Diamond Rebs: 2005 v 2009
by BrianWalker'sElbow on May 19, 2009 1:14 PM EDT
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Stephen Head in SEC Tourney action in 2005
When many Rebel fans talk about baseball, they talk about the "2005 team" that was so talented and great. However, which team is better? The 2005 or 2009?
What do you compare when you look at the teams to determine which one was better? RPI? SOS? Batting average in SEC play?
Since four years have passed, many things have changed in the SEC from a personnel and coaching standpoint. However, we'll attempt to hold these things in a vacuum and just look at the numbers.
| 2005 season | 2009 season | |
| SEC Record | 18-12 (48-20) | 20-10 (40-15) |
| SEC Home | 10-5 | 9-6 |
| SEC Away | 8-7 | 11-4 |
| RPI | 1 | 12 (as of now) |
| SOS | 2 | 31 |
| SEC BA | .289 | .303 |
| SEC ERA | 4.11 | 4.10 |
| HRs in SEC Play | 37 | 31 |
| Fielding % | .983 | .977 |
| Record v RPI 1-50 | 29-19 | 19-9 |
| v RPI 51-100 | 7-1 | 3-3 |
| v 101-200 | 10-0 | 12-3 |
| 200+ | 2-0 | 6-0 |
| Home Attendance | 4,362 | 6,537 |
The 2005 team was superior in:
RPI, not losing to inferior opponents, and played a tougher schedule. It hit more homeruns in SEC play, and 20 of those came from Pettway and Head.
The 2009 team was superior in:
SEC record, SEC home record, and batting average.
It's a wash in:
ERA, fielding %
To be fair, our RPI and SOS will get better the longer we survive in the postseason though it is doubtful we'd make it all the way to #1. Our attendance has grown by more than 2,000 fans per game since 2005. That has nothing to do with what team is better, and I included it just as a fun fact.
It seems to me that the teams are just completely different. The 2005 team had all-stars like Head and Pettway and the 2009 team is, well, a team. We had an all-star in Scott Bittle but it is looking more and more like he is done.
The more talented would be the 2005 team. The better unit looks like the 2009 team. Which team is better? I don't know....
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It's obvious...
for now. Unless this team makes it to Omaha, the 05 team is clearly better.
But, you betray your own point, Eric. What really distinguished that team from this one is the strong showing in the Super Regional against eventual champion Texas. Looking only at the respective regular seasons, it’s hard to definitively call one better than the other.
Agreed...
These polls are more appropriate when the entire season is over. If you want to compare the two, compare ’05 before the SEC tourney with ’09.
Comparing the two right now, I would venture to say ‘05 is better simply because I had more faith in them. But that also could have been unrealistic expectations you’re more likely to have while you’re a student.
Although I will say this...
Put Scott Bittle and Jordan Henry on that 2005 team and we win it all. The one thing that team was missing was a guy who could bunt for basehits and steal bases as well as a 4th starter. Bittle would have been the 2 behind Holliman, and pushed Maloney and Fowler back.
And to go along with that...
Put Stephen Head or Brian Pettway on the 2009 team and we’re easily in Omaha. One thing we haven’t had since their departure is a significant and consistent home run threat. I especially loved watching Pettway because every single time he stepped up to the plate he had a chance to absolutely knock the cover off of one.
Didn’t he knock the back window out of some fella’s jeep in the parking lot behind left field? Oh, and I know for a fact that Stephen Head dropped one into the tennis courts beyond right field. Damn those two could mash.
Take a picture, trick.
by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on May 20, 2009 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
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