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re: Official Adam4848 Baseball Preview Feb 10th (Prospects & SEC prediction)
Posted on 2/1/15 at 6:15 am to Adam4848
Posted on 2/1/15 at 6:15 am to Adam4848
THIRD BASE
Danny Zardon So.* 6’0 190lbs (27)
Bryce Jordan Fr. 5’9 205lbs (25)
Greg Deichmann Fr. 6’2 185lbs (7)
The third base position was one of the few highlighted question marks Mainieri addressed during the offseason position wise. With the loss of Christian Ibarra to graduation Danny Zardon has emerged as the leading candidate to take the position with a solid summer in the Cape Cod league as well as monstrous fall practice. Behind him could be a whole committee of youngsters Bryce Jordan, Greg Deichmann, or even Conner Hale if this experiment deteriorates rapidly.
Danny Zardon now in his second season as a Tiger is looking to replace one of the best gloves in the SEC the past two seasons. It’s not going to be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination with his experience on the college level and the emphasis Mainieri places on defense. What Danny does have is a strong background of the game and the muscle memory of playing the position at the high school level although at a slower pace. If Danny is going to succeed and stay in the lineup it will be without any hesitation due to the fact he is trusted in the field. Zardon’s strength is the bat, it’s his meal ticket for now. With an average build he surprisingly has very strong hands and great extension in the zone allowing him to create lift on the ball. With this he can pull inside pitches with great drive as evidenced in the fall when he led LSU in HR’s. The ball seems to jump off his bat differently at times and for that reason along with the new balls anywhere in the range of 6-11 HR’s given that he plays the entirety of the season could be expected. One thing he needs to stay consistent is keeping the bat level throughout the zone, when he dips he has a tendency to create pop outs. As he matures he'll learn to not pull on outside pitches. Zardon’s speed is average, a season ago he did not have a stolen base attempt, I don’t expect him to be an asset in the ground game. His glove needs work hence the extra reps he’s been taking at the hot corner, he had his struggles at times last year manning first and second base although the score sheet didn’t necessarily reflect. One thing that needs to be watched during spring practice is how he adjusts to slow rollers and his ability to throw accurately on the run. With this being said in the past weeks he has fielded a number or hot shots cleanly so the glove is coming along. Others who could contend for the spot include both Deichmann and Hale as well as Jordan.
Bryce Jordan, the brother and twin of Beau Jordan figures to backup either third base or first base to start off the year and will push for playing time. With the injury to Deichmann, Bryce has a leg up in securing that backup spot although for both parties each seem comfortable where they are respectively. Jordan's tools don't jump off the screen yet he continues to hit and the competitiveness he brings in ever plate appearance is that of a three year letterman.
The good news here is Zardon is and will improve and grow more comfortable at the position, the bad news he still has a learning curve to adjust to and he simply doesn’t have the luxury of sitting behind anybody for any longer. If all indications of his progress since last summer hold true then Zardon will do wonderful things at LSU before his career is over with. If there was a most improved award Danny would be in that top three group on the team. He’ll probably provide pop anywhere from the 6-8 hole in the lineup.
Power------60
Hitting------55
Speed------50
Fielding----50
Arm---------55
FINAL GRADE: 50
Danny Zardon So.* 6’0 190lbs (27)
Bryce Jordan Fr. 5’9 205lbs (25)
Greg Deichmann Fr. 6’2 185lbs (7)
The third base position was one of the few highlighted question marks Mainieri addressed during the offseason position wise. With the loss of Christian Ibarra to graduation Danny Zardon has emerged as the leading candidate to take the position with a solid summer in the Cape Cod league as well as monstrous fall practice. Behind him could be a whole committee of youngsters Bryce Jordan, Greg Deichmann, or even Conner Hale if this experiment deteriorates rapidly.
Danny Zardon now in his second season as a Tiger is looking to replace one of the best gloves in the SEC the past two seasons. It’s not going to be an easy task by any stretch of the imagination with his experience on the college level and the emphasis Mainieri places on defense. What Danny does have is a strong background of the game and the muscle memory of playing the position at the high school level although at a slower pace. If Danny is going to succeed and stay in the lineup it will be without any hesitation due to the fact he is trusted in the field. Zardon’s strength is the bat, it’s his meal ticket for now. With an average build he surprisingly has very strong hands and great extension in the zone allowing him to create lift on the ball. With this he can pull inside pitches with great drive as evidenced in the fall when he led LSU in HR’s. The ball seems to jump off his bat differently at times and for that reason along with the new balls anywhere in the range of 6-11 HR’s given that he plays the entirety of the season could be expected. One thing he needs to stay consistent is keeping the bat level throughout the zone, when he dips he has a tendency to create pop outs. As he matures he'll learn to not pull on outside pitches. Zardon’s speed is average, a season ago he did not have a stolen base attempt, I don’t expect him to be an asset in the ground game. His glove needs work hence the extra reps he’s been taking at the hot corner, he had his struggles at times last year manning first and second base although the score sheet didn’t necessarily reflect. One thing that needs to be watched during spring practice is how he adjusts to slow rollers and his ability to throw accurately on the run. With this being said in the past weeks he has fielded a number or hot shots cleanly so the glove is coming along. Others who could contend for the spot include both Deichmann and Hale as well as Jordan.
Bryce Jordan, the brother and twin of Beau Jordan figures to backup either third base or first base to start off the year and will push for playing time. With the injury to Deichmann, Bryce has a leg up in securing that backup spot although for both parties each seem comfortable where they are respectively. Jordan's tools don't jump off the screen yet he continues to hit and the competitiveness he brings in ever plate appearance is that of a three year letterman.
The good news here is Zardon is and will improve and grow more comfortable at the position, the bad news he still has a learning curve to adjust to and he simply doesn’t have the luxury of sitting behind anybody for any longer. If all indications of his progress since last summer hold true then Zardon will do wonderful things at LSU before his career is over with. If there was a most improved award Danny would be in that top three group on the team. He’ll probably provide pop anywhere from the 6-8 hole in the lineup.
Power------60
Hitting------55
Speed------50
Fielding----50
Arm---------55
FINAL GRADE: 50
This post was edited on 2/5/15 at 7:52 am
3
Posted on 2/1/15 at 6:15 am to Adam4848
OUTFIELD
Jake Fraley So.* 6’0 180lbs (23)
Andrew Stevenson Jr.* 6’0 185lbs (6)
Mark Laird Jr.* 6’2 175lbs (9)
Jared Foster Sr. 6’0 200lbs (17)
Chris Sciambra Sr. 5’9 185lbs (5)
Beau Jordan Fr. 5’9 205lbs (24)
The outfield is going to be without question the strength of this team, you look at it from left to right without any glaring weaknesses if at all. The 2015 outfield core will not only be the fastest in the SEC but in the country. If Mainieri sticks with the lineup he settled on a year ago it will be Jake Fraley in left, Andrew Stevenson in center, and Mark Laird in right. I do have concerns about leaving Laird in right due to always wanting your best arm at this position but as that saying goes if it aint broke don’t fix it. The outfield also has a security blanket with great depth of veterans Jared Foster and Chris Sciambra as well as freshman newcomer Beau Jordan. Mainieri in his 9th year has recruited extremely well in the outfield over the years yet this squad potentially could be the best all-around, without a doubt the fastest he’s ever assembled. All three starters both bat and throw from the left side and all three have extremely fast straight line speed. Likewise all three started on their respective teams in the Cape-Cod league and each player lead the team in stolen bases over the summer. The only knack I see is a lack of power outside Fraley, but this group is built around speed and defensive along with hitting for an above average.
From a draft standpoint Jake Fraley is the most complete package, he’s shown his ability to use all 5 tools in the short amount of time he spent in the starting lineup late last season. When he got his chance it was obvious it was going to be hard to keep him out. Even using an exaggerated open stance pre pitch Jake is able to square up on most balls in the zone and uses his hands extremely well when going to the opposite field. The dark horse tool of his that has yet to reach its full potential is his power and it should start to show signs of life this season. If the power ever arrives Fraley will only be a three years in an LSU uniform. The speed and glove in Jake are both plus plus tools and I see no weakness whether he’s in left or right field. In the Cape-Cod league Fraley stole 11 bases and was caught stealing 0 times.
Andrew Stevenson is the fastest of the group and has the best closing on fly balls although Laird is right behind him. Andrews batting average and on base percentage made a complete 180 turn in the right direction after changing his load approach at the plate during summer ball. With this approach he’s much shorter to the ball and thus disallowing room to create a curved bat angle. Again more of the same, Stevenson has plus plus tools in both speed and glove with a slightly above average arm for a center fielder. In the Cape-Cod league Stevenson stole 21 bases and was caught stealing 3 times.
Mark Laird has been ole reliable and the guy you want at the plate in crucial situations, he’s learned what his role is on this team is and rather than trying to pull every pitch over the intimidator he uses a slap approach and works the ball to the opposite side of the field better than anyone else on this team. There have been situations where he’ll foul off so many pitches consecutively that it gets the pitcher rattled both mentally and physically. Laird is not a power threat, he may hit a ball in the air that carries on a breezy spring afternoon. His speed is what makes him dangerous out the box as a left handed hitter and almost anything on the infield puts immediate pressure leaving the fielder no room for error to make the play. Although his arm is below average he tracks down almost anything that stays in the air. In the Cape-Cod league Laird stole 17 bases and was caught stealing 0 times.
Jared Foster a seasoned veteran will be the first guy off the bench and platooning against left handed pitchers. Jared is going to push every player for a starting gig and has the poise to play well in big situations.
Chris Sciambra another senior is very smart and knowledgeable about the game. Every team needs a guy like Chris who can be used at will and be a key piece in late game situations in the way Mainieri can sub in without missing a beat. Beau Jordan the other Barbe HS twin will be groomed under these three for a starting gig in the year 2016.
As it sets up there won’t be many balls that are going to find the grass if they’re in the air for longer than 3 seconds. Fraley, Stevenson, and Laird combined to only force 4 errors in 360 chances last year for a fielding percentage of .989. In layman’s terms they do not make mistakes and are smart about keeping the ball in front of them. I’m seeing Laird as the leadoff guy with Stevenson batting directly behind him or middle of the order is Mainieri pleases. Fraley is a guy who would set up perfectly in the 5-6 hole range.
Fraley
Power------60
Hitting------55
Speed------75
Fielding----65
Arm---------60
Stevenson
Power------35
Hitting------60
Speed------75
Fielding----70
Arm---------55
Laird
Power------30
Hitting------60
Speed------75
Fielding----70
Arm---------45
FINAL GRADE: 70
Jake Fraley So.* 6’0 180lbs (23)
Andrew Stevenson Jr.* 6’0 185lbs (6)
Mark Laird Jr.* 6’2 175lbs (9)
Jared Foster Sr. 6’0 200lbs (17)
Chris Sciambra Sr. 5’9 185lbs (5)
Beau Jordan Fr. 5’9 205lbs (24)
The outfield is going to be without question the strength of this team, you look at it from left to right without any glaring weaknesses if at all. The 2015 outfield core will not only be the fastest in the SEC but in the country. If Mainieri sticks with the lineup he settled on a year ago it will be Jake Fraley in left, Andrew Stevenson in center, and Mark Laird in right. I do have concerns about leaving Laird in right due to always wanting your best arm at this position but as that saying goes if it aint broke don’t fix it. The outfield also has a security blanket with great depth of veterans Jared Foster and Chris Sciambra as well as freshman newcomer Beau Jordan. Mainieri in his 9th year has recruited extremely well in the outfield over the years yet this squad potentially could be the best all-around, without a doubt the fastest he’s ever assembled. All three starters both bat and throw from the left side and all three have extremely fast straight line speed. Likewise all three started on their respective teams in the Cape-Cod league and each player lead the team in stolen bases over the summer. The only knack I see is a lack of power outside Fraley, but this group is built around speed and defensive along with hitting for an above average.
From a draft standpoint Jake Fraley is the most complete package, he’s shown his ability to use all 5 tools in the short amount of time he spent in the starting lineup late last season. When he got his chance it was obvious it was going to be hard to keep him out. Even using an exaggerated open stance pre pitch Jake is able to square up on most balls in the zone and uses his hands extremely well when going to the opposite field. The dark horse tool of his that has yet to reach its full potential is his power and it should start to show signs of life this season. If the power ever arrives Fraley will only be a three years in an LSU uniform. The speed and glove in Jake are both plus plus tools and I see no weakness whether he’s in left or right field. In the Cape-Cod league Fraley stole 11 bases and was caught stealing 0 times.
Andrew Stevenson is the fastest of the group and has the best closing on fly balls although Laird is right behind him. Andrews batting average and on base percentage made a complete 180 turn in the right direction after changing his load approach at the plate during summer ball. With this approach he’s much shorter to the ball and thus disallowing room to create a curved bat angle. Again more of the same, Stevenson has plus plus tools in both speed and glove with a slightly above average arm for a center fielder. In the Cape-Cod league Stevenson stole 21 bases and was caught stealing 3 times.
Mark Laird has been ole reliable and the guy you want at the plate in crucial situations, he’s learned what his role is on this team is and rather than trying to pull every pitch over the intimidator he uses a slap approach and works the ball to the opposite side of the field better than anyone else on this team. There have been situations where he’ll foul off so many pitches consecutively that it gets the pitcher rattled both mentally and physically. Laird is not a power threat, he may hit a ball in the air that carries on a breezy spring afternoon. His speed is what makes him dangerous out the box as a left handed hitter and almost anything on the infield puts immediate pressure leaving the fielder no room for error to make the play. Although his arm is below average he tracks down almost anything that stays in the air. In the Cape-Cod league Laird stole 17 bases and was caught stealing 0 times.
Jared Foster a seasoned veteran will be the first guy off the bench and platooning against left handed pitchers. Jared is going to push every player for a starting gig and has the poise to play well in big situations.
Chris Sciambra another senior is very smart and knowledgeable about the game. Every team needs a guy like Chris who can be used at will and be a key piece in late game situations in the way Mainieri can sub in without missing a beat. Beau Jordan the other Barbe HS twin will be groomed under these three for a starting gig in the year 2016.
As it sets up there won’t be many balls that are going to find the grass if they’re in the air for longer than 3 seconds. Fraley, Stevenson, and Laird combined to only force 4 errors in 360 chances last year for a fielding percentage of .989. In layman’s terms they do not make mistakes and are smart about keeping the ball in front of them. I’m seeing Laird as the leadoff guy with Stevenson batting directly behind him or middle of the order is Mainieri pleases. Fraley is a guy who would set up perfectly in the 5-6 hole range.
Fraley
Power------60
Hitting------55
Speed------75
Fielding----65
Arm---------60
Stevenson
Power------35
Hitting------60
Speed------75
Fielding----70
Arm---------55
Laird
Power------30
Hitting------60
Speed------75
Fielding----70
Arm---------45
FINAL GRADE: 70
This post was edited on 2/6/15 at 8:52 am
Posted on 2/5/15 at 10:00 am to Adam4848
Zardon has big shoes to fill, replacing one of LSU's best defensive third basemen.
We were spoiled by Ibarra making tough plays look routine.
We were spoiled by Ibarra making tough plays look routine.
Posted on 2/5/15 at 11:06 am to Adam4848
quote:
FINAL GRADE: 50
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