Tuesday, April 1, 2008
If there was any question whether the Jayhawks could score runs this year, Kansas has answered its critics with a resounding “yes.”
The Kansas baseball team faced No. 2 Texas A&M last weekend and went blow for blow with this offensive powerhouse. Although Kansas was swept, it was in large part because of its pitching inadequacies. The Jayhawk batters delivered runs in flurries. Being the victims of defensive big innings, the Hawks’ high-octane attack was ignited by an array of players. Leading the pack for the Jayhawks has been senior left fielder John Allman, who has ascended his batting average to .388 with 27 RBIs and two long balls.
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Familiar faces complete the core of the 2008 Jayhawk offensive stars.
The rest of the team is also making the Jayhawks a force to be reckoned with from the batters box. Junior first baseman Preston Land has been on fire as of late and has raised his batting average to .283 this season.
While his batting average has been climbing, so has the quality of his plate appearances. With patience being a virtue, Land has used his three years to become a disciplined hitter and reinstated himself as someone the Big 12 should label a concern.
Coinciding with Land’s recent success is highly recruited freshman third basemen Tony Thompson. Thompson had two hits in the first two games of the Aggies’ series and has proved he can swing the lumber against some of the Big 12’s finest.
Familiar faces complete the core of the 2008 Jayhawk offensive stars. As they have done throughout their successful years at Kansas, junior center fielder Nick Faunce, junior catcher Buck Afenir, senior right fielder Ryne Price and senior shortstop Erik Morrison complete the heart of the Jayhawks’ order. The ability to score runs in bunches is something this team has benefited from this year.
Going into Big 12 play, the Jayhawks will have to go against other strong offensive teams and remain consistent in trying to win slugfests. The Big 12 Conference is the best it has been in recent history and arguably the best in the nation this year. Having all the ingredients in the mix, the Jayhawks may be a contender to go on a run in the Big 12 Tournament because of their offensive savvy.
However, to be a contender, consistency will continue to be the key. While I have never been a betting man, my money is on the Jayhawks’ ability in continuing to hit.
With players starting to catch fire and veteran hitters gracing their presence, my bet would be to go all in.
— Edited by Sasha Roe
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