A look at SEC stats only at the midpoint of SEC play

[ucahogfan]

http://arkansasrazorbacks.com/pdf9/2640180.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=6100

It will be pages 4 and 5 on that link.

Team BA - .218
1.  Brian Anderson - .308 (16-52)
2.  Andrew Benintendi - .286 (14-49)
3.  Eric Fisher - .277 (13-47)
4.  Blake Baxendale - .273 (6-22)
5.  Bobby Wernes - .250 (13-52)
6.  Joe Serrano - .225 (9-40)

No one else is above the Mendoza line.

Team Runs - 57
1.  Andrew Benintendi - 11
2.  Tyler Spoon - 9
3.  Eric Fisher - 8
4.  Brian Anderson - 6
T-5.  Joe Serrano - 5
T-5.  Michael Bernal - 5

Team XBH - 24
1.  Eric Fisher - 7 (4 2B, 3 HR)
2.  Brian Anderson - 4 (4 2B)
T-3.  Tyler Spoon - 3 (2 2B, 1 HR)
T-3.  Blake Baxendale - 3 (2 2B, 1 HR)
T-3.  Joe Serrano - 3 (3 2B)

Team OPS - .606
1.  Eric Fisher - .880
2.  Brian Anderson - .790
3.  Blake Baxendale - .773
4.  Andrew Benintendi - .654
5.  Joe Serrano - .647

Team RBIs - 51
1.  Brian Anderson - 11
2.  Eric Fisher - 10
3.  Blake Baxendale - 7
4.  Tyler Spoon - 6
5.  Andrew Benintendi - 4

Team FLD% - .972 (16 errors)
1.  Michael Bernal - 6 errors (.914 FLD%)
2.  Bobby Wernes - 3 errors (.935 FLD%)
T-3.  Brian Anderson - 1 error (.986 FLD%)
T-3.  Jake Wise - 1 error (.990 FLD%)
T-3.  Blake Baxendale - 1 error (.955 FLD%)
T-3.  Clark Eagan - 1 error (.917 FLD%)

The defense has been outstanding so far this season and lead the SEC in double plays turned.  Also, our team has allowed 6 stolen bases in 13 attempts during SEC play and Wise is throwing out 50% of attempted base stealers.

Team ERA - 3.05
1.  Jalen Beeks - 1.91
2.  Chris Oliver - 2.37
3.  Trey Killian - 2.58

[Stang1970]

I know we have thrown out more than 7 runners.  They said such in the 2nd LSU game.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

I know we have thrown out more than 7 runners.  They said such in the 2nd LSU game.

Unless I'm reading it wrong, it does say 7 runners caught stealing in SEC games.

[3kgthog]

That's a sparkling team BA.

[jry04]

That's a sparkling team BA.

Dear God, go away. Why do you insist on making negative, condescending posts in every thread you post in?

We get it. The athletic programs at the U of A are terrible.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Much happier with Fisher's and Benintendi's performance in conference play at the plate than earlier in the season.

[WizardofhOgZ]

Much happier with Fisher's and Benintendi's performance in conference play at the plate than earlier in the season.

If we can get Spoon and Anderson to make even a sub-par (for them) contribution it would help tremendously.  Saturday, Anderson had FOUR consecutive chances to bat with runners in scoring position (and in some cases, there more than one base runner on) and produced zero hits/RBI's.  That's the difference in that ball game.  We just needed one timely hit and we didn't get it.

Different story Sunday.

[Kevin]

in the second game
after the overthrow that allowed benintendi to score, with spoon on 3 third, with one out.

anderson striking out on the next pitch was huge.

[hawginbigd1]

We seriously need to look at our hitting coaching, since they turned the bat speeds down we have been horrible. I think it has more to do with their approach to hitting, it seems we are always hacking when we should be looking and then looking at pitches we should be taking cuts at. I have only seen about 3 games this year but each was pitiful. put 6 or 7 on the board against Florida but only had about 3 legit hits, had about 3 bouncing infield hits.

[PorkSoda]

We seriously need to look at our hitting coaching, since they turned the bat speeds down we have been horrible. I think it has more to do with their approach to hitting, it seems we are always hacking when we should be looking and then looking at pitches we should be taking cuts at. I have only seen about 3 games this year but each was pitiful. put 6 or 7 on the board against Florida but only had about 3 legit hits, had about 3 bouncing infield hits.

Just curious (I only loosely follow baseball) do you think its more the hitting coach, the hitting strategy, or just that hitting is not a priority in recruiting?

[hogman64]

in the second game
after the overthrow that allowed benintendi to score, with spoon on 3 third, with one out.

anderson striking out on the next pitch was huge.

when we need a clutch hit late in the game , Anderson is definitely not the guy I  want at the plate.........he is one of our top two hitters but he seems to  press a bit in clutch situations, over anxious and will swing at pitches outside of
the zone, seems other teams are pretty well informed on that.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Just curious (I only loosely follow baseball) do you think its more the hitting coach, the hitting strategy, or just that hitting is not a priority in recruiting?

You should ask more questions!

Those are good questions and legitimate questions and are relevant to our situation.

I don't think we know for sure who the hitting coach is and it appears the strategy has changed somewhat here lately. DVH has placed a emphasis on recruiting pitchers over hitters and while that seems like a good idea, ever other team in the SEC has some very solid pitchers, just not as much depth.

Our team is built more for tournament play(because of pitching depth) but we have to have some offense and for the last two weeks or so, we have being doing better at the plate. Over the last two weeks we changed the batting order and are doing more hit and run than bunt, bunt, bunt and it's seems to be helping.

Stick around for more answers, because there are others on here that know much more than I do, for sure. There are some pretty knowledgeable guys in here.

[PorkSoda]

I know we've always tried to have a deep pitching staff, but I think the recruiting trade off is on defense vs offense at the other 8 positions.  do they focus on guys think are top defensive players that may be mediocre hitters (with the idea that they can teach them to hit) vs going for the best hitter they can find who may be mediocre on defense?

Is hitting more of a natural talent? or is it a numbers game where the count on a specific hitting strategy to produce base hits more often than not?

it seems like back in the day when eibner and company took us to omaha we were getting 10 runs a game pretty often.  now it seems the last couple years we have lead the league in 1-0 games.

[PorkSoda]

Our team is built more for tournament play(because of pitching depth) but we have to have some offense and for the last two weeks or so, we have being doing better at the plate. Over the last two weeks we changed the batting order and are doing more hit and run than bunt, bunt, bunt and it's seems to be helping.

thanks, that is interesting.  why do you think we hit better against LSU on sunday than we did on friday/saturday.  Just that we got deep enough into their pitching staff?

[WizardofhOgZ]

Bats changed right after that crew left for pro ball.  Huge difference.

it seems like back in the day when eibner and company took us to omaha we were getting 10 runs a game pretty often.  now it seems the last couple years we have lead the league in 1-0 games.

[WizardofhOgZ]

We seriously need to look at our hitting coaching, since they turned the bat speeds down we have been horrible. I think it has more to do with their approach to hitting, it seems we are always hacking when we should be looking and then looking at pitches we should be taking cuts at. I have only seen about 3 games this year but each was pitiful. put 6 or 7 on the board against Florida but only had about 3 legit hits, had about 3 bouncing infield hits.

You DO know that we heard the same thing last year about our hitting coach, who was "so bad" that he was hired as the Head Coach at traditional power Wichita State.  Hired this guy from TCU, who has also been doing well in recent years, to replace him:

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=30670&SPID=2415&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=6100&ATCLID=208526062&Q_SEASON=2013

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

thanks, that is interesting.  why do you think we hit better against LSU on sunday than we did on friday/saturday.  Just that we got deep enough into their pitching staff?

Can't really say that we hit poorly on Friday, considering the pitcher we were going against is one of the best in the country and had only given up 4 or 5 runs all year. We scored 2 runs on him and almost came back to win after we got into their bull pen.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

thanks, that is interesting.  why do you think we hit better against LSU on sunday than we did on friday/saturday.  Just that we got deep enough into their pitching staff?

Typically teams across the country will score more on Sundays because of the drop off in quality of pitchers. Friday's are usually ace pitcher vs ace pitcher and work your way down.

[TikiHog]

hitting has taken off since Vitello was given a chance

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

hitting has taken off since Vitello was given a chance

Do you think (or know) Vitello took over the offense in the USCe series? And changed the batting order?

[LJHOG]

That's a sparkling team BA.

and getting better.  this team seems to be playing better than at the beginning of conference.