BATTING - Good Coaching leads to 109 Homeruns and the Big 12 POY

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7/31/2023

Batting 0.289
11 strikeouts
8 walks
3 hit by pitch
3 doubles
1 triple
in conference.


Walnut Creek Crawdads - California Collegiate League - team stats
 
Chop said:
Belyeu

0.333 batting avg
0.400 on base %
4 homeruns

It will be a battle for the OF starting spots next season, but Belyeu has an inside track. Pencil him in, along with Brown.

Gasparino, Cummings, Service, and others could also make a splash. I'm thinking Thomas stays at 1st base.

Santa Barbara Foresters |

Santa Barbara has been good to him.

CmxTxxeUEAAvXYh.jpg:large
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And that's where he ends up at the close of the regular season. The Santa Barbara Foresters are still in the World Series/Playoffs.

Belyeu
0.333 bat avg
0.400 on base %
0.488 slugging %
0.888 OPS
4 homeruns


Flores
0.270 bat avg
0.323 on base %
0.427 slugging %
0.760 OPS
2 homeruns

The above 2 are starters next year for us, unless someone unexpectedly beats them out (and that could happen for either or both). I DON"T want Belyeu to go Gavin Kash on us, so he'd better be starting or otherwise getting a lot of at bats. Maybe he can be the DH if Gasparino and someone else (Cummings?) beats him out for a starting OF spot. Brown will obviously be 1 starting OF.

Flores is getting his bat going against good college-level pitching. He's a stud in the field (which you need at the SS position). I think he's the starter unless someone beats him out, or if his bat goes (and stays) ice cold.

Meanwhile, Galvan struggled at the plate this Summer. I think it will be a two-way battle between Schuesler (0.273 batt. avg. this Summer) and Galvan for the starting C position, but keep an eye on incoming true Freshman Oliver Service. He may have the best throwing C arm of any of them, and a plus bat to go with it. He'll also have the most stolen bases we've seen from a Catcher by the time he's done here.
 
mchammer said:
What is the word on DuP the pitcher?
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I don't know? Some of the "older" / upperclassmen don't play in the Summer Leagues. To my knowledge, Powell wasn't in the Summer Leagues, nor was Brown.

Regardless, Andre DuPlantier has progressed last year to the point that he's good to go for 1-2 (or 3) innings in relief once or twice a week. We need pitchers like that. His stats weren't bad last year. He's definitely a reliever. I think starting just wasn't in his wheelhouse and the coaches were expecting too much of him in 2022--the year after his injury.

But that's a pitching topic, not batting.
 
Last edited:
2024

Based on who all has actually entered school, and performance from the past, here's an real early initial projection of what we could be working with at bat and in the field this coming season:

1B - Thomas; b/u Sweeney
2B - O'Dowd; b/u O'Hara, Ardoin, Allen
SS - Flores; b/u J. DuPlantier, Kennedy
3B - Powell; b/u Borba, Czech
C - Schuessler; b/u Galvan, Service, Sanders

OF - Brown, Belyeu, Cummings; b/u Gasparino, Werchan, Constantine, Farmer, Peterson

DH - any of the outfielders that doesn't start among Belyeu, Cummings, or Gasparino. Or Service, Sweeney, or whomever rises to the occasion.
 
Last edited:
2024

Some way early, wild-guess projections for batting averages and homeruns:

1B - Thomas (0.340, 12 HR)
2B - O'Dowd (0.295, 10 HR)
SS - Flores (0.275, 9 HR)
3B - Powell (0.335, 15 HR)
C - Schuessler (0.280, 10 HR)

OF - Brown (0.325, 15 HR) , Belyeu (0.335, 13 HR), Cummings (0.285, 8 HR)
[of these 3, Belyeu may actually end up the best by the end of the year!]

DH - ??? if Gasparino (0.280, 10 HR), if Sweeney (0.280, 14 HR)

Lots of power and contact hitting skills up and down this lineup. Opponents are going to have to pitch to a lot of batters they'd rather throw around. Lots of protection hitter-to-next hitter. We could push the yearly homerun total up towards 100. (or perhaps Chop could put down the crack pipe for a moment... :smokin:)
 
We're going to be even better than I thought at bat this year.

Best batting lineup in quite a few years.

:bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo::bevo:
 
Chop said:
I'm bumping up Cummings' projected homeruns in 2024 to 15+.

He's a big-time power hitter.
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And I wasn't joking.

Cummings can knock the ball out of the park, and frequently.

He was at bat in the Alumni game for 1 pitch -- a homerun.
 
If Thomas is in CF and Cummings is an every day starter, where does that leave Belyeu, Gasparino, and Nik Sanders with only 1st base open? :smile1:

I figured Cummings was the DH but I suppose Belyeu could be the DH but how do you get Gasparino in? He is a serious talent that can help the team, kid may be better than J Thomas was last year as a freshman and we all know how that turned out. Quite the conundrum.

It's kind of why i think J Thomas ends up at 1st cause it locks down 1st but opens up holes for guys that can legit help this team like Cummings, Gasparino, Belyeu and Werchan. Between all those choices, i feel we can find the right combo in the outfield that can lock it down defensively. (I think).
 
aUTfan said:
If Thomas is in CF and Cummings is an every day starter, where does that leave Belyeu, Gasparino, and Nik Sanders with only 1st base open? :smile1:

I figured Cummings was the DH but I suppose Belyeu could be the DH but how do you get Gasparino in? He is a serious talent that can help the team, kid may be better than J Thomas was last year as a freshman and we all know how that turned out. Quite the conundrum.

It's kind of why i think J Thomas ends up at 1st cause it locks down 1st but opens up holes for guys that can legit help this team like Cummings, Gasparino, Belyeu and Werchan. Between all those choices, i feel we can find the right combo in the outfield that can lock it down defensively. (I think).
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Sounds about right to me. Thomas back to 1B.

OF - Brown, Cummings, Gasparino (backups = Farmer, Werchan) -- Note, only Brown appears to be written in stone; may the best men win each of the spots.
DH - Belyeu
1B - Thomas (backup = Sanders)

Homeruns:

Brown...........12-15
Cummings......12-15 (or more)
Gasparino.......12-15
Thomas..........7-10
Belyeu............7-10
Sanders..........7-10 (some of which might fly all the way to Belton)
Farmer..............?
Werchan..........not many, but lots of bunting his way on base


Batting avg:

Thomas.........0.325-0.350
Belyeu...........0.325-0.350
Brown...........0.320-0.340
Cummings.....0.275-0.315
Gasparino......0.275-0.315
Sanders.........0.260-0.300
Werchan........0.250-0.280
Farmer..........?

Werchan may also be our "go-to" pinch runner this year.

:bevo::bevo::bevo:
 
There's going to be a lot of movement in our batting lineup until we get settled.

We have the chance to be strong from the top to the bottom of the lineup. Some of the young guys like Gasparino, Belyeu, Cummings, and Farmer will develop into good hitters. If 3 out of 4 of the above bat 0.300 and hit 10+ homeruns this year, it could be one of our best offenses in memory. Then there's Nik Sanders, he looks pretty good at the plate.

Seriously, if Jack O'Dowd, who batted just shy of 0.300 and hit around 8-9 or so homeruns last year, is considered (by some) to be our weak link offensively--we must be doing pretty good. Last year, Daly and the 2023 version of Flores were both batting around 0.200. We have a new Flores--looks the same, bats a lot better. Nobody batting below the Mendoza line is going to hang around our starting lineup this year for long.

Flores is a new man at the plate. He's always had the swing that caused MLB scouts to take notice. Now it seems to be coming together for him in real live games.
 
Avg so far after 4 games:

Thomas .563
Powel .471
Gasparino .400
Schuessler .400
Kennedy .400
Flores .294
Brown .267
J Duplantier .250
O'Dowd .214
Sanders .111
Belyeu .000

Honorable mention
Galvan .714
Cummings .500

Everyone's average is inflated after playing Houston Christian but Belyeu's average is very concerning. At this point, he may only be a defensive replacement with limited at bats going forward. I expect Brown and O'Dowd's average to steadily creep up as they warm up, i expect Kennedy's avg to drop him out of the top 5 in avg as the competition gets tougher. I would be happy if Flores could stay right where he is at or better. Same with J. Dup. Would like to see Cummings get some more opportunities so we can see what kind of bat he really has, we will likely need something better at DH than what Sanders is doin it at .111. If Kennedy can control his errors better then it might be a good spot for him and J Dup at DH with Cummings as a possibility too. Galvan's avg is also inflated after facing HC but at least he's getting it done like he should be.
 
If we are going to put up 96 HR's we kind of need to get started heading in that directions. on pace to hit around 69 but still early.

Notable* players who haven't hit their first HR of the season yet:

Porter Brown
Captain Jack
Schuessler
Gasparino

(*I don't consider Thomas a power hitter, he is a hit machine not a HR machine and O'Dowd is close to not really being considered a power hitter if it were not for his killer mentality in the playoffs last year)
 
aUTfan said:
Avg so far after 4 games:

Thomas .563
Powel .471
Gasparino .400
Schuessler .400
Kennedy .400
Flores .294
Brown .267
J Duplantier .250
O'Dowd .214
Sanders .111
Belyeu .000

Honorable mention
Galvan .714
Cummings .500

Everyone's average is inflated after playing Houston Christian but Belyeu's average is very concerning. At this point, he may only be a defensive replacement with limited at bats going forward. I expect Brown and O'Dowd's average to steadily creep up as they warm up, i expect Kennedy's avg to drop him out of the top 5 in avg as the competition gets tougher. I would be happy if Flores could stay right where he is at or better. Same with J. Dup. Would like to see Cummings get some more opportunities so we can see what kind of bat he really has, we will likely need something better at DH than what Sanders is doin it at .111. If Kennedy can control his errors better then it might be a good spot for him and J Dup at DH with Cummings as a possibility too. Galvan's avg is also inflated after facing HC but at least he's getting it done like he should be.
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I’m still pro Belyeu. It may take him a few weeks. Remember Thomas early last year.

Cummings needs more at bats.

Where did Borba come from! Wow!
 
Chop said:
Enter Borba

1 at bat
1 pitch
1 Homerun

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:
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What a welcome surprise, this Casey Borba is. We've got to get many more at bats for Casey. If we find ourselves hurting at 1B or 2B, maybe Borba's an option as early as this year.


1517042622504

:arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up::arrow-up:
Casey Borba--pretty easy on the eyes too...
(nurse practitioner, Grovetown, GA)
 
He played on the 18 and under USA National Baseball Team. I guess we're just lucky he didn't go pro right away (see Gasparino).

s-l1600.jpg
 
Chop said:
I’m still pro Belyeu. It may take him a few weeks. Remember Thomas early last year.

Cummings needs more at bats.

Where did Borba come from! Wow!
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Its still very early, i hope Belyeu figures it out cause his defense is a game changer.
 
P. Brown (0-4) and O'Dowd (0-3) last night with O'Dowd leaving 3 runners on base. Gasparino (0-3) too. Concerning. Still early but this needs to improve against better pitching. I don't like seeing Brown leaning into a pitch, that's amateur and I think he got called out on it last year for the same thing. Do better.

Kennedy did surprisingly well, he battled, took two walks and J Dup walked once, puts pressure on the defense when either or both are on the base paths. That's what we need from the 7-8-9 hole, battle, don't be an auto out. Set the table for J. Thomas or Powell to knock in.....start stacking runs and putting teams away early when we do this right.
 
aUTfan said:
Kennedy did surprisingly well, he battled, took two walks and J Dup walked once, puts pressure on the defense when either or both are on the base paths.
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I think these 2 will turn out to be really good. Especially Dee Kennedy. The press coming in on D. Kennedy was that he's an exceptional athlete with a really good glove. He's living up to that, plus he appears to have a pretty good bat and an eye for the ball (taking walks and high on-base %). He could be a really good moneyball 7, 8 or 9 hole batter. Ultimately, when JT moves on, he might get a shot at lead-off batter if he keeps getting better.
 
Jack's a notoriously slow starter. I still think he'll tear it up during the last month of the season and the tournaments.
 
Jack's a notoriously slow starter. I still think he'll tear it up during the last month of the season and the tournaments.
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He better do it soon. He's close to the Mendoza line already.
 
2/25

The team is batting 0.322 with 11 homeruns

That's 11 homeruns in 7 games for 1.5714 homeruns per game.

If we play 3 games in the Conference Tournament, 3 in our Regional, 2 in our Super-Regional, and 3 in the College World Series, we will play a total of 66 games.

That's 66 x 1.5714 = 104 projected homeruns on the year.
 
2/27

This is fun.

We now have 13 homeruns in 8 games for 1.625 homeruns per game.

66 games x 1.625 HR/game = 107 projected homeruns on the year.
 
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