Hatchertiger Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 (edited) Its been discussed in some of the threads how our defense in uncharacteristically making costly errors in the field. Also how CPM always fielded a good defensive team. Scott Long on today's page posted a comparison b/w CPM and CJJ's fielding percentage and ranking over the last 8 years: Quote We’ve been mildly concerned about LSU’s defense since the season started, but that concern ratcheted up a notch this past weekend when LSU committed 10 errors in three games. The Tigers currently have 26 errors through 12 games, and their fielding percentage of .940 is not only last in the SEC but 279th out of 293 D1 teams. When I saw those numbers, I decided to visit the NCAA Baseball Stats Archive to see how each of Jay Johnson’s last eight teams have done defensively compared to Paul Mainieri’s LSU teams. Let’s have a look: Fielding Percentage and Ranking — Jay Johnson’s teams and Paul Mainieri’s Tigers 2014 Nevada: 58th (.964) 2014 LSU: 18th (.976) 2015 Nevada: 35th (.975) 2015 LSU: 24th (.976) 2016 Arizona: 21st (.977) 2016 LSU: 32nd (.976) 2017 Arizona: 156th (.968) 2017 LSU: 14th (.980) 2018 Arizona: 52nd (.975) 2018 LSU: 16th (.979) 2019 Arizona: 232nd (.962) 2019 LSU: 40th (.977) 2020 Arizona: 220th (.958) 2020 LSU: 31st (.979) 2021 Arizona: 159th (.967) 2021 LSU: 72nd (.973) • Mainieri’s teams fielded at a higher rate than Johnson’s in seven of the eight years. • LSU’s average ranking in the past eight years: 31st (.977) • Jay Johnson teams’ average ranking in the past eight years: 117th (.968) My first question is why the disparity? Were the Arizona players JJ coached lesser defensive players that the ones CPM coached at LSU? Is it due to focus? Approach? Coaching? Practice regimen? I know its relatively early in the season and way too early to push the panic button but hopefully we can find a way to cut down on errors. Nothing kills a great pitching performance more than errors in the field. Edited March 8, 2022 by Hatchertiger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 well there isn’t a blanket answer. JT and Doughty are both playing below the level they did last year. They’re the same 2 guys with more experience. JT is coming off of an injury. Doughty is back at 2B, where if you recall he wasn’t shining in 2020 (played 3B most of last year). another is the way the 2 coaches approach the games. Mainieri would start people like Hal Hughes, who hit .174 his last full season here with 1 career dinger in 3 seasons, but was a solid 3B (career Fielding % .963) Jay is going to start Merrifield who is going to hit north of .350, but is no where near the fielder that Hughes was (he’s sitting at .852 right now). Safford is a better defensive 2B than Doughty is. But he can’t hit his way out a wet paper back. So Doughty is in the lineup. Another example is DiGiacomo is probably the best defensive OF on the roster. But we’re going to start Berry over him because Berry can rake (he has more tanks so far this year than Gio does in his entire career). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Digiacomo needs to be in the lineup. He can take too, just not great power. He should be CF, Crews RF with his arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSUDad Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 3 hours ago, Fishhead said: Digiacomo needs to be in the lineup. He can take too, just not great power. He should be CF, Crews RF with his arm. Have we had an outfield like this before, a friend and I were talking about arm strength in the outfield? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 7 hours ago, Fishhead said: Digiacomo needs to be in the lineup. He can take too, just not great power. He should be CF, Crews RF with his arm. who you taking out to get him in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 On 3/9/2022 at 6:10 AM, Nutriaitch said: who you taking out to get him in? Berry to DH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 8 hours ago, Fishhead said: Berry to DH where you putting Jobert? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 11, 2022 Author Share Posted March 11, 2022 35 minutes ago, Nutriaitch said: where you putting Jobert? Tell him to go and lay down behind the pitcher’s mound and hopefully nobody notices him 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 39 minutes ago, Hatchertiger said: Tell him to go and lay down behind the pitcher’s mound and hopefully nobody notices him that's the thing though in order for Gio to be in the lineup, you have to take one of the following out: Crews Dugas Berry Jobert Theoretically, you could put Berry at 3B, Jobert at DH, and Gio in the OF. But in a topic specifically about defensive issues, i don't think Berry at 3B is the answer. C. Milazzo 1B. Morgan2B. Merrifield SS. JT3B. Doughty OF. Crews OF. Dugas OF. Berry DH. Jobert That's your roster with my changes in bold. Flip those 2 around and I think we'll see an immediate improvement. And i mean instant like moving Hellmers from 3B to pitching staff and putting Doughty at 3B last season. Except probably better because Merrifield is likely a better option at 2B than Arnold was (who was a natural SS and struggled with the throws from 2nd). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 11, 2022 Author Share Posted March 11, 2022 I couldn't argue with that change. Even though this team apparently is built for offense, we still have to play sound defense. I know its early but I have yet to see the offensive juggernaut that was predicted pre-season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 1 hour ago, Hatchertiger said: I couldn't argue with that change. Even though this team apparently is built for offense, we still have to play sound defense. I know its early but I have yet to see the offensive juggernaut that was predicted pre-season. we really only played like 2-3 games where the weather was favorable to the hitters (and 2 indoors) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 21 hours ago, Hatchertiger said: I couldn't argue with that change. Even though this team apparently is built for offense, we still have to play sound defense. I know its early but I have yet to see the offensive juggernaut that was predicted pre-season. I mean Berry has 7 homers after, what, 13 games? Doughty with 5 Jobert right there with them And we know 1-7 can hit. Last year we were desperate after we got past 4. I'm concerned about Thompson and McManus. McManus has greatly underwhelmed. But Jobert is a pleasant surprise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 52 minutes ago, Fishhead said: I mean Berry has 7 homers after, what, 13 games? Doughty with 5 Jobert right there with them And we know 1-7 can hit. Last year we were desperate after we got past 4. I'm concerned about Thompson and McManus. McManus has greatly underwhelmed. But Jobert is a pleasant surprise JT started similarly last year. TMac just hasn’t gotten enough at bats yet to get to any sort of rhythm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 so back to defense. JT yesterday took a routine 2 hopper chest high. Grabbed it clean with a day and a half to throw it. He did that double shuffle stutter step thing habit he’s picked up, released mid 2nd step and airmailed one that Magician somehow snared to prevent an error. Later in game he makes an MLB caliber diving stop, pops and fires. great throw. So his issue is mechanical, but also i think mental. pop and throw is pure reaction. and he looks like Omar Vizquel. time to think about what’s happening? looks more like Julio Lugo (rest in peace). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 On 3/11/2022 at 10:27 AM, Hatchertiger said: I couldn't argue with that change. Even though this team apparently is built for offense, we still have to play sound defense. I know its early but I have yet to see the offensive juggernaut that was predicted pre-season. Agree not a juggernaut, but WAY stronger than last (several) seasons. This was prior to the Mcneese game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 49 minutes ago, Nutriaitch said: so back to defense. JT yesterday took a routine 2 hopper chest high. Grabbed it clean with a day and a half to throw it. He did that double shuffle stutter step thing habit he’s picked up, released mid 2nd step and airmailed one that Magician somehow snared to prevent an error. Later in game he makes an MLB caliber diving stop, pops and fires. great throw. So his issue is mechanical, but also i think mental. pop and throw is pure reaction. and he looks like Omar Vizquel. time to think about what’s happening? looks more like Julio Lugo (rest in peace). He needs a slump buster. 2 in fact. 1 for offense, 1 for defense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutriaitch Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 3 hours ago, Fishhead said: He needs a slump buster. 2 in fact. 1 for offense, 1 for defense he needs you to run your mouth about him again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishhead Posted March 13, 2022 Share Posted March 13, 2022 9 hours ago, Nutriaitch said: he needs you to run your mouth about him again You mean ask what's up with him? Ok, what's up with JT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchertiger Posted March 14, 2022 Author Share Posted March 14, 2022 On 3/12/2022 at 11:16 PM, Fishhead said: Ok, what's up with JT? “4-4 that’s what’s up! And it’s Mr Thompson, not JT.” Sincerely, Jordan Thompson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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