CalFanatic
9:23a, 5/8/24
Eh, this seems like a stupid and honestly unnecessary post.
Cal had one of the deepest offensive rosters in the conference.
Furthermore, nothing I saw in fall ball made me think AH was going to get more than 5-10 AB's this season. Lagi and Kyndal lit up opposing teams and rightfully started because of this.
To her credit, AH clearly put in the work and will be a great contributor in the future. Cal didn't lose any games because of this decision.
Cal had one of the deepest offensive rosters in the conference.
Furthermore, nothing I saw in fall ball made me think AH was going to get more than 5-10 AB's this season. Lagi and Kyndal lit up opposing teams and rightfully started because of this.
To her credit, AH clearly put in the work and will be a great contributor in the future. Cal didn't lose any games because of this decision.
Shocky1
9:30a, 5/8/24
alyssa batted almost 100 percentage points higher than the player who got multiple starts in front of her at the end of the season, herrera would've had 10+ home runs this year if she got the at bats she earned on the playing field
fall ball (u get points for attending) is basically glorified batting practice, it's actual production in d1 softball games that counts...herrera got elite bat speed which makes her a threat every time she's given an opportunity
it's truly dumb decisions like this & running the team outta innings with high risk base coaching decisions (instead of conserving outs for the team's strength, the long ball) that have put cal in a **** position playing stanford tomorrow on their home diamond against arguably the nation's #1 pitcher
coach spencer gotta lotta upside including her ability to put together an all world coaching staff, relentless recruiting of elite talent & building a fun team 1st culture but honestly the bears would be better off if someone else on the staff (or oski) made the starting line ups & coached 3rd base
herrera in the starting line up would've given the bears the competitive bat strength lineup that would've won a couple more of the most recent razor thin losses including their last game against oregon state
fall ball (u get points for attending) is basically glorified batting practice, it's actual production in d1 softball games that counts...herrera got elite bat speed which makes her a threat every time she's given an opportunity
it's truly dumb decisions like this & running the team outta innings with high risk base coaching decisions (instead of conserving outs for the team's strength, the long ball) that have put cal in a **** position playing stanford tomorrow on their home diamond against arguably the nation's #1 pitcher
coach spencer gotta lotta upside including her ability to put together an all world coaching staff, relentless recruiting of elite talent & building a fun team 1st culture but honestly the bears would be better off if someone else on the staff (or oski) made the starting line ups & coached 3rd base
herrera in the starting line up would've given the bears the competitive bat strength lineup that would've won a couple more of the most recent razor thin losses including their last game against oregon state
CalFanatic
9:36a, 5/8/24
I anticipate she'll have numerous ABs next year. I'm a big fan of Coach Spencer, and though I do have some concerns, such as the persistent issues with base running, this particular matter isn't one of them.
Congrats to Lagi, Tianna, Tatum, Haylei and Elon for earning all Pac-12 honors. Four all-conference players returning next year? Watch out ACC.
Congrats to Lagi, Tianna, Tatum, Haylei and Elon for earning all Pac-12 honors. Four all-conference players returning next year? Watch out ACC.
Schroeder71
9:40a, 5/8/24
Alyssa Herrera started the season on fire. She carried a BA% of .330-.340 for quite a while. Herrera showed surprising pop with three home runs. She seemed to know how to go to RF, too, on outside pitches.
Then, the second half of the season came along and she disappeared. I cannot remember a big hit for the team over this period. Alyssa hardly struck out early in the year and built a reputation as tough to strikeout. This is not the case now. She gets called out on strikes as well as getting over powered on swinging Ks.
2024 California Softball (PDF) - California Golden Bears Athletics (calbears.com)
Either the Pac9 pitching has been the difference or Alyssa Herrera just opened her career with a dream start that could not be sustained. I wanted her in the lineup, too, when she carried that .330+ batting average. Will the real Alyssa Herrera please stand up. GO BEARS!
Then, the second half of the season came along and she disappeared. I cannot remember a big hit for the team over this period. Alyssa hardly struck out early in the year and built a reputation as tough to strikeout. This is not the case now. She gets called out on strikes as well as getting over powered on swinging Ks.
2024 California Softball (PDF) - California Golden Bears Athletics (calbears.com)
Either the Pac9 pitching has been the difference or Alyssa Herrera just opened her career with a dream start that could not be sustained. I wanted her in the lineup, too, when she carried that .330+ batting average. Will the real Alyssa Herrera please stand up. GO BEARS!
CalFanatic
9:45a, 5/8/24
In reply to Schroeder71
Yes…this happens to 99.9999 percent of freshman. When you go from non-conference play to some of the best pitching in the country every weekend, you should expect a major drop off!
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills reading this.
Schroeder71 said:
Alyssa Herrera started the season on fire. She carried a BA% of .330-.340 for quite a while. Herrera showed surprising pop with three home runs. She seemed to know how to go to RF, too.
Then, the second half of the season came along and she disappeared. I cannot remember a big hit for the team over this period. Alyssa hardly struck out early in the year and built a reputation as tough to strikeout. This is not the case now. She gets called out on strikes as well as getting over powered on swinging Ks.
2024 California Softball (PDF) - California Golden Bears Athletics (calbears.com)
Either the Pac9 pitching has been the difference or Alyssa Herrera just opened her career with a dream start that could not be sustained. I wanted her in the lineup, too, when she carried that .330+ batting average. Will the real Alyssa Herrera please stand up. GO BEARS!
Yes…this happens to 99.9999 percent of freshman. When you go from non-conference play to some of the best pitching in the country every weekend, you should expect a major drop off!
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills reading this.
Shocky1
10:01a, 5/8/24
herrera has been in & out of the starting line up, like the golf swing it's easier to get into a consistent flow with more reps...the bears mid season slump coincided with alyssa's bat not being in the starting line up
cf, thinking someone who batted almost 100 points less on the season with no power due to a lack of developed bat speed at this time should be starting instead of herrera is crazy talk
cf, thinking someone who batted almost 100 points less on the season with no power due to a lack of developed bat speed at this time should be starting instead of herrera is crazy talk
Schroeder71
12:21p, 5/8/24
I have not been overly impressed with Holly Medina, either. She is the traditional lefty slap hitter who seldom hits a ball out of the infield. She has hit choppers to the left side of the infield and bunted several times. Her speed is good but she has been thrown out the majority of the time. Holly owns a .206 BA% and a .289 OB%.
GO BEARS!
GO BEARS!
WhatABonanza
2:03p, 5/8/24
I think the case being made here is absurd. Herrera has real promise and I have no doubt she'll be very good over the course of her career.
But to claim things would have worked out better had she been in the lineup is a wild guess, with no real factual basis. And to suggest it's because she didn't have enough at-bats is just wrong.
She got 70 ABs her freshman season. That's good. She'll grow.
For a point of reference, Tatum Anzaldo got 75 ABs her freshman year and batted .213. She's ending up with a great career.
Anzaldo got getter. So will Herrera.
But to claim things would have worked out better had she been in the lineup is a wild guess, with no real factual basis. And to suggest it's because she didn't have enough at-bats is just wrong.
- Against Stanford, she played all 3 games and had 5 ABs.
- Arizona, all 3 games and 7 ABs
- Utah, all 3 games and 6 ABs
- Washington, all 3 games and 7 ABs
- ASU, all 3 games and 7 ABs
She got 70 ABs her freshman season. That's good. She'll grow.
For a point of reference, Tatum Anzaldo got 75 ABs her freshman year and batted .213. She's ending up with a great career.
Anzaldo got getter. So will Herrera.
CalFanatic
2:27p, 5/8/24
In reply to WhatABonanza
+1WhatABonanza said:
I think the case being made here is absurd. Herrera has real promise and I have no doubt she'll be very good over the course of her career.
But to claim things would have worked out better had she been in the lineup is a wild guess, with no real factual basis. And to suggest it's because she didn't have enough at-bats is just wrong.From the start of the Stanford series to the end of the regular season, she was 8 for 46, an average of .174.
- Against Stanford, she played all 3 games and had 5 ABs.
- Arizona, all 3 games and 7 ABs
- Utah, all 3 games and 6 ABs
- Washington, all 3 games and 7 ABs
- ASU, all 3 games and 7 ABs
She got 70 ABs her freshman season. That's good. She'll grow.
For a point of reference, Tatum Anzaldo got 75 ABs her freshman year and batted .213. She's ending up with a great career.
Anzaldo got getter. So will Herrera.
Rugby Oski!
4:41p, 5/8/24
In reply to Schroeder71
@Shroeder71 - Leave it to you to 'trash' another outstanding Cal frosh player who has an amazing upside, and who has excelled this season on a thread devoted to another player (and need 2 edits of your post to do it!). Way to go!!
Schroeder71
10:40p, 5/8/24
Rugby Oski-it seems as if Holly Medina is the only player on the team that you care about...I did not trash anyone on the team. The discussion was about fellow frosh Alyssa Herrera losing her place in the starting lineup to an anonymous player. Anyone that followed the team knew that Holly Medina was that player. Both Herrera and Medina have bright futures as they continue to develop. Relax and cool down. GO BEARS!