Shocks v. #8 ECU

[Wichita Muskie]

I took my boys to the game on Saturday (amazing effort by McGinness, obviously), and something happened that was very strange: Liam Eddy was announced as the designated hitter in the starting lineup. Now, I'm familiar enough with the Shocker team to know that he's a pitcher, but I though maybe he could hit, too. So, okay, whatever. When his spot came up in the order in the second inning, though, Noah Croft was announced as a pinch hitter for Eddy. At that point I wondered if the announcers had just made a mistake in including Eddy in the starting lineup somehow, but when I checked the boxscore, Eddy was indeed listed as the starting DH in the game. Finally, I wondered if Eddy was a senior and the coaches just put him in the lineup because Saturday was designated as senior day (which I also though was odd with a game still to play on Sunday). Nope, he's a sophomore.

So....I'm really not sure how/why that happened. Did Butler just fill out the lineup that he submitted incorrectly? Is there some other rational explanation?

[shockfan89_]

I wondered the same thing. I could not come up with an explanation either. I also thought about the Senior day but I was thinking maybe he was draft eligible and someone knew this would be his final game at Eck Stadium, but I don't believe he is even draft eligible and even if he is I don't think his numbers this year would lead to that conclusion. Then I thought the number was maybe hard to read and it looked like a 1 but was actually a 7. Eddy is #26 and Croft is #7.

[1972Shocker]

My guess is that it gives the coaches a chance to see how the game is going before they select their DH. Giving them some flexibility, at least in that 1st at bat for the DH to see what the game situation is and then insert who they think is best suited in that situation. You know Liam as not going to play so it really does no harm. Whether it provides much benefit is hard to say but it certainly does not hurt anything.

[Wuzee]

It absolutely is a tactic to get a better read on the pitcher and what he throws before committing to a DH. They did it again on Sunday, with McGinness in the DH spot on the lineup card. This is a fairly new deal in NCAA ball but has been increasing, probably due to the fact that baseball teams don't really have the detailed first-hand scouting reports that basketball teams have. They do, however, have extremely detailed scouting on their own players, so if a pitcher turns out to have an arm angle or pitch or hair color that they know will cause a problem for a guy, they can reserve him as a possible late inning or situational pinch hitter and insert somebody with a greater chance of success into the lineup.

[shockfan89_]

I hope it doesn't stick around long either. I guess it can provide you an edge, but our first DH was 0-4 in the two games we tried it against ECU.

Maybe I am just old (prefer to think of myself as old-school), but DH is for someone that excels at hitting. I would like to think this person is able to make adjustments during their first AB by watching the batters before them and reading the pitcher. Maybe I am just old...

[WstateU]

https://media.giphy.com/media/l4Ki3t...VrO0/giphy.gif

[Wuzee]

I don't think it's your age. It's gimmicky, for sure. They didn't use it at ORU, so maybe that's been abandoned as a failed experiment.

I'm not sure we have someone who's a no-brainer at DH. In the 13 games since Kocis got hurt and moved O'Brien onto the field every day, they've used 7 guys at DH, mostly in the bottom third of the lineup. The (actual) starters have produced a .230 BA. Plastiak has been the best producer who has a sample size (3-10 with two RBI in 4 games). Cadena went 2-4 last night in his first DH appearance of the stretch. VanVooren is 1-3.

Oh for a Russ Morman clone.

[CARMAX]

That move was nothing more than a "dick" move ,by a bad coach, who knows he is running out of time.