Sticky-fingered Longhorns
May 10, 2010
With only a few weeks to go before the NCAA regionals begin, it seems like a good time to check back in on the Division One leaders in defensive efficiency. Basically, these are the teams that are most efficiently turning batted balls into outs.
As you'll see, there's a strong correlation between "good team defense" and "good team" at the college level. Here's the current top 20:
Texas 0.732 Connecticut 0.716 South Carolina 0.716 Virginia 0.712 UCLA 0.711 Coastal Carolina 0.710 Rice 0.710 Jackson State 0.708 Stanford 0.705 Louisiana Lafayette 0.705 Miami (Florida) 0.704 Toledo 0.700 Arizona State 0.699 Florida State 0.698 Long Beach State 0.698 Texas Christian 0.698 Indiana State 0.697 Stephen F. Austin 0.697 Cal State Fullerton 0.697 Creighton 0.696
That's just otherworldly defense from UT. Defensive efficiency is approximately the difference between BABIP and 1, meaning that Texas hurlers get the benefit of a BABIP below .270.
The Longhorns defense is led by the sophomore double-play combo of 2B Jordan Etier and SS Brandon Loy. We have each of their (regressed) defense numbers at several runs above average--Etier ranks in the top five in all of D-1.
Also notable is right fielder Kevin Keyes, at about +4. Connor Rowe and Cameron Rupp are the Texas defenders who are getting attention from scouts this season, and both are solidly above average.
Of course, for every positive list, there's a negative one. Chicago State has vaulted themselves out of the bottom spot in the last month, moving up to a .583 mark, good for third from last. Worse up to this point are Air Force (.567) and Fairfield (.564).