Coming off a big series win at Houston (retaining the Silver Glove trophy in the process) and a convincing mid-week win against a quality Lamar squad-- and with the burden and pressures of academics no longer a factor, the Baseball Owls take the road to Birmingham, AL in the hope of both gaining ground in the conference race (we're currently in 3rd place, but only one game behind leader USM in the loss column) and continuing our climb up the RPI board. Any slip up at this point will have a significant adverse affect on our conference and post-season positioning. This is a business trip, and we need to take care of business against a far weaker and less talented opponent. However, as poorly as UAB has been playing of late, we need to be mindful of the fact that we have lost our last two road series in Birmingham. It's due time we reversed that trend, and maintain our very strong road performance this year (currently 13-5 in true road games). We need to bring the focus, energy and aggressiveness, and keep the pedal to the metal each and every game. Game times are scheduled for 6:30pm CT on Friday evening, 2:00pm on Saturday, and 12:00 noon on Sunday.
UAB entered this season with optimism after reaching the post-season last year for the first time since 1992 (winning the automatic bid via their surprise run through the conference tournament), and returning 7 starters and most of their bullpen. However, the season has gone from bad to worse for the Blazers, who have now lost 13 of their last 15 games, and find themselves in last place in the CUSA standings. They have posted a 17 - 29 overall record (11-13 at home, 3-12 in CUSA, 3-11 vs. Top 100), with national rankings of #187 in RPI, #191 in ISR and #93 in Strength of Schedule (vs. #32, #29 and #71 rankings for Rice). UAB does have quality wins against #31 Alabama and #33 Troy, but they've been swept at home by both UCF and ECU, and were demolished in being swept by USM last weekend (outscored 39-13). Before thinking this is going to be easy, let's not forget that UCF came into Reckling on a similar losing skid, and we turned their season around by playing poor all-around ball. We need to jump on UAB early and keep them from gaining confidence. Here is UAB's schedule/results through their first 46 games...
http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2013/schedule/UAB
Offensively, the Blazers have not been that much worse than us (and they, too, have struggled mightily to score runs). They boast four everyday players hitting over .300, with two hitting over .330, led by John Frost (.337/.408,/.483, 2 HRs, 17 doubles/triples, 30 RBIs) and Ryan Prinzing (.331/.429/.448, 2 HRs, 11 doubles/triples, 19 RBIs, 30 runs scored). Overall, they're hitting .261/.344/.333 as a team, with 8 HRs, and averaging 2 extrabase hits and 4.0 runs per game. The primary difference between our two offenses is that we have received considerably more walks and struck out less frequently. The Blazers are VERY aggressive, free-swingers, who have averaged just 3 BBs per game (which is well below average), and only have one player who has 20+ walks (Frost with just 21 BBs). (The Owls have collected 38 more walks in 3 fewer games.) If ever there was a series in which our pitchers should lead with off-speed and breaking stuff it would be this one. UAB is not a big small ball team, having racked up only 28 sac bunts (vs. 53 for the Owls in fewer games) and succeeded on 32-49 stolen base attempts (just 65%). They've also hit into 44 doubleplays (which is above average). One word of caution for our pitchers-- Ryan Prinzing and Tyer Mims appear to crowd the plate and have each racked up 12+ hit by pitches.
The Blazers' roster includes no less than 5 two-way players (SS Bryant, C German, OF Lau, CF Davis, 1B Kelley), and their everyday lineup features seven returning starters from last year's squad. However, it is extremely right-handed laden, with the only three left-handed batters being their leadoff hitter (Ryan Prinzing), OF/1B Jeff Schalk and half of their Senior catching duo (Harry Clark)...and Prinzing is the only one of the three hitting over .260. This presents a very favorable matchup for our right-hand laden pitching staff (especially since Blake Fox will likely not be available to us until Sunday after throwing 5 shutout innings against Lamar). Here's UAB's regular lineup, with current YTD stats provided...
1. RF R.Prinzing (Jr, Left-handed batter): .331/.429/.44win 8, 2 HRs, 11 doubles/triples, 19 RBIs, 12 HBP
2. CF C.Davis (So, Right-handed): .307/.378/.366, 7 doubles/triples, 13 RBIs
A.Lau (Fr, R): .226/.324/.258, 6 RBIs in 31 ABs
3. 3B J.Frost (Sr, R): .337/.408/.483, 2 HRs, 17 doubles/triples, 30 RBIs, 6-9 SBs
4. SS/P T.Bryant (Sr, R): 317/.356/.392, 8 doubles/triples, 17 RBIs
SS/2B W.Kent (So, R): .134/.208/.134, 5 RBIs in 97 ABs
5. LF I.DeJesus (Jr, R): .276/.357/.397, 2 HRs, 11 doubles/triples, 21 RBIs, 8-11 SBs, 45 Ks
6. C H.Clark (Sr, L): .257/.368/.286, 3 doubles, 11 RBIs
J.German (Sr, R): .238/.278/.321, 1 HR, 4 doubles, 12 RBIs in 84 ABs
7. 1B/DH T.Mims (So, R): .254/.367/.292, 5 doubles, 13 RBIs, 5-6 SBs, 13 HBP
8. 2B T.Hamby (So, R): .180/.282/.246, 4 doubles, 2 RBIs in 61 ABs
9. OF/DH J.Schalk (So, L): .200/.299/.232, 1 HR, 1 double, 8 RBIs in 125 AB
They appear to be simply an average defensive team, posting a fielding percentage of .966. If they have a vulnerability it's on the left side of the infield where 3B (Frost) and SS (Bryantm Kent) have committed 14 and 15 errors, respectively. At catcher, Clark may be the superior hitter, but German is the far superior defensive catcher. throwing out 64% of attempted basestealers (16 of 25 caught stealing); whereas Clark has thrown out a much more average 33% of attempted basestealers.
Despite averaging just 4 runs per game this year offensively, it's the pitching that has really let the Blazers down; especially the starting pitching. Only one pitcher on the entire staff has an ERA under 3.90 (Cameron Rose), and the best ERA amongst their starters (weekend or mid-week) is just 4.42. Overall, the staff has pitched to a 5.09 ERA, .270 BAA, 1.7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and is averaging 5 free passes and just 6.2 strikeouts per game against a relatively weak strength of schedule. This is a rare pitching staff where the bullpen is actually stronger-- at least statistically-- than the weekend rotation of Tanner Bryant (Friday), Sam Kelley (Saturday) and James Naile (Sunday), with three relievers having ERAs under 4.00...
T.Bryant (Sr, RHP): 11 starts, 2-6, 56.1 IP, 5.59 ERA, .250 BAA, 23 BBs, 12 HBP, 41 Ks
S.Kelley (So, LHP): 9 starts, 3-5, 50.2 IP, 4.80 ERA, .274 BAA, 17 BBs, 21 Ks
J.Naile (So, RHP): 11 starts, 4-4, 59.0 IP, 4.42 ERA, ,272 BAA, 15 BBs, 32 Ks
C.Rose (Jr, RHP): 13 app, 2 starts, 0-1, 2 saves, 26.0 IP, 3.12 ERA, .215 BAA, 7 BBs, 12 Ks
C.Mallard (Jr, RHP): 15 app, 2 starts, 2-3, 2 saves, 41.1 IP, 3.92 ERA, .276 BAA, 20 BBs, 41 Ks
J.German (Sr, RHP): 15 app, 2-1, 1 save, 30.1 IP, 4.45 ERA, .259 BAA, 14 BBs, 19 Ks
A.Luna (So, RHP): 11 app, 0-0, 1 save, 13.2 IP, 3.95 ERA, .250 BAA, 14 BBs, 3 HBP, 15 Ks
T.Lee (Jr, LHP): 15 app, 3 starts, 1-2, 33.1 IP, 5.67 ERA, .291 BAA, 14 BBs, 7 HBP, 9 WP, 36 Ks
C.Eller (Fr, RHP): 17 app, 2-2, 37.1 IP, 6.27 ERA, .283 BAA, 18 BBs, 10 HBP, 27 Ks
Note that none of the starters have particularly high strikeout numbers, and Bryant has struggled at times with his control. Also working to our advantage, given our continued struggles against southpaw pitching, the Blazers utilize only two left-handers on their entire pitching staff-- their Saturday starter (Kelley) and one of their middle relievers (Lee)-- and neither has put up particularly good numbers. Kelley is a soft-tossing southpaw, so one hopes that our right-handed batters will hold back and go the other way with the pitches.
Here are UAB's individual/team stats over their first 46 games...
http://www.uabsports.com/sports/m-basebl...cume.html.
...and here are UAB's official game notes for the weekend series...
http://www.uabsports.com/sports/m-basebl...13aaa.html
...and, hold the phone, they have obviously scouted us and elected to mix-up their starting pitching, giving us a steady diet of left-handed pitching. They've annouced that Friday's starting pitcher will be Jr LHP Turner Lee, making his first weekend start of the season and only his fourth start. As you can see from the above stats, he's a power pitcher (36 Ks in 33.1 IP), but a bit of a wild thing, with 14 BBs, 7 HBP and 9 wild pitches. So LHP Kelley will pitch in his usual Saturday spot. Okay, this means once we get past their Friday and Saturday starting pitching, they will have only right-handed pitchers available to throw at us.
Time for the Owls to get over our recent struggles in Birmingham and against southpaw pitching. We have proven to be road warriors all season long, and there is no reason for us not to continue the trend. We are a better team than UAB in every facet of the game-- better offense, better defense and far superior pitching. However, we cannot let them gain confidence by jumping on us early, as UCF did. Let's take care of business, and play the caliber of all-around baseball we're capable of playing-- Rice Baseball. Go Owls!
Eric Sorenson ranked UAB at #125 in his preseason countdown, thinking they would play at a similar level to last year's post-season club (who won the automatic birth via their surprise championship run in the conference tournament)...
http://www.collegebaseballtoday.com/2013...nt-page-1/
Quote:- ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM (32-30, 9-15)
2012 ISR: 110
Starters Returning: 7
Weekend Starters: 1
Mid-Week Starters: 1
Key Relievers (15+inns.): 4
All Conference Candidates:
OF Ivan DeJesus (.295-3-23, 12SBs)
OF Jeff Schalk (.279-3-24)
RHP Ben Bullard (5-5, 2.96)
NOTES:
- Odd year for the Blazers, including a season-opening win at Clemson, Friday wins at UCF and vs. Southern Miss and of course that big run in the CUSA tournament which allowed UAB to return to the Regionals for the first time since 1991. That was a much-needed breakthrough for coach Shoop and Company, being the first 7-seed to win the CUSA tournament crown. And the 32 wins was the most in a season for the Blazers since 1996.
- The Blazers just lacked any sort of star power last season, not getting any players in the top 10 of hitting or pitching in the Conference USA ranks and seeing their offense finish second-to-last at .266, their pitching finish third-to-last at 4.46 (which actually ain’t too shabby, all things considered) and their defense finished third-to-last at .968. By the by, not a single returning hitter went over the .300+ mark.
- The Blazers came up clutch when they needed to, going 13-5 in one-run games. It may be hard to emulate that again this year unless a viable replacement for saves ace Ryan Nance can be found. RHP Chase Mallard (4-4, 3.50, 2svs) made 24 appearances out of the pen and could move toward the end of games. He held opposing batters to a .243 average last season.
Kendall Rogers/Perfect Game picked UAB to finish dead last in CUSA, and included only Ivan De Jesus on their preseason all-conference team...
http://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View...ticle=7957
Quote:* UAB has some serious question marks heading into the spring. The Blazers enter the spring with an entirely new weekend rotation. Michael Busby and ace Dillon Napoleon are now gone, while Ben Bullard, who had a 2.96 ERA in 82 innings last season, will miss 2013 because of shoulder surgery. That puts a lot of pressure on sophomore left-hander Dylan Munger (5.98) and Alex Luna (9.15) to be consistent, which is a tough chore in itself. The good news for UAB is that it possesses a solid closer in junior righty Chase Mallard, who made 24 appearances last season with a 3.50 ERA. Junior righty Ruben Tresgallo is a guy to watch with a FB up to 95, while two-way player Sam Kelley is expected to make an immediate impact ... The Blazers should be fine offensively this season. They hit .266 last season and welcome back a majority of their lineup, including athletic outfielder Ivan De Jesus, who hit .294 with three homers and 23 RBIs in 2012. Everything with this club boils down to the starting rotation.
