Tennessee Softball

[lvocd]

We were at the game, Only way to hit the ball is SWING the bat. I would rather see them strike out swinging, than wait for a walk like it was "T" ball. Ladies, go after the ball, SWING the bat.

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Maddening. Karen ought to make this rule for the next game: “Unless I tell you NOT to swing with two strikes, if ANY of you is called out looking at the third strike, you’ll be coming to sit on the bench with me. If we’re going to lose, I’d rather us lose by swinging and missing than standing and looking!”

I swear, I would bench anyone who got called out on strikes not swinging, even if eventually I ran out of players. Crap. I HATE watching players get that timid in the box. Just watch the ball in as best you can and take a swing at it. Tennessee has GOT to find some courage and aggression.

 

[sccshortstop]

i

Maddening. Karen ought to make this rule for the next game: “Unless I tell you NOT to swing with two strikes, if ANY of you is called out looking at the third strike, you’ll be coming to sit on the bench with me. If we’re going to lose, I’d rather us lose by swinging and missing than standing and looking!”

I swear, I would bench anyone who got called out on strikes not swinging, even if eventually I ran out of players. Crap. I HATE watching players get that timid in the box. Just watch the ball in as best you can and take a swing at it. Tennessee has GOT to find some courage and aggression.

And a full swing not a check swing!! Sorry you had to see such a poor performance other than CA in person!!

 

[volman128]

i

Maddening. Karen ought to make this rule for the next game: “Unless I tell you NOT to swing with two strikes, if ANY of you is called out looking at the third strike, you’ll be coming to sit on the bench with me. If we’re going to lose, I’d rather us lose by swinging and missing than standing and looking!”

I swear, I would bench anyone who got called out on strikes not swinging, even if eventually I ran out of players. Crap. I HATE watching players get that timid in the box. Just watch the ball in as best you can and take a swing at it. Tennessee has GOT to find some courage and aggression.

Agree. If you're going to strike out at least do it swinging. I'd rather someone swing at a pitch at their head than watch strike 3.

 

[kregman]

i

Maddening. Karen ought to make this rule for the next game: “Unless I tell you NOT to swing with two strikes, if ANY of you is called out looking at the third strike, you’ll be coming to sit on the bench with me. If we’re going to lose, I’d rather us lose by swinging and missing than standing and looking!”

I swear, I would bench anyone who got called out on strikes not swinging, even if eventually I ran out of players. Crap. I HATE watching players get that timid in the box. Just watch the ball in as best you can and take a swing at it. Tennessee has GOT to find some courage and aggression.

The worst was Parson's at bat that change up sat there like it was in slow motion forever she could have swung three times or reloaded three times I could not believe it when she took it right down the middle.

 

[kregman]

Yes it is and has been for as long as I can remember! These smaller kids from travel ball for ever have been converted at an early age to slap. Recently big boned big butted and big thighs have been slowly coming into college as power hitters. That actually started a few years back in travel ball. It seems like Ralph has not kept up with the recruiting of that type young ladies. JMHO as always!

They especially Ralph likes a certain body type they like for their players to "look" good like athletes not necessary pretty. Straight from the horse's mouth at pitching camp my daughter attended he told on himself (at least he has a sense of humor in there). Remember Ricketts super lefty pitcher and hitter for OU who cost us a world series? She was connected or taught by Monica's pitching coach and was begging to come to UT. Ralph and he said it thought she was too "fat". Think back on those days and think of a staff of Rickett, and the Ivies. Makes me sick everytime I think of that.

 

[lvocd]

Agree. If you're going to strike out at least do it swinging. I'd rather someone swing at a pitch at their head than watch strike 3.

Me too. I feel so strongly about it that, for example, let's say there are two batters, both with two strikes. The first batter strikes out without swinging, and the second batter takes a full swing at a ball that ended up hitting the dirt a foot in front of the plate. Which would irritate me more? You guessed it! A player who freezes in fear of swinging and missing is a player who needs to merely sit and watch as more brave, competitive players do their best, even though they will surely fail sometimes.

I'd have a few hitting sessions with this team in which they are expected to swing and make some kind of contact with EVERY PITCH, no matter where it goes, even if they have to step out of the box to do it. The point would be that they would have to focus and follow the ball with their eyes extremely well to make contact with everything. I would just want them to know that they CAN make contact with just about anything if they're focused enough. I used to do this all the time, and it helped me to be extremely confident that I could make contact with just about any darn thing a pitcher could throw at me. I refused to strike out looking.

Ugh. I guess everyone knows my pet peeve now. lol

 

[oldslomo]

The problem is they don’t do enough live hitting at practice. The good hitting programs have grad assistants that were good pitchers during there playing days that throw live everyday. For whatever reason the weekly’s don’t get these girls.

I agree......the only way to get good at hitting is to hit and hit and hit...even if it's a dadgum pitching machine.....that being said if the coach is not wanting to play the hitting game then the gals are doing what they have been told to do.......they are putting the bat on the ball for the most part but small ball teams imo become predictable and the batters lose their moxi......an hour a day in the cage for each player, which for all I know they may be doing.....

 

[kregman]

I have observed through the years at every level of ball that coaches love speed (can't teach it right?). The trap they fall into is they equate speed with skill and softball is a skill game. If you have both great but coaches think hey if a girl is fast i can teach her to hit, run bases or play defense. This is not the case a lot of times. There was a girl on my daughter's high school team yes she was fast but she was the least instinctive base runner I have ever seen cost numerous runs and guess who was the first to pinch run? Later started with numerous errors and weak batting but by golly she was fast! After that offensive offense last night wonder why those memories popped into my head last night? Softball is one game that all shapes and sizes can play because if you can hit or pitch (skill) you can play.

 

[sccshortstop]

They especially Ralph likes a certain body type they like for their players to "look" good like athletes not necessary pretty. Straight from the horse's mouth at pitching camp my daughter attended he told on himself (at least he has a sense of humor in there). Remember Ricketts super lefty pitcher and hitter for OU who cost us a world series? She was connected or taught by Monica's pitching coach and was begging to come to UT. Ralph and he said it thought she was too "fat". Think back on those days and think of a staff of Rickett, and the Ivies. Makes me sick everytime I think of that.

Yep! We have one of finest looking group of young ladies of anyone anywhere. Tarango was one who comes to mind of the larger type of girl that we had. When you recruit young ladies in 8th grade or so they do not always follow the pattern as college ladies. Softball is not a beauty contest but a win the game every day contest. When Ralph offers and they accept he never goes back on his word which I love about them. We are at best middle of the pack SEC now and fading without something changing. This will not go over well with some here but I am seeing more and more males being hired as hitting instructors who have baseball/softball backgrounds. Looks like a trend and seems to be working in places. JMHO as always!

 

[Rixxx]

Sccshortstop, maybe you can explain something to me. Crow hopping is against the rules. I don't see the benefit of this act unless you're a very short pitcher and need your release point to match the taller pitchers. Both pitchers have to remain in the circle or I guess an illegal pitch is called. What am I missing? Have I been clear?

 

[lvocd]

Sccshortstop, maybe you can explain something to me. Crow hopping is against the rules. I don't see the benefit of this act unless you're a very short pitcher and need your release point to match the taller pitchers. Both pitchers have to remain in the circle or I guess an illegal pitch is called. What am I missing? Have I been clear?

If I may give it a shot, it would seem to me to give a pitcher more momentum and leverage (and thus, more speed on the pitch) if she can hop forward into the plant already in motion and THEN, quickly, finish the pitch.

 

[volman128]

I don't mind players that are multi-tool players, like Leach, Raven Chavanne, Rainey Gaffin, Brooke Vines, Kat Dotson. They could all bunt, slap, hit line drives into the gap and even hit homers. It was hard to defend them because they were not one-dimensional. It also helps to have power hitters who have the speed aspect of their game, too, like Lauren Gibson, Melissa Davin and Madison Shipman, who could also beat out infield hits and steal bases. But players like Holcomb and Parsons who can ONLY slap and bunt are a thing of the past. Granted, if you have a player with enough speed they can almost turn it into a double immediately with a steal, but in today's game slappers don't have the averages like they used to. I don't see slappers having averages like Sarah Fekete or India Chiles anymore.

At the very least players like Tory Lewis and Lindsey Schutzler developed into better overall hitters after coming to UT solely as slappers. I just wish we got more hitters that are true power hitters or at the very least truly multi-dimensional at the plate. Even players that just hit singles and doubles, like Chelsea Seggern, just don't get it done. We all know what she will do when she gets to the plate. Single, occasional double. That's it.

I know one thing: this team has SEVERELY missed Meghan Gregg and Brooke Vines this year.

 

[sccshortstop]

If I may give it a shot, it would seem to me to give a pitcher more momentum and leverage (and thus, more speed on the pitch) if she can hop forward into the plant already in motion and THEN, quickly, finish the pitch.

Thanks and I cannot disagree at all, however the famous crow hop may be illegal but the most famous crow hopper in the world gets away with it daily. I do not remember anyone one off the top of my head who even comes close to Barnhill in this magical dance!

 

[sccshortstop]

I don't mind players that are multi-tool players, like Leach, Raven Chavanne, Rainey Gaffin, Brooke Vines, Kat Dotson. They could all bunt, slap, hit line drives into the gap and even hit homers. It was hard to defend them because they were not one-dimensional. It also helps to have power hitters who have the speed aspect of their game, too, like Lauren Gibson, Melissa Davin and Madison Shipman, who could also beat out infield hits and steal bases. But players like Holcomb and Parsons who can ONLY slap and bunt are a thing of the past. Granted, if you have a player with enough speed they can almost turn it into a double immediately with a steal, but in today's game slappers don't have the averages like they used to. I don't see slappers having averages like Sarah Fekete or India Chiles anymore.

At the very least players like Tory Lewis and Lindsey Schutzler developed into better overall hitters after coming to UT solely as slappers. I just wish we got more hitters that are true power hitters or at the very least truly multi-dimensional at the plate. Even players that just hit singles and doubles, like Chelsea Seggern, just don't get it done. We all know what she will do when she gets to the plate. Single, occasional double. That's it.

I know one thing: this team has SEVERELY missed Meghan Gregg and Brooke Vines this year.

The new rule has made slappers nearly obsolete! Now speed is not enough and the momentum on the run is negated by having to keep the foot in. I wish the darn umps would either call it every time or not at all. When a lady has the rep like Holcomb she will be targeted by the other coach as well as the ump.

 

[kregman]

If I may give it a shot, it would seem to me to give a pitcher more momentum and leverage (and thus, more speed on the pitch) if she can hop forward into the plant already in motion and THEN, quickly, finish the pitch.

I'll give it a shot too no pitching expert but spend many hours in practice on it. First you land closer to the plate you are right a very tall pitcher legally will land farther out but even Monica at 6 5 is not hitting the edge legally. You are taught to have a firm front because the real torgue in pitching comes from the momentum stopping on the front leg and that energy transferred forward through the release. Sofball pitchers if done right can throw a lot of pitches because it is mostly legs not arm. Barnhill actually a lot of times lands then pushes off again that much closer to the plate. Not dragging from the start adds momentum. She really gains an advantage on her screwball she leaps out sideways out of the lane lands then drives back toward towards the batter at an angle. The reason pitching takes so much practice to learn and to keep sharp is all the timing involved the mechanics and then add in spinning the ball it is hard to do at a high level or even a lower level. Interesting they said Barnhill has developed a stress fracture in her front leg the last two seasons. Take that for what it is worth no one would pay me to teach them to pitch!

 

[DeerPark12]

But players like Holcomb and Parsons who can ONLY slap and bunt are a thing of the past. Granted, if you have a player with enough speed they can almost turn it into a double immediately with a steal, but in today's game slappers don't have the averages like they used to. I don't see slappers having averages like Sarah Fekete or India Chiles anymore.

At the very least players like Tory Lewis and Lindsey Schutzler developed into better overall hitters after coming to UT solely as slappers. I just wish we got more hitters that are true power hitters or at the very least truly multi-dimensional at the plate. Even players that just hit singles and doubles, like Chelsea Seggern, just don't get it done. We all know what she will do when she gets to the plate. Single, occasional double.

Less than half of Parsons’ hits this year have come on slaps. She swings away more often than she slaps or bunts.

Seggern has been among the SEC leaders in doubles all three years, so saying an “occasional” double isn’t really accurate either. 17 career home runs, as well. Teams pitched around her this year and she still ended up with 16 doubles and 4 homers, despite missing two weeks. She wasn’t the problem.

Vines quitting and Lockman being unable to play with the shoulder were two critical blows. You’re right, Vines would have been a big threat for this team. Lockman would have been the DP or split catching with Shipman and would have been good for the 8 or so HR she hit last year. That would have helped.

 

[volman128]

Parsons feet move everytime she's at the plate. She may be a "power slapper" at times but she's still a slapper.

Seggern has 14 homers (3 her freshman year, 7 last season and 4 this season). Even if she had 17 homers, that's not a lot for 3 seasons. She isn't the problem (lead us in RBI in SEC play) but she certainly has the potential for more power and she's unmistakably a line drive hitter vs. a power hitter. She's in the mold of Melissa Brown for me but with better batting average. I'm not convinced she has more power as Brown lead the team in doubles once or twice in her career. Don't mean to sound like I'm picking on Chelsea, just that I think she has the build and power of a power hitter but seemingly isn't a big HR threat. The only real HR threat we had this year consistently was Bearden.

 

[SEC FAN 1111]

Less than half of Parsons’ hits this year have come on slaps. She swings away more often than she slaps or bunts.

Seggern has been among the SEC leaders in doubles all three years, so saying an “occasional” double isn’t really accurate either. 17 career home runs, as well. Teams pitched around her this year and she still ended up with 16 doubles and 4 homers, despite missing two weeks. She wasn’t the problem.

Vines quitting and Lockman being unable to play with the shoulder were two critical blows. You’re right, Vines would have been a big threat for this team. Lockman would have been the DP or split catching with Shipman and would have been good for the 8 or so HR she hit last year. That would have helped.

Parsons is a slapper by definition her feet move on every pitch. She swings away but her feet are still moving!

 

[Volfanj1398]

We need a hitting coach and no more slappers, let them swing. This small ball is nuts. We just need a complete overhaul .go get some hitters and let them swing away, n get some pitchers that can throw over 63+ every game

 

[lvocd]

When is the last time a team specializing in small-ball strategy won the WCWS?

 

[508mikey]

When is the last time a team specializing in small-ball strategy won the WCWS?

UT finished 2nd with Abbott and all slappers -- times have changed and Ralph hasn't

 

[GameTime]

We need a hitting coach and no more slappers, let them swing. This small ball is nuts. We just need a complete overhaul .go get some hitters and let them swing away, n get some pitchers that can throw over 63+ every game

You never heard Mrs. Graham Hess, in the movie "Signs" tell Reverend Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) "tell Merrill to slap away" ...It's obvious Ralph and Karen never saw the movie "Signs"..... "Swing away Merrill, swing away!

"Slap away Merrill, slap away", just doesn't have the same pizzazz........

 

[OrangeBeachVol]

Signs was a good movie. had a lot of suspense to it. Yeah, Ralph must be living in the past reminiscing about the Abbot days and slap hitters and trying recreate that. Only problem is you could get by with 1 run with Abbot, not now. Sadly I think the season ends this coming weekend. As several of you have already stated, the total regression is almost complete.

 

[sccshortstop]

I don't have a problem with having a lead off slapper. Most teams do but 3 or 4 up and down the lineup days are gone. I watched Alabama play last night and their leadoff was a slapper that is the spitting image of Holcomb because she stepped out of the box 3 times and was called on the first one and the last one. There were 2 ladies on that last stepout. The dominating pitching is being caught up to by good hitters who have power. We are no where close to that place now. JMHO as always!

 

[kregman]

Signs was a good movie. had a lot of suspense to it. Yeah, Ralph must be living in the past reminiscing about the Abbot days and slap hitters and trying recreate that. Only problem is you could get by with 1 run with Abbot, not now. Sadly I think the season ends this coming weekend. As several of you have already stated, the total regression is almost complete.

The crazy thing about this season is that we started the season with a very aggressive hard swinging approach the freshmen were not scared to swing the bat just let it rip with excellent results even againist some really good pitching. Then Ally got hurt and a couple of slumps and someone/someones I think we know who instead of diagnosing the problem as a hiccup and work it out decide to declared the patient dead and resurrect the small ball and now we have an offense that is a corpse walking around that is ten years dead.