Lots of comments over the years about hitting coaches needing to be fired, pitching coaches who stink, etc.
I get that there are some minor mechanical things to fix from time to time, and that coaches call plays (hit and run, steal, wave players around the bases, make pitching changes, etc.).
In full disclosure, I played baseball (mostly pitcher and 3rd) in Batesburg-Leesville from 5-6 yr old league all the way through American Legion in Lexington (I'm 52).
What I don't understand is this...walks and strikeouts.
If a pitcher gets to the college level, particularly SEC, it is on the PITCHER for walking most batters, not a pitching coach. Yep, from time to time, you'll pitch around a batter or intentionally walk him, but if you are walking 4, 5, 6 batters an outing, that's on the pitcher. If you're at the college level, you know how to pitch and throw strikes.
Same for strikeouts. I really don't care what your coaches philosophy is (we are leading the conference in HRs...and 2nd in strikeouts). When you have 2 strikes, you as a batter change your approach to putting the ball in play. And if you are an SEC player, you know how to hit a dang baseball. I guess if you are threatened to ride the pine if you don't swing for homer's every swing, you might change to that approach in order to stay in the lineup. Short of that, though, you've played a gazillion baseball games by the time you get to college...and you know how to hit the ball, or at least put it in play.
Comments? Is this old-school thinking? Or has baseball itself changes where most all pitchers have trouble throwing strikes and batters swing for the fences all the time now (slugging vs obp)?
Players (in general, not just USC) know how to pitch and hit...it should be mostly on the players if they aren't performing.
I get that there are some minor mechanical things to fix from time to time, and that coaches call plays (hit and run, steal, wave players around the bases, make pitching changes, etc.).
In full disclosure, I played baseball (mostly pitcher and 3rd) in Batesburg-Leesville from 5-6 yr old league all the way through American Legion in Lexington (I'm 52).
What I don't understand is this...walks and strikeouts.
If a pitcher gets to the college level, particularly SEC, it is on the PITCHER for walking most batters, not a pitching coach. Yep, from time to time, you'll pitch around a batter or intentionally walk him, but if you are walking 4, 5, 6 batters an outing, that's on the pitcher. If you're at the college level, you know how to pitch and throw strikes.
Same for strikeouts. I really don't care what your coaches philosophy is (we are leading the conference in HRs...and 2nd in strikeouts). When you have 2 strikes, you as a batter change your approach to putting the ball in play. And if you are an SEC player, you know how to hit a dang baseball. I guess if you are threatened to ride the pine if you don't swing for homer's every swing, you might change to that approach in order to stay in the lineup. Short of that, though, you've played a gazillion baseball games by the time you get to college...and you know how to hit the ball, or at least put it in play.
Comments? Is this old-school thinking? Or has baseball itself changes where most all pitchers have trouble throwing strikes and batters swing for the fences all the time now (slugging vs obp)?
Players (in general, not just USC) know how to pitch and hit...it should be mostly on the players if they aren't performing.