Texas @ UL-Lafayette Series Thread

[texasstrong12 4668]

21 minutes ago, Cajun said:

That Shaw ab was a perfect flashback to the last few years under AG.

Shaw is not the guy I want up there in that situation.

I had no issue with Shaw there. Shaw didn't execute but it made perfect sense in the context given. 

1) Shaw gave Texas a righty vs lefty match up. Would have be righty vs righty with McCann. 

2) Shaw has more speed so he had the potential to beat out a throw at first. 

3) Shaw is probably a better contact hitter than someone like McCann. McCann definitely has more power but if you were looking for a single in that situation Shaw was definitely the better option based on the match up with a right handed pitcher. 

4) It's not like McCann is Babe Ruth either. He's been an average to below average college hitter. 

The only way I would have stuck with McCann there is if it was 1st and 2nd and you needed an extra base hit. 

 

 

[chase25 2048]

3 minutes ago, texasstrong12 said:

I had no issue with Shaw there. Shaw didn't execute but it made perfect sense in the context given. 

1) Shaw gave Texas a righty vs lefty match up. Would have be righty vs righty with McCann. 

2) Shaw has more speed so he had the potential to beat out a throw at first. 

3) Shaw is probably a better contact hitter than someone like McCann. McCann definitely has more power but if you were looking for a single in that situation Shaw was definitely the better option based on the match up with a right handed pitcher. 

4) It's not like McCann is Babe Ruth either. He's been an average to below average college hitter. 

The only way I would have stuck with McCann there is if it was 1st and 2nd and you needed an extra base hit. 

 

 

Have you watched McCann play his entire career here? He is the exact opposite of a prototypical catcher. He is unusually fast for a catcher, he has a flat quick swing that doesn't produce power, and he almost always gets the bat off his shoulder every time at the plate. The only advantage that favors Shaw in that situation is lefty righty and that shouldn't have outweighed the fact that McCann had already played all 3 games in the series with a couple of big hits at that.

Your 4th point describes both of their entire careers at Texas.

[chase25 2048]

I really like Pierce but one thing that has concerned me since he has been here, is his willingness to piss away a shot at a sweep in favor of tinkering around and getting guys playing time.

You're down 4-1 and your bats haven't shown any life, Brandon Ivey just got you out of a jam to keep the score 4-1. Go to the bottom of the 5th inning and on comes true Freshman Jack Neely, faces 3 batters (walks 2 and gives up a hit), then he brings in Whelan and at this point I'm thinking, like most of you, Pierce is just going to get some guys innings and he is throwing this game away and Bocchi is going to start Tuesday night against Rice... NOPE, he brings Bocchi in during an 8-1 game in the bottom of the 6th... WTF... Why not bring Bocchi in when it was 4-1 for a long relief appearance and give yourself a chance to win? That is what I don't get, what is going through his mind when he makes that decision.

Edited February 18, 2019 by chase25

[texasstrong12 4668]

23 minutes ago, chase25 said:

Have you watched McCann play his entire career here? He is the exact opposite of a prototypical catcher. He is unusually fast for a catcher, he has a flat quick swing that doesn't produce power, and he almost always gets the bat off his shoulder every time at the plate. The only advantage that favors Shaw in that situation is lefty righty and that shouldn't have outweighed the fact that McCann had already played all 3 games in the series with a couple of big hits at that.

Your 4th point describes both of their entire careers at Texas.

1) McCann is a good athlete for a catcher but he's not the type athlete that Shaw is. Shaw's only real value is the fact that he's a good athlete. 

2) McCann is an average to below average hitter. He's a .260 career hitter at Texas and I bet those numbers are even more unfavorable when you look at the numbers against right handed pitchers. 

3) The argument has little to do with the idea Shaw is an incredible hitter. He obviously isn't. You had two meh hitters so you roll with the one where the match up is at least favorable in terms of the righty vs lefty match up. 

4) Getting the bat off your shoulder means little if you can't make contact.

Shaw strikes out 21.5% of his at bats at Texas and McCann strikes out 26% percent of the time at Texas. Obviously Shaw didn't execute today but McCann strikes out a higher rate than Shaw. Again, back to the point of Shaw had the better chance of making contact. 

If you were looking for a single in that situation I think Shaw definitely gave Texas the better chance based on 1) more speed 2) I'm guessing the splits for righty vs lefty match up were more favorable with Shaw in that situation than righty vs righty with McCann. 

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by texasstrong12

[DalTxHornFan 3097]

2 hours ago, VirginiaLonghorn said:

One slight criticism.

When trailing by multiple runs, you need base runners. It seemed like there was too much hacking at first pitches .. which really plays in the pitcher’s favor. Work the friggin’ count. 

That approach usually worked pretty well under Coach Gus.

[chase25 2048]

1 minute ago, texasstrong12 said:

1) McCann is a good athlete for a catcher but he's not the type athlete that Shaw is. Shaw's only real value is the fact that he's a good athlete. 

2) McCann is an average to below average hitter. He's a .260 career hitter at Texas and I bet those numbers are even more unfavorable when you look at the numbers against right handed pitchers. 

3) The argument has little to do with the idea Shaw is an incredible hitter. He obviously isn't. You had two meh hitters so you roll with the one where the match up is at least favorable in terms of the righty vs lefty match up. 

4) Getting the bat off your shoulder means little if you can't make contact.

Shaw strikes out 21.5% of hist at bats at Texas and McCann strikes out 26% percent of the time at Texas. Obviously Shaw didn't execute today but McCann strikes out a higher rate than Shaw. Again, back to the point of Shaw had the better chance of making contact. 

 

 

 

Strike out percentage has very little do with making contact. You can strike out looking every time at the plate theoretically. McCann his entire career here at least gets his bat off his shoulder and puts the ball in play.

Going into that plate appearance this series with the game on the line.

McCann: 3-12, 2 runs, 2 2Bs, a walk, 1 RBI and had reached on error in that game on a throwing error he forced by hustling down to 1B on a routine ground ball hit to the SS.

Shaw: 0-2 with 2Ks, now 0-3 with 3Ks and didn't even take the bat off his shoulder.

The only thing that favored Shaw was lefty righty in which he is going to be slightly quicker out of the box because he is a lefty. If you have Zubia, Ellis, Reynolds, Todd, Kennedy or someone like that on the bench by chance for whatever reason, by all means pinch hit. Tate freaking Shaw? Really? Just don't get it but to each their own.

[spystud13 2371]

There is not a coach/manager on this planet that has chosen a PH based on speed, jesus fuck. 

[texasstrong12 4668]

4 minutes ago, spystud13 said:

There is not a coach/manager on this planet that has chosen a PH based on speed, jesus fuck. 

Well yeah, it was almost entirely based on the righty vs lefty match up. I think it played a role in the decision but it obviously wasn't the only reason they rolled with Shaw. 

Edited February 18, 2019 by texasstrong12

[texasstrong12 4668]

19 minutes ago, chase25 said:

McCann: 3-12, 2 runs, 2 2Bs, a walk, 1 RBI and had reached on error in that game on a throwing error he forced by hustling down to 1B on a routine ground ball hit to the SS.

Shaw: 0-2 with 2Ks, now 0-3 with 3Ks and didn't even take the bat off his shoulder.

 

So you think this decision was based on that small sample? 

Also, I'm fairly certain 2 of those hits came against left-handed pitchers. That's the point. McCann is a .260 hitter and I bet those numbers are much worse against right handed pitchers when you look at the full picture beyond that sample. 

All these coaches/teams have these numbers. You can bet it was almost entirely driven by McCann's numbers against right-handed pitchers and Shaw's numbers against right-handed pitchers. 

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by texasstrong12

[chase25 2048]

Just now, texasstrong12 said:

So you think this decision was based on that small sample? 

Also, I'm fairly certain 2 of those hits came against lefties (Perrin in game 1 and Horton game 3). That's the point. McCann is a .260 hitter and I bet those numbers are much worse against right handed hitters when you look at the full picture beyond that sample. 

 

And Shaw is a .245 hitter which you keep conveniently not mentioning in order to try and win an argument. Pinch hit a below average college hitter for an average college hitter with the game on the line for what according to you is because the below average college hitter is a better "athlete"... Really? We are pinch hitting now based on athleticism.

Look I concede Pierce is privy to way more data than I am but even he would have a hard time explaining that decision other than giving the typical response that he decided to go with the lefty-righty matchup.

[texasstrong12 4668]

17 minutes ago, chase25 said:

And Shaw is a .245 hitter which you keep conveniently not mentioning in order to try and win an argument.

Shaw isn't a good hitter. He can't hit worth a shit against lefties. Shaw is a dead man walking against left-handed pitchers which is why when Todd was healthy last year he would often times be in the lineup over Shaw when it was a lefty starter. I'm too lazy to figure this out but I'm betting Shaw is close to a .100 hitter against left-handed pitchers since he's been at Texas. 

But again, that's the point. Shaw is a terrible match up lefty vs lefty. Much like I'm betting McCann is righty vs righty. Even this weekend 2/3 of McCann's hits came against left-handed pitchers.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by texasstrong12

[Beau Vine 54207]

1 hour ago, spystud13 said:

There is not a coach/manager on this planet that has chosen a PH based on speed, jesus fuck. 

Well, if the catcher had dropped that third strike, he could have run to first faster.  

[Beau Vine 54207]

1 hour ago, texasstrong12 said:

So you think this decision was based on that small sample? 

 

The guy who rolled out "Shaw has more speed so he had the potential to beat out a throw at first" is criticizing someone for using small samples?

[texasstrong12 4668]

Just now, Beau Vine said:

The guy who rolled out "Shaw has more speed so he had the potential to beat out a throw at first" is criticizing someone for using small samples?

Fair enough. I don't think "speed/athleticism" were the main reason Pierce used Shaw in that situation. It was almost certainly based on the righty vs lefty match up. 

But using a sample of 3 hits in 13 at bats (in which 2 came against left-handed pitchers) doesn't tell me much of anything when the entire point was that a righty vs lefty match up was more favorable. 

 

[SquishMitten 10403]

Well shit. That felt like a  ‘Casey at the bat’ ending

[Cairn Horn88 8260]

Well, we need better hitters, better hitting coaches.....or both.  

[texasstrong12 4668]

I would be interested to see Pierce answer why he pinch-hit with Shaw in that situation. Pierce is normally honest with his answers on this type stuff whether you agree with his position or not. 

Last year he was asked about a shift ( I can't remember which game) and he said it was almost entirely based on advanced stats/metrics. I think it was McComas that wrote an article on this last year about Pierce using advanced stats/metrics when it comes to shifts. Pierce is apparently data/numbers driven based on everything I've read. 

I bet his answer would be almost entirely data driven in reference to the righty vs lefty match up. 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by texasstrong12

[Machinator 32099]

32 minutes ago, Cairn Horn88 said:

Well, we need better hitters, better hitting coaches.....or both.  

The freshmen looked good this weekend.

[EuroHorn 3253]

Hitting wasn’t a problem today. It was pitching 

[texasstrong12 4668]

http://insidetexas.com/pierce-previews-changed-roster-difficult-schedule-ahead-of-second-season/

In reference to what I said above about shifts and data. I know McComas wrote a better article on this after one of the nonconference games last year. 

One of the biggest recent trends in baseball is positioning fielders pitch after pitch based on the hitter’s tendencies. This has even gone to an extreme in the MLB, as teams put on extreme overshifts, often with three players on one side of the infield, in order to best defend against team’s best batters.

Pierce said the Longhorns have a lot more data now than they have in the past, and will tinker with where fielders set up this season.

“We’ve got a lot more information now,” Pierce said. “Defensive positioning is one thing that we’ve been concentrating on, maybe a little version of some shifting. That, to me, is only because we’ve got the data this year or we’ve got more and more data. We’re experimenting with that.”

With the new toys will also come learning how to implement them. If, for instance, Hamilton shades to the right of second base that changes the position he’ll have to get to if the batter sends a double into the left-center field gap.

“It’s not only just moving a guy,” Pierce said. “It’s understanding your throwing angles, and where do you move on cuts and relays and communication there. That to me is still up in the air, on how we utilize that piece.”

Pierce believes that as more data becomes available to teams, shifting and positioning will be a part of the college game much like it is in the big leagues. After all, he has experience against it.

“There’s no doubt,” Pierce said on if it will spread. “You saw it against Kacy last year. Lot of people shifted on Kacy, and it was beneficial. We’re going to take a look at it.”

Edited February 18, 2019 by texasstrong12

[zlavydra 2119]

15 hours ago, texasstrong12 said:

Purdue was swept by Southern Miss this weekend. Southern Miss is good though (#21 ranked team in the country). 

The Purdue 4 game series is really where we need to stack some wins at home. After that we play 4 games on the road @ Stanford, 3 games at home vs LSU and 2 games at home against Arkansas. All those teams are probably top 10 in the country. 

Then there are some tricky/tough midweek games with Rice, A&M, SHSU and so on. 

 

Believe it or not, Purdue made it to a regional last year (Chapel Hill), where they beat the 4 seed, but dropped 2 to Houston.  No idea whether they return anyone, though.

[texasstrong12 4668]

2 hours ago, sublime said:

If they can find a second Ace or at least a quality day 3 starter this team might be pretty good. It's all about the new guys.

I think this team will be a lot like last year. Up and down during a really tough nonconference schedule but we will be good come the end of Big 12 play. 

 

[texasstrong12 4668]

1 hour ago, zlavydra said:

Believe it or not, Purdue made it to a regional last year (Chapel Hill), where they beat the 4 seed, but dropped 2 to Houston.  No idea whether they return anyone, though.

Yeah, this schedule is close to insanity. That’s our easiest nonconference series. 

I’m all for scheduling tough but this schedule seems over the top. 

[Fozzz 152]

14 hours ago, chase25 said:

Have you watched McCann play his entire career here? He is the exact opposite of a prototypical catcher. He is unusually fast for a catcher, he has a flat quick swing that doesn't produce power, and he almost always gets the bat off his shoulder every time at the plate. The only advantage that favors Shaw in that situation is lefty righty and that shouldn't have outweighed the fact that McCann had already played all 3 games in the series with a couple of big hits at that.

Your 4th point describes both of their entire careers at Texas.

Shaw has a higher wOBA over his collegiate career (including a lower K%) than McCann and he also gives you the platoon advantage.  That's a pretty easy to decision.

[texasstrong12 4668]

3 minutes ago, Fozzz said:

Shaw has a higher wOBA over his collegiate career (including a lower K%) than McCann and he also gives you the platoon advantage.  That's a pretty easy to decision.

Do you have the batting averages for Shaw and McCann against right-handed pitchers? 

Because i'm betting it's actually a pretty big difference over their careers at Texas. 

[Fozzz 152]

Just now, texasstrong12 said:

Do you have the batting averages for Shaw and McCann against right-handed pitchers? 

Because i'm betting it's actually a pretty big difference over their careers at Texas. 

I wouldn't even bother with looking at individual platoon splits for college players given the small sample sizes.  For any college player I would simply assume they have an average platoon skill of 9% wOBA for LHB and 6% wOBA for RHB.  

[texasstrong12 4668]

Just now, Fozzz said:

For any college player I would simply assume they have an average platoon skill of 9% wOBA for LHB and 6% wOBA for RHB.  

This is a lot more data driven and worded better than what I said above. 

But this is why I didn't even think it was controversial to pinch-hit in that situation with Shaw (platoon advantage). I think the majority of coaches would have done the same thing. 

[spystud13 2371]

And he’s faster. 

[Fozzz 152]

13 hours ago, texasstrong12 said:

http://insidetexas.com/pierce-previews-changed-roster-difficult-schedule-ahead-of-second-season/

In reference to what I said above about shifts and data. I know McComas wrote a better article on this after one of the nonconference games last year. 

One of the biggest recent trends in baseball is positioning fielders pitch after pitch based on the hitter’s tendencies. This has even gone to an extreme in the MLB, as teams put on extreme overshifts, often with three players on one side of the infield, in order to best defend against team’s best batters.

Pierce said the Longhorns have a lot more data now than they have in the past, and will tinker with where fielders set up this season.

“We’ve got a lot more information now,” Pierce said. “Defensive positioning is one thing that we’ve been concentrating on, maybe a little version of some shifting. That, to me, is only because we’ve got the data this year or we’ve got more and more data. We’re experimenting with that.”

With the new toys will also come learning how to implement them. If, for instance, Hamilton shades to the right of second base that changes the position he’ll have to get to if the batter sends a double into the left-center field gap.

“It’s not only just moving a guy,” Pierce said. “It’s understanding your throwing angles, and where do you move on cuts and relays and communication there. That to me is still up in the air, on how we utilize that piece.”

Pierce believes that as more data becomes available to teams, shifting and positioning will be a part of the college game much like it is in the big leagues. After all, he has experience against it.

“There’s no doubt,” Pierce said on if it will spread. “You saw it against Kacy last year. Lot of people shifted on Kacy, and it was beneficial. We’re going to take a look at it.”

I wonder how they are acquiring the spray angle data besides the TrackMan at Disch-Falk.  Also, although i'm sure it will be used conservatively by Pierce, I hope he is aware of how the shift is known to negatively impact the pitcher's command.   It is a strategy that can hurt more than help if it's not implemented cautiously.  I'd be more interested in hearing how they are using that TrackMan data to develop their pitchers.  

[texasstrong12 4668]

1 minute ago, Fozzz said:

I wonder how they are acquiring the spray angle data besides the TrackMan at Disch-Falk.  Also, although i'm sure it will be used conservatively by Pierce, I hope he is aware of how the shift is known to negatively impact the pitcher's command.   It is a strategy that can hurt more than help if it's not implemented cautiously.  I'd be more interested in hearing how they are using that TrackMan data to develop their pitchers.  

Pierce had some interesting answers on this stuff last year. I'm not sure if it was specific to TrackMan but he went into specific detail on shifts and other applications of data. I'll try and find it later. 

Either way, it's interesting. Seems to me that Pierce is data driven but I'm not sure that's much different than other coaches. Like he said, it's becoming so accessible that you would be dumb to not at least experiment with new data. 

[torre 1285]

I am not yet a member of the David Pierce Fan Club,  but great respect for his management of the roster this weekend.    He gave multiple players valuable experience on the road,  respectable opponent,  viewed by 5K opposing fans each game to prepare for the challenging schedule ahead.  

It is obvious Pierce favors the left/right matchup.    Note that Shaw did not start Friday or Sunday against ULL's LHP.    In Shaw's defense,  he may have been given the take sign for the first pitch,  even the second.    ULL's pitcher had walked the previous 2 batters and  was the pitcher who gave up the winning hit to Todd on Friday night.    So likely they wanted to work the count to unnerve him.    Ford was up next who looks very, very good.

tl/dr;   Lighten up on my man,  "Tater"        😊 

[zlavydra 2119]

15 minutes ago, torre said:

I am not yet a member of the David Pierce Fan Club,  but great respect for his management of the roster this weekend.    He gave multiple players valuable experience on the road,  respectable opponent,  viewed by 5K opposing fans each game to prepare for the challenging schedule ahead.  

 

Only decision I find fault with was using Bocchi down 8-1, rather than saving him for Rice.  Pretty sure he'll be starting next weekend, however.

[texasstrong12 4668]

Bocchi only threw 33 pitches yesterday. They might still throw him against Rice a couple innings. It's just like a midweek bullpen session. 

 

[66BUFF 2562]

On ‎2‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 1:59 PM, 66BUFF said:

Madden?

Called it.

[Pato del Muerto 52485]

On 2/18/2019 at 12:41 PM, zlavydra said:

Only decision I find fault with was using Bocchi down 8-1, rather than saving him for Rice.  Pretty sure he'll be starting next weekend, however.

The official Sunday starter is tbd, but I’m guessing it’s supposed to be bocchi unless they have to use him in the first 3 games.  Or maybe pierce is assuming at least one of the first 3 gets canceled for rain. I guess another option is he has an idea of what he has in bocchi and wants to keep giving madden chances to find out what he has there. 

[zork 629]

On 2/17/2019 at 8:27 PM, texasstrong12 said:

Shaw isn't a good hitter. He can't hit worth a shit against lefties. Shaw is a dead man walking against left-handed pitchers which is why when Todd was healthy last year he would often times be in the lineup over Shaw when it was a lefty starter. I'm too lazy to figure this out but I'm betting Shaw is close to a .100 hitter against left-handed pitchers since he's been at Texas. 

But again, that's the point. Shaw is a terrible match up lefty vs lefty. Much like I'm betting McCann is righty vs righty. Even this weekend 2/3 of McCann's hits came against left-handed pitchers.

 

 

In the last 8 games of last year during the post season Shaw was: 9 for 26 with 6 walks:

texas southern 1-2 with 3 walks

aggy 1-3 and 2 walks

indiana 1-3

TTech 0-4

TTech 1-4

TTech 2-4

arky 3-3 and a walk

UF 0-3

 

He didn't get the hit in his pinch hit at La but you could say he played pretty well when it mattered last post season.  He is also a redshirt SR so you can't get much more experienced than that.  Pierce likes to put the old guys in the clutch situations.  It doesn't always work.

Edited February 22, 2019 by zork