New softball thread

[sybarite]

Shelby walked the eight and nine hitters, and it really wasn't close. That caused the problem. They both scored. Paige really had no problem other than finally getting Chavez out after a lot of fouls.

 

[sybarite]

I guess that there will be no save for Parker since she gets the win.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

The 'Hawks' strategy of walking Lauren the first four at bats kind of backfired on them, as LC scored 3 times.
Too bad she couldn't do anything with the last at-bat, when she popped up - - the only time all day that KU actually gave her anything to look at.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

Paige really had no problem other than finally getting Chavez out after a lot of fouls.

Yeah, Chavez was really hanging tough throughout the series, a tough out.

 

[sybarite]

The 'Hawks' strategy of walking Lauren the first four at bats kind of backfired on them, as LC scored 3 times.
Too bad she couldn't do anything with the last at-bat, when she popped up - - the only time all day that KU actually gave her anything to look at.

She swung at a ball on her wrists that would have been called a ball. She struck out yesterday on a rise, or was it Friday?

 

[sybarite]

The big dogs keep rolling, for the most part.
1. Florida has about a ten-game win streak.
2. Oregon has about the same 10-game win streak, and they just swept #9 Louisiana-Lafayette in Eugene, run-ruling them twice.
3. LSU, ouch! They lost to A&M in Baton Rouge before losing two at #17 Missouri with another game Monday. Three straight losses doesn't help.
4. Michigan: last team to beat them was #10 Minnesota in Minneapolis. Soft schedules help.
5. Oklahoma: maybe two of three from Kansas isn't all that bad.
6. Alabama: took two of three from #10 Auburn and #13 Tennessee
7. UCLA: hasn't lost since losing two of three to Oregon
8. Auburn: losing two of three to Bama didn't help.
9. Louisiana Lafayette: finally exposed by Oregon. Can only win at home and have lost to some very mediocre teams.
10. Minnesota: There is Michigan. There is Minnesota. There is preseason.
11. Florida State: Swept by Florida
12. Tennessee: lost two of three to Bama
13. Baylor: lost to Iowa State? That hurt.

 

[BlackwellSooner]

I wonder if the pressure of hitting #91 is causing Lauren's (relative) inefficiency at the plate? We need her bat as we are getting closer to the post-season... A lot of teams are being super-careful pitching to her, with a lot of walks, which is good, but not as good as if LC were swatting doubles and HRs. She just hasn't been getting much to hit.

Hopefully she gets the magic number against NTS this Thursday.

 

[sybarite]

Interesting post from the OU twitter site:
https://twitter.com/OU_Softball

Big Twelve walks this week:

Texas Tech 22
Kansas 14
Baylor 13
Lauren Chamberlain 12
Oklahoma State 7
Texas 6
Iowa State 5

Gasso says it is getting to her. But, it has been a mistake to try to hit what they have been giving her. Today, for example, they walked her four times. She scored three of the seven runs (the difference in the game).

 

[Speedy17]

I wonder if the pressure of hitting #91 is causing Lauren's (relative) inefficiency at the plate? We need her bat as we are getting closer to the post-season... A lot of teams are being super-careful pitching to her, with a lot of walks, which is good, but not as good as if LC were swatting doubles and HRs. She just hasn't been getting much to hit.

Hopefully she gets the magic number against NTS this Thursday.

Nobody could hit the majority of the pitches that were thrown to Lauren today. Several were 3-4 feet outside and the rest were in the batter's box. Lauren was efficient at the plate today - she scored 3 runs.

The beauty of Lauren is she is not going to swing at bad pitches. Gasso praised here efforts before the game today.

 

[MsProudSooner]

I haven't gotten to see very many of the games and I don't learn much from reading the stats. Has she walked more from the lead off position than she did last year? If she were moved to the cleanup position, would it force them to pitch strikes to her?

 

[tycat947]

The big dogs keep rolling, for the most part.
1. Florida has about a ten-game win streak.
2. Oregon has about the same 10-game win streak, and they just swept #9 Louisiana-Lafayette in Eugene, run-ruling them twice.
3. LSU, ouch! They lost to A&M in Baton Rouge before losing two at #17 Missouri with another game Monday. Three straight losses doesn't help.
4. Michigan: last team to beat them was #10 Minnesota in Minneapolis. Soft schedules help.
5. Oklahoma: maybe two of three from Kansas isn't all that bad.
6. Alabama: took two of three from #10 Auburn and #13 Tennessee
7. UCLA: hasn't lost since losing two of three to Oregon
8. Auburn: losing two of three to Bama didn't help.
9. Louisiana Lafayette: finally exposed by Oregon. Can only win at home and have lost to some very mediocre teams.
10. Minnesota: There is Michigan. There is Minnesota. There is preseason.
11. Florida State: Swept by Florida
12. Tennessee: lost two of three to Bama
13. Baylor: lost to Iowa State? That hurt.

I just hope we don't fall below the #8 seed. I don't think we can afford another loss with the weak teams we have left. Hopefully, LSU peaked too soon which appears to the the case right now.

 

[SoonerNorm]

I haven't gotten to see very many of the games and I don't learn much from reading the stats. Has she walked more from the lead off position than she did last year? If she were moved to the cleanup position, would it force them to pitch strikes to her?

I would like to see Lauren in the 3 or 4 hole. I believe it might prevent a few walks.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I haven't gotten to see very many of the games and I don't learn much from reading the stats. Has she walked more from the lead off position than she did last year? If she were moved to the cleanup position, would it force them to pitch strikes to her?

In our national championship year Lauren as a lead off hitter had 235 plate appearances (AB, BB, HBP) and walked 63 times (26.8%). Last year hitting 3rd and 4th she had 147 plate appearance and walked 51 times (34.7%). This year she has had 166 plate appearances and walked 52 times (31.3%). The numbers indicate she walks slightly less hitting in the lead off spot.

Of course not wanting to be the team that gives up the HR to break Nuveman's record may be changing things she walked 8 times in 14 plate appearances (57.1%) this weekend.[COLOR]

 

[MsProudSooner]

Of course not wanting to be the team that gives up the HR to break Nuveman's record may be changing things she walked 8 times in 14 plate appearances (57.1%) this weekend.

Probably a lot of truth in that.

 

[sybarite]

I suspect that if Lauren were in the cleanup role this year, she might never see a strike. At least, Shelby offers some incentive for them to pitch to Lauren rather than put her on in front of Shelby. It has been somewhat surprising that they seem to be willing to walk Lauren and pitch to Shelby. They actually do usually pitch to Shelby who is having the better year. Is it just that they don't want to be the thrower of #91? We must remember that Lauren was the FIRST draft choice. She is still the one that everyone fears. When she gets pitches to hit, she destroys the ball.

I anticipate that Lauren will hit #91 against some weak pitcher, and the absolute avoidance of pitching to Lauren will cease. I wonder if even a good pitcher would throw it to her? The only two pitches that they regularly do throw at her for strikes are right on the inside and outside corner. It is difficult to get enough bat on the ball on the inside. She has good power to right. She might just start looking for a pitch on the outside corner to drive.

 

[Sooner Cal]

Lauren at lead off batter is perfect with Pendley and Miller behind her. She gets at least 30 extra at bats in a season and she gets on base as often as any lead off batter in the country. In the 3 or 4 spot, she would walk a lot without Pendley coming up.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Lauren at lead off batter is perfect with Pendley and Miller behind her. She gets at least 30 extra at bats in a season and she gets on base as often as any lead off batter in the country. In the 3 or 4 spot, she would walk a lot without Pendley coming up.

I agree she is getting on base a lot in the lead off position. But, if she was batting 3 or 4 it is more likely there would be base runners and less likely they would walk Lauren then have to face Shelby or Erin. But, if they did walk Lauren, she is still on base (just like she would be if she walked in the lead off position) and she would be one more runner that Shelby could potentially drive in. There is a reason Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris did not lead off. They wanted runners on then bring the power to the plate to drive them in. Off the top of my head I can't think of the best power hitter on any team lead off.

 

[womenssports]

I wonder if the pressure of hitting #91 is causing Lauren's (relative) inefficiency at the plate? We need her bat as we are getting closer to the post-season... A lot of teams are being super-careful pitching to her, with a lot of walks, which is good, but not as good as if LC were swatting doubles and HRs. She just hasn't been getting much to hit.

Hopefully she gets the magic number against NTS this Thursday.

I actually thought after the North Texas game, which was the game following her tying the record, that she had been doing better. Taking the walks and maybe not pressuring herself to hit a homer. I imagine it has to get old being walked but getting on base is a big deal and the batters after her are very good, so she probably should be doing just that....taking her walks.
As a caveat: I am a casual fan so do not know all of the strategies.

 

[sybarite]

Baseball has been around over a hundred years, and baseball managers differ on strategies. But, softball has even a different situation. Until recently, games were often decided 1-0 or 2-1. The offenses are growing somewhat more proficient. But, if there are so few runs, it helps to have run production in the top slot.

Some thirty years ago, a statistician ran the numbers and said that baseball would be better off if Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle batted leadoff. No manager has ever done that, although some have made some unique adjustments to statistics. It would be interesting to see the stats on various scenarios in softball.

 

[SoonerSpock]

I think where Lauren hits in the order is complicated by her OBP (.584) and Shelby's OBP (.564) plus Parker, Miller and Self's ability to hit with power. Chamberlain gets on base 12% more than any of the players not mentioned above.

Batting one and two they get on base more and you win games by getting runners on base and driving them in.

Also opponents continue to somewhat defy baseball/softball logic by almost intentionally walking her to lead off games and with runners on the bases despite having to face Shelby after the free pass. Mystifying or unadulterated fear?