Monday, March 20, 2023

Dissa and data, March 20

Just call me a Figure Filbert ... or Stats Geek, if you prefer. Give me some numbers to look at and I'm happy. If I knew I were going to be stranded somewhere away from civilization, a Baseball Encyclopedia would rank high on books I would take with me. It seems every time I look at some statistics, I find another tidbit.

Here are a few recent discoveries:

* South Carolina
 has more runs scored (224) than hits (216) through 21 games. It helps that USC has drawn 135 walks and been hit by pitches 54 times. The Gamecocks had just 223 walks and 64 hit batsmen in 55 games last season. Carolina also has 56 home runs, two shy of its 2022 season total.
 
* I knew Clemson had been giving up some homers, but I didn't realize opponents have outhomered the Tigers 31-16 through the first 20 games. Duke homered 10 times to Clemson's two in taking the three-game weekend series.

* The Tigers' Caden Grice had gone 2-for-16 in his previous five games before going 7-for-13 against Duke. He hit his first homer of the season in the series opener.  Grice totaled 27 homers in his first two seasons. Freshman Cam Cannarella has reached base in every game. He is batting .439 and has a .510 on-base percentage.

* At least 11 refugees from the defunct Furman program are still playing college baseball in 2023. In listening to games and checking rosters, I've found Ben Anderson at Georgia, Aidan Healy at Rollins, Rob Hughes at Clemson, Mason Kelly at Bucknell, Patrick Libby at High Point, Matthew Marchal at Wofford, Spencer Marinac at Embry-Riddle, Dylan Matela at Georgia State, Stone Simmons at Mississippi State, Jordan Starkes at Western Carolina and Eli Weisner  at Charlotte. Furman ditched America's Pastime after the 2020 season.

* Since joining the Peach Belt Conference Claflin has a 4-78 league record, including 1-37 in road games.  The Panthers are 0-21 overall this season and have lost 23 straight going back to 2022.

* Coastal Carolina's Darin Horn has struck out 37 batters in 23 innings. Opponents are hitting .152 against him. ... Reliever Johnny Hummel of Erskine has struck out 29 in 15 innings. ... Marty Neal of Limestone has 38 strikeouts in 23 innings ... Michael Rodriguez of North Greenville has 34 strikeouts in 17 innings. 

* Newberry has scored 269 runs in 26 games while hitting just 8 home runs. 

* North Greenville started the season with 13 wins, lost two of three and has won 11 straight since then.

* Matt Hogan, who started at Vanderbilt, transferred to South Carolina and moved on to Oral Roberts, is hitting .351 with 8 homers and 34 RBI for the Eagles. Former Gamecock David Mendham transferred to Oklahoma State and is hitting .341 with 5 homers and 19 RBI. Thad Ector transferred from Carolina to College of Central Florida and is batting .345 with 8 home runs for the No. 1 team in this week's NJCAA poll. Other former Gamecocks: Vytas Valincius is hitting .370 with 3 HR and 25 RBI for John A. Logan (JC), Elijah Lambros is hitting .262 for Maryland, Jalen  Vazquez is batting ,338 for North Greenville and Aidan Hunter has a 2-1 record, a 5.63 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 16 innings for College of Charleston.

* Spartanburg Methodist's Dariyan Pendergrass has stolen 28 bases without being caught. He is hitting .398. Teammate Blake Martin is hitting.547 (29-for-53).

* USC Aiken closer Dylan Wilhelm has eight saves and has not given up an earned run in 14 1/3 innings over 14 appearances.

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