Michigan coach Tracy Smith often preaches the idea that baseball games are won and lost on the mound. With the Wolverines’ bullpen severely lacking depth, the mantra can sometimes feel like more of an excuse than a mindset. And Smith’s batters are certainly making a case for the importance of the plate.
“It all starts and stops on the mound,” Smith said April 2. “If you don’t pitch well you don’t give yourself a chance to win. That to me is the difference, it doesn’t get any more complex than that.”
When the Michigan offense finds its groove, they take off. The unit often scores in clusters, often recording three innings of three plus runs, and have the remaining six innings leaving goose eggs on the board. This habit has been attributed to the momentum-based game play that the Wolverines utilize. If just one batter is able to break through, the rest of the lineup frequently follows suit. Once a spark is lit at the plate, it is hard for competition to put it out in the same inning.
While Smith continues to focus on the development of his bullpen, he has seemingly stumbled into a superb situation with his batting lineup. A solid combination of power hitters sprinkled throughout the lineup combined with more tactical batters creates a commanding scoring force.
Further, Smith has found a way to utilize both young talent and experienced athletes. The leadoff and cleanup positions are commonly held by freshman: center fielder AJ Garcia and first baseman Collin Priest, respectively. But in between those spots are dependable, experienced batters who have put in countless swings and are able to set a consistent tone at the plate.
The lineup is so sturdy, in fact, that in the recent series win against Ohio State, most of the momentum was forged in the bottom of the order. Graduate second baseman Mack Timbrook and junior third baseman Cole Caruso sit towards the end of the lineup, and yet are continually integral to offensive success for Michigan.
“It’s the balance of the lineup,” Smith said April 19. “We’ve talked about that quite a bit and I like it. We have some very capable hitters at the bottom of the lineup. We’ve said we think the lineup is balanced, it’s good.”
And once this lineup gets on base, the power doesn’t stop. The Wolverines continue to take a mile when given an inch, and refuse to leave 90 feet on the table. Currently Michigan has 88 doubles on the season, the most in the Big Ten. The offense continues to play the underdog role, and if they are in scoring position, they try to not leave those on the table with the early season issue of leaving runners stranded almost completely eliminated.
No one plays more aggressive offense than sophomore right-hander Mitch Voit. Voit fronts the Wolverines doubles-attack with 18 of his own. His fire at the plate is contagious and his second spot in the lineup reflects that. With seven home runs and 35 RBIs it is clear that Voit’s presence at the plate is irreplaceable.
“Mitch is a good player, he’s our best player,” Smith said April 14. “One of our best players, if not our best player on the position side. He’s also a weapon on the mound. So when you have a pitcher DH creates, fundamentally, a little bit of an issue when it comes to substitutions.”
Even considering Voit’s offensive talent, Smith holds his arm on the mound as the most important part of his ability. And yet, when removed from the mound Smith refuses to eliminate Voit from the lineup, inherently acknowledging the power that he provides for his offense. The only Michigan pitcher that consistently plays two-ways, Voit exemplifies the depth that offense maintains and the bullpen does not. And arguably, Voit has a more obvious impact at the plate than he does on the mound with 50 hits on the season.
Against Long Beach State Smith will likely look to test the younger members on his roster and develop more of the clubhouse, given the non-conference series. In the past this has led to a multitude of pitchers rotating through on the mound and eventually the unit fumbling, creating a deficit that the offense has been unable to overcome.
But if the Wolverine batters have anything to say about it, they will not be taking this weekend off. They will aim to continue to bring an intensity to the game that creates a margin that the pitching staff will be unable to squander. As Smith continues to focus on the development of his bullpen, the Michigan batters look to provide a stable presence and reinforce the impact they have in victories.