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Concerned about our lead off hitter (Draper)


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Is anyone else concerned about Draper's ability to get on base decreasing since SEC play has started. I realize she has one of the highest ba's in the country still, but I have really noticed that since SEC play started, seems like the defensive level of play has stepped up and she is not getting on base hardly at all. A lead off hitter is supposed to be on base some how some way more than they are not. Her style of slap hitting has also been hampered by the new rule of stepping out of the box; she just doesn't seem to get that jump she used to before the rule. Any of you privy to stats: Just curious to know how far her batting avg. and on base percentage has fallen since SEC play has begun. I love her, not trying to knock her, but I just think it's time to find another lead off hitter and move her back to the 9 spot in the line up. Thoughts?

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16 minutes ago, jared52 said:

Who do you put there?

Not really any other options. Maybe Taylon Snow, but she's been bitten by the injury bug a bit. Don't really have anyone else that fits the bill like her.

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6 minutes ago, boomstick said:

Not really any other options. Maybe Taylon Snow, but she's been bitten by the injury bug a bit. Don't really have anyone else that fits the bill like her.

I would just move Mccrackin up. She gets on base quite a bit, has decent speed and even a little pop in her bat. I think she would work out.

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4 minutes ago, ArgoEagle said:

I would just move Mccrackin up. She gets on base quite a bit, has decent speed and even a little pop in her bat. I think she would work out.

Not a bad idea. I don't think you can move Draper to the bottom of the order though. You have to want her speed near the top.

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21 minutes ago, boomstick said:

Not a bad idea. I don't think you can move Draper to the bottom of the order though. You have to want her speed near the top.

I hear you, and speed near the top is a valid need. However,  you want and need people at the top of the order who have the highest averages and the best on base percentages to get more at bats bc they are more productive. Victoria tore it up against lesser competition, but has really dropped since league play started. She is struggling mightily to get on base against SEC pitching and defenses. I just feel that the fact that you can't get on base negates the fact that you have speed. I just don't see her as an SEC caliber lead off hitter, and I wish someone in the know would post her stats as far as batting avg/on base percentage numbers compared to before and after league play started to back up my point. Here's hoping she figures it out and does better for herself and her team. I'm rooting for her.

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1 minute ago, steeleagle said:

What is wrong with Taylon SNow? We missed her play this past weekend. 

I believe she had a wrist injury from either last weekend or the midweek game this week. 

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1 hour ago, ArgoEagle said:

I hear you, and speed near the top is a valid need. However,  you want and need people at the top of the order who have the highest averages and the best on base percentages to get more at bats bc they are more productive. Victoria tore it up against lesser competition, but has really dropped since league play started. She is struggling mightily to get on base against SEC pitching and defenses. I just feel that the fact that you can't get on base negates the fact that you have speed. I just don't see her as an SEC caliber lead off hitter, and I wish someone in the know would post her stats as far as batting avg/on base percentage numbers compared to before and after league play started to back up my point. Here's hoping she figures it out and does better for herself and her team. I'm rooting for her.

Little early to be too concerned IMO.

She still has the highest OBP and lots of walks which with speed is like giving her a double.   .   Might encourage her to work for BBs a bit more.   Her strike out percentage is as good as anyone.

Otherwise,  I'd still like to get her at bat as many times as possible and give Snow and McCrackin and others the chance to drive her in.   The team average with RISP is what's killing the offense output. 

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4 hours ago, ArgoEagle said:

Is anyone else concerned about Draper's ability to get on base decreasing since SEC play has started. I realize she has one of the highest ba's in the country still, but I have really noticed that since SEC play started, seems like the defensive level of play has stepped up and she is not getting on base hardly at all. A lead off hitter is supposed to be on base some how some way more than they are not. Her style of slap hitting has also been hampered by the new rule of stepping out of the box; she just doesn't seem to get that jump she used to before the rule. Any of you privy to stats: Just curious to know how far her batting avg. and on base percentage has fallen since SEC play has begun. I love her, not trying to knock her, but I just think it's time to find another lead off hitter and move her back to the 9 spot in the line up. Thoughts?

Was worried the post would be all about the "foot out of the box", glad it isn't (side note: watched quite a few college games Saturday and several called for this - hard to re-learn after all these years).  But moving her out of the first spot and put her at bottom - well, we used to have Tiffany Howard who was great at lead off with Vic at the 9-spot to turn it over again.  I think we are still doing this decently well.  I do agree that Vic's batting average and on-base percentage has dropped since the tougher SEC play, but isn't that the case up and down the line-up?  So if you move her and put someone else there, maybe their batting average has gone down since SEC play as well.  Hard call to make and depends on what you want do with the line-up.  We have seen that Dean likes to put pressure on the defense and having a speedster get on to start the game (and I understand your point of she has to get on first, same to be said for anyone), she is the one who can quickly put pressure on the defense.

Besides, she would technically only be the lead off for the first inning, after that, it is the same thing for anyone who is first up for the inning.

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40 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

What is wrong with Taylon SNow? We missed her play this past weekend. 

Wrist or shoulder injury from sliding into 2nd base against bama on Sunday (still scored the winning run that day).  She did not play the midweek game against ASU either (and was not needed).  I think McKenna Dowell did a great job in the Kentucky series.  Can't recall a single play on defense that McKenna did not execute that I thought Taylon would have completed.  She was 3 of 7 in the Kentucky series, which is a 0.428 batting average, so not shabby at all. (For comparison McCrackin was 3 of 10 and Shea 3 of 11 in the series).  So I didn't miss Taylon's play, the AU shortstop position seems to be in good hands with either Taylon or McKenna.

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3 hours ago, ArgoEagle said:

I hear you, and speed near the top is a valid need. However,  you want and need people at the top of the order who have the highest averages and the best on base percentages to get more at bats bc they are more productive. Victoria tore it up against lesser competition, but has really dropped since league play started. She is struggling mightily to get on base against SEC pitching and defenses. I just feel that the fact that you can't get on base negates the fact that you have speed. I just don't see her as an SEC caliber lead off hitter, and I wish someone in the know would post her stats as far as batting avg/on base percentage numbers compared to before and after league play started to back up my point. Here's hoping she figures it out and does better for herself and her team. I'm rooting for her.

Was able to find the conference-only stats, and you’re right. Through 9 SEC games, she had the lowest OBP of any regular players. McCrackin has the highest at .400. Another option might be Dowell. In her limited conference action, she’s posted a .500 OBP. 

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8 minutes ago, boomstick said:

Was able to find the conference-only stats, and you’re right. Through 9 SEC games, she had the lowest OBP of any regular players. McCrackin has the highest at .400. Another option might be Dowell. In her limited conference action, she’s posted a .500 OBP. 

yeah Dowell seems to be a real player, but would she be ready to handle the pressure of lead off? Maybe move her up to the 2 spot. We could tinker with it some.

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I've always had the theory that you should have the player on the team most likely to get on base hitting leadoff.  The best bunter on the team should hit #2.  the best overall hitter in terms of average and power should be in the 3 hole.  In the 4 and 5 slots, you normally want players who hit with some power.  So I might go with TaySnow - Draper - MacCrackin - Veach - then Shea, Perry, Rivera in some order.  Rivera is the player I want to get back to her 2017 form, when she hit .345 in conference play.   BTW, Draper hit .296 in conference play last year.

 

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23 minutes ago, OlderWhiskey said:

I've always had the theory that you should have the player on the team most likely to get on base hitting leadoff.  The best bunter on the team should hit #2.  the best overall hitter in terms of average and power should be in the 3 hole.  In the 4 and 5 slots, you normally want players who hit with some power.  So I might go with TaySnow - Draper - MacCrackin - Veach - then Shea, Perry, Rivera in some order.  Rivera is the player I want to get back to her 2017 form, when she hit .345 in conference play.   BTW, Draper hit .296 in conference play last year.

 

Yes, all you said makes sense.  Just as a general statement: If I had a runner on 2nd or 3rd in the bottom of the 6th or 7th inning needing 1 run, the 3 hitters I would feel the most confident having at the plate would be McCrackin, Veach and Rivera.

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5 minutes ago, ArgoEagle said:

Yes, all you said makes sense.  Just as a general statement: If I had a runner on 2nd or 3rd in the bottom of the 6th or 7th inning needing 1 run, the 3 hitters I would feel the most confident having at the plate would be McCrackin, Veach and Rivera.

Sounds good....often lately what I've been hoping for is for the batter to just put the bat on the ball.  I don't have the stats but seems we leave a lot runners on 3rd when almost any hit ball should get them in.   

I don't know how much the individual players value their spot in the batting order so not sure whether there are hurt feelings when coach moves them around or do they accept that he is doing what he thinks will give them the best chance to win?.  

Also....is MD making good use of pinch hitters and designated players?    I can't keep up with it..... my TV coverage is so poor and half the time the announcers don't even know who is at the plate.....just wondering?.

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Her numbers have dropped but I'm not too concerned about it.  Everybody goes through slumps.  She is still putting the ball in play.  She will find the holes.  

I would like to see her try to drive more instead of slapping into the ground to the left side.  With a little success hitting to the outfield, the infield will loosen up a little giving her an extra step to the bag. 

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8 hours ago, ArgoEagle said:

Is anyone else concerned about Draper's ability to get on base decreasing since SEC play has started. I realize she has one of the highest ba's in the country still, but I have really noticed that since SEC play started, seems like the defensive level of play has stepped up and she is not getting on base hardly at all. A lead off hitter is supposed to be on base some how some way more than they are not. Her style of slap hitting has also been hampered by the new rule of stepping out of the box; she just doesn't seem to get that jump she used to before the rule. Any of you privy to stats: Just curious to know how far her batting avg. and on base percentage has fallen since SEC play has begun. I love her, not trying to knock her, but I just think it's time to find another lead off hitter and move her back to the 9 spot in the line up. Thoughts?

I would like to see the number on this.  I don't believe she's been called out for being out of the box more than 2 or 3 times (if that), but my memory may be fading with age. :lol: I don't believe its hampered her in the box at all.   Everybody across the country is having to adjust to that rule change.  Also lots of players averages go down once we get into conference play.  It happens on most every team in the league.  The pitching is that good.     So to answer the original question.  NO, not the least bit concerned.

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Since Podany is producing well at the 9 spot, which has been a nice surprise, I don't think you need to move Draper there. You also want Vic to lead off to best utilize her speed. She is just about guaranteed to get to 2nd with any walk or single within the next 2 pitches. I think her issue lately is defense has sold out on the bunt with good reason. She has kind of settled back into bunting 90% of the time (not true percentage, just perception here). I also think the bunt has been the best option in a lot of those cases because the bottom of the order is getting on base more. I think she would be more successful dragging down first base side more.  I would also like to see her swing occasionally. That's what made Cooper so dangerous. You couldn't predict with great certainty what she was going to do at the plate. 

We have also played some solid defense on the left side of infield since SEC play began to take the hits away when slapping. Kentucky was not letting anything through with those 2 players. 

I like Taylon behind Casey to keep pitchers from walking Casey as her hot hitting continues. Taylon would make them pay in 3rd spot. I just don't think you could put Draper anywhere else right now. 

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Draper has a 2 year track record of very good SEC hitting (far exceeding anyone else on the roster), plus an out-of-this-world 2018 non-conference résumé, you have to give her at least a few more weeks.

One thing I might do is move Alyssa Rivera back up, she seems to have made an adjustment from her slightly out of control swinging/fielding at the start of this year - she's likely to be our best hitter from this point forward.

The one somewhat interesting question is what to do with Makenna Dowell when Taylon returns. The obvious thing would just be to bench her, but if the players were robots I would put MD at 3rd, Veach at 1st, and split Tannon/Justus at DP (JP could play some 1st as well). Politically I think just benching her is the play though.

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4 hours ago, wildling said:

 

The one somewhat interesting question is what to do with Makenna Dowell when Taylon returns. The obvious thing would just be to bench her, but if the players were robots I would put MD at 3rd, Veach at 1st, and split Tannon/Justus at DP (JP could play some 1st as well). Politically I think just benching her is the play though.

Tay Snow may become Auburn's Wally Pipp. The guy took one day off because he was sick, Lou Gherig took his place at 1st base, supposedly for that one day and didn't turn the job loose for 2,130 consecutive games. :)

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14 hours ago, around4ever said:

Her numbers have dropped but I'm not too concerned about it.  Everybody goes through slumps.  She is still putting the ball in play.  She will find the holes.  

I would like to see her try to drive more instead of slapping into the ground to the left side.  With a little success hitting to the outfield, the infield will loosen up a little giving her an extra step to the bag. 

This x 100....^^^^^^^^^^

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