re: Softball Game 2: #8 LSU 0 @ #23 Kentucky 2 Final

Some are like literally 2 feet under the ball almost every time.


But none of the hitters can time any of the pitchers, its why you see so many foul balls drilled, a lot of pop ups.


I noticed Emily finally moved up in the box, she struck out on an outside pitch that was outside her bat.

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I can't disagree more that the problem with the offense is lack of power. We need base runners. We need players that get on base. Look at Andrews against Auburn. You could make a case that she single handedly won that series for us on offense. You know when Andrews, Griggs and Doyle get off of the bus they know our fate lies with them. That is immense pressure to put on those three.

This idea for the last couple of years that you can't win with slappers or non power hitters is nonsense. OBP is what wins games and we are horrendous at simply getting on base. We seem to never care about the production of the hitter and instead just do the same ole thing and expect a different result.

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LSU is in the very bottom two in homeruns, the next closest is like double the total homeruns we have. We are towards the bottom in doubles and triples as well. Either our players are literally worse than the rest of the entire SEC (I don't think so) or there is a major fundamental problem that is holding this number back.


A player like Doyle should easily have 8 home runs minimum now. Serrett should have more as well. Springfield only has 2 this year she had like 8 by this point last year.


The reality is at some point we will need 3 or 4 runs to win and sometimes it could not be enough, and we won't hit that number with 3 or 4 singles in a row

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well it is all up to beth on what she wants to do about it. we had this discussion last year. Obviously no denying those numbers. we need hits of all types.

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Not much we can do completely as we are now in the middle of the season. Any complete drastic changes would come after the season ends. I would just feel bad to see it wasted with hoover and walljasper still here. I think LSU will always be fine in the circle as long as we have Beth here, its up to where we want to be offensively that will determine LSU's fate.

I follow your posts about gymnastics and softball and they’re much appreciated here.

Question: what IS the solution to the hitting in your opinion? As you state, unless for some reason our players are as bad as the stats, which given aggregate rankings and talent, shouldn’t be the case, there is an institutional issue. What is the consensus on that issue?

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Question: what IS the solution to the hitting in your opinion? As you state, unless for some reason our players are as bad as the stats, which given aggregate rankings and talent, shouldn’t be the case, there is an institutional issue. What is the consensus on that issue?

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Recruiting rankings can be a bit hit or miss but personally I also look at background of these players and travel ball success and where and who they are coached by. LSU's recruiting rankings (2013, 2014, and 2015) All ranked in the #13-17. 2016 LSU had the #2 class. 2017 LSU was not even top 15, partly due to the removal of a player late in the process.

hoover- top 20 player
walljasper- #21
Maribeth- #40
Sunseri- #35
Doyle-#19
Springfield- Not Ranked
Andrews- Not Ranked
Sanchez- #52
Serrett- Not ranked
Antoine- #40
Buzzbait- #37
Schulte- Not Ranked
Schlattman- Not ranked

LSU's dominance have come from LSU's highest rated players on the mound. On top of talent they are developed and molded really well.

At the plate there is a really mixed result. Doyle was on everyones hit list (UCLA, OU, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, Washington). Andrews always had a lot of athleticism but she really developed later in the process into a way better player.

With that said a few of the unranked players were recruited by many major schools. Serrett was specifically. Springfield was by A&M. Schulte was offered by Oregon.

As for LSU's offensive woes I don't think the coaching and instruction side of it has been beneficial. There are a lot of flaws in LSU batters mechanics. With that said the maybe LSU also missed on its evaluation of offensive talent. I do find it hard to believe the second possibility due to the success of these players at the travel ball level vs elite competition. There does seem to be a development problem as of now. Players aren't quite developing and improving, some do worse, some remain the same but with subpar performance.

LSU's offensive problems have not just started recently, its been a bit of an issue the last few years. Doyle and Andrews definitely are better this year overall but everyone else seems to be even worse. Statistically speaking as of now.

We could see drastic improvements soon, or it could remain the same. I hope Dobson can find a fix

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Somebody else want to try? Start a thread, or just continue on this one, player by player, what is the FIX for their batting struggles. No general comments, do it per player. I'd love to read what yall think. Lot of coaches on here are going to tell us some stuff that we didnt already know, would be interesting reading. I am all ears.

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Well I am always open for discussion if anyone posts it

Let’s keep in mind too all these girls are use to being everyday players. So once a week getting a meaningless at bat late in a game three hours after warming up proves nothing about there skill.
Show me a player with 5/10/15 6/7 inning at bats half way through the season that’s consistent hitting 400/500 no way.
High school and travel ball coaches should start just Developing the DH’s as a position because college coaches can’t do it let alone that’s not why these girls came to LSU.

It starts with playing the best players and we have not done that for the last few seasons. Once players are penciled in, they are in no matter how poor the performance is. I've had this argument for a few years but just get chastised even though the hard data proves this to be the case. LSU has consistently run out some of the worst statistical players in the SEC during this tenure. How do you get by with that....Hoover and Wali is how.

It reminds me of Miles, he could survive with mediocre QB and offensive play because he had some of the best defenses in SEC history. This is what I see here as well. But what do you do when you lose all of those horses on that side of the ball?

Our hitting woes are also somewhat home grown in my opinion. Any team has to lock up home grown talent and make sure it doesn't get away. Since Bailey Landry graduated from EA, the best 4 hitters in this state are all starting for other Top 20 programs, having great success, and are far and away better than what we are running out on the field. Add those four to our line up and you would see a significant, immediate improvement at many of our weakest positions.

Add in the fact that we have been atrocious on infield defense the last few seasons and it makes you wonder what is happening overall with our position player development.

Are we good at developing players in the circle? We will see soon enough because next year will be a monumental task replacing these two AA.

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Our hitting woes are also somewhat home grown in my opinion. Any team has to lock up home grown talent and make sure it doesn't get away. Since Bailey Landry graduated from EA, the best 4 hitters in this state are all starting for other Top 20 programs, having great success, and are far and away better than what we are running out on the field. Add those four to our line up and you would see a significant, immediate improvement at many of our weakest positions.

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Who exactly are the 4? Besides Dawson and hemphill

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Add in the fact that we have been atrocious on infield defense the last few seasons and it makes you wonder what is happening overall with our position player development.

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I will say LSU's defense aside for Serrett at times has been excellent this year and better compared to the last 3 or 4 years. I can say that about this team but I would rather a good offense over a good defense. LSU's pitchers do most the hard stuff already for them.

I see a developmental problem with our hitters

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Are we good at developing players in the circle? We will see soon enough because next year will be a monumental task replacing these two AA.

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I think it will be a major challenge to replace hoover and walljasper. Anytime you replace two all americans it will hurt any team. If Maribeth can develop some consistency by the end of the year, I will feel confident that we will have one seasoned veteran who can be dominant for us. It will be a adjustment for Wickersham and Kilponen, talent isn't an issue with them buts its a major jump from hs to college ball. I still feel a lot easier about LSU's pitching next year vs our offense. Many freaked out when we had to rely on Walljasper and hoover just because of youth before, it can be done.

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I've also said this is affecting recruiting. I stated it numerous times last year. I know this from personal experience.

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Explain this, LSU's next 3 classes are far better on paper than what she has done her first 5 years here outside the 2016 class. Anyone who follows recruitin for this program knows its actually on a upswing. LSU use to pull in classes with one or two major talents, the next few all top to bottom are filled with top players

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You can't lean on Corbello one year, and then never allow her to pitch the next year (there are plenty of mid week games and mop up opportunities available). You can't refuse to play dawson when it's obvious she should be playing. This stuff gets around and affects your reputation. There are plenty more examples out there.

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Okay this makes no sense. She pitched a lot because we had no real depth in 2014. Walljasper and hoover came in 2015 and definitely deserved to be everyday starters. Corbello pitched 65 innings in 2015, that not starter numbers but for a backup thats very solid time. She did not play much in 2016 because her control was all over the map plus Smith was better and didn't walk every other batter. She wasn't even the damn ace at McNeese when she transferred over.


I can understand some of the stubbornness stories but the corbello one is a bad one to use. She is not obligated to play people. At the end of the day all success and failures fall on the head coach.