In 2013, the Texas Longhorns baseball team finished with a 27-24-1 record. For the first time since 1956, the Horns finished last in their conference. I’m not sure which feat is more incredible: Going 50+ years without finishing last, or Texas baseball being so bad that they finish in last place?
That statistic is the essence of the Longhorn baseball program – sustained excellence. That’s why Augie Garrido emphatically began the season by saying, “…the standard for Texas Baseball hasn’t been met in the last two years, and it isn’t acceptable.â€
Garrido continued, “We spent all fall attacking what I think was our number one problem from last year, and that is the word ‘entitlement’. I think that we have taken really important steps forward in changing the attitude of being entitled and recognizing who we are, and changing that too.â€
To his credit, Garrido is delivering. Texas is 30-8 overall and 9-3 in Big 12 play. Not only is that conference record good enough for first place in the Big 12, the Horns are ranked as a top-10 team by all five major polls. Their 30 wins are three more than they had in total last season.
Texas athletics needed sea change five months ago. Texas football started it. Rick Barnes continued it. Now, Augie Garrido is finishing it.
Baseball fans are notorious for their superstitions. Right now there are a handful of readers that are cursing me for jinxing the team.To that group, I only have one thing to say, “Relax.â€
This team is almost 40 games into the schedule. To borrow from Bill Parcells, “You are what your record says you are.â€
I’ll do the math for you – Texas is playing .789 baseball. Better still, courtesy of going 6-2 against the RPI top-30, Texas is No. 1 in the country in ISR and No. 5 in RPI.
Not sure yet? The Horns are 12-3 road/neutral games. In other words, the win as often away from home as they do at The Disch.
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photo credit: dailytexan.com
No matter what angle you approach it from, Texas baseball is back on top. No, they aren’t ranked No. 1 in any of the five major polls. That’s not what this is about.
It’s a feeling. It’s confidence.
In my estimation, there are two primary reasons for the resurgence. First is that 10 out of 11 recruits, in Baseball America’s 2nd ranked class, stuck with their commitment and chose to become Longhorns. Of the 10 that came to Austin, five of them were drafted by a major league team.
Mark Payton and Nathan Thornhill were also drafted, but chose to return for a fourth year. That’s a total of seven players that could be getting paid to play baseball.
Whether it’s been high school standouts or rising seniors, the MLB first-year player draft has not been kind to Texas baseball. What fans are enjoying this year represents “what might have been†if players like Dylan Bundy, Wyatt Mathieson and Blake Swihart had chosen to play in Austin instead of the minors.
The second reason the Horns are rolling right now is not simply because the offense is finally matching the pitching. The key this season is how timely the offense has been. If you like clichés, this Texas offense is clutch.
As a team, the Longhorns are batting .268. That’s only .09 points higher than the team batted in 2013. There are 148 Division I teams with a better team batting average than Texas.
But this team is producing. The Longhorns have scored 190 runs. That’s just six short of their 2013 season total…in 13 fewer games.
Closer examination of this clutchiness reveals some eye-popping stats. The two worthy of the most attention are: Texas is batting .281 with two outs; and, of Texas’ 180 runs this season, 85 of them have come with two outs.
So, to summarize, the 2014 team was spared from the customary pillage by the MLB draft and the offense is clutchy. And, oh, by the way, all the strengths that Texas fans take for granted under Garrido? They’re as gaudy as ever…'”
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[*]Texas has a team ERA of 2.12. That’s tops in the Big 12 and No. 5 in country.
[*]As a staff, the Horns are holding opponents to a .222 batting average. Again, that’s the best mark in the conference.
[*]Team fielding percentage is .979. That’s only second best in the Big 12 (No. 13 in NCAA).
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Add in Garrido’s ever-popular penchant to call for a sacrifice bunt, and this team is taking the shape of one with lofty postseason aspirations. In the name of advancing runners into scoring position, the Horns lead the NCAA with 58 sacrifice bunts. Groan, moan and be critical if you wish, but this team has 190 runs for a reason…they manufacture them.
And finally, lest we be chastised by Bill Little, fans shouldn’t forget that the cook mixing all these ingredients has won more ball games than any other coach in college baseball history. From pushing the ‘entitlement’ button to calling for sac bunts, there is no other teacher in the game that has the ability to connect with his players the way Garrido does.
At 75 years old, Garrido is established as an all-time great regardless of sport. I’m talking about names like Wooden, Summit and Gable. Garrido is, literally, a legend sitting in the home team’s dugout.
Texas’ head baseball coach would scoff at being compared to John Wooden. Nevertheless, Garrido borrowed one of his oft used quotes from the UCLA icon in saying, “the game of baseball doesn’t build character. It reveals it.â€
The Longhorns are 30-8. Consider their character revealed.
