When I work with the statistics to make my lists of top hitters, starting pitchers, and relievers, there normally has to be a cutoff using at-bats, or innings- whatever it is I'm trying to measure. for the last two years, the cutoff for my hitting list has been enough at-bats to qualify for the batting title. If you were to visit the stat pages for each team, the program the league uses automatically cuts off players who have qualified from those who haven't. It's an actual, visible line- click here to see an example.
Sometimes, though, this means a player who really deserves to be on the list just misses. Such is the case of LSU's Ryan Schimpf, who was clearly one of the best hitters in the league in 2008. Ryan fell just short of the required at-bats, but he obviously deserves a "special recognition" category this offseason.
Ryan's first game in the Valley League was on July 1st. He moved immediately into the starting lineup, batting second, and playing second base. He proceeded to hammer the ball for the next 27 games. He ended the season hitting 392/464/763 over 97 at-bats, with 3 doubles, 11 home runs, 27 RBI, 25 runs, a 13/9 BB/K ratio, and 3 stolen bases in 3 attempts.
What was even more impressive was what Schimpf did in the playoffs. Over 8 games (in which the
Wranglers went 7-1), he went 13-31 (.419), scoring 9 runs, driving in 10, walking 5 times to only 2 strikeouts, hitting 2 doubles and a whopping 5 home runs. He even added a stolen base. Not surprisingly, he was named the Finals MVP. (To see my writeup on the final day of the Championship Series, click here, or you could click "Playoffs" on the right sidebar.) Clearly, he was the engine that was driving the Luray offense.
Ryan is also important to the LSU offense in the SEC. As a freshman in 2007, Ryan hit 262/377/430 over 42 games and 107 at-bats, with 2 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, and a 16/34 BB/K ratio. In his sophomore year, he hit 320/416/592 in 67 games and 250 at-bats, with 57 runs, 18 doubles, 7 triples, 12 home runs, 54 RBI, a 32/51 BB/K ratio, and 16 stolen bases. He was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, the NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team, and the SEC All-Tournament Team in '08.
Baseball America also named him the top prospect in the league, with the following writeup:
Schimpf was a late arrival for Luray after participating in the College World Series and played in just 27 games for the Wranglers, but he wasted no time compiling gaudy numbers for the eventual champions. The 5-foot-9 second baseman batted .392 and slugged .763 for the summer, totals that would have led the league had he registered enough at-bats to qualify. He struck out just nine times compared to 13 walks and showed impressive pop with a wood bat, using his quick wrists and exceptional pitch recognition to belt 11 home runs in just 110 plate appearances. Schimpf provides steady defense up the middle, showing good range and a sure glove that will allow him to stick at second in pro ball.
It's clear that Ryan has a bright future ahead of him! Congratulations, Ryan, on your excellent season in Luray!
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