Adidas bats 2015 edition

[Bulldogg31]

Equipment matters...ask your golf buddies.

Since we switched to Adidas bats last year we've hit a total of 22 home runs. (16 in 2014 and 6 through 14 games this year.)

From 2009-2013 we used Easton bats and averaged 42 HR's a year. Best year was 68, worst was 21. Dudy Noble is not the issue.

Texas A&M (an Adidas school) uses Easton bats and leads the NCAA with 17 HR's.

Nevada, an Easton team, also has 17.

Florida, an Easton team, is tied for 4th with 13 homers. They are tied with UCLA, also an Easton school.

They are just ahead of Kennesaw State (12) an Easton school, and Arkansas (11) who also use Easton bats, giving Easton 7 of the top 10 power hitting teams in college baseball.

Oregon State (13) and Samford (12) use DeMarini, while Oklahoma (15) uses Louisville Slugger.

Not sure why these teams aren't lining up to get these Adidas bats. Doesn't make sense.***

 

[fishwater99]

Why are we using an inferior bat?

 

[Bulldogg31]

Follow up...I emailed justbats.com to see if anyone else uses Adidas bats. Here's what I got back:

"Hi! Thanks for the email!

After doing some research, we haven't been able to find any teams that predominantly use the:

2015 Adidas EQT X1 Baseball Bat BBCOR Baseball Bat (EQTX1)
http://www.justbats.com/product/2015-adidas-eqt-x1-baseball-bat-bbcor-baseball-bat--eqtx1/21090/

-or-

2015 Adidas EQT X2 Baseball Bat BBCOR Baseball Bat (ECTX2)
http://www.justbats.com/product/2015-adidas-eqt-x2-baseball-bat-bbcor-baseball-bat--eqtx2/21091/

There will be a number of teams that sport the Adidas Gear (cleats, uniforms, batting gloves, etc...), but they are generally using different brands when it comes to bats. For expample, I know the University of Louisville has Adidas Gear, but swings Louisville Slugger bats.

The Adidas bats are new to the market and I think that right now a lot of schools are a little hesitant about moving away from models they've used for multiple years.

Let us know if you have more questions!

Thanks,

Ben
www.justbats.com"

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

How many did we hit two seasons ago en route to Omaha? We were swinging Eastons.

 

[Hankp22]

This is a really stupid thread

If you're going to use numbers dating back to 2009, then I'd suggest making note of NCAA bat changes. I think that may be relevant. The article below outlines it.

http://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/article/2011-07-26/new-bats-are-hit-some

As for our Omaha season, I believe we hit around 30 HRs as a team. Renfroe (16) and Rea (7) combined for 23 of them. Assuming Rea stays healthy, it wouldn't shock me to see his HR total around the 7 mark. And referencing any number that includes Renfroe's stats is laughable. It is also laughable to include data from a previous bat era in which Russ Sneed and Connor Powers combined for just under 30 homeruns. But hey, I guess equipment matters.

Edit:

I am sorry I replied to your post Lawdawg. That was not my intent.

 

[121Josey]

If there's nobody else using them, it's hard to justify your argument. Plus, the new ball is going to make it almost impossible.

 

[Rog.sixpack]

nm

 

[Hammer Down]

Agreed, Bulldogg31's post is useless. The only comparison that can be made is starting in 2011.

2011: 30 HRs
2012: 21 HRs
2013: 30 HRs
2014: 16 HRs
2015 projected: 24, but better say 20 to account for better SEC competition

Looks to me like we just had more HR hitters in 2011 and 2013 (Vickerson/Ogden had 17, Renfroe had 16). I suspect you will see our HR numbers go up next year as Humphreys/Rooker/Collins will be veteran juniors.

 

[engie]

Imo this is a better homerun team than we have seen thusfar on the season. Humphreys, Rooker, Rea, and Collins are going to get theirs. Cody Brown, Reynolds, Holland, Smith are all guys with some hr pop as well that just haven't quite put it together yet. Heck, Vickerson, Gridley, and Robson are what they are. We aren't going to get hr production from them.

 

[KurtRambis4]

Did you expect

anything less? Then you got the mother of all sheep following up, asking why we use inferior bats.

 

[patdog]

I've been hearing for years that more power production at the plate is just around the corner with the new guys we've got coming in or the young guys getting more experience. It just hasn't happened. I hope you're right, but I'm not believing it until I start seeing it.

 

[KurtRambis4]

Pat,

you cannot deny that this squad has more overall power and talent than any we have ever had under John.

 

[patdog]

I've been hearing that for years too. We certainly don't have anyone even close to the same league as Hunter Renfroe was in. Collins is a very good hitter. Rea is what he is, a very big guy with surprisingly little power and a low average. The rest are unproven at best.

 

[00Dawg]

Well, Rooker already has a pair of homers, and Gridley has one with a .590 slugging mark. With Rea looking good so far, and flashes of power from several other guys, I'm leaning towards Engie's point of view.

 

[Hammer Down]

you cannot deny that this squad has more overall power and talent than any we have ever had under John.

I think you can. Again:

2011: 30 HRs
2012: 21 HRs
2013: 30 HRs
2014: 16 HRs
2015 projected: 24, but better say 20 to account for better SEC competition

In no way will we have more power than 2011 or 2013. Next year maybe, but not 2015. We look to have about the same power as 2012.

Granted, some of this may have to do with who Cohen plays. If we want power, we need Humphreys, Rooker, Brown and probably Swinarski to start playing more.

 

[KurtRambis4]

In those years >50% of our

HRs came from 2 guys (just 1 guy in '13). Nowhere in that post did I say we had someone of the caliber of Hunter (at this point). However we have 5+ guys that are capable, from a talent perspective, of hitting 5-6+ HRs, at least. That is my point.

 

[patdog]

We'll see how they do when they start seeing some decent pitchers. Cause they haven't yet. I really do hope you guys are right. But I've been hearing the same stories for years, only the names change.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

To be fair, Gridley's home run went about 200 ft. Just sayin.

We have already hit more balls to the gaps this year than I can remember in the last few.

 

[Hammer Down]

I am hoping this is going to be the big difference in this group. And remember, hitting may get you to Omaha, but pitching and defense is what wins national titles. With Cohen's system, I do not worry about offense.

 

[patdog]

We have already hit more balls to the gaps this year than I can remember in the last few.

I do agree that we should see some real improvement in that regard.

 

[engie]

We'll see how they do when they start seeing some decent pitchers.

We don't see a homerun dropoff as the pitching gets better in baseball. For the most part, we never have. Prevailing winds change, warmer air = less dense air, etc... And we visit the SEC launching pads...

 

[BulldogBlitz]

do these bats have pinstripes or a ribbon?

 

[Hammer Down]

This is correct, at least since 2012. Our HR numbers have kept pace (out-paced in 2013) with what we had done the first quarter of the season. So, regarding my post here, we can reasonably expect about 24 HRs. patdog's fears yet again are unfounded.

 

[J-Dawg]

To be fair, Gridley's home run went about 200 ft. Just sayin.

We have already hit more balls to the gaps this year than I can remember in the last few.

HR numbers are nice, but Slugging % is what I like to key in on. Like you said, more balls in the gap = more bases = higher slugging %. We could only hit 20 HR's but hit a ton of doubles and triples, still have a high slugging and still put up plenty of crooked letters.

 

[Drebin]

Bats were regulated and balls were altered in previous years. We haven't been a power team and yes, Dudy Noble has a lot to do with that. But our numbers fluctuated like they did nationally.

I can assure you, the bats we use are comparable to other bats. Let's not be stupid.

 

[dawgstudent]

Before last season I believe - the players were given a choice and they chose Adidas over Easton.