re: Is Reeves Really Our Best Option in LF?

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Why post his fielding % at third base when talking about him playing left field?

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Because LSU doesn’t keep track of individual players fielding percentages separated by position

That’s Reaves’ overall fielding percentage. Unless you want to calculate it out by game checking each box score (FYI - Reaves has multiple games where he’s played both OF and 3B), it’s the only metric we have.

By the same token, Yamin has played 3 different positions this year (OF, C, and 1B), but his official fielding percentage is a flawless 1.000. However, I’m well aware Yamin, in reality, is not an elite OF. The fact is both he and Reaves are flawed defensive options in OF, in addition to fact that both have their own significant limitations at the plate.

I wasn’t even arguing for or against either. I’ve been critical of Reaves since he came on board last year, mostly because of Jay’s obvious preference for him. My post was simply an explanation for what I believe is, or a theory for, the reason why Jay runs Reaves out there more than the other options.

You make a fair point about the defense. It feels like the lineup could use a bit more healthy competition to see who really steps up.

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Reeves had a decent night against Tulane.

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the last two weeks Reaves is hitting like 7 for 21 (.333) and his obp is .481. Hopefully he keeps it up.

However, he did turn his head trying to make a play on the ball last night.
wheels -> youtube
It wasn't an easy play to catch in the air from where he was playing. But this would have been a single and not a double with most of our outfielders.

Why do so many fans act like Yamin is batting .450 with 20 HRs? Dude strikes out a bunch too.

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everyone killing Yorke when he’s got a higher OB%, higher slug, more walks, more HBPs, and more runs scored

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Surprised it’s been this long and no one’s specifically mentioned productive ABs.

Yamin and Harden strike out too much, and don’t see enough pitches to draw walks.

Yorke pops up too much and when he hits a ground ball to an infielder, it’s a double play 90% of the time when there’s a runner on 1st with < 2 outs.

I know this late in the season that Braun is not really a Freshman anymore, but I’m still not messing with him. Keep him at 1B and at leadoff. So Yorke is completely out of the question at this point.

If anything, Reaves can add 10 pitches to the opponents pitch count over the course of a game over the other options. May not seem like much, but it’s something. He’s at least making the pitcher work for an out, I’m not going to complain about that for a 9 hole hitter on this team, this year.

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But I know I'm not the only person holding my breath every time a ball is hit to Reaves.

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I hold my breath just as much if not more for Yamin if we're talking about those two playing left field. Yamin looks very uncomfortable playing outfield, regardless of whether he's been credited with an error. Reaves has made 4 errors this year, all at third base.

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Reaves has almost twice as many plate appearances but Yamin has more Runs scored and RBI.

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Reaves has 65 plate appearances and Yamin has 45. That's not almost twice as many. Yamin has 7 RBIs to Reaves'' 6. Their sample sizes are both way too small to take a lot from that. Reaves has a higher OBP%. Yamin scoring more runs is due to guys batting him in, not because he's put himself in position to score runs more. And again, Yamin has scored 1 more run than Reaves in a tiny sample size for both.

But if you do want to argue stats in small sample sizes. Yamin has a 33.3% K rate to Reaves' 20%. Reaves has drawn 14 BBs to Yamin's 2. Reaves has had more productive ABs. He works counts better and gets on base at a higher rate. That's what we need out of that spot right now with two outfielders hurt.

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It equals run production, and the equation is actually runs + RBI - home runs. But since Reaves has no home runs, it's the same thing

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Thanks, mdomingue, I wasn't going to try and explain it to him because he couldn't comprehend the initial post. He would probably get lost there.

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Yamin and Harden strike out too much, and don’t see enough pitches to draw walks.

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I dont think its too fair to compare Yamin to Harden

Yamin feels like he's been given a legit shot to get out there, get a string of ABs, even started more than a handful few games and played through them

Harden just seems to get 1 AB here and there late in games and that seems like about it. He got a couple spot starts in the earlier non conference, but since then is basically just a total afterthought. BTW Harden has only struck out once in his last 10 plate appearances (which spread out over a ridiculous timeframe of the Kentucky series to now)

It would be interesting to see him get a legit shot, but we are also in super crunch time and would look silly probably if he got a start against UGA and went 0 for 4 with 3 K's or something too.

I think the thing about Harden is he was on the team in fall of 2024 (If I'm remembering right), told him he wouldnt play much on that team (rightfully so, I mean our OF was LEGIT that year and DH was elite) so he went back to JUCO for spring 2025...we decided he was good enough to take back for this season and....never really gets any shot as like a 21 year old now? Despite Stanfield getting hurt and missing most games. Despite Jake Brown also getting hurt and missing a large number of games end of season. I mean, what has to happen for him to get a shot?

He didn't come here for the fall, he was just asked to stay another year in JUCO.

There was a JUCO transfer that was here for a fall and then went back to his JUCO, Trevor Schmidt from Fullerton College. He's at Grand Canyon now.