Certainly on the OPS. It was easier to put that BA list together as a starting point. Once we get some real numbers in less than a month they will matter much more either way.
Of the 5 of these who played major conference ball in 2023 and 2024, here are the BABIP (= (H - HR) / (AB + SF - HR - K)) -- that is, how often balls fall in for hits. Evans: .265 (2023) vs. .390 Kurland: .333 vs. .287 Heyman: .364 vs. .280 Shelton: .303 vs. .287 Donay: .286 vs. .265 The SEC average is around .320 or .330, so Evans at .390 is likely to regress back towards that. It's debatable how much of the other four 2024 seasons were approach vs. luck. My 2 cents from watching the 2024 team: Shelton and Donay would be served trading some launch angle for contact, Kurland needs to not hurt his hand, and Heyman should sacrifice a rooster or something because he hit a lot of hard At'emballs last year.
Kurland’s numbers (.333 vs .287) and remembering his first and second seasons is a head-on look at his freshman approach of hit it where it’s pitched vs that launch angle at all costs approach he became infatuated with last season. To ALL of our hitters—please, hit it where it’s pitched-the home runs will come…
Seems like they're emulating MLB, where it's just become a home run hitting contest. Batting averages don't matter much anymore, stolen bases and sac bunts are not being used a whole lot either. Just load up on the big swings and go for the fences. That's why I don't watch pro baseball much anymore. There's not much real strategy left, as the little nuances have been taken out of the game.
Kurland's drop off last year can partly be attributed to his broken hand - which he fractured in the opening series vs. Columbia-- that makes his hitting approach even more puzzling. In his freshman year- he hit to all fields and showed good power to right and right center. One would think with a broken hand he would stick with the "hit-it-where it's-pitched" approach but didn't. He had lots of swing from the heels and his stats dropped off. I'm hoping he goes back to his production of 2023. Donay is another player that needs to reconsider his approach-- cut down on his looping swing (as well as get a better sense of the strike zone). The dude is big and strong, with power to all fields... he can be a surprise performer for us. He hit 14 dingers last year and has the potential to hit 6-8 more this year-- he hit 6 in limited action on the Cape. On another note: what is the panel's take on the weekend rotation? In the Fall, I had it as Peterson, Coppola and Clemente. I have some doubt about Coppola as he pictched sparingly in Fall. We shall see. Looking forward!
Agree with you @gator1977 on Donay 100%. He’s big and really strong and can hit it out anywhere in the ballpark. That said you’re spot on about him working on his approach. He has got to be much more disciplined at the plate. I believe if he can improve his pitch recognition (mainly spin on the ball) he can have better control of his swings. Again, hitting it where it’s pitched remains a centerpiece for success.
Exactly.....and maybe just maybe get the ball in play with 2 strikes rather than just keep doing the mighty Casey thing
That's probably the three rotation to start the season. I would argue after fall that Clemente is our second best but let's see how much Coppola has been working since then. Either way, the R-L-R will probably win out.
It's a balmy 52 degrees here at the Condron for Day 1. 5 total here, it's the smallest crowd for first day I can remember. Apparently some folks don't like cold weather
God bless you, man. No way I was going out there today. (Of course we did party with the team last night, and I had a couple of appointments today - but I’ll never pass up a chance to disparage the current weather). Things are looking up! It’ll be in the 60’s Monday and 70’s by Wednesday!
I caught the last 20-30 minutes of BP and the scrimmage. Yost looks ready to go just 35 weeks -- oh, to be young agin -- after an ACL tear, running smoothly and the ball sounds good off the bat (though, every player has their own bat; might be the tool not the wielder). Orange ("road" team) won the scrimmage 5-1. Peterson pitched the first two innings for blue, with a fastball that sat at 94 and touched 96. Let's say his command of the fastball is "not season ready" at this point. But he seemed to be focusing other pitches, particularly a curveball that was inconsistent, with the extremes being a knee-buckling strikeout looking of Blake Cyr and a hanger that Brody Donay deposited for a three-run first-inning homer. Gave up four total, though the last was mostly from slow infield play. Menendez pitched the other two innings for blue. Command also needs work, but he got the 6-4-3 DP in his first inning to keep the 4 pitch leadoff walk from being too bad. Gave up one run total. Coppola pitched first for orange, giving up one run in two frames with a bit better command than Peterson, though his fastball topped out at 91. Philpott pitched the other two innings for orange with a double play in the last inning and no runs allowed. I got distracted by a couple work e-mails during his inning, so I can't really comment on stuff/command.
That's a neat vid because at Day 1 the coaches started with the position players running to first and then again watching them round first as if going for a double. Afterwards when they sent the players to the dugout, the one player that was stopped was Hayden Yost and a discussion happened about how to better round second or any base, so as to carry your momentum straight at the next base. Edit: Upon review he didn't round first very well since his momentum took him on a wide turn across the infield. Maybe something to work on.
There’s always uncertainty to start the season, but there’s a chance Clemente is even our best pitcher. I’m excited to finally see these guys again soon to find out.
I agree. After coming back from TJ surgery and fine-tuning his mechanics, Jake had a very good second half last year and was excellent on the Cape in summer. Liam has outstanding stuff but his tendency for an innng where he loses the zone then gives up the long ball has hurt him-- not surprising for a freshman and hope and expect him to take a big step forward in performance this year.
