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2009 Season
Recap: What Happened?
The 2009 Texas A&M baseball team failed to live up to their
expectations, and the coaches and players feel that pain more than any Aggie
fan. That's hard for some to understand, but those inside the program are the
ones that put the blood, sweat and tears into it year around. Too many will
remember this team for its failings to reach their goals; to win a trip to the
College World Series, to win a top eight national seed, to host a regional at
Olsen Field. After winning trips to Super Regional play in both 2007 and
2008, and winning a conference championship both years as well, not taking the
next step was very disappointing. It will just focus the players and coaches
to take it the next level next season. These players and coaches know
what they didn't do, and when the casual baseball fan is complaining about
something else in four months, those "Aggie Fans" will only remember
the failures and not the reasons or the razor thin line that separated the
Aggies from making a dream season possible.
Offense fails at just one thing...and it's a biggie.
Hitting with runners in scoring position is as key a stat as
there is in baseball. Along with on-base percentage, these numbers will tell
you what kind of season your offense is producing. Sometimes RISP will not be
the key to a game, you can hit a couple of homeruns with a runner at first, or
manufacturing a run by a double, sacrifice bunt to third and sacrifice fly can
have runs score without a hit even factoring in. But over the course of a
season, you must provide clutch hits for a team to compete for championships.
This year's team not only failed to hit with RISP, they did
so much below their season batting average, something that almost never
happens.
Let's look at the past six years:
2004 Season average: .300, Avg. no RISP: .285, Avg. w/ RISP:
.328, OB%: .381, Two-out RBI: 153
2005 Season average: .273, Avg. no RISP: .267, Avg. w/ RISP: .286, OB%: .346,
Two-out RBI: 87
2006 Season average: .252, Avg. no RISP: .250, Avg. w/ RISP: .256, OB%: .332,
Two-out RBI: 81
2007 Season average: .314, Avg. no RISP: .311, Avg. w/ RISP: .318, OB%: .395,
Two-out RBI: 166
2008 Season average: .314, Avg. no RISP: .307, Avg. w/ RISP: .329, OB%: .407,
Two-out RBI: 158
2009 Season average: .298, Avg. no RISP: .313, Avg. w/ RISP: .265, OB%: .392,
Two-out RBI: 120
Those numbers show what an anomaly the 2009 season was with
RISP. Even compared to sub-.500 teams in 2005 and 2006, those team's average
with RISP was a little better than their season average and their average with
no RISP. Compare it with three teams that went to Super Regional play in '04,
'07 and '08 and you see how important the RISP can be. This year the average
was decidedly lower and nearly the same as what the 2006 season produced with
a season average that was nearly 50 points higher.
How did it translate to the field? It was seen in close
games more than any other and those games were the difference between the
Aggies accomplishing the majority of those preseason goals. Texas A&M won
seven games in the ninth inning or later and lost 14 with the tying or go
ahead run at the plate in that same situation this season. In the wins, the
team hit .313 with RISP and in the losses the team hit .163 with RISP. Two of
those seven wins were in Big 12 play and eight of those losses were in Big 12
play. Even the two now infamous losses to the 'Horns had the Aggies getting up
off the deck following questionable calls to have the game decided in the
batters box in the last inning. In a season where you finish just three games
out of the championship with a 14-13 record and five of those nail bitter
games were against teams that finish higher than you in the standings, those
situations and plays were magnified. Of those 13 Big 12 losses, the Aggies
lost one blowout, three by four runs and the rest by three runs or less,
including the seven one-run losses. When the last two teams you play in the
regular season are national seeds and four of your five losses to them are
decided by a single run, producing with RISP in that six-game stretch was the
key to being on the road at TCU and hosting the tournament for a chance to go
to Omaha.
What does this mean for next year's offense and the
returning players? Nearly nothing, the list of returning players in 2007 that
increased their averages with RISP included Blake Stouffer, Parker Dalton,
Craig Stinson, Josh Stinson and only Kyle Colligan saw a dip in those numbers.
Luke Anders, with a .000 batting average was a .360 hitter with RISP as well
after working with the Aggie hitting coaches.
Look at the 2009 end of season pitching numbers...they
are not very pretty.
In my opinion, when college pitchers are feeling the
pressure to pitch perfectly is the biggest determining factor for a team
having a successful season on the mound. When pitchers have trust in their
offense and/or defense, they throw ahead in counts, don't let mistakes linger
and work themselves out of trouble instead of into more of it. I was asked
time and again what was wrong with Brooks Raley. I think he did get tired, but
not to the point that he was ineffective for long stretches. I think a bigger
factor was the big innings that could have been avoided if plays had been made
behind him. Against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament, two balls dropped that
were correctly ruled hits but were also complete misplays, that led to five
additional runs scoring in the first inning. Back that up with his performance
against Oregon State, three of the four runs he allowed in the first inning
were unearned, costing him confidence and pitches (both times 20+ more pitches
were thrown in the first inning.)
It certainly seemed to be in the pitchers' heads when in the
last 13 games of the year, the staff allowed runs in the first or second
inning in every game except the shutout by Ross Hales against the Longhorns.
It totaled 37 when the season was done and in those 12 games the Aggies were
4-8. Starting pitchers were unable to extend themselves into the game and the
only quality start (six innings pitched with three earned runs or less) was
Hales' masterpiece against Texas. In the 12 other games, the starters had a
9.8 ERA over 43 innings (an average of 3.2 innings per start) while giving up
82 hits, 60 runs (47 earned) and issuing 17 walks against just 31 strikeouts.
The bullpen did a respectable job, going 2-1 with a 3.98 ERA in those games
and gave the team a chance to rally from behind six times.
Contrast those numbers with the first 48 games of the
season. The starters were 21-8 with a 3.53 ERA, struck out 302 batters in
267.1 innings, allowed just a .224 batting average against as well. Twenty
times the starting pitchers had a quality start and only four times did the
starters allow more than four runs to score against them.
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas - The Texas A&M baseball team signed 11 student-athletes to national letters of intent, head coach Rob Childress announced Thursday.
Krey Bratsen (Bryan), Blair Dickey (Amarillo), Kyle Chaskin (Houston), Charlie Curl (Amarillo), Spencer Davis (The Woodlands), Derrick Hadley (Navasota), Ty Marlow (Giddings), Kendrick Perkins (La Porte), Jace Statum (Orangefield), Kirby Taylor (Bellaire) and James Wooster (League City/Alvin JC) make up the all-Texan class that is slated to take the field for the Aggies in the fall of 2010.
"I think it's an incredible class," Childress said. "The position players all fit our criteria of strength and speed and will fit into our philosophy of what we're trying to do offensively, and the pitchers are all difference-makers that could help us today. It's a solid group of athletes that are also great people and great students, and I feel like they are going to fit very well into our program. (Assistant Coach) Justin (Seely) and (Associate Head Coach) Matt (Deggs) both spent countless hours on the road evaluating and recruiting these kids and have put together another outstanding class for Texas A&M baseball."
The group is comprised of four outfielders, four infielders and three pitchers, two of which are two-way players.
"My favorite part of this group is its versatility," said Seely, who is also the program's recruiting coordinator. "There are a lot of guys who can play several different positions. Athleticism was a priority with this group and I think we got that. It's a class that leans more towards position players, which will give us even more balance."
"This is a class made up of a bunch of guys that play hard, play the game the right way and really fit in to what we do," Deggs said. "This class is very versatile and athletic, and features a lot of strength, speed and interchangeable parts."
Krey Bratsen, the son of James and Karen Bratsen, is a two-time all-Brazos Valley selection by The Bryan-College Station Eagle for coach David Powers at Bryan High School. Bratsen earned second-team All-State honors in 2009 from the Texas Sports Writers Association after hitting .471 with seven doubles, three triples, five home runs, 25 RBIs and 28 stolen bases. He also compiled a 3.13 ERA in 13 innings of work on the mound, striking out 26.
Kyle Chaskin, the son of Marvin and Tracy Chaskin, was a first-team all-district and second-team all-greater Houston selection for coach Rocky Manuel at Bellaire High School. A three-year starter and two-way standout, Chaskin helped lead the Cardinals to the state semifinals as a sophomore and the regional semifinals in 2009 by hitting .459 with three home runs and 25 RBIs while compiling a 6-1 record on the mound. Chaskin is one of two Bellaire Cardinals in the signing class, joining Kirby Taylor.
Charlie Curl, the son of Charles and Jackie Curl, was a second-team all-district third baseman for Tascosa High School and coach Jason Patrick. He led the Rebels in three major offensive categories in 2009, posting a team-best .430 batting average, 35 RBIs and 47 runs scored. Curl played summer ball with fellow signee Blair Dickey on the Oklahoma Travelers.
Spencer Davis, the son of Kevin and Dianne Davis, is a two-way standout for coach Ron Eastman at The Woodlands High School. He helped lead the Highlanders to the regional round of the 2009 state playoffs. Davis played summer ball with the Banditos North Select team and was a member of the 2009 Texas Rangers Area Code Team.
Blair Dickey, the son of Kevin and Wazetta Dickey, hit leadoff for coach Gary Hix's Amarillo Sandies. A first-team all-district honoree as an outfielder, he compiled a .404 average as a junior with 29 runs scored and 23 RBIs. Dickey played summer ball with fellow signee Charlie Curl on the Oklahoma Travelers and participated in the Texas Rangers Area Code tryouts. Also a standout defensive back on the gridiron, he picked off five passes this fall in helping lead AHS to the second round of the playoffs.
Derrick Hadley, the son of Bill and Debra Hadley, is a three-year starter for Navasota and coach Calvin Barber. Named the team's most valuable player and District 24-3A Defensive Player of the Year this past spring, Hadley was a second-team All-Brazos Valley honoree by The Bryan College Station Eagle. He went 7-2 on the hill with a 1.43 ERA, striking out 66 batters in 41 innings of work while tossing a pair of no-hitters--one coming against second-ranked Taylor. Hadley also hit .443 with a pair of home runs.
Ty Marlow, the son of Mike and Page Marlow, is a first-team all-state shortstop for his father at Giddings High School. He hit .576 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs as a junior, leading the Buffaloes to the district title and the state championship game. Marlow played summer ball for the Austin Wings Junior Black team, helping the squad claim the Premier Baseball junior national championship in July.
Kendrick Perkins, the son of Kevin and Felita Perkins, is a two-time all-greater Houston selection for coach Ricky Torres at La Porte High School. Perkins was a first-team all-district honoree as the Bulldogs won the district title and advanced to the state playoffs. In addition, he joined fellow signee Spencer Davis on the 2009 Texas Rangers Area Code Team this past summer. A two-sport star, Perkins has also earned all-greater Houston honors on the gridiron at running back.
Jace Statum, the son of Kevin and Laura Statum, was a first-team all-district and second-team all-state outfielder for coach Jeff Bennett at Orangefield High School. Named the Utility Player of the Year by the Orange Leader on its All-Orange Leader Baseball Team, Statum led the Bobcats to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons after hitting .462 with four home runs, 13 doubles, 26 RBIs and 49 runs scored. He played summer ball for the Texas Sun Devils Select team.
Kirby Taylor, the son of Keith and Gina Taylor, was an honorable mention all-America infielder for coach Rocky Manuel at Bellaire High School. A first-team all-district selection, Taylor helped lead the Cardinals to the regional semifinals this past spring with a .456 average, eight home runs and 55 RBIs. In addition, he added 20 doubles and five triples and was 14-of-15 in stolen base attempts. Taylor is one of two Bellaire Cardinals in the signing class, joining Kyle Chaskin.
The Aggies' lone JUCO player in the class, James Wooster is the son of David Wooster and Kristal Flores, and was a standout two-way player for coach Bryan Alexander at Alvin Community College. Wooster led the Dolphins to the Region XIV tournament, earning all-region XIV honors after hitting .389 on the year with 11 home runs, 36 RBIs, 33 runs scored and 16 doubles. He was selected in the 44th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets.
Texas A&M opens the 2010 season on Friday, Feb. 19 when the Aggies host Seton Hall at Olsen Field. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
2009-10 TEXAS A&M BASEBALL SIGNING CLASS (11)
Name Pos Ht Wt B/T Cl-Exp Hometown (High School)
Krey Bratsen OF 6-0 165 R/R Fr-HS Bryan, Texas (Bryan)
Blair Dickey OF 5-8 165 R/R Fr-HS Amarillo, Texas (Amarillo)
Kyle Chaskin P/INF 5-11 190 L/R Fr-HS Houston, Texas (Bellaire)
Charlie Curl INF 5-10 170 R/R Fr-HS Amarillo, Texas (Tascosa)
Spencer Davis INF 6-3 200 R/R Fr-HS The Woodlands, Texas (The Woodlands)
Derrick Hadley P 6-1 175 R/R Fr-HS Navasota, Texas (Navasota)
Ty Marlow INF 5-10 175 R/R Fr-HS Giddings, Texas (Giddings)
Kendrick Perkins OF/1B 6-2 220 L/L Fr-HS La Porte, Texas (La Porte)
Jace Statum OF 5-9 165 L/L Fr-HS Orangefield, Texas (Orangefield)
Kirby Taylor INF 6-0 175 R/R Fr-HS Bellaire, Texas (Bellaire)
James Wooster P/OF 6-2 200 L/L Jr-TR League City, Texas (Clear Creek/Alvin JC)
Please keep your Comments of good taste, this board was created to support the program and not spread negativity. If needed in the future I will have to moderate comments before they are posted.
Senior Luke Anders hit a go-ahead, two-run
home run in the top of the eighth inning and the Farmers added a seven-run
ninth to win the decisive fifth game of the Aggie Baseball Fall World
Series, 10-2, over the Plowboys and claim the coveted Omaha Cup Wednesday
evening at Olsen Field.
With the Plowboys up 2-1 entering the
eighth, Dylan Petrich lined a single to left center field with one out to
bring Anders to the plate. The senior delivered, lining a pitch just to
the right of the batter's eye in center field for his fourth round-tripper
of the fall.
Anders' heroics and the late run surge
complemented a tremendous pitching outing by Brooks Raley. The sophomore
allowed both Plowboy runs and all of their three hits on the night in the
first inning, before retiring 20 of the next 22 batters he faced.
"Both teams poured their guts out all
fall and laid it all out on the line," Anders said. "I haven't
been part of a fall like this before. It was amazing."
"When you start talking about the
competition these two teams brought day in and day out, from August 25
until the last pitch tonight, it's very impressive," A&M coach
Rob Childress said. "There was extreme disappointment on the
Plowboys' part, and extreme joy for the Farmers, and that tells you it
meant something to them."
"It was a grind in everything they
did, and it will continue to be," Childress said. "There's a lot
of competition going on this fall, and the more you sweat and invest in
the program, the more it hurts when you lose and the more it means to you
when you win. Now that we can come together as one team, we've got a
chance to do some great things."
Practice
reports, short Q&A's, and other baseball updates
2008
Prospect Report
5.19.09
Mendoza Leading Lake Travis
Allows just one hit in two victories
The Cavalier baseball team was red hot at the end of the
regular season, undefeated in district play and hadn’t lost a game since
March 28.
Then the season was suspended because of the Swine Flu
outbreak, and there had to be a few people wondering if it would cool Lake
Travis (29-3) off at the wrong time.
But after two rounds of playoff baseball, the Cavaliers
have scored 34 runs, their opponents have scored three and ace Dylan
Mendoza has allowed exactly one hit.
It’s safe to say the break didn’t faze them.
Lake Travis topped Lanier, 7-0 and 12-3, in the
bi-district championship last weekend, and then toppled New Braunfels
Canyon Tuesday night in a one-game series for the area championship, 5-0.
Even when facing that one-game series against the
Cougars, the Cavaliers weren’t nervous.
“I was pretty relaxed. I mean, I’ve been here before
because of the experience and tradition we have,” Mendoza said. “So I
was pretty relaxed coming in.”
Mendoza went the distance, fanning 14 Cougars and
allowing one hit in a game that never felt like it was in doubt once Lake
Travis was on the board.
Even Lake Travis head coach Roy Kinnan, who notoriously
hates one-game playoff rounds, felt like his team was in good shape coming
into the game.
“You know, this is a different team, I’ve got a lot
of confidence in them, and they’ve got a lot of confidence in
themselves,” he said. “I felt good about the game coming out. We were
swinging the bat well in batting practice, and I just felt good about it.”
Lake Travis broke a scoreless tie in the third inning,
scoring four runs on three hits. Kevin Conroy led off the frame with a
double to center field, and Cody Gruber followed with a single to put
runners at first and second. Brad Kuntz hit a sacrifice fly to bring home
Conroy for the first run. Andy Holt doubled, putting runners at second and
third, and Wyatt Church doubled to bring home both runners. Cohl Walla hit
a rocket to deep right-center field, but it was snagged by the center
fielder. Church moved to third on the fly, and then scored on a wild
pitch, making it 4-0.
The Cavaliers tacked on another run in the fifth inning
when Church hit a grounder to short that was misplayed and allowed Gruber
to score from third.
Meanwhile, Mendoza stayed hot, shutting down the Cougars
five days after no-hitting Lanier in the Cavs’ 7-0, playoff-opening
victory, one in which he struck out 13 Vikings. The lead was more than
enough.
“I felt like even we didn’t score any more runs, we’d
be fine because I was on,” Mendoza said. “Everything was working well,
my fastball was on, curveball was on, slider, change, really the whole
repertoire was working.”
Kinnan agreed, and couldn’t say enough about the
senior gunslinger.
“His last three ballgames, I mean, he throws a
two-hitter in his last district game, a no-hitter in the first round and a
one-hitter tonight. He’s throwing the ball well, and he’s throwing
strikes, so his pitch count is down and he’s still throwing hard in the
sixth and seventh inning,” Kinnan then chuckled. “He had good stuff
tonight.”
But the competition in the first few rounds typically
isn’t as tough as the best teams Lake Travis has seen this year, and
Canyon offered few surprises, if any.
“They were a solid ballclub, but they don’t hit one
through nine,” Kinnan said. “We scouted them a little bit, and their
first four hitters do most of their work. That’s where they score their
runs, and after that, they struggle.”
The early lead cemented that theory.
“I think it’s important any time you can score a
couple runs in a burst like that,” Kinnan said. “We talked all game
about trying to score a run an inning, and trying to shut them out.”
Now, the Cavaliers turn right back around and start the
regional quarterfinal round against district rival Hutto. The Hippos are
no stranger to playoff baseball, and topped Boerne Champion 5-4, Tuesday
night. But this is their first venture into the 4A playoffs, which should
make for an interesting series.
“We beat them handily the first time, but we had to
come from behind the second time, and I’m sure they feel like they can
play with us,” Kinnan said. “I don’t care either way, whoever the
winner is, that’s who we’ll get ready to play.”
Lake Travis won the teams’ first meeting 8-2, behind
the arms of Cohl Walla, Brad Kuntz and Jack Hourin. Mendoza pitched the
second meeting, which the Cavaliers came back to win 4-3, after being down
3-0 heading into the seventh inning. Mendoza struck out 11, and allowed
three runs, though none of them were earned.
The playoff routine does get changed a bit with two
series in one week, though.
“I think it will be good for us because we have lots
of pitching, and everyone has been ready to play every day,” Mendoza
said. “We’ve been really sharp.”
Kinnan agreed.
“We play it now like a regular season game, and for
us, we’re set up pretty good pitching-wise because we’ll have Kuntz
and Walla going in the first two games. And we can always go to Mendoza at
the end because we won’t have to go again until the next Thursday,” he
said. “Then I’ve got Church, Ryan Feltner, Colin Butschek and Hourin
that can all go in game three if I need them to.”
Brandon Wood Honored by Houston BWAA
More
than 1,100 people will be at the Hilton Americas Convention Center Hotel
for tonight’s 24th annual Houston Baseball Dinner.
Slugger
Lance Berkman will be presented with the Astros Most Valuable Player Award
for 2008, as voted on by the Houston chapter of the Baseball Writers
Association of America. Berkman, a five-time team MVP, last year led the
Astros in batting average (.312), doubles (46), homers (29), RBIs (106),
on-base percentage (.420) and runs (114).
Closer
Jose Valverde, who tied Brad Lidge’s franchise record with 44 saves,
will be honored as Astros Pitcher of the Year, and lefthander Wesley
Wright will be recognized as Astros Rookie of the Year.
Other
award winners include outfielder Hunter Pence (Darryl Kile Award), first
base coach Jose Cruz (Allen Russell Distinguished Achievement Award) and
former Chronicle sports writer Neil Hohlfeld, who posthumously will be
given the Fred Hartman Long and Meritorious Service Award.
Los
Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney, a product of Elkins High
school, will be on hand to accept the Houston-area Major League Player of
the Year Award. The Houston Athletic Committee will present the Ray
Knoblauch Award for the area’s outstanding high school coach to
Bellaire’s Rocky Manuel. Rice’s Ryan Berry will be recognized as the
Greater Houston Area’s Preseason College Player of the Year.
The
Houston Athletic Committee also will honor its All-Greater Houston high
school baseball preseason team: Tyler Duffey (Bellaire), Jonathan Dziedzic
(Atascocita), Ryan Hornback (Sweeny), Jake Miller (Stratford), Tyler
Naquin (Klein Collins), R.J. Perucki (Tomball), Matt Purke (Klein),
Michael Ratterree (Memorial), Brady Rodgers (Lamar Cons.), Larry Rodriguez
(Channelview), Ryan Sedeno (Langham Creek), Cooper Smith (Second Baptist),
Andrew Stumph (Katy), Zach Thomas (Cy-Fair), Kyle Von Tungeln (Kempner)
and Brandon Wood (Clements).
2 Comments:
On the whole, the players are small. Maybe they're fast.
Kendrick Perkins is anything but small. He smashes and can run like a deer.
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Please keep your Comments of good taste, this board was created to support the program and not spread negativity. If needed in the future I will have to moderate comments before they are posted.
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