• The KillerFrogs

Super Regional Thread...

Pharm Frog

Full Member
All this talk of aggies not swinging early in the count and here I was told that the problem with our offensive philosophy was being too patient. Weird
Strategy works fairly well when you have players who can hit the ball when they need to and/or face a team that’s willing to walk and hit you 9-10 times a game. But when you are a weak hitting team anyway putting yourself in two-strike counts repeatedly makes you a worse hitting team.

Ag batting .293
Frogs batted at .270 (bottom half of D1)

Ag slug at .478
Frogs at .433

Ag at #16 in walks
Frogs at #6

One team was patient and could hit. The other patient and much less so.
 

First Tee Frog

Active Member
Strategy works fairly well when you have players who can hit the ball when they need to and/or face a team that’s willing to walk and hit you 9-10 times a game. But when you are a weak hitting team anyway putting yourself in two-strike counts repeatedly makes you a worse hitting team.

Ag batting .293
Frogs batted at .270 (bottom half of D1)

Ag slug at .478
Frogs at .433

Ag at #16 in walks
Frogs at #6

One team was patient and could hit. The other patient and much less so.
So it’s not the strategy. It’s that we just didn’t have great hitters. Perfect. That’s the point. I was assured the strategy was obsolete and that was our issue.
 

Pharm Frog

Full Member
So it’s not the strategy. It’s that we just didn’t have great hitters. Perfect. That’s the point. I was assured the strategy was obsolete and that was our issue.
It is the strategy and the recruitment and the talent. And that falls on the coaching. You better have hitters if you are going to deploy the strategy of getting into 2 strike counts. But as with most things…the strategy works well when you play weaker teams who walk you. Works poorly when you play better teams who do not. Thus, 9-18 against Q1 teams and 1-8 against non-con Q1 teams (because Kentucky just squeezed back into the Q1). 21-1 against Q3 and Q4.

As for the game you are referring to: it’s 4-4 and Ag has 6 walks and 3 HBP into the 7th. They are getting the free passes so the strategy is working out BUT they are also outhitting their opponent and some of those free passes are because they can hit.
 
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First Tee Frog

Active Member
It is the strategy and the recruitment and the talent. And that falls on the coaching. You better have hitters if you are going to deploy the strategy of getting into 2 strike counts. But as with most things…the strategy works well when you play weaker teams who walk you. Works poorly when you play better teams who do not. Thus, 9-18 against Q1 teams and 1-8 against non-con Q1 teams (because Kentucky just squeezed back into the Q1). 21-1 against Q3 and Q4.
And you think our coaches tell players to get into 2 strike counts? Of course not. They tell them to be selective early in the count. Look for one specific pitch and if they get it then swing but don’t swing at a pitchers pitch. Porter’s home run against Louisiana was first pitch. They aren’t told not to swing just for the sake of not swinging. There is a difference in a pitcher’s strike and a good pitch to hit. Ya don’t swing at a pitcher’s strike. Just because it’s in the zone doesn’t make it a good pitch to hit. The problem wasn’t that we worked counts or that we were too patient or that we were coached to take strikes. It’s that we just had too many guys who aren’t great hitters. Most of the guys that played everyday last year and this year improved or at least maintained their production. Boyers was the only one who didn’t progress as his BA and OB dipped but his slugging was up
 

Pharm Frog

Full Member
And you think our coaches tell players to get into 2 strike counts? Of course not. They tell them to be selective early in the count. Look for one specific pitch and if they get it then swing but don’t swing at a pitchers pitch. Porter’s home run against Louisiana was first pitch. They aren’t told not to swing just for the sake of not swinging. There is a difference in a pitcher’s strike and a good pitch to hit. Ya don’t swing at a pitcher’s strike. Just because it’s in the zone doesn’t make it a good pitch to hit. The problem wasn’t that we worked counts or that we were too patient or that we were coached to take strikes. It’s that we just had too many guys who aren’t great hitters. Most of the guys that played everyday last year and this year improved or at least maintained their production. Boyers was the only one who didn’t progress as his BA and OB dipped but his slugging was up
I don’t disagree with this per se but we take a TON of early count hittable pitches…a TON. My contention is that this KPI of “free bases” is so valued and reinforced that it becomes seen as the most desirable thing. And this just isn’t something I surmise…it’s been told to me by some players and parents who feel that it creates passivity.

And did Rodgers and Taylor improve year-over-year? Byrne only had like 30 ABs last year so no real way of knowing about improvement and there’s no doubt at all that Sacco went absolutely crazy at the plate and Nunez improved too. Boyers was our second best hitter in conference play.
 

PurpleBlood87

Active Member
Depends on the color of the uniform. But 10 BBs and 4 HBP is probably gonna get you beat most days. That it was a 1-run loss at 5-4 is somewhat remarkable.
The batter before Claunch did not move an inch to get away from the ball. In fact, he might have bend his from leg toward the plate.
 

First Tee Frog

Active Member
I don’t disagree with this per se but we take a TON of early count hittable pitches…a TON. My contention is that this KPI of “free bases” is so valued and reinforced that it becomes seen as the most desirable thing. And this just isn’t something I surmise…it’s been told to me by some players and parents who feel that it creates passivity.

And did Rodgers and Taylor improve year-over-year? Byrne only had like 30 ABs last year so no real way of knowing about improvement and there’s no doubt at all that Sacco went absolutely crazy at the plate and Nunez improved too. Boyers was our second best hitter in conference play.
Rodgers didn’t improve. BT was the same awesome hitter he has been. I agree you can’t measure Byrne. Goodloe showed improvement as well
 
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