alyssa herrera
https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/110786/replies/2332331

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

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.

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!

Schroeder71 said:

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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!

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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.

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

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!

WhatABonanza said:

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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.

• 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

From the start of the Stanford series to the end of the regular season, she was 8 for 46, an average of .174.

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.

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+1

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!

Herrera is batting 8th and playing DP. Orange SP. Canady for furds.