I know we've discussed this before...

[dawgstudent]

but in your mind - how much are the bats coming into play with our improved offensive performance.

 

[coach66]

It has more to do with better players. We have a lineup that puts a lot of

Pressure on teams. Can't pitch around too many folks and good bats coming off the bench. The bats and balls are noise for the most part. There is some talent on this team with two elite pitchers and some good young arms that may develop this season.

 

[Palmettodog]

I think it's difficult to say. Doesn't the change in the ball have an influence as well?

 

[BiscuitEater]

Yogi said it best .. Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.

IF players thought it was the bats .. then the bats needed to be changed! When the team lost confidence, it just went downhill. Hey, I even WATCHED the 8th inning of all the SEC series this year!

 

[8dog]

Im comvinced the ball comes off these bats better. And not one player has chosen to swing an adidas bat. To be fair though e kentucky used adidas and they didnt seem to have a problem.

But at the end of the day its new guys and a mature reid humphries carrying us. 3 of our top 4 conf bat avg are new guys.

 

[Dawg1976]

New kind of wood in today's bats?

 

[benatmsu]

It's hard to say...

...with so many new faces in the lineup this year.
But even last year's guys are looking better at the plate.
The biggest difference I see is that the last several years (and even the first part of this year) we would just kind of nonchalantly throw the bat out into the strike zone in hopes of making contact, which would produce a lot of weak popups and dribblers. Whereas this year, these guys are looking to make solid contact every swing, and you're seeing the results - a lot more gap power and line drives.
Maybe they didn't have confidence in the bats.... maybe the coaching philosophy at the plate has changed.
Whatever it is, the bat change certainly didn't hurt.

but in your mind - how much are the bats coming into play with our improved offensive performance.

 

[patdog]

A little, but like coach66 says, it's mostly the players. The bats weren't the reason we were terrible last year and the bats aren't the reason we're good this year. It's the players.

 

[HD6]

You could hit with a broomstick in Kentucky's ballpark and still be above .270.

 

[8dog]

Eastern ky.

 

[HD6]

I just took that for a typo, my bad.

 

[johnson86-1]

Im comvinced the ball comes off these bats better. And not one player has chosen to swing an adidas bat. To be fair though e kentucky used adidas and they didnt seem to have a problem.

But at the end of the day its new guys and a mature reid humphries carrying us. 3 of our top 4 conf bat avg are new guys.

The bats weren't the reason we sucked last year, but based on the fact that nobody chose to use Adidas bats again, I'm guessing they were hurting us.

Can't imagine there is a huge difference between the equipment at this point, but small improvements can make a big difference between closely matched teams, which almost everybody in the SEC is at this point.

 

[rugbdawg]

Our SEC run production is up about a half of a run over our average for last year. However, our nonconference scoring is off the charts. Bats are better. Players are better. But mostly the players.

 

[BiscuitEater]

Agree .. new talent has lifted this team and vets have gained confidence. Biggest stat to me, less than half way through the SEC season .. The Bulldogs now have 104 two-out RBIs on the season after totaling 98 in 2015.

Last year, we musta stranded a thousand base runners in scoring position. Seems like we froze up last year when we had runners on 2nd and/or 3rd. This year ii's different. They mentioned yesterday that Humphries in hitting .500 with men in scoring position. Whole team seems to be getting better results with guys on base .. and two out hitting has become contagious.

 

[tired]

I think they may play a small part. But I think maturity & mindset are the biggest parts. Another year makes a big difference for most people at any age.

 

[bulldogcountry1]

but in your mind - how much are the bats coming into play with our improved offensive performance.

Since you specifically asked about the offense, I will say they have made a significant difference. Look no further than the Holland double yesterday. That would have been an easy pop fly with the old bats.

 

[aTotal360]

I think it's definitely had an impact, but we also have better players too.