MLB hitting vs. NCAA hitting

[Sweet Lou]

Good question. ...

Turns out that college baseball players (if using the SEC is an indication) are much less likely to hit HR than MLB players or college softball players ...

SEC baseball vs. softball per 600 at-bats

HR - 8 - 20
SO - 103 - 105
AVG .265 - .259

So you are more than twice as likely to see a HR in a SEC softball game than in an SEC baseball game. Didn't the NCAA put a restrictor plate on baseball bats? That might explain something.

But what I find interesting is that MLB hitters hit HR twice as frequently w/ wood bats as SEC hitters using metal. Of course, MLB hitters are older and stronger physically. But they're also facing the best pitching.

Something like that. They are supposedly set to perform with similar charatersitcis to wood bats with the durability of metal I I remeber right.

The fence distance in baseball/softball may also have something to do with the number of HRs.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I wouldn't use the SEC as an example. They generally play whack-a-mole softball with not as much smallball and defense as their counterparts in other conferences. I'd like to see you run the numbers with other conferences and compare.

-W

SEC's numbers are very similar to Pac 10's. ...

HR - 20 SEC, 21 PAC10
SO - 103 SEC, 96 PAC10
SB - 20 SEC, 11 PAC10 (surprising)
SH - 11 SEC, 9 PAC10
AVG - .259 SEC, .273 PAC10

 

[Greenmonsters]

Good question. ...

Turns out that college baseball players (if using the SEC is an indication) are much less likely to hit HR than MLB players or college softball players ...

SEC baseball vs. softball per 600 at-bats

HR - 8 - 20
SO - 103 - 105
AVG .265 - .259

So you are more than twice as likely to see a HR in a SEC softball game than in an SEC baseball game. Didn't the NCAA put a restrictor plate on baseball bats? That might explain something.

But what I find interesting is that MLB hitters hit HR twice as frequently w/ wood bats as SEC hitters using metal. Of course, MLB hitters are older and stronger physically. But they're also facing the best pitching.

Assume that only the top 10% of college BB players end up playing professionally i.e., Rookie A, A, AA, AAA, MLB. Of the pro's, assume only 10% play in the MLB. While the percentages may be off, there's another 4 levels of professional play that must be successfully cleared before playing MLB ball. IMO, that explains the greater MLB HR numbers v. college BB. The disparity between college BB v. college SB HR numbers is that flawless mechanics aren't necessary to hit SB HRs because of the hotter bats and shorter fences.

 

[robertc3]

Good question. ...

So you are more than twice as likely to see a HR in a SEC softball game than in an SEC baseball game. Didn't the NCAA put a restrictor plate on baseball bats? That might explain something.

But what I find interesting is that MLB hitters hit HR twice as frequently w/ wood bats as SEC hitters using metal. Of course, MLB hitters are older and stronger physically. But they're also facing the best pitching.

The BBCOR bats certainly explain part of that and the field size is a huge factor. One other consideration is the fact that the larger pool of talent in baseball means that there are fewer B level pitchers facing A level hitters. Baseball simply has to develop more pitchers so there is much less drop off in quality between the #1 and the #3 pitcher in baseball than there is in softball. If a team has to bring in its number three pitcher in NCAA softball that girl is very likely to get lit up like a Christmas tree.