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LSU softball batting anaylsis by player

Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:37 pm
Posted by Bhs83
Member since Mar 2016
548 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:37 pm
Batting analysis by player

I think we have all seen enough to get an idea of where each of the players are as far as batting goes. A lot of people speak highly of our batting coach, and the team average is way up there this year, so he must be doing an awful lot right.

Emily Griggs-- last year I think a lot of us were frustrated with her batting toward the end of the season, but that is when the team faces the best pitchers. I have seen some on TD here say that she is a liability defensively, and I just don't understand how someone could think that. She is pretty much the same this, and I think the struggles she had last year are going to carry over. She struggles with left handers and when they get two strikes on her, an outside pitch does her in, especially if she is trying to slap on the third strike. Still, when she gets a pitch that can be hit, she flattens her bat and drives the ball out of the infield. She has just that one weakness, and if she can overcome that, I think she is going to be way up in the high 300's, possibly .380 or so. She has a very good swing, and I would not be surprised if she ends up over .400. Last year I thought they should have benched her if the opposing team had a left handed pitcher. I think she is going to do very well this year. At least .340.

Bailey Landry—since the first time we saw her play, we all knew she could hit. Like Griggs, she flattens her bat at the right point in her swing and drives the ball well. Her only weakness was taking the first strike, and some batters do not do well behind on the count. I know I didn't. At the same time, there are some hitters you definitely don't want swinging at the first pitch, because if the ball is reachable, they will swing, and you can't swing at something just because you can make contact. Bailey is too refined to make those kind of mistakes, and with her swinging at the first strike that comes over, her batting average is thru the roof. All-American year for her possibly, she is great, great asset to this team.

Jaquish—her prowess at the plate is the reason why they pitch around her. She was one who would swing at pitches she could hit., but not hit good. She has a great eye for the ball and a great swing. If she can manage pitch selection, and accept a walk when that is all there is, she will be fine. We are going to miss her more at the end of the season than we have missed anyone in a long, long time. Great player, and give her time, the long ball will come. Awesome at the plate.

Springfield—impressive for a freshman, and I bet every single college in this country would love to have someone with that ability. Hard to believe she is a freshman, seeing how relaxed and smooth she is at the plate and on the field. One thing I would do, if I were her coach would maybe get the bat back into launch position. Most tall players have a problem if they start off with the bat straight up in the middle of their chest. I dont know if her crouch is good either, need to see her bat a few more times, but she may very well turn out to be the best player LSU has ever had. Just a freshman, hard to believe.

Doyle—exactly the same as Springfield, hard to believe someone that relaxed and smooth is just a freshman, so much potential. I dont think you will find anything wrong with her hitting, maybe the only challenge she will have is swinging at the right pitches and making sure she dont always get behind on the count. When she does, she struggles. I think in time, when she matures, like Bailey, she will be able to go after the first pitch without having to worry about just swinging because she reach the pitch. All-American either this year or next, probably. Her and Springfield give LSU fans hope for a bright future. Amazing.

Thornhill- I chose to do Thornill instead of Andrews because I have not seen a lot of Andrews. It would be nice if we could see all the games. Anyway, Thornhill, like last year, dips, slightly drops her shoulder, and catches the ball at the wrong part of her swing. Batting from a crouch, as she does, the bat needs to be flat in the strike zone longer than it is. She is very similar to Serret, in that her swing is good, its all a matter of catching the ball at the right part of her swing. Most hitters who crouch flatten the bat...the ones who crouch, then rise up a bit before they swing usually end up dipping a bit. I think this girl could be a great, great hitter if she gets her swing right. She is a smart batter. I'd just try to get her do something different at the plate, a different stance.

Serret- Like Thornhill, what it all comes down to is what part of the swing she catches the ball on. It becomes less critical with someone like Landry or Griggs, since they both flatten the bat for a good portion of their swing. Serret's bat is downward through the strike zone, and this is the reason she does not hit a lot of line drives. She, too, is smart batter and does not make a lot of mental mistakes at the plate. I just think I'd want to change her swing a little bit,. But if she can stay at .350 and hit homeruns, maybe they will just leave her alone, since she is a great shortstop.

Sanchez—I really need to see her bat a little more before I could say anything about her. She does a great job at third base, though, and she is definitely worth the time to invest in her hitting. Just don't know enough about how she bats to comment. Impressive player, glad we got her.

Quinn—just like last year, she still bats the exact same way. Half of her problem is her stance. The reason she is always late on her swing is because she holds the bat in front of her, then has to draw back into launch position, and swing, and she simply loses too much time. She ends up swinging late, and strikes out a bit because of it. If I was Howard, I'd make her change her stance, get the bat up into launching position. She cannot keep on this way and keep her position. She isnt a solid defensively as Serret, and her hitting is not going to be a reason to have her out there unless she improves. She needs a total overhaul in hitting.

Just adding this, there are a few on the bench who hit well. Satchell and Weinberg can hit, as can Andrews and a few others. With the exception of Serret, I think they are going to end up with 8 others in the batting order who can hit. Quinn has to come around on both sides. I hope she does, she is a good kid.
Posted by LaBR4
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2005
50676 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:42 pm to
I was hoping for pics of batting stances.

Posted by Bhs83
Member since Mar 2016
548 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:43 pm to
i aint that good with a computer
Posted by lsurulz1515
Member since Mar 2007
5595 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:44 pm to
I honestly wish I could care this much about women's softball. Have an upvote
Posted by Fratigerguy
Member since Jan 2014
4741 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:51 pm to
ETA: sounded too douchey. My bad. Carry on.
This post was edited on 2/28/17 at 4:55 pm
Posted by Bhs83
Member since Mar 2016
548 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 4:57 pm to
"Flattened" is a better word. Flat would be impossible but what i mean is as opposed to more angular. Thanks for the correction.
Posted by Fratigerguy
Member since Jan 2014
4741 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 5:08 pm to
Angular up or angular down? Ideally, bat path will have a 10-25 degree up angle through the zone and at contact. Every pitch thrown by a softball player...every one....that is in the zone, comes in at a downward angle. Matching that with an up angle increases the length of time the bat is in the zone.
Posted by doya2
Charenton
Member since Jan 2005
7920 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 5:25 pm to
Bhs83....no parades for you today, right!
Posted by cra_cra
Member since Nov 2016
1743 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 6:39 pm to
Good info. Not sure why all the down votes.

I haven't understood why Griggs isn't pinch hitted for more often when the game is tight in the late innings vs lefties and I also don't understand why Quinn is in the lineup at all. There just hasn't been any improvement with her and there seems to be a few players on the bench that have a ton of talent but just need the reps.
Posted by Tigerbait357
Member since Jun 2011
67757 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 6:48 pm to
To be fair last year, all the slappers seemed to struggle mightily. We look solid so far.

Griggs isn't Andrews fast but shes definitely not a liability. Of all the liabilities on D, I wasn't worried about her last season.

I have seen tweaks to Serretts hitting mechanics early this year. She is catching the ball better off the bat. She already has 3 homeruns, we still got this weekend before SEC play too.

Doyle is definitely a little more polished at the plate. Playing in Cali she has played against the best for years. Of all players I would have predicted her to have the smoothest transition.

Both her and Springfield definitely look calm at the plate. Springfield seemed to struggle against the Curve ball in california. Doyle has a tendency to swing at the junk balls at times but who doesnt? You can't replicate experience. All these reps are going to play dividends
Posted by Tigerbait357
Member since Jun 2011
67757 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 7:40 pm to
And pics of softball players

We do have some pretty young ladies









And for throwbacks






Posted by Tiger in Texas
Houston, Texas
Member since Sep 2004
20852 posts
Posted on 2/28/17 at 10:18 pm to
quote:

I honestly wish I could care this much about women's softball


You should- it has become an exciting game in these times! This isn't softball from 20 years ago with nothing but slap hitters- the game has advanced by leaps & bounds...
Posted by LSUAshlyn
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2013
616 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 12:08 am to
Good post, I've added a little more food for thought.

quote:

Emily Griggs-- last year I think a lot of us were frustrated with her batting toward the end of the season, but that is when the team faces the best pitchers. I have seen some on TD here say that she is a liability defensively, and I just don't understand how someone could think that.


Griggs is a dang good all around player. She does everything pretty good but nothing great. When people say "defensive liability" I don't think they mean in a sense that she is going to make errors. I believe it is in her ability to cover ground. Griggs is one of the slowest position players on the team. She will make all of the right plays but she is never going to be able to do in CF what someone like Andrews brings to the table. If you want good, solid play, Griggs is a good choice. She is not a great choice for a true lead off but so far she has been reliable there as well. I think she would be a very good 9 hole hitter if we had another option to lead off. Right now, she is performing very well.

quote:

Bailey Landry


Flat out great hitter that can really run. She is so difficult to defend. She is one of the few fast slappers that can really drive the ball when she wants to, a true dual threat hitter.

quote:

Jaquish


Will go down as one of the best 2 or 3 right handed hitters to ever play at LSU. And oh by the way, she may be the best catcher we have ever had. She has a canon behind the plate and seems to be easy to throw to. She will be a massive problem to replace next year and the next year and the next year, well, you get my point.

quote:

Springfield


One of the many ultra talented Freshman that has a beautiful, effortless swing. Closer to a Jaquish than a Bell. She is fluid and direct and is very big which enables her to generate tremendous leverage. A pure definition of a Freshman that didn't have a great Fall but the staff showed some confidence in her and she has flourished. Gonna be an excellent middle of the order hitter for 4 years.

quote:

Doyle


I saw Doyle quit a bit in travel ball and saw her handle some very hard throwers without much issue. She has lighting hands and a very short, quick approach. Not a big stride and really relies on her hands to power through pitches. She is not as big as Springfield and relies more on explosive hands than leverage. Another Freshman that has shined when given the chance to do so.

quote:

Thornhill


I have watched Thornhill since she was in 14's. She is a long, rangy swinging Griggs. Meaning, nothing flashy, nothing overwhelming tool wise but does everything well. She is not fast, not great leverage, not great bat speed but is a smart player that, in my opinion, may have won the LF job over a supremely talented Freshman in Andrews. Thornhill is a dependable player that will give you limited production. I don't see her being an All SEC or All American type but she will continue to have a solid career.

quote:

Serret-


Good player. Has developed at the plate into a very reliable hitter. Started out this year slow but has continued to put pretty good swings together. She is not an above average runner so she is not necessarily your prototype "defensive" shortstop. She has one of the best arms in the country and she can make some plays on defense with arm strength alone. If you have never focused in on her arm, please do. It is a rocket launcher from SS. She will generate some power as shown and can hurt you when you make mistakes. She will continue to improve at the plate and lock down the 7 spot for a while.

quote:

Sanchez


Another player I was fortunate enough to see in travel ball before her arrival at LSU. Small frame with below average speed but can generate some leverage and bat speed to drive the ball. Her swing and approach typically go with a bigger player but she makes no apologies and hacks her rear end off! Sanchez was, I thought, overlooked last year and brought more potential to the plate than some of the upperclassmen in front of her. She will be a solid player for LSU throughout her career. She has the ability to play 2nd base as well.

quote:

Quinn


This is easily the most baffling personnel decision of Beth's tenure at LSU. I have watched Quinn play since she was a switch hitting slapper with the Voodoo. She has not progressed in her years at LSU despite multiple starts and opportunities. I think the argument could be made that she has regressed over the last couple of years. She is relatively athletic with maybe a step better than average speed. She is average, at best, as a defender. She is not a great hitter and seems to inside out most pitchers. She is feast or famine, when she is hot get out of the way as seen to start last year. When she is not hot, she can be down right bad. We seem to have a couple of young options that could grow the team at this position for the next few years but the staff has shown no interest in making a change and gaining more experience at this position regardless of stats or outcome.

I'll throw in three more:

Waljasper

Powerful bat that can put a serious charge in the ball. A true banger that has no shot to beat out anything, anywhere. She can give you a big extra base hit here and there and she will run into a few homeruns. Hits with a lot of leverage. Not an everyday hitter, in my opinion, but instead someone that can give a player that is struggling a boost when you need someone to drive the ball.

Andrews

Fast and long. A true touch and go slapper that can wreak havoc on defenses. Not at a point in her career where she will drive the ball or offer many extra base hits. High ceiling, high upside player that is already a plus defender. As she gets stronger she will have a shot to be better than her sister. Another of the great Freshman recruiting class.

Dawson

An absolute offensive machine at every level she has ever played. The fastest player I have personally ever seen on the diamond. Incredibly difficult to defend and creates unbelievable pressure for any defense when on the bags. Not just a touch and go, has the ability to hit the ball out of the park and drive the ball for extra base hits. Had quite a few multi hit games this fall and this pre-spring. I still believe could have been a real answer to the offensive struggles toward the bottom of the line up if she would have ever gotten a shot to run out there four or five games in a row. For some reason, the staff has zero confidence in her to perform. Will hopefully keep working and find a way on the field in 2018.

That's my take on the hitters I have seen.

Posted by sml71
Run if you hear banjos.
Member since Dec 2005
4307 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 6:26 am to
Here's my take on the Lady Tigers that I've seen so far:
Posted by Tigerbait357
Member since Jun 2011
67757 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 10:49 am to
quote:

the staff has shown no interest in making a change and gaining more experience at this position regardless of stats or outcome.


The staff has given Dawson a few starts this past couple weeks at 2B. I know shes not being given 4 or 5 stats in a row but its up to her to be productive and make something happen if she wants a shot. If Dawson really was head and shoulders above everyone else, she would be receiving more playing time. Maybe she needs more time to develop?

If Quinn is serviceable, can get a hit or two a game and doesn't continue to make countless errors, shes not losing her position.
Posted by Bel Air Tiger
Los Angeles
Member since Mar 2007
2395 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 1:39 pm to
Nice post Bhs and thanks Ashlyn for your contribution. 357 is always appreciated as the three of you must have all played or coached as you can dig into the mechanics which most observers would not notice or understand for that matter.

Glad we have serious softball followers and a great team to root for!

Posted by Tigerbait357
Member since Jun 2011
67757 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 2:03 pm to
Our softball program following has gotten much bigger over the years. We had good teams in years past but Torinas teams are pretty dominant and she has instilled an offense with a pulse. Not much 1-0,2-0,2-1 type wins anymore
Posted by LSUcrazzz
Member since Apr 2016
38 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 3:16 pm to
Agree!
Posted by Bhs83
Member since Mar 2016
548 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 4:15 pm to
I was at the game last night. Sanchez snagged a line drive on a crucial play. I am surprised how well she plays defense. Quinn got her hit at a crucial time. Serret got charged with an error but the ball jumped three feet higher than it should have. Serret is a great shortstop.

Sydney has control like Walljasper does and does not walk a lot of people.

Jaquish hit a hard liner way out in left field and the left fielder made a great catch.

Bailey had a great game. That girl can play.
Posted by roguetiger15
Member since Jan 2013
16141 posts
Posted on 3/1/17 at 4:20 pm to
i'll be honest- if this was for our baseball team I'd read it.
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