On Saturday, Georgia Tech led Clemson 4-1 in the top of the eighth and had a man on third with one out. With Jacob Esch and his .315 average at the plate, Tech coach Danny Hall called for a squeeze bunt.
“In years past, we probably would have just let him hit,” Hall said. “He ended up being successful at it, and we got an extra run.”
Hall, whose teams have become renowned for wrecking ACC pitching staffs, has joined the movement. This season, NCAA rules limited bats’ “trampoline effect” — their springiness that launches baseball off of the barrel — for safety reasons and to cut down on the home run-crazy game that had become status quo in college baseball. As a result, small ball is in. Waiting for the three-run home run is out.
“Teams’ mentalities have totally changed,” said Georgia State pitcher Justin Malone, part of a pitching staff that has thrown a school-record seven shutouts this season.
The numbers spell it out clearly. Through Sunday’s games, the top home-run hitting team averaged 1.6 home runs per game, and 10 teams averaged one home run per game or better. A year ago at this time, the top home-run rate was 2.1 and 103 teams averaged one home run or more. Tech’s average, aided by the loss of several sluggers, has fallen from 2.1 to 0.7.
After allowing 1.2 home runs per game last year, Georgia State’s rate has dropped to 0.4 home runs per game. Handling the new bats, which have a smaller sweet spot and play similarly to wooden bats, the Panthers’ batting average has fallen from .356 to .315.
Said Tech pitching coach Tom Kinkelaar, “There’s no more mistake home runs.”
Pitchers have gained the upper hand, not only because the bats are less potent, but also because they feel liberated to attack hitters. Kinkelaar estimates he calls 20 percent more fastballs than he did last year.
In the past, “teams were afraid to throw inside because of our power and so forth,” Kinkelaar said, “but I notice more of our guys getting jammed a little bit now that they can’t extend it.”
As demonstrated by Hall’s example, teams are playing for a run at a time. Last year through this past weekend, Georgia had 11 sacrifice bunts. This season, the Bulldogs have more than twice that.
“You have to force the action and can’t sit back and wait for the big home run,” Georgia coach David Perno said.
It is a change that Georgia State manager Greg Frady welcomes.
“In the past, you could play a really good game and give up a two-, three-run home run and lose the game,” he said. “This year, you’re rewarded for playing good from beginning to end.”
Hall said he expects it will change his recruiting preferences to a small degree. Defense and speed will become more valued assets.
“Maybe the guy that all he does is hit home runs is not as valuable as someone that’s more skilled hitting-wise, things like that,” Hall said.
The bats have changed the talent evaluation on the other side of the college game, too. Brian Bridges, the Braves’ area scout for Georgia, said the bats give him a better gauge on a player’s capability. Previously, a big home-run total didn’t necessarily reveal a player’s ability to square up a pitch on the bat’s sweet spot.
Said Bridges, “It was all really guesswork.”
This season, the guessing has been left to the guys with the bats in their hands.
“In the past, you could get jammed and still get a hit, but not anymore,” Georgia shortstop Kyle Farmer said. “That’s an out.”
