By Hunt Palmer
Chris Stanfield did a lot of watching in February.
After badly bruising his left hand on Saturday of opening weekend, the senior outfielder missed a month while the swelling subsided and the pain lessened.
He couldn’t swing a bat, so he watched.
“Just using my experience and dry reps and just visual reps when I was on the bench during the games,” Stanfield said. “Watching, learning stuff from guys like Derek (Curiel), Jake (Brown), and really older guys like (Zach) Yorke, watching some of the pitchers and how they pitch other guys. Just staying in the game even thought I couldn’t physically impact it.”
He did impact it. His absence may have affected LSU’s lineup as a whole. Jay Johnson tried four alternatives to Stanfield in left. Brayden Simpson, Mason Braun, Tanner Reaves and Daniel Harden are hitting a combined .249. Stanfield led the Tigers in hitting during SEC games a season ago.
“I just think you guys have totally underestimated his value to how good a player he is and how important he is to our team and our program,” Johnson said. “That’s my opinion. I told everybody before the season that he would be one of the best players in the country this year. We missed him.”
It was mentioned to Johnson that perhaps the addition at bats for the reserves might be a positive early in the season. The coach bristled at the notion.
“Somebody said to me, ‘it’s a good thing. you can get somebody else…’ What the (blank) are you talking about it’s a good thing?'” Johnson said. “It’s really good seeing him come up there, and it’s like he didn’t miss a game from my standpoint.”
He did, and LSU struggled for a large portion of that. Stanfield is relieved to have the issue largely behind him. He’s still wearing a protective plate over his batting glove when he digs in. Now it’s about moving forward and helping the Tigers out of a weeks-long slump.
“We’ve got a lot of season left and a lot of talent,” Stanfield said. “We’re slowly piecing it together. I believe it.”
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