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Nice article from Aaron Fitt....
San Diego Notebook: Benitos Breakout
ANALYSIS Aaron Fitt - February 25, 2017
SAN DIEGO Maybe a return to the city of his birth was just what Benito Santiago needed to wake up his bat.
Santiagos father of the same name spent the first six years of his 20-year major league career playing for the Padres, where he had his best seasons. Benito Jr. had family members in attendance for his homecoming of sorts Friday at San Diego States Tony Gwynn Stadium, and he put on a show in Tennessees first game of the day against Seton Hall.
On the day, Santiago had six RBIs in a pair of Tennessee victories 12-5 against the Pirates and 8-4 against San Diego State. It was the breakout the Vols have been waiting for from Santiago, who started the season in a 2-for-15 slump entering Friday. The lefthanded-hitting junior catcher started out the day with a sharp lineout the other way to left field which was a good omen for him. In his second at-bat, he hit a rocket off the left-field fence for a two-run triple. In his third trip, he launched a towering two-run homer off the scoreboard in right-center. It was a no-doubter, and he clearly relished it, raising his right arm and pointing skyward as he rounded first base.
As you see by his numbers, he struggled a little bit out of the gate offensively, Tennessee coach Dave Serrano said. I told him when he lined to left in his first at-bat, That leads to a great day for you. Because thats his approach. Hes gotten a little pull-happy early on, and sure enough it led that ball he hit to center field off the scoreboard was as good a home run as Ive seen in a long time. But we need him offensively to get going.
Santiago added an RBI groundout and an RBI double in the nightcap against San Diego State. The double went to left-center, as he continued to show the ability to drive the ball to the opposite field.
Santiago has known struggle in his collegiate career he hit just .132 as a freshman in 76 at-bats, but he persevered. He worked hard to get stronger and make some mechanical adjustments before his sophomore year, when he had a breakout season, hitting .309 with a .420 slugging percentage. Now hes hitting cleanup for a talented offensive club.
You know, hittings about confidence. I know his first year, every time he was coming up and he saw .095 and .105, thats tough to hit out of that, and I think he gained some confidence going into his sophomore year, and now hes a middle-of-the-order hitter for us, Serrano said.
Hes always hit. He always hit in high school, it wasnt about that. I think he just came in and he was welcomed to the SEC early on, and that could ruin a lot of careers early on. Benitos the kind of guy that, he just kind of shrugs things off. As a coach sometimes it kind of bothers you because you can get on Benito and its not going to faze him one bit. I think thats whats kind of allowed him to overcome some of his struggles early on.
Santiago DHd in that first game and caught the second game, but I went to USD for the evening and did not get to see him behind the plate. But Serrano said his receiving has gotten much, much better and said his plus arm is a real asset for him. Hes also a standout athlete who owns a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He has the tools to jump up draft boards with a good junior year, and hell surely be a key cog in a Tennessee lineup that has the potential to be quite potent.
Quick Takes From San Diego
Hunter Martin is blossoming into a legitimate Friday ace for Tennessee. The senior righthander has shown flashes of excellence during his career he posted a 2.03 ERA in 40 innings as a junior last year but the Vols have been waiting for him to really blossom in a workhorse starter role, and it appears that is happening now. Martin struck out nine, walked one and allowed two runs on six hits over five strong innings of work against Seton Hall, and he could easily have gotten through another inning or two if not for a defensive miscue that extended the fifth inning.
Martin has flashed mid-90s velocity in the past, but a key part of his maturation process has been learning to dial it back a notch and command the zone instead of pitching to the radar gun. He located his heavy 86-91 mph fastball well to both sides of the plate Friday and showed good feel for his solid 79-81 slider and his excellent 79-81 changeup, which was particularly effective against lefties.
Hes really turned into the pitcher that I always thought hed be, Serrano said. Its three pitches, hes not trying to throw as hard anymore, hes just pitching, and hes commanding his changeup and his slider. Last year he was up to 95 but it was all fastball, he didnt have any command of his slider and change. I give credit to him, he went to the Cape and really taught himself how to pitch, and came back a better pitcher for us.
San Diego Notebook: Benitos Breakout
ANALYSIS Aaron Fitt - February 25, 2017
SAN DIEGO Maybe a return to the city of his birth was just what Benito Santiago needed to wake up his bat.
Santiagos father of the same name spent the first six years of his 20-year major league career playing for the Padres, where he had his best seasons. Benito Jr. had family members in attendance for his homecoming of sorts Friday at San Diego States Tony Gwynn Stadium, and he put on a show in Tennessees first game of the day against Seton Hall.
On the day, Santiago had six RBIs in a pair of Tennessee victories 12-5 against the Pirates and 8-4 against San Diego State. It was the breakout the Vols have been waiting for from Santiago, who started the season in a 2-for-15 slump entering Friday. The lefthanded-hitting junior catcher started out the day with a sharp lineout the other way to left field which was a good omen for him. In his second at-bat, he hit a rocket off the left-field fence for a two-run triple. In his third trip, he launched a towering two-run homer off the scoreboard in right-center. It was a no-doubter, and he clearly relished it, raising his right arm and pointing skyward as he rounded first base.
As you see by his numbers, he struggled a little bit out of the gate offensively, Tennessee coach Dave Serrano said. I told him when he lined to left in his first at-bat, That leads to a great day for you. Because thats his approach. Hes gotten a little pull-happy early on, and sure enough it led that ball he hit to center field off the scoreboard was as good a home run as Ive seen in a long time. But we need him offensively to get going.
Santiago added an RBI groundout and an RBI double in the nightcap against San Diego State. The double went to left-center, as he continued to show the ability to drive the ball to the opposite field.
Santiago has known struggle in his collegiate career he hit just .132 as a freshman in 76 at-bats, but he persevered. He worked hard to get stronger and make some mechanical adjustments before his sophomore year, when he had a breakout season, hitting .309 with a .420 slugging percentage. Now hes hitting cleanup for a talented offensive club.
You know, hittings about confidence. I know his first year, every time he was coming up and he saw .095 and .105, thats tough to hit out of that, and I think he gained some confidence going into his sophomore year, and now hes a middle-of-the-order hitter for us, Serrano said.
Hes always hit. He always hit in high school, it wasnt about that. I think he just came in and he was welcomed to the SEC early on, and that could ruin a lot of careers early on. Benitos the kind of guy that, he just kind of shrugs things off. As a coach sometimes it kind of bothers you because you can get on Benito and its not going to faze him one bit. I think thats whats kind of allowed him to overcome some of his struggles early on.
Santiago DHd in that first game and caught the second game, but I went to USD for the evening and did not get to see him behind the plate. But Serrano said his receiving has gotten much, much better and said his plus arm is a real asset for him. Hes also a standout athlete who owns a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He has the tools to jump up draft boards with a good junior year, and hell surely be a key cog in a Tennessee lineup that has the potential to be quite potent.
Quick Takes From San Diego
Hunter Martin is blossoming into a legitimate Friday ace for Tennessee. The senior righthander has shown flashes of excellence during his career he posted a 2.03 ERA in 40 innings as a junior last year but the Vols have been waiting for him to really blossom in a workhorse starter role, and it appears that is happening now. Martin struck out nine, walked one and allowed two runs on six hits over five strong innings of work against Seton Hall, and he could easily have gotten through another inning or two if not for a defensive miscue that extended the fifth inning.
Martin has flashed mid-90s velocity in the past, but a key part of his maturation process has been learning to dial it back a notch and command the zone instead of pitching to the radar gun. He located his heavy 86-91 mph fastball well to both sides of the plate Friday and showed good feel for his solid 79-81 slider and his excellent 79-81 changeup, which was particularly effective against lefties.
Hes really turned into the pitcher that I always thought hed be, Serrano said. Its three pitches, hes not trying to throw as hard anymore, hes just pitching, and hes commanding his changeup and his slider. Last year he was up to 95 but it was all fastball, he didnt have any command of his slider and change. I give credit to him, he went to the Cape and really taught himself how to pitch, and came back a better pitcher for us.
