2017 Baseball RPI

[dawg80]

In both games, we were awful at the plate when it mattered the most. Yesterday, we were something like 0-10 with 2 outs and 1/20 with runners in scoring position. 20? that might be a bit high, but regardless, we were horrible. But! there are ways to generate runs w/o scoring on a hit. Sac flies, ground outs can plate runs from 3rd with less than 2 outs.

Yesterday the "meat" of our order, 2,3,4 were awful. They collectively had one hit. That's the part of the lineup that is supposed to produce offense.

[stodgdog]

There were times over the last two weeks when we had runners on 1st and 2nd that we could've advanced. Being on 2nd and 3rd makes it an easier RBI for any batter. Runs scored makes for momentum. Stepping away from the plate without getting the job done is obviously contagious.

Sac bunt with a force at 3rd is a poor percentage play.

[sportdawg]

I'm not a big fan of bunting, but I think if we'd gotten some runs in 1st & 2nd against Charlotte, it could have changed the game.

http://www.athleticsnation.com/2013/8/7/4590940/a-statistical-defense-sort-of-of-the-sac-bunt

But what about bunting over runners on 1st and 2nd? The run expectancy for runners on 1st and 2nd and no outs is 1.47 runs, and the specific breakdown is as follows:

Runs	Probability
0	36.99%
1	22.94%
2	16.27%
3	12.23%
4+	11.57%

For runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out, the run expectancy is 1.36 runs, and the specific breakdown is as follows:

Runs	Probability
0	33.26%
1	27.34%
2	22.28%
3	9.11%
4+	8.01%

Now we're getting somewhere. You've still reduced your overall run expectancy. But you've decreased your chances of scoring 0 runs by 3.62%, so you've increased your likelihood of scoring at least one run. What's more, you've increased your chances of scoring exactly one run by almost 5%, and exactly two runs by 6%!

[PawDawg]

Did any Tech fan who watched our games this year feel good about a sac bunt when we were trailing by multiple runs?

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

The whole point of the game when on offense is to get on base, advance runners and score. If it's working to swing through and hit balls then so be it. When swinging through isn't working the only other option is to bunt. If all you can do to compete is bunt then bunt.

[PawDawg]

The whole point of the game when on offense is to get on base, advance runners and score. If it's working to swing through and hit balls then so be it. When swinging through isn't working the only other option is to bunt. If all you can do to compete is bunt then bunt.

We were second in C-USA in batting average. Going through a cold streak is not cause for panic.

[Bone_afide_Dawg]

With the season sadly fizzling to a lifeless end perhaps now is a good time to panic since I know of only one returning position player and a coach who seemed incapable of igniting his team to succeed when it mattered most. I hope he's ready, willing and able to work his ass off putting together his own competitive team otherwise it could be a disastrous state of affairs for Tech baseball. As of right now he has one underachieving season to his name at Tech and he did it with a previously proven group of players.

[PawDawg]

he did it with a previously proven group of players.

They didn't hit in the last two games. That's not on the coach. Small ball was not the answer unless you didn't keep up until the last two games.

[tenacious_dog]

So many games we won this year we didn't find our bats until the last couple of innings. And how many times did we get to two outs in an inning before getting a man on base then score 1 - 3 runs? Enough that I learned not to count the Dawgs out just because we were down in late innings.

A lot of this being down on Burroughs sounds like what was said after Holtz first year after Dykes left. That's turned out ok. I can be patient a while and give Burroughs some time.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not happy at all with how the MidTn series went down or with the tournament. I expected a lot better results. I don't know how the other bubble teams have done in their tourneys; maybe we'll still get the nod for regionals. But it's a long shot. A heck of a long shot.

[Gooddawg]

We were up 8-4 vs MTSU and had our two top relievers in to close it out and didn't get it done. Hard to blame anyone really for that, it just came at a bad time and is therefore magnified. Baseball has a way of doing that.

[techdawg28]

So many games we won this year we didn't find our bats until the last couple of innings. And how many times did we get to two outs in an inning before getting a man on base then score 1 - 3 runs? Enough that I learned not to count the Dawgs out just because we were down in late innings.

A lot of this being down on Burroughs sounds like what was said after Holtz first year after Dykes left. That's turned out ok. I can be patient a while and give Burroughs some time.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not happy at all with how the MidTn series went down or with the tournament. I expected a lot better results. I don't know how the other bubble teams have done in their tourneys; maybe we'll still get the nod for regionals. But it's a long shot. A heck of a long shot.

Amen.

[Dawg06]

Y'all think Burroughs regrets not pursuing 2 additional midweek games down the stretch to replace our cancellations?

[SicemDawgz]

They didn't hit in the last two games. That's not on the coach. Small ball was not the answer unless you didn't keep up until the last two games.

You're right about small ball not being the answer. When you have a pitching staff like we have, it never is. This team has been streaky all year long. They just picked the absolute worst time you could possibly pick to go cold as ice.

[PawDawg]

Y'all think Burroughs regrets not pursuing 2 additional midweek games down the stretch to replace our cancellations?

What if he had "pursued" those games and not gotten them? Would you feel better? Who was available?

If only he had pitched Nate in game 2 vs. USM.

[BruceWillisDawg]

[QUOTE=PawDawg;1648607]What if he had "pursued" those games and not gotten them? Would you feel better? Who was available?

If only he had pitched Nate in game 2 vs. USM. [/