Softball Prepares for Easton Bama Bash (4 p.m. ct)

[Leewillie]

Far be it for me to question Coach Murphy, but why do we have a .158 hitter with only 3 hits batting clean up?

RBI is the key stat for cleanup, but you need 1,2, and 3 on base. Maybe this helps.

CPM likes batters that usually makes contact with the ball in key positions and this could be why he had the two in cleanup tonight. Both of them usually puts the ball in play.

OK. If we are now agreed that RBIs are key, then what you are IDEALLY looking for, aside from HRs, is long balls that may score runners already in scoring position.

That or ground balls. With the speed Bama has, a lot can happen on a ground ball. Last year Bama left a lot of base runners on base due to strikeouts and there were some long ball hitters leaving those runners on base. When you look at the lineup carefully you can see CPM has stratigically put batters in certain places to support the battters behind them. Keima Davis is another batter that CPM uses as a rally maker. She bats in the 9th position and has blazing speed but look at those that bat behind her. Her batting avewrage isn't that good but what she offers for the top of the lineup is a chance to have a big inning. The same goes for the cleanup spot, he wants somethere that can keep a rally going by hitting the ball somewhere and not striking out. How many times did Amanda Locke strike out last year and kill a rally even though she did hit some big homeruns.

I agree with everything you said.  That's why I would have had Jackie Traina or even Denae Hays in the clean up slot tonight.

[XBAMA]

could just ask Coach and see what he says too ... 

[Jamos]

Far be it for me to question Coach Murphy, but why do we have a .158 hitter with only 3 hits batting clean up?

RBI is the key stat for cleanup, but you need 1,2, and 3 on base. Maybe this helps.

CPM likes batters that usually makes contact with the ball in key positions and this could be why he had the two in cleanup tonight. Both of them usually puts the ball in play.

OK. If we are now agreed that RBIs are key, then what you are IDEALLY looking for, aside from HRs, is long balls that may score runners already in scoring position.

All of your points are well taken, however the player used in that position tonight met none of your criteria, hence, my original question.

As I said earlier, she is a good proven hitter but has been in a slump. Before she came to Bama, she hit a home run off of Kelsi Dunne and Jackie Traina in a tournament here in Tuscaloosa. You never know when someone will snap out of a hitting slump but they have to be in the game to do it.

[Leewillie]

Far be it for me to question Coach Murphy, but why do we have a .158 hitter with only 3 hits batting clean up?

RBI is the key stat for cleanup, but you need 1,2, and 3 on base. Maybe this helps.

CPM likes batters that usually makes contact with the ball in key positions and this could be why he had the two in cleanup tonight. Both of them usually puts the ball in play.

OK. If we are now agreed that RBIs are key, then what you are IDEALLY looking for, aside from HRs, is long balls that may score runners already in scoring position.

All of your points are well taken, however the player used in that position tonight met none of your criteria, hence, my original question.

As I said earlier, she is a good proven hitter but has been in a slump. Before she came to Bama, she hit a home run off of Kelsi Dunne and Jackie Traina in a tournament here in Tuscaloosa. You never know when someone will snap out of a hitting slump but they have to be in the game to do it.

Thanks for the information

[BAMAWV]

Far be it for me to question Coach Murphy, but why do we have a .158 hitter with only 3 hits batting clean up?

RBI is the key stat for cleanup, but you need 1,2, and 3 on base. Maybe this helps.

CPM likes batters that usually makes contact with the ball in key positions and this could be why he had the two in cleanup tonight. Both of them usually puts the ball in play.

OK. If we are now agreed that RBIs are key, then what you are IDEALLY looking for, aside from HRs, is long balls that may score runners already in scoring position.

That or ground balls. With the speed Bama has, a lot can happen on a ground ball. Last year Bama left a lot of base runners on base due to strikeouts and there were some long ball hitters leaving those runners on base. When you look at the lineup carefully you can see CPM has stratigically put batters in certain places to support the battters behind them. Keima Davis is another batter that CPM uses as a rally maker. She bats in the 9th position and has blazing speed but look at those that bat behind her. Her batting avewrage isn't that good but what she offers for the top of the lineup is a chance to have a big inning. The same goes for the cleanup spot, he wants somethere that can keep a rally going by hitting the ball somewhere and not striking out. How many times did Amanda Locke strike out last year and kill a rally even though she did hit some big homeruns.

I agree with everything you said.  That's why I would have had Jackie Traina or even Denae Hays in the clean up slot tonight.

As a rule, when you talk of cleanup hitting, you are asking the clean-up batter to get the HR or the long out, allowing your best shot at scoring runs off situations with runners in scoring position. Defensively, the pitchers are trying to get your hitters to put the ball on the ground. LOL--"seeing eye" singles are always welcome but you want your #4 hitter (best chance statistically to have runners on base) getting the ball up and out of the infield.

[Jamos]

Far be it for me to question Coach Murphy, but why do we have a .158 hitter with only 3 hits batting clean up?

RBI is the key stat for cleanup, but you need 1,2, and 3 on base. Maybe this helps.

CPM likes batters that usually makes contact with the ball in key positions and this could be why he had the two in cleanup tonight. Both of them usually puts the ball in play.

OK. If we are now agreed that RBIs are key, then what you are IDEALLY looking for, aside from HRs, is long balls that may score runners already in scoring position.

That or ground balls. With the speed Bama has, a lot can happen on a ground ball. Last year Bama left a lot of base runners on base due to strikeouts and there were some long ball hitters leaving those runners on base. When you look at the lineup carefully you can see CPM has stratigically put batters in certain places to support the battters behind them. Keima Davis is another batter that CPM uses as a rally maker. She bats in the 9th position and has blazing speed but look at those that bat behind her. Her batting avewrage isn't that good but what she offers for the top of the lineup is a chance to have a big inning. The same goes for the cleanup spot, he wants somethere that can keep a rally going by hitting the ball somewhere and not striking out. How many times did Amanda Locke strike out last year and kill a rally even though she did hit some big homeruns.

I agree with everything you said.  That's why I would have had Jackie Traina or even Denae Hays in the clean up slot tonight.

As a rule, when you talk of cleanup hitting, you are asking the clean-up batter to get the HR or the long out, allowing your best shot at scoring runs off situations with runners in scoring position. Defensively, the pitchers are trying to get your hitters to put the ball on the ground. LOL--"seeing eye" singles are always welcome but you want your #4 hitter (best chance statistically to have runners on base) getting the ball up and out of the infield.

We could argue this forever more but CPM is a proven coach and I trust his decisions. These tournament games are only preparing Bama for the upcoming conference play. He is mixing and matching players in different roles for each game played to give them the experience that will be needed for the future games.  

Here is the article on yesterday's games, check out the names of some of the players with big hits. 

Click here for link

[BAMAWV]

I'll bet we're talking about the same thing. I doubt you're saying CPM sent anyone to the plate to hit a grounder. He sent them to drive the ball, and has the luxury of moving them up in the order/line-up because their speed allows them to beat a few out if they don't make good contact. BTW, with a runner already on, that forces the fielders choice, which becomes a tougher decision for the defense when our base runners are smoking the basepaths.

Anyway, I saw on your link that another freshman, Lafaele, got two hits in game 2. Has she hit anything else to mention? Nice when the bottom of your order getting hits, sometimes leaving runners on base when the top of the order comes around. RTR 

[Jamos]

I'll bet we're talking about the same thing. I doubt you're saying CPM sent anyone to the plate to hit a grounder. He sent them to drive the ball, and has the luxury of moving them up in the order/line-up because their speed allows them to beat a few out if they don't make good contact. BTW, with a runner already on, that forces the fielders choice, which becomes a tougher decision for the defense when our base runners are smoking the basepaths.

Anyway, I saw on your link that another freshman, Lafaele, got two hits in game 2. Has she hit anything else to mention? Nice when the bottom of your order getting hits, sometimes leaving runners on base when the top of the order comes around. RTR 

Lafaele reminds me some of Amanda Locke so far. She has tremendous power and not much for average. I think this will change though as she plays more at this level, she just needs more at bats. You hit the nail on the head when you said "leaving runners on base for the first of the batting order". That is why you see some good bats in the 6-7-8 slots in the batting order with Keima Davis, a good bunter and slap hitter, in the 9 slot. It just sets the table for Braud, McCleney, and Hunt. McCleney is something very special, she's the best player that I have ever seen at Bama. She has set the bar at a much higher level for the other players to improve themselves.

[ricky023]

I would love to see them play. My cable is goofy as pmull knows, but I will cheer our Tidettes on as long as i can. RTR!

[pmull]

Winthrop and Bama are tied 1-1 with Bama coming to bat in the bottom of the 3rd.

Lauren Sewell is pitching for Bama.

[pmull]

Still tied 1-1 with Winthrop batting in the 5th.

[pmull]

Going to the 6th still tied 1-1.

[pmull]

BLOOM!!! Bama breaks the game open with 5 runs in the 6th. Danielle Richard hits a 3 run HR.

Bama leads 6-1. Winthrop down to their final 3 outs.

[BAMAWV]

I'll bet we're talking about the same thing. I doubt you're saying CPM sent anyone to the plate to hit a grounder. He sent them to drive the ball, and has the luxury of moving them up in the order/line-up because their speed allows them to beat a few out if they don't make good contact. BTW, with a runner already on, that forces the fielders choice, which becomes a tougher decision for the defense when our base runners are smoking the basepaths.

Anyway, I saw on your link that another freshman, Lafaele, got two hits in game 2. Has she hit anything else to mention? Nice when the bottom of your order getting hits, sometimes leaving runners on base when the top of the order comes around. RTR 

Lafaele reminds me some of Amanda Locke so far. She has tremendous power and not much for average. I think this will change though as she plays more at this level, she just needs more at bats. You hit the nail on the head when you said "leaving runners on base for the first of the batting order". That is why you see some good bats in the 6-7-8 slots in the batting order with Keima Davis, a good bunter and slap hitter, in the 9 slot. It just sets the table for Braud, McCleney, and Hunt. McCleney is something very special, she's the best player that I have ever seen at Bama. She has set the bar at a much higher level for the other players to improve themselves.

You want your best guy/gal at on base percentage at lead-off (also speed) and of course, your power hitter at cleanup. But other than that you set your lineup with the better hitters on top and the lesser averages on the bottom. You'll drive yourself crazy worry about it any more than that. You just hope your team bats around more times than your opponent.

[BAMAWV]

BLOOM!!! Bama breaks the game open with 5 runs in the 6th. Danielle Richard hits a 3 run HR.

Bama leads 6-1. Winthrop down to their final 3 outs.

RollTideRoll.

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