06/03 at 10:57 PM

Link Jarrett’s philosophy is simple.

Pay attention.

That’s it.

As a hitter, it’s all about not letting things get by you — a good pitch or an opportunity to learn and get better.

And since Jarrett’s arrival on the Plains last fall, Auburn’s batters haven’t missed much
of anything, especially the baseball.

The Tigers, as everyone is already very well aware, have straight mashed this season. I believe the kids call it “raking.”

Whatever.

This season, Auburn led the country in home runs and was second in slugging percentage, not to mention tops in the SEC in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits and RBI. The Tigers averaged 9.1 runs a game, which was eighth-best in the nation, helping them to a school record for wins in conference play and 40 wins overall heading into today’s NCAA Regional at Plainsman Park.

These are prolific numbers, in case you didn’t know.

And at the center of it is Jarrett, Auburn’s first-year hitting coach.

He’d never say it, so I will: Jarrett deserves a lot of the credit for the Tigers’ offensive display this season.

And yes, of course, a coach can’t swing the bat in a game. The players have to. It’s not all coaching, and Jarrett will be the first one to tell you that — multiple times.

“I walked into a situation where we had some talented players,” he said.

“I’ve been in situations also where I feel like I’ve coached really well, but might not have had the same caliber kids to get some of the same things we’ve gotten out of these kids.”

Auburn’s lineup is loaded. No doubt. When a player in the bottom third of the lineup hits above .400 for most of the season — like Auburn’s Dan
Gamache did this year — that’s pretty stout.

Then throw in guys like SEC Player of the Year Hunter Morris (.392, 21 HRs, 70 RBI), and conference first-teamers Trent Mummey (.372, 15 HRs, 47 RBI), Brian Fletcher (.359, 20 HRs, 70 RBI) and Kevin Patterson (.301, 16 HRs, 31 RBI), and you win the SEC West and host a regional.

But those same guys played on last year’s team that didn’t even make it to Hoover for the SEC Tournament. Those guys were a part of an Auburn team that hit a program-best 103 home runs, but also struck out a record 484 times.

Those same guys weren’t this good last year.

Enter the missing Link, if you will.

Jarrett was hired by John Pawlowski in the offseason, and since his arrival, Auburn’s bats have never been hotter.

Jarrett came to Auburn after leading East Carolina to one of the best offensive performances in the country last season. The Pirates finished 2009 with a NCAA-best 814 hits, were fourth in runs scored (565), sixth in doubles (154), seventh in home runs (108), 12th in slugging
percentage (.546) and 15th in batting average (.339), while also leading Conference USA with a .415 on-base percentage, 523 RBI and 1,310 total bases.

Look familiar?

The former Florida State standout, who played in three College World Series as the Seminoles starting shortstop, picked up at Auburn where he left off at ECU.

And that was the plan all along.

“We wanted to take a talented group of athletes and fine-tune their approach to hitting and try to implement a complete offensive package with them,” Jarrett said, “with the understanding of executing offensively — the bunting game, the hit-and-run, moving runners, running bases at a
high level, being able to walk, getting hit by pitches. Finding ways to beat good teams was something we felt like this program needed.

“And it was no surprise what I saw once I got here. And that’s one thing (Pawlowski) was trying to push when the opening was available, was somebody that could teach a complete game.”

Which brings us back to paying attention.

The complete game, as Jarrett explains it, has five phases: get on base, hit for a high average, hit for power, play smallball and be able to run the bases.

“When you can do all five of those things,” Jarrett said, “you’re very tough to beat.”

And it starts and ends with attention.

“I want them to have a gameplan every pitch,” Jarrett said. “I talk about an approach to hitting as a mental and a physical plan for success, not only that at-bat, but that particular pitch. I want them to go up there every at-bat, kind of pitch by pitch, thinking about what it is they’re trying to accomplish and what will put you in the best position to succeed.

“I think when they can start to think about competing on every pitch, I think you’re much more precise, much more focused and much more disciplined and more intense, and I think your results are better.”

It worked for him as a player, and it certainly works for Jarrett as a coach, as Auburn players can attest.

“He’s done a great job,” Fletcher said. “He works with us every day. It’s not only the fact that we do certain particular drills, he lets us know how to make adjustments in each at-bat. Him giving us more knowledge and watching on video, it’s helped out a lot.

“He’s done a great job for us, and it’s showing a little bit for us.”

I’d say. Wouldn’t you?

MIKE SZVETITZ is sports editor of the Opelika-Auburn News. He may be reached at or 737-2513.