re: Bama Baseball 33-24 (13-17) (2023-24)

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Rick Pendley @alagrandslammer·41m
Alabama’s @BenHess02 named to @d1baseball’s Preseason All-Americans Third Team.
#RollTide

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Rick Pendley @alagrandslammer·48m
Alabama’s @GuscetteMac listed in @d1baseball’s initial power rankings of the nation’s top 50 catchers.
#RollTide

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Rick Pendley @alagrandslammer·9m
Alabama newcomer @SnellKade (39th) ranked among the nation’s best 50 first basemen by @d1baseball

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Alabama Athletics@UA_Athletics·1h
T-minus 11 days til we're back at The Joe

Single game tickets are on sale now: LINK

#RollTide

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1) Overall, the team is more aggressive at the plate, and the hard contact rate is much improved from last year. They are attacking balls in the zone more, and hitting the ball harder. It is noticeable in both the newcomers and the returning players. The ball explodes off of Hayslip's bat, and Sleight, Hammiter, and Hodo's as well. Mizzell has elite bat speed and the ball jumps off his bat, but his command of the strike zone is still a work in progress, though I was encouraged by his walk in the last at-bat. He is a talent. Petruz is still a bit of a mystery to me, understanding that I have only seen him in two games, but having watched Maryland and seen him play there, there is something slightly different, though I haven't quite sussed it out. I think the offense has a chance to be SEC competitive, the key will be quality at-bats at the end of the lineup and depth.

2) Really impressed with the quality and depth of the pitching, though some of it is very inexperienced. Some power arms, some high spin rates, and impressive tilt rates. The hardest thing for younger hitters is adjusting to variety in these areas and the ability to throw that variety is very useful. This was the strongest point of the Mississippi State staff when they won in Omaha and made their power arms even more impressive.

3) The biggest area of concern, though again muted by the amount of time to the season's start and the mix-and-match nature of a new regime, was the infield defense. The talent is obviously there, but the whole was a little sketchy. Lebron is as talented as anyone I have seen at that position in Crimson but is still a bit out of sync with his own body and the other players, Swinney is more mature and polished, though not quite as explosive. He had one error but seemed to be distracted by the third baseman slipping and making some kind of call. Eblin is as smooth and polished as always, but the question is where does he play? I like him at second, but the offensive ability of others may impact that. The players at first all seem solid, third base doesn't seem really defined yet, and the catching situation beyond Guscette is a bit murky, but the real question is the balance of offense and defense. Most of the pop is going to come from the outfield, and there is a surplus there, and I think first base can provide some, but finding a good defensive mix in the infield and behind the plate without making the offense overly reliant on four hitters is going to be key. When the lineup got "longer" last year, the team began its rise.

4) I do not want to compare last year's staff and this, too many issues involved to do it coherently in this kind of post, but I will say I was very definitely impressed with the intensity and personal involvement of this staff, the instant and constant coaching, and the ability to create intensity without petulance. It was professional, workmanlike, intense, but personal and direct, and primarily positive unless focused on a specific thing. McCants had a flair drop in for a single, but was quickly and firmly informed that, had he hustled out of the box instead of lingering to see if it was fair, would have been safely at second. Firm, instantaneous, but not confrontational, and followed up after the inning with a personal conversation. I feel that the staff has a firm and committed approach and that the team has a clear understanding of it.

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