but that's what we did this weekend. There's something to be said for that. Offense is obviously in a funk. It really started last Sunday in Statesboro and has carried over since... every team goes through something like this.... I remember being a little bit freaked out in 2004 when we went to the SECT and scored 1 run in 3 games... The next weekend, in our regional, we didn't have any problem getting runs across the plate. It just takes a couple of guys to get hot (or even, to not be ice cold) and I think we'll see that soon. Not having Will Campbell this weekend hurt.
It's hard to wrap your head around, though. 4 runs on 14 hits. That's a good offensive GAME (at least in the hits department) and that's what we did all weekend. And UAB's #2 guy was hurt. We could have swept this weekend with another hit in the bottom of the 9th on Friday, but we also could have gotten swept if a few of UAB's hits fall into place. It's a little like football in November 2015... when it's that difficult to score, you're always vulnerable. I'm sitting there at grant field in the 4th quarter of that game, absolutely amazed that we had a real chance to lose it after we'd stonewalled tech all day.
Stricklin didn't sound too excited after the game today. I don't blame him... It is concerning. But again, I really think that these offensive issues are temporary. We won't ever by the '27 Yankees this season... or the 2009 or even 2013 bats, but we'll be better at the plate going forward.
The other end of things is that, regardless of what UAB is as a lineup (we probably won't see a worse one this year), you still have to the throw the ball over the plate and make plays defensively. Chase Adkins only had 5 strikeouts today.... For getting 27 outs, that's a lot of balls in play. I'm happy that the offensive issues apparently haven't bled into the field for us. That's a positive and one area where I think we'll only get better.
Good to see Adkins with another pickoff today. I've been really impressed with that part of his game and how he fields his position. He's good... he's a little like Gist in that he just knows how to pitch... He throws a lot of a strikes, he challenges hitters, and he doesn't get rattled... I understand Stricklin's rationale for wanting him on Sunday, but he's a guy I'd look at on Friday night.
We didn't have to use much in the way of bullpen this weekend, obviously, and I'm hoping that we can get a look at some guys this midweek. James Williams, Tim Elliott, Shaefer Shepard, Shane Tucker, Trevor Tinder.... these are guys who will wind up seeing some action out of necessity in league play this year... The more experience they can get now, the better. Same for Drew Moody, although he's on a different level I think and is working back from that injury.
All in all, I'm obviously glad to win and 5-6 is a lot better than 3-8... But it was a disappointing weekend in that we lost Friday night and got overmatched by a really good pitcher and then just didn't do much offensively all weekend. Even knowing that the offense won't be this bad all year, it's hard to be overly excited right now. I thought that it would look a little bit different this weekend.
But that's baseball and that's the reality of an ultra young team. I hope that we don't, as coaches, panic and start making large scale changes to guy's approaches or swings. If there is one thing to really worry about on the offensive front, I think it's over-coaching. But hopefully we stay out of that. The raw talent is still there and we'll see it offensively this year.
It's hard to wrap your head around, though. 4 runs on 14 hits. That's a good offensive GAME (at least in the hits department) and that's what we did all weekend. And UAB's #2 guy was hurt. We could have swept this weekend with another hit in the bottom of the 9th on Friday, but we also could have gotten swept if a few of UAB's hits fall into place. It's a little like football in November 2015... when it's that difficult to score, you're always vulnerable. I'm sitting there at grant field in the 4th quarter of that game, absolutely amazed that we had a real chance to lose it after we'd stonewalled tech all day.
Stricklin didn't sound too excited after the game today. I don't blame him... It is concerning. But again, I really think that these offensive issues are temporary. We won't ever by the '27 Yankees this season... or the 2009 or even 2013 bats, but we'll be better at the plate going forward.
The other end of things is that, regardless of what UAB is as a lineup (we probably won't see a worse one this year), you still have to the throw the ball over the plate and make plays defensively. Chase Adkins only had 5 strikeouts today.... For getting 27 outs, that's a lot of balls in play. I'm happy that the offensive issues apparently haven't bled into the field for us. That's a positive and one area where I think we'll only get better.
Good to see Adkins with another pickoff today. I've been really impressed with that part of his game and how he fields his position. He's good... he's a little like Gist in that he just knows how to pitch... He throws a lot of a strikes, he challenges hitters, and he doesn't get rattled... I understand Stricklin's rationale for wanting him on Sunday, but he's a guy I'd look at on Friday night.
We didn't have to use much in the way of bullpen this weekend, obviously, and I'm hoping that we can get a look at some guys this midweek. James Williams, Tim Elliott, Shaefer Shepard, Shane Tucker, Trevor Tinder.... these are guys who will wind up seeing some action out of necessity in league play this year... The more experience they can get now, the better. Same for Drew Moody, although he's on a different level I think and is working back from that injury.
All in all, I'm obviously glad to win and 5-6 is a lot better than 3-8... But it was a disappointing weekend in that we lost Friday night and got overmatched by a really good pitcher and then just didn't do much offensively all weekend. Even knowing that the offense won't be this bad all year, it's hard to be overly excited right now. I thought that it would look a little bit different this weekend.
But that's baseball and that's the reality of an ultra young team. I hope that we don't, as coaches, panic and start making large scale changes to guy's approaches or swings. If there is one thing to really worry about on the offensive front, I think it's over-coaching. But hopefully we stay out of that. The raw talent is still there and we'll see it offensively this year.
