I blame the Adidas bats

[SouthMsDawg]

We were using Easton bats when we went to Omaha, the last 2 years we switched to Adidas and have had little to no POP even with the new balls this year. A friend of mine is close friends with an Easton rep and he has said numerous times that the Adidas bats are a FAR, FAR inferior product but State decided to used them and drop Easton b/c of their shoe/uniform contract.

[ShotgunDawg]

Perhaps this is an issue, but this isn't close to being our main problem.

This would be like blaming Rick Ray's tenure at MSU on sub par shoes. It's possibly part of the issue, but not the problem.

[Homedawg]

I'm friends w the Easton rep. And while I think Easton is a better product,(and to be fair, I'm biased. I've also never swung and Adidas and haven't spoken to any players about them) to blame the bats is a huge huge stretch. We could change to loaded bats and it wouldn't matter.

[Bama_Dawg]

I think its a combo of coaching and execution/heart by the players. You get good coaching and a team that plays as a unit, you can give them wood bats and they'll beat a team that just as talented as they are.

We can remove any blame from equipment.

[bulldogcountry1]

I posted about this a month or so ago. I don't think anyone honestly believes our problem is 100% bats, but I think it is a part. As much is at stake, there is no excuse for not using the best equipment available to you, and we aren't. Being able to hit the ball 10% farther or faster every time will translate into confidence, which will translate into wins.

We are a university, and there is a pretty easy, scientific way to test bats and find the best one. Adidas need to make a better product or just stick to inventing new clown costumes.

[smootness]

I posted about this a month or so ago. I don't think anyone honestly believes our problem is 100% bats, but I think it is a part. As much is at stake, there is no excuse for not using the best equipment available to you, and we aren't. Being able to hit the ball 10% farther or faster every time will translate into confidence, which will translate into wins.

We are a university, and there is a pretty easy, scientific way to test bats and find the best one. Adidas need to make a better product or just stick to inventing new clown costumes.

But you have no idea if they actually do make an inferior product.

[bulldogcountry1]

It's a safe assumption, based on watching a lot of games, but that is what the testing will address.

[Really Clark?]

Perhaps this is an issue, but this isn't close to being our main problem.

This would be like blaming Rick Ray's tenure at MSU on sub par shoes. It's possibly part of the issue, but not the problem.

That's a pretty bad example especially in the face of decades of science showing bats and balls can have an extremely major impact in scoring and/or pitching. That being said it's never the equipments fault. It's just a tool. But if you think for one instant that as superstitious as baseball players are that the equipment can not have a positive or negative influence, you just haven't been around enough players. With the newer bats the hot factor is not as prevalent as it use to be. Especially during the alum and one piece composite days when bats exceeded or got hotter to exceed standards. But they will always be bats that get closer to tolerance than others or because of a larger sweet spot the players will believe a certain bats preform better or the MOI matches certain hitters better, manufactures will push the envelope as well. And word gets around quickly. Hitters will search for that magic wand that gives them enormous confidence. Is it a better bat or not? Very hard to know since there are so few out there that gives it a public endorsement or bad rating.

[Really Clark?]

It's a safe assumption, based on watching a lot of games, but that is what the testing will address.

They have already been tested as far as being approved by NCAA.

[mic]

Texas AM had no issue with them ...

[thf24]

It's a safe assumption, based on watching a lot of games, but that is what the testing will address.

It's not a safe assumption though. A "safe assumption" would be watching the SAME team (same players, same year, preferably same lineup) play 10-15 games with the Adidas bats and another 10-15 with whatever bat we think is better. And that still wouldn't be anything approaching scientific.

[Bob Sacamano]

I'm almost positive TAMU uses Easton bats.

[Maroonthirteen]

Preface by saying I have no idea if Adidas bats are inferior to easton bats. But if they are, it could have a huge psychological effect on the players. I will date myself but if my coach would have said, "we are using Tennessee Thumpers instead of Easton bats.". It would have been a huge factor. I recall the TN Thumpers were forgotten the season Eastons bat came out.

[Really Clark?]

Found this interesting article about the initial phase of the Adidas bats last year.

http://www.justbatreviews.com/adidas-eqt/

[deltadawg99]

I blame coaching (bunting too much, not being able to hit the ball, leaving pitchers in the game too long etc.) , lack of leadership, lack of hitting coach and not having a single player that has the sack to step up and swing the bat in clutch situations. Wes rea striking out looking on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded is a prime example.

Ross Mitchell basically throwing BP to opposing teams really hurt us this year. We were counting on him to be a difference maker out of the pen, but the seems obviously effected him in a big way.

I also think a huge problem is that Cohen has gotten complacent since Omaha and doesn't have the fire that he had when he first got here.

[Leroy Jenkins]

Why can't these damn Adidas bats bunt the ball over the fence? I mean damnit.

[bonesknowstig]

Take a page from Louisville's book... use TPX while wearing Adidas.

[smootness]

Anyone blaming the Adidas bats is 1) looking for an easy solution to fix all our problems and 2) probably just buying into marketing hype.

I guarantee you we're not putting an inferior product into our players' hands for the sake of money.

[TXDawg]

This whole "inferior bat" argument is ridiculous. The point of the BBCOR standard is to "standardize" the performance of metal bats. There is no such thing as "extra pop" in certain bats anymore because they can't exceed the BBCOR guidelines. Ask anyone who really knows and they'll tell you that all BBCOR bats are pretty much equal - they just have different graphics.

It's time to stop blaming the arrow and start blaming the Indian.

[SouthMsDawg]

Texas AM had no issue with them ...

I may be wrong but I believe that they still use Easton bats.
1216

http://www.12thman.com/pics33/1024/PC/PCWTFUYFCMAIMLW.20150221221301.jpg

Both Pics are from games this year, and if you look at their pictures from this season they still wear easton batting gloves and use easton gloves..... Just saying.

[RocketCityDawg]

This whole "inferior bat" argument is ridiculous. The point of the BBCOR standard is to "standardize" the performance of metal bats. There is no such thing as "extra pop" in certain bats anymore because they can't exceed the BBCOR guidelines. Ask anyone who really knows and they'll tell you that all BBCOR bats are pretty much equal - they just have different graphics.

It's time to stop blaming the arrow and start blaming the Indian.

While it is true that they can't exceed the BBCOR guidelines, they can definitely be way under the guidelines or nudging up against them.
For instance, if the max speed off the bat is, say a round number of 50, then I want the bat that is 49.99. I don't want the one that is 35. Both meet BBCOR specs.
While that's an exaggeration, I still want any advantage I can get even if the only real advantage is in the hitters' heads.

[Really Clark?]

This whole "inferior bat" argument is ridiculous. The point of the BBCOR standard is to "standardize" the performance of metal bats. There is no such thing as "extra pop" in certain bats anymore because they can't exceed the BBCOR guidelines. Ask anyone who really knows and they'll tell you that all BBCOR bats are pretty much equal - they just have different graphics.

It's time to stop blaming the arrow and start blaming the Indian.

You are right and so very wrong at the same time. If you take all of the high end bats they should and are pretty close. But even inside those listings you have several different bats with differing MOI. That can help or hinder a hitter fairly significantly while still being well in tolerance. I am not saying that this is anyway an issue with our guys but there have been times and even last year certain bats over the course of the NCAA tournament have more pop than other bats. But that did not necessarily translate to more hits just could have more power. It's also not uncommon for the manufacture to have designs that can run through their entire line that while may be really good for one type of hitter another type of hitter struggle to find a bat that preforms the way they would like. And I don't think you really think this, but we are talking about the high end bats. When you also consider low end and mid range, while they all are in tolerance, the performance is very different. I agree a good hitter will hit with any bat, it is definitely about the mechanics. But it doesn't mean I want to go hunting with a bent arrow either.

[fishwater99]

Problems with our team.

1. The new baseball has hurt our pitchers like Ross.
2. Cohen needs to rethink his small ball approach and let our guys swing the bat early and often.
3. The Adidas Bats ?

[CadaverDawg]

Problems with our team.

1. The new baseball has hurt our pitchers like Ross.
2. Cohen needs to rethink his small ball approach and let our guys swing the bat early and often.
3. The Adidas Bats ?

Don't forget dugout issues...

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2817115/dance.gif

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4743516724_079dc38c03.jpg

https://nesncom.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/sean-rodriguez-e1366046697986.png?w=512&h=288

[sleepy dawg]

So if we had Easton, we're in a regional this year? If not, then this thread is irrelevant.

[CadaverDawg]

So if we had Easton, we're in a regional this year? If not, then this thread is irrelevant.


So if we had Easton, we're in a regional this year? If not, then this thread is irrelevant.

Exactly. Bats are not our issue.

We have a combo of horrible bullpen, and a group of upperclassmen with a lack of leadership ability and overall talent. Hopefully next year guys like Collins, Hump, Sexton, Tatum, Holland, etc, can lead this team with a bit more fire and demand to win. Losing has become acceptable with our current group, and that shit has to go.

We have to throw strikes out of our pen, and maximize our run scoring potential by keeping the bat in our hitter's hands. There should be no loyalty to any players going into next season...if you're a Jr or Sr and a freshman is playing better, he gets your spot. The CWS honeymoon is over, and it's time to get our scrap, balls, work ethic, and intensity back. Goofy shit in the dugout needs to go. And Adidas should make us some pink unis until our players AND coaches earn Maroon and White again.