Coach Joe Carbone doesn’t need statistics to know the Bobcats could stand to walk fewer batters and get more hits. But if he happened to check the numbers, they would say the same thing.
From his post along the third base line and in the dugout, Carbone tracks his team’s progress with his eyes instead of with a computer. Statistics and rankings don’t play a part in his analysis, so the aspects of baseball he focuses on in practice come not from an Excel file but from his feel for the game.
Carbone might not be able to rattle off the Bobcats’ total home runs compared to the rest of the Mid-American Conference (they’re No. 2), but he could tell you Ohio’s offensive production has been inconsistent.
So, here are some numbers that, combined with Carbone’s observations, help provide an idea of what Ohio has done well and not so well this year. All rankings compare MAC squads’ statistics from the entire season.
Category: Times grounded into double plays. Ohio rank: No. 1 (35).
The Bobcats have cut many a rally short by grounding into double plays. Last weekend against Kent State, they hit into six double plays over three games. These groundouts have contributed to Ohio’s .258 batting average, fourth-worst in the MAC.
“I don’t worry about that,” Carbone said. “You’ve hit the ball hard right at someone. You can’t direct where the ball’s going to go. Grounding into double plays mean you’ve hit the ball, and you have men on base at the time.
“We’ve been doing that a lot. This hasn’t been our year to be left or right (of the fielders).”
Category: Wild pitches/Hit batters. Ohio rank: No. 1 (48 WP, 52 HBP).
On several occasions, the Bobcats have walked the bases loaded and then nailed a batter to drive in a run. Runners scoring from third on wild pitches also is not uncommon.
“That goes along with our walks,” Carbone said. “It’s command; it’s pitches. It’s been more of our relief pitchers than our starters. Our starters have done a decent job. It’s the guys coming in after them that aren’t throwing the ball with command.”
Category: Walks. Ohio rank: No. 1 (217).
There have been instances when Carbone left in a pitcher who was walking batters and giving up runs. That’s because some of the Bobcats’ best pitchers, such as Ohio ERA leaders Brent Choban and Jason Moulton, are also the wildest.
“They’re our best pitchers,” Carbone said. “We’re going to stay as long as we can with them.”
nm256306@ohiou.edu
@ThePostSports
