LSU passes the eye test for everyone
LSU has passed the halfway point of the regular season still ranked as the No. 1 team in the country according to every poll.
The Tigers have lost just five times in 32 games. There are 23 games remaining before the beginning of the Southeastern Conference tournament in late May.
After its series with Kentucky at The Box this weekend, LSU will be at the halfway point of the SEC schedule – five series completed and five series to be played. The Tigers have just seven victories in the first four league series – losing four times in 11 games with one game cancelled due to the weather.
LSU, No. 1 in the country, is not at the top of the SEC standings. In fact, the Tigers are not even at the top of the Western Division. LSU trails Arkansas by one-half game in the SEC West. Four Eastern Division teams – Vanderbilt, Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky – have better SEC records than the Tigers.
However, LSU certainly passes the eye test.
The Tigers look like the best team in the country. LSU has a 13-5 record against top-100 RPI teams. By the way, Kentucky is presently No. 1 in the nation in RPI. The Tigers have mauled the other teams on the schedule – going 14-0 and outscoring them by 146 runs.
LSU’s offensive and defensive statistics are outstanding. The Tigers have a .328 team batting average and a .984 team fielding percentage. Six starters are batting higher than .300 – Dylan Crews, Tommy White, Jared Jones, Gavin Dugas, Tre Morgan and Jordan Thompson. This group of players has 45 home runs.
But, the performance on the mound will determine the success of the 2023 LSU team. There must be some uneasiness surrounding the Tigers pitching staff.
Paul Skenes has thrown better than any pitcher in college baseball – 1.14 earned run average, .130 opponents’ batting average and 91 strikeouts in 47 innings. But, LSU has lost two of Skenes’ four SEC starts due to below-average bullpen work.
Here is a very telling statistic. In the Tigers’ five defeats, their staff ERA is 11.25. The pitchers have given up 57 runs in 44 innings in those games. Starting pitchers have an 8.82 ERA in the five defeats. The LSU bullpen has a 12.69 ERA in those five games.
Even the Tigers’ potent lineup cannot overcome such poor pitching. It is interesting to note that Crews is the only starter batting higher than .300 in the five losses. Crews is 12-for-19 with seven RBIs. Dugas is 1-for-15, Morgan is 4-for-18, Thompson is 4-for-15, White is 6-for-22 and Jones is 6-for-21 in the losses.
Don’t emphasize those offensive numbers. If LSU is unsuccessful in the NCAA tournament, poor pitching will be the reason. Ty Floyd is simply too inconsistent to trust as a No. 2 starter. The Tigers have no reliable No. 3 starter. Freshman Griffin Herring is getting close to receiving his chance in that role.
UCLA transfer Thatcher Hurd has been completely ineffective as a starter. Vanderbilt transfer Christian Little, who has been spotty in relief, was supposed to start the third game of the South Carolina series. It remains to be seen if Little receives that opportunity against Kentucky.
Moreover, injuries are now hampering the pitching production. Garrett Edwards and Chase Shores are out indefinitely with injuries. Nate Ackenhausen is trying to recover from a hamstring injury. He may be available against the Wildcats.
Freshman Gavin Guidry, who was signed to be a middle infielder, is now a key part of the bullpen. Guidry picked up the save in last Friday’s come-from-behind victory against the Gamecocks. At least, Bryce Collins seems to be past his early-season problems.
LSU’s SEC schedule is certainly less challenging during the final five weeks. None of the Tigers’ last five opponents – Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and Georgia – has even a .500 conference record. In fact, all of those teams are at least four games below .500 in the SEC.
There is no doubt that LSU will be in the NCAA tournament as a regional host team. The manner college baseball analysts view the Tigers means they should be one of the eight national seeds. So, it is coach Jay Johnson’s goal is to have LSU playing its best ball when the calendar flips to June.
AVAILABLE IN TWO COLORS (Gold and Purple) - LSU Tigers Arch Baseball Tee
LSU Tigers Arch Baseball Tee
from: Alumni Hall