Plate Discipline - A Beaver staple
Jan 22, 2024 21:19:04 GMT -8
zeroposter and flyfishinbeav like this
Post by easyheat on Jan 22, 2024 21:19:04 GMT -8
No matter how you present it, at the core of Oregon State's offensive baseball philosophy is plate discipline. Hitters are coached to control their strike zone. Learning to confine your swings to pitches in the strike zone starts on day one in the Beaver program.
I was reminded of that again last week when reading Egger's excellent article on PC noting his coaching emphasis on being disciplined at bat.... and in Portland at the Northwest Baseball Coaches Association's annual three day clinic, where OSU coach Ryan Gibson was a featured speaker. His topic was "swing less, score more".
Working into favorable counts, better contact, higher BA, higher OBP, more runs and increased pitch counts for the opposing pitchers are all by-products of swinging only at strikes. As illustrated here, this hitting approach travels well with Beavers leaving the program for the professional game.
An analytical look at 2022 saw 12 rookies excel in the Major Leagues. For comparative purpose, I'll select four of the best - Guardians OF Steven Kwan, Royals SS Bobby Witt, Orioles C Adley Rutschman, and Mariner OF Julio Rodriguez.
CONTACT %: Kwan 92%, Rutschman 81.7%, Rodriguez 73.3%, Witt 70.1%
CHASE %: Kwan 16%, Rutschman 18%, Rodriguez 25%, Witt 31%
IZ/SM: Kwan 6%, Rutschman 12%, Rodriguez 17%, Witt 26%
90% EXIT VELO: Rodriguez 108.6 mph, Witt 106.9 mph, Rutschman 104.5 mph, Kwan 98.8 mph.
Definitions:
Contact %. A % of bat to ball contact made on strikes.
Chase %: A % of swings made on pitches outside the strike zone (balls).
IZ/SM: A % of 'whiffs" on pitches in the strike zone. (swing & miss)
Exit Velo: Speed of the ball off the bat on contact measured in mph. Calculated at 90% of maximum EV.
* With all due respect to some of the great "bad ball" hitters in history like Larry "Yogi" Berra, the Beaver way is the best way. . . "make em pitch to ya".
I was reminded of that again last week when reading Egger's excellent article on PC noting his coaching emphasis on being disciplined at bat.... and in Portland at the Northwest Baseball Coaches Association's annual three day clinic, where OSU coach Ryan Gibson was a featured speaker. His topic was "swing less, score more".
Working into favorable counts, better contact, higher BA, higher OBP, more runs and increased pitch counts for the opposing pitchers are all by-products of swinging only at strikes. As illustrated here, this hitting approach travels well with Beavers leaving the program for the professional game.
An analytical look at 2022 saw 12 rookies excel in the Major Leagues. For comparative purpose, I'll select four of the best - Guardians OF Steven Kwan, Royals SS Bobby Witt, Orioles C Adley Rutschman, and Mariner OF Julio Rodriguez.
CONTACT %: Kwan 92%, Rutschman 81.7%, Rodriguez 73.3%, Witt 70.1%
CHASE %: Kwan 16%, Rutschman 18%, Rodriguez 25%, Witt 31%
IZ/SM: Kwan 6%, Rutschman 12%, Rodriguez 17%, Witt 26%
90% EXIT VELO: Rodriguez 108.6 mph, Witt 106.9 mph, Rutschman 104.5 mph, Kwan 98.8 mph.
Definitions:
Contact %. A % of bat to ball contact made on strikes.
Chase %: A % of swings made on pitches outside the strike zone (balls).
IZ/SM: A % of 'whiffs" on pitches in the strike zone. (swing & miss)
Exit Velo: Speed of the ball off the bat on contact measured in mph. Calculated at 90% of maximum EV.
* With all due respect to some of the great "bad ball" hitters in history like Larry "Yogi" Berra, the Beaver way is the best way. . . "make em pitch to ya".
