By Will Vandervort.

By Will Vandervort

In 2002, the Clemson baseball team hit a school record 112 home runs. Ten years later, the 2012 squad only notched 44. What was the difference?

Well, it helped that guys like Khalil Greene (27), Jeff Baker (25) and Michael Johnson (25) hit a combined 77 home runs in 2002—which rank first and tied for second on Clemson’s single-season list—but the biggest difference are the bats.

Two years ago, the NCAA set a standard that bats meet a new BBCOR, or “Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution” standard. It made the bats more like wooden bats, but in the process it also cut down offensive numbers produced across the country.

According to the Associated Press, in the last two seasons, offensive numbers have decreased each year in nearly every statistical category. In 2012, Mississippi State’s top home run hitter had only five bombs. It wasn’t much better at Clemson where Richie Shaffer, a first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays, had only 10 balls that went yard. He had just 13 the year before.

It is not going to get any better this year. As mentioned, Shaffer is now in the pros and Phil Pohl, the team’s second best home run hitter with nine, has used up all of his eligibility.

“We are only returning eight home runs from last year’s team, and (Jon) McGibbon had five of them,” Clemson assistant coach Bradley LeCroy said. “I don’t think there is any reason for us to go into this season thinking we are going to hit 75 home runs. It isn’t going to happen.”

To counter act the lack of home runs that can be produced, the Tigers hit the recruiting trail hard in looking for an alternative. What they came up with was something that could increase the Tigers’ runs per game average of 5.7 from a year ago.

Clemson brought in a lot of players that can really run to compliment returning centerfielder Thomas Brittle, who excelled with his speed last year. The senior from Cross, SC, scored 43 runs, was successful in stealing 15 of 18 stolen bases and had 36 RBIs. Several times his speed down the line allowed him to beat out a routine ground ball to second or short.

“His speed when he comes to the plate adds added pressure to the defense,” LeCroy said. “He hits a routine ground ball to short stop, that guy has to come get it quick and get it over there or Thomas is going to beat it out.

“It puts other teams on edge. His speed causes the shortstop and second baseman to panic and make an error, where an average to below average runner allows the defense not to be as aggressive so they can stay back on the ball.”

Brittle will have help from three speedy freshmen in Steven Duggar, Tyler Krieger and Maleeke Gibson, which should put even more pressure on pitchers.

“They bring an element to the game that is really good,” LeCroy said. “Once they get on base then they get the concentration from the pitcher, which helps the hitter at the plate.”

But the Tigers did add a little power too. Expect McGibbon, Steve Wilkerson and Garrett Boulware to bring power to the plate when it is needed, while junior college transfer, Shane Kennedy, should help in that area as well.

“He has legit power,” LeCroy said. “He might be able to add something to the middle of the order.”

But in the end, for Clemson to get it done this season, it will need to use its speed to cross home plate more times than not.

“If you look across the country, there is not a lot of power anywhere,” LeCroy said. “You can try to recruit guys that can hit a lot of home runs and we did that with Shane Kennedy. He has a chance.

“So you can either go out and recruit power, power and power or bring in a lot of athletic kids that can really run, like we did. Our game plan will be geared towards more causing havoc on the bases, hitting the balls to the gaps and stealing some bags. If we run a ball out of the yard, then great we ran a ball out of the yard.”

But don’t look for that to happen too often this spring, not with these bats.