Softball vs. uat SEC tournament

[AUBwins 10,075]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Frustrating.  The foul tip was a tough break getting 0-2. 

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

I can't stand Osorio.....grrrrr!!!

[AUBwins 10,075]

1 minute ago, Tigerbelle said:

I can't stand Osorio.....grrrrr!!!

Does she finally graduate this year?

[ScubaSteve 194]

Won’t be surprised if we get sent to the Oklahoma regional now.

[AUBwins 10,075]

Just now, ScubaSteve said:

Won’t be surprised if we get sent to the Oklahoma regional now.

That would be our luck to face them 3 straight years

[AUBwins 10,075]

It was hard to feel hopeful with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. We have to be one of the worst in the country in that situation.  Just 1 hit in the outfield ties the game.  

Oh well, Let's regroup and take a regional. 

[Hspoprn 199]

Preston is going to be very, very good for the next few years.

I hate Bammer, but the best team on the field won tonight. How many RISP did we leave on ? was kind of a microcosm of the entire year.  Was surprised Carlson and Martin got hammered, but props to the Bammer hitters. Oh well, probably one more game this season.

[around4ever 4,139]

Again, stranding runners is our downfall.  It has been that way most of the season, especially in SEC play.  It will be tough to get through regionals when you can't get a hit with runners in scoring position.  WDE always!!!

[The Plainsman 948]

Thanks for the play by play but why no score updates to go along with the updates?    Sorry to be picky.  

[Mikey 16,598]

51 minutes ago, Hspoprn said:

Preston is going to be very, very good for the next few years.

I hate Bammer, but the best team on the field won tonight. How many RISP did we leave on ? was kind of a microcosm of the entire year.  Was surprised Carlson and Martin got hammered, but props to the Bammer hitters. Oh well, probably one more game this season.

Two more. Regionals are double elimination.

This game was like a lot of the season. Gloves 3 inches from making a catch, infielders & outfielders on different pages, swinging at ball four head high or in the dirt, close calls not going our way. It's too early to say we're headed back to the pre Coach Meyers days, but it's something that concerns me.

Earlier years of AU softball were nice in their way. Admission free, walk in, turn the wee ones loose and stand around taking to coaches of various other sports in a "gee, it will be nice if we win" atmosphere. But now I've become used to the New Auburn softball. I hope we can keep this new brand.

[auburn4ever 1,266]

One and done. That is sick.

[80Tiger 899]

11 hours ago, Mikey said:

Two more. Regionals are double elimination.

This game was like a lot of the season. Gloves 3 inches from making a catch, infielders & outfielders on different pages, swinging at ball four head high or in the dirt, close calls not going our way. It's too early to say we're headed back to the pre Coach Meyers days, but it's something that concerns me.

Earlier years of AU softball were nice in their way. Admission free, walk in, turn the wee ones loose and stand around taking to coaches of various other sports in a "gee, it will be nice if we win" atmosphere. But now I've become used to the New Auburn softball. I hope we can keep this new brand.

While agree with your game to season comparison, those items that you list is what they seperate the good teams from the avg teams and that comes from coaching. I agree it is early, but did not see much this year that gives me the warm fuzzies. I could not get over pinch hitting for the lead off batter with bases loaded and 2 outs. I felt sorry for our girl. Stone cold off the bench facing an all American pitcher. This team has talent but I believe we performed under our talent level as a whole. 

[swimmama 45]

I fell really bad for these girls, everything has been turned upside down. Dean came in and tried to totally erase everything that they had accomplished. That says a lot. He made athletics take down the flags at the front for their wins in SEC and going to World Series! Really. I have never missed a game in the last three years at home. You can really read body language from our girls, they are not the fun-loving happy team that they once were.  The standings were never posted this year, I am totally mad at Myers but he instilled in them that they could reach for the moon. Dean’s idea that defense and pitching wins obviously hasn’t seen how it goes in SEC!!! Only game that I know where love scores win is in golf. Justis is probably never going to get out of doghouse and he sends her in with no chance of success. I won’t be surprised to see her bolt, with maybe some more. They play tentative because they know that he will bench them in a heartbeat. Sad indeed, we had come so far. We will see how next year goes, but this batting coach needs to go but won’t , he came because he promised to bring three players here next year. I will be there cheering them on because that is who I am but this is hard to watch for sure. Our stats show how far we have fallen. 

[Hspoprn 199]

Auburn left 12 runners on base, including multiple baserunners in five different innings.

Sound familiar ?

[steeleagle 2,945]

41 minutes ago, swimmama said:

I fell really bad for these girls, everything has been turned upside down. Dean came in and tried to totally erase everything that they had accomplished. That says a lot. He made athletics take down the flags at the front for their wins in SEC and going to World Series! Really. I have never missed a game in the last three years at home. You can really read body language from our girls, they are not the fun-loving happy team that they once were.  The standings were never posted this year, I am totally mad at Myers but he instilled in them that they could reach for the moon. Dean’s idea that defense and pitching wins obviously hasn’t seen how it goes in SEC!!! Only game that I know where love scores win is in golf. Justis is probably never going to get out of doghouse and he sends her in with no chance of success. I won’t be surprised to see her bolt, with maybe some more. They play tentative because they know that he will bench them in a heartbeat. Sad indeed, we had come so far. We will see how next year goes, but this batting coach needs to go but won’t , he came because he promised to bring three players here next year. I will be there cheering them on because that is who I am but this is hard to watch for sure. Our stats show how far we have fallen. 

Our SEC stats were falling last year (and that is with Cooper, Fagan and Wallace in the lineup). We batted .228 in SEC play last year. And this year it was .211 (WITHOUT those 3 veterans) 

[Mikey 16,598]

I can't find much to criticize in putting Perry in to pinch hit. Draper is a slapper. The bases were loaded with two outs, meaning an easy force at any base loses the game. We didn't need a slapper at the plate, we needed a hitter that might drive the ball out of the infield. Other than that, I very much agree with the above posts by @80Tiger and @swimmama.

[steeleagle 2,945]

3 hours ago, 80Tiger said:

While agree with your game to season comparison, those items that you list is what they seperate the good teams from the avg teams and that comes from coaching. I agree it is early, but did not see much this year that gives me the warm fuzzies. I could not get over pinch hitting for the lead off batter with bases loaded and 2 outs. I felt sorry for our girl. Stone cold off the bench facing an all American pitcher. This team has talent but I believe we performed under our talent level as a whole. 

Our lead off hitter was batting last, last year bc of the type of hitter she is. This year, batting lead off, in SEC play she was batting .203 with 1 RBI and 2 walks and an on base percentage or .225. That is NOT what you want from your leadoff batter. I think the new rule to watch batters stepping out of the batters box really hurt her this year. 

although I agree, let the senior veteran give it one last chance, but Dean was hoping for someone to get the ball out of the infield i guess( and Draper had gone 0-4 with a strikeout against Osorio, who was now back in the game. Remember, he doesnt have a history with these girls that were recruited and played for Meyers. So he was just a coach trying anything to generate runs. 

[autan 737]

Several negative posts directed at Draper over course of the season. But she does have highest batting average on team by far. Granted her SEC average was low as was entire lineup. I'll defend Vic by saying she's been a clutch player over her career both offensively and defensively IMO. Not taking a shot at Perry but but almost a sure K under the conditions she faced.  I would have takne my chances with Draper who had seen a lot of pitches from Osorio.  But Mickey is our coach and I support him, just don't agree with some decisions.  One girl in starting lineup has BA well below 0.200.  We all agree hitting (especially clutch hitting) is biggest issue.

[GwillMac6 20,677]

The biggest issue the last 2 years is developing the bats to be a legit threat in sec play. Myers had the same problem last season as well. Myers struggled to develop quality bats out of the ones he himself recruited and did not already inherit from the previous regime. That problem still exists this year with dean. Except he is not having great success like Myers did with the previous coaches players. That 2015 team was the best hitting team we will see for a long time. We were deadly at almost any spot in the lineup. If we had any of the last 3 seasons of pitching we would of easily won it all that season.

[steeleagle 2,945]

29 minutes ago, autan said:

Several negative posts directed at Draper over course of the season. But she does have highest batting average on team by far. Granted her SEC average was low as was entire lineup. I'll defend Vic by saying she's been a clutch player over her career both offensively and defensively IMO. Not taking a shot at Perry but but almost a sure K under the conditions she faced.  I would have takne my chances with Draper who had seen a lot of pitches from Osorio.  But Mickey is our coach and I support him, just don't agree with some decisions.  One girl in starting lineup has BA well below 0.200.  We all agree hitting (especially clutch hitting) is biggest issue.

Not knocking Draper either. She has had a very good career at AU and helped us win during the last 2-3 years, and her D is outstanding in the OF. 

BUT, she was not clutch this year. MAybe she just couldn't handle the pressure of batting lead off. And the rule enforcement of stepping out of the batters box, I think really cuffed her mentally, as that is a major part of the style of hitter she is.

But her avg against Osorio was no better than Perry's. She struck out against Osario in the first, and never got a hit in her other ABs. That's why managers manage the game and make the tough decisions. I agree Perry wasn't much better of an option, but we have had trouble ALL year with RISP. I didn't like Draper's chances any better than Perry's.

[Mikey 16,598]

28 minutes ago, autan said:

Several negative posts directed at Draper over course of the season. But she does have highest batting average on team by far. Granted her SEC average was low as was entire lineup. I'll defend Vic by saying she's been a clutch player over her career both offensively and defensively IMO. Not taking a shot at Perry but but almost a sure K under the conditions she faced.  I would have takne my chances with Draper who had seen a lot of pitches from Osorio.  But Mickey is our coach and I support him, just don't agree with some decisions.  One girl in starting lineup has BA well below 0.200.  We all agree hitting (especially clutch hitting) is biggest issue.

I don't see putting the pinch hitter in as being negative to Draper. She's very good at tapping the ball around the infield and beating it out with foot-speed. Yesterday's situation didn't need that type of hitter. What was needed was someone to knock the ball into the outfield. A tap around the infield would just make for an easy force out at any base. I was expecting a pinch hitter before Perry even checked in and that's not a knock on Draper, it's a reflection that different situations require different solutions.

[GwillMac6 20,677]

1 minute ago, Mikey said:

I don't see putting the pinch hitter in as being negative to Draper. She's very good at tapping the ball around the infield and beating it out with foot-speed. Yesterday's situation didn't need that type of hitter. What was needed was someone to knock the ball into the outfield. A tap around the infield would just make for an easy force out at any base. I was expecting a pinch hitter before Perry even checked in and that's not a knock on Draper, it's a reflection that different situations require different solutions.

Myers use to do this all the time with draper as well. Dean is not alone with this line of thinking. I remember in game 3 of the championship series vs oklahoma they pinched shea for draper with 2 outs on as well.

[slot canyon 1,333]

Anyone else frustrated with the "stepping out of the box" rule? This not meant to be a sour grapes criticism of Elissa Brown but using her as an example. In other Bama games I have seen this year, she almost always steps out of the box. She did so last night on at least a couple of foul balls and very obvious on her 2RBI hit. I realize that the umpire has a lot to look at just to call balls/strikes but why have a rule if you can't monitor it in some consistent fashion. I know the line of the box gets fuzzy as the game progresses but something really should be done. I can live with bang-bang close plays at let's say 1st base but when a player steps over the line making contact with the ball and nearly steps on home plate the call should be made. I would prefer they remove the rule rather than have it "enforced" in its current form. I also believe I could do without the obstruction rule in its current form. These rules can have such a big impact on the outcome of the game and just leave you frustrated because there is no way to review or reverse a blatant bad call. As the remaining games have greater and greater implications these calls (or lack of) will come front and center in determining the outcome. Rant ended.

[BhamCAT 47]

I can't understand how replay would affect the cost or time of a game for either of those situations.  When it is obvious, it is obvious in a matter of seconds, as it is to all of us from TV replays.  It does not have to be like the money making football where they spend 5 minutes with a crew of half-dozen debating it.  If it's close, let it stand, if obvious then overturn it....then play ball.

[Hspoprn 199]

53 minutes ago, slot canyon said:

Anyone else frustrated with the "stepping out of the box" rule?

What was the objective, other than placing an unrealistic burden on the home plate umpire, of this rule anyway?

53 minutes ago, slot canyon said:

I also believe I could do without the obstruction rule in its current form.

 

IMO both rules are ridiculous, and will never be called consistently by the umps. At what point does a home plate umpire divert his vision from the strike zone to the batters feet?  The obstruction rule, just like the "stepping out of the box" rule, is ignored by some umps, over-called by others.