Alabama Preview: Assessing Mitchell Daly and the cleanup spot
The No. 1 Texas Longhorns (5-0) welcome the Alabama Crimson Tide (5-0) to UFCU Disch-Falk Field this weekend. First pitch Friday is set for 4:30 p.m., Saturday’s start time is slated for 1:30 p.m., and the series finale on Sunday is scheduled to start at 1 p.m.
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Friday afternoon’s game will be the baseball program’s celebration of Black History Night, and on Saturday 1992 first-team All-American Calvin Murray will be honored as part of the Saturday TraDISCHions series.
“They’re good,” Texas head coach David Pierce said about the Crimson Tide. “They’re an SEC team that is going to be very physical. They have some motor hitters that are good hitters, and their best hitters are their veteran guys. They’re going to pitch with McMillan, a right-hander, then they go Jean and Hitt, two left-handers behind him. They’ve got some mix and match in the bullpen. They know how to play the game. They’re well coached, good athletes, so it’s going to be a test for us.”
How has Mitchell Daly adjusted to protecting Ivan Melendez?
For a significant portion of Texas’ 2021 season, including much of the latter stages of the year, the top four in the Longhorn batting order went as follows: Mike Antico, Mitchell Daly, Zach Zubia, and Ivan Melendez.
Antico and Zubia have moved on to professional opportunities, but Daly and Melendez returned to anchor the right side of the infield. Pierce moved Melendez into the three-hole in order to maximize his at bat total.
When looking for a new cleanup hitter, Pierce couldn’t find a consistent power option like Melendez offered backing up Zubia in 2021. Austin Todd or Silas Ardoin may have that potential, but it was not obvious like it was with Melendez. As a result, Pierce looked toward Daly, who slashed .316/.413/.416 (AVG/OBP/SLG) in 61 games on his way to first-team All-Big 12 honors as a freshman.
Note the low slugging percentage. Of Daly’s 66 hits last year, 49 were singles. Seventeen of those extra base hits were doubles, and the two home runs came during regular season play. Prior to the season, Pierce admitted Daly wasn’t a typical cleanup hitter, but he believed in his ability to fulfill the role.
“He’s a pest,” Pierce said. “He’s a guy that’s going to make contact and put pressure on a defense if they’re going to pitch around Ivan.”
Pierce mentioned it’s likely only volunteer assistant Troy Tulowizki has evern been pitched around in the way Melendez has so far. He doesn’t get many fastballs to hit since opposing staffs know they may need a new ball from the umpire if they offer him one. If Melendez gets on base, Pierce wants someone who can move the Hispanic Titanic around the bases and keep the lineup moving.
“I told (Daly), ‘I don’t want you to be a four-hole hitter, we just want you to be the same guy you are,'” Pierce said. “He understood that.”
Said Daly: “I saw that I was hitting behind Ivan a little bit, and I didn’t really think too much of it until about a day before opening day. He pulled me aside, him and Tulo, and they were like, ‘hey we’re thinking about hitting you in the four-hole,’ and gave me some reasons. I think the biggest thing they were trying to tell me is stay within myself in those RBI situations.”
Daly, who hails from Bob Jones High School in Madison, Ala., said he mostly was in the three-spot during his prep career. Cleanup is an adjustment, but he said Thursday he’s starting to feel better about hitting where he does.
Though it may take some effort, he’s attempting to follow the advice offered to him from his head coach.
“I think if I stick to my same approach, I think the RBIs will come from there,” Daly said. “It’s not too much different based on how they pitch me, because they have a scouting report just like they did when I was in the two-hole. It’s something I’m starting to get more comfortable in.”
Through five games, Daly is hitting .250 with four hits, eight walks, a hit by pitch, and four RBI in 16 at bats. His numbers were a bit better prior to the second game versus Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Wednesday, where he went 0-for-5 and only reached base via a fielder’s choice. Still, his .520 on-base percentage is what Pierce wanted from Daly upon his move down the order.
If Daly does offer a bit more power than the two dingers he hit last year, it’ll be a bonus for Texas. That’s not what Pierce is expecting, however. And on Thursday, Pierce mentioned Daly’s place in the order is not etched into stone. With Ardoin’s .500/.609/.938 so far, Pierce mentioned he could be a candidate for that role.
But he’s been pleased with what his Collegiate Baseball second-team freshman All-American has shown in the important cleanup role.
“Mitch is a perfect guy for that spot,” Pierce said.
Daly has a two fellow Bob Jones alums on the Crimson Tide. Any trash talk this week? Not too much, he mentioned Thursday, but there is a sense of excitement for the step up in competition.
“It’s definitely exciting playing good teams like that,” Daly said. “It’s games you look forward to, but I think if we keep it within us and keep it within our clubhouse, don’t really worry about who our opponent is and worry about doing our job and making sure we do the small things right, then I really don’t think it matters who is across the field from us.”
Quick note on Coy Cobb
Pierce mentioned Thursday that Cobb, a fourth-year pitcher from Katy, had recently dropped down his arm slot.
There’s a good history for pitchers Pierce has gone through this process with. Parker Joe Robinson made the switch and it helped him to a successful 2018. Matteo Bocchi did the same in 2019.
Cobb is the next in line, and Pierce thinks it’ll help the righty’s stuff.
“It’s good, it’s real good,” Pierce said. “He’s kind of throwing more of a frisbee of a slider, but he’s still with really good sink. I think the biggest key with that slot is can he get to his glove side consistently to open up the rest of the plate. What I’ve been really impressed with is he throws a lot of strikes from that slot, so I’m curious to see what he does.”
Cobb is also one of the first players out of the dugout between half-innings, there to congratulate whoever walks off the mound. He traveled to Omaha last year despite making only six appearances. While Pierce said he “probably talks a little too much trash,” he noted it’s always in support of his teammates.
“The players love him, and I think that’s a big piece of why he’s in the dugout every game and has been on the road,” Pierce said. “I think he’s going to get some opportunities this year that’s going to make a difference for us.”
