (3-0, 4.18 ERA) - 8.25 ERA
Tennessee's Starters
RHP Chase Dollander (4-2, 3.92 ERA) - 5.82 ERA
RHP Chase Burns (2-2, 4.97 ERA) - 10.29 ERA
RHP Drew Beam (3-1, 2.51 ERA) - 2.38 ERA
All of these guys are capable of much better except Beam has done above average. Our hardest game to win might be Game 3. The collective in conference Win/Loss records are 1-4 for the UT starters and 3-2 for the Gators which means little at this stage. One stat that does stand out, Burns has given up 5 HRs in his 3 SEC starts. So let's hope he's still serving them up on Friday.

 

NAME SLG OBP OPS AVG LHP RHP 2O ROB LEADOFF
LANGFORD .859 .545 1.404 .388 .444 .373 .286 .378 .600
CAGLIANONE .922 .454 1.376 .403 .350 .427 .372 .380 .524
RIVERA .767 .507 1.274 .405 .471 .378 .388 .424 .455
RIOPELLE .575 .406 .981 .310 .242 .338 .368 .393 .250
HEYMAN .771 .473 1.244 .396 .267 .455 .500 .409 .385
KURLAND .636 .428 1.063 .339 .323 .345 .500 .392 .310
HALTER .506 .394 .900 .291 .360 .259 .304 .302 .267
EVANS .415 .302 .718 .246 .333 .220 .333 .350 .286
ROBERTSON .351 .451 .802 .298 .250 .318 .294 .442 .424

 

Right now the first number is slugging %. I've trimmed it down some from the wide variety of stats that I had to bring over from the game live stats. Sorry I haven't cleaned it up better but I do plan and coming back to it for a deep dive after the series. Once I clean it up we will see batting comparisons for each player verses RHP or LHP as of end of game 4/6/23.

 

Much appreciated

 

Got ya now, its the average when leading off an inning.

 

I believe herein lies the secret to many of the batting questions some of you ask. I'll clean it up and try to resolve some of the curiosities.

 

Mind you these stats are after Thursday night's game. Most of these stats will be slightly different after Friday's game but not enough to adjust my thinking.
NAME --------- OBP AVG LHP RHP 2O ROB LEADOFF
LANGFORD ---- .545 .388 .444 .373 .286 .378 .600
CAGLIANONE -- .454 .403 .350 .427 .372 .380 .524
RIVERA -------- .507 .405 .471 .378 .388 .424 .455
RIOPELLE ------ .406 .310 .242 .338 .368 .393 .250
HEYMAN ------- .473 .396 .267 .455 .500 .409 .385
KURLAND ------ .428 .339 .323 .345 .500 .392 .310
HALTER -------- .394 .291 .360 .259 .304 .302 .267
EVANS --------- .302 .246 .333 .220 .333 .350 .286
ROBERTSON --- .451 .298 .250 .318 .294 .442 .424

Who should start in RF? That all depends if we are facing a starting RHP or LHP. Evans is the better defender but bats .333 vs LHP and .220 against RHP. The problem is we usually face more RHP. After Friday's game I saw Prevesk's numbers and his overall BA was .333, but even better his side to side numbers were .333 for RHP and .333 for LHP. So favor Prevesk no matter who we face. So with Evans better defense skills, he should start when we face LHP and Prevesk should start against RHP, for the most part. The problem comes in the relay throw from RF to third. Ever notice how many opposing runners from first hit the brakes when thinking of rounding second on a ground ball to right. If you don't make it to many games, just know its a bunch and quite often. Evans has the strongest throwing arm of any of our outfielders and is in RF for a reason. His strong throws might not be all that accurate, but many opposing coaches don't want to test it to see. So the difference is when facing a RHP, do you want to start with defense and shift gears later when the starting pitcher has left when you hope for a big inning. Some on here would say defense is better in the later innings, perhaps so. That's a Sully decision but I know if the team has a RHP in the game that is showing signs of struggling, I want to attack that and get some of my better hitters in to take advantage of any situation that presents itself. Mind you, Prevesk has been a fine OF as well but has been given little time to settle in. I believe Sully has seen plenty at practice what Evans can do over and over, so he sticks with Evans, game after game. I'm just suggesting when the time is right and a RHP is in and we need some runs, I'd rather get Prevesk in to force the action. Plus Evans has the lowest OB% of any of our starters and its not even close. The unknown is, of course, if the other team is about to make a pitching change and if they have a LHP warming.

What about Riopelle and his slow slump backwards? Again BT is a team leader as the senior catcher that Sully likes his handling of starting pitchers. That's the beginning point. But when you look at the side to side comparison Riopelle is only slightly worse than Heyman, his possible replacement, when facing a LHP. Now stop right here and realize our best hitter when facing RHP is Heyman. So big props to him in those situations. But you can see what's causing Riopelle's slide and Heyman isn't that much better. So it's better to keep Riopelle in to best handle the starters and hope he improves against LHP. That said if we are facing a LHP as a starter it would be better to drop Riopelle a few spots in the order perhaps if you are looking for your chances to string some hits together.

Who should lead off? Whoa now that's a big mess to try and unwrap, you would think. The simple approach is easy. Langford has a .600 leadoff average and clearly leads when leading off so it should be Langford. He also has the highest OB%. I can live with that but I'm also on the side of having a key hitter coming up with runners on base. Herein lies the big surprise. Langford is not that great, third lowest among starters, with runners on base. Note, props to Robertson who leads in BA with runners on base (that one surprised me). So hands down, I surrender, leave Langford as the leadoff until the numbers change enough to warrant a stats review. I guess we will have to get used to more solo homeruns again. Its almost like Sully is holding Langford back if he doesn't leadoff. But that would mean Cags will bat second to stay as Langford's wingman. That I don't like. You don't want the nation's homerun leader getting up with fewer guys on base. Hello, Dave Kingman on line one. Guys on base has always proven a team will hit better and therefore score more runs when guys are getting on. Strangely if you compare our hitters, only Langford and Cags have lower BA with guys on than their overall batting average. The point is everybody else hits better with guys on base. So, can't believe I'm saying this, leave Langford as the leadoff for now with Cags batting second. But by all means don't keep it that way when the numbers are not in favor.

One of my favorite says is, Statistics can prove lots of things, especially the ones you are trying to prove.

 

Please know I'm still a traditionalist as well and would rather have Wyatt batting 2nd or 3rd even. But when I find the stats pointing another direction I have to be willing to support it if the numbers prove it out. You nailed the lineup that I'd like to see other than Halter before Evans if we face a LHP. I do think Prevesk is a fine outfielder for RF but I'm not sure if he covers as much ground as Evans. That point is probably negligible if you factor back in his batting. I don't mean to take both sides of the fence but I am willing to state my first opinion while still discussing the alternatives, which is what I love about Diamond Gators.

 

Dropping this here for now.... Just about every key fielder played except for Shelnut so the data is more complete.

NAME--------- AB- OBP AVG LHP-RHP 2O- ROB LEADOFF
RIVERA-------- 123 .500 .398 .457 .375 .404 .420 .435
HEYMAN-------- 51 .466 .392 .267 .444 .500 .435 .357
CAGLIANONE- 138 .440 .391 .341 .412 .356 .373 .500
LANGFORD----- 92 .538 .380 .444 .365 .276 .378 .524
KURLAND----- 124 .421 .331 .344 .326 .486 .377 .326
RIOPELLE----- 120 .397 .300 .229 .329 .333 .373 .280
HALTER--------- 85 .386 .282 .346 .254 .292 .289 .267
ROBERTSON-- 101 .426 .277 .241 .292 .278 .432 .389
EVANS--------- 124 .289 .234 .333 .206 .317 .333 .267
PREVESK------- 30 .313 .300 .200 .320 .214 .450 .000
THOMAS-------- 14 .524 .286 .333 .273 .333 .250 .667
FABIAN--------- 18 .333 .222 .333 .167 .333 .200 .444
SCHIEKOFER--- 32 .286 .219 .000 .292 .231 .250 .167

 

Hopefully this will give Gator fans something to look past the mess we saw today. Next weeks SEC schedule is a prime weekend for the Gators. We get Georgia at home while the rest of the SEC is dealing with a pressure packed separation weekend. I don't want to look past SWAC on Tuesday but keep that in mind when you realize it's an important week. Hopefully we can start to make our move up the ladder on the SEC W/L standings. Here's what the other teams are facing.....
Georgia at (3) Florida
(6) South Carolina at (4) Vanderbilt
(10) Kentucky at (1) LSU
(11) Tennessee at (5) Arkansas
Auburn at Alabama
Missouri at Texas A&M
Ole Miss at Mississippi St
If we ever need a sweep its this coming weekend going into it at 9-3 in the SEC. Huge opportunity to see if South Carolina can win one at Vandy or even the series. Both are ahead of Florida so any losses by either team should help Florida move up. Kentucky will finally be tested at LSU. Since the Gators are 1.5 up on LSU but 2 down on UK as of this post, we need LSU to win the series or even sweep. Perhaps Tennessee can win one at Arky and help us get some distance between them both. The point is every team the Gators are up against to win the SEC is being challenged this weekend while the Gators host Georgia. We might be playing a rival who is struggling at 1-9 but we have to take care of business and take advantage of the weekend before we go to South Carolina the following.