Hutch's Take: Did the SEC get it right?

The SEC announced its postseason awards for baseball Monday afternoon and with it comes the scrutiny of rabid fan bases across the country.

Among the most vocal of those groups are Arkansas fans, which are quick to point out any perceived slight against their team.

The Razorbacks have been a strong program for several years, but they took it to another level in 2021. They’ve been the No. 1 team in the country most of the season en route to their first outright SEC regular-season title in more than two decades.

Not surprisingly, such a strong season has been powered by several really good individual performances. The result was eight different Razorbacks - including head coach Dave Van Horn - being honored by the conference.

But did the SEC get it right? Here is our analysis…

Kevin Kopps - Pitcher of the Year, First-Team All-SEC, All-Defensive Team

Let’s start with the headliner.

There was some worry among fans that the SEC might give the nod to one of Vanderbilt’s stars, Kumar Rocker or Jack Leiter, or slap a “co-“ on the award, but Kopps separated himself down the stretch as the clear-cut SEC Pitcher of the Year and the conference recognized him as such.

Unlike a traditional closer, Kopps has pitched several innings multiple times per weekend this season, sometimes throwing starter-like innings over the span of two or three days.

Pitching in the biggest moments of games, the right-hander is 10-0 with eight saves and leads the country with a 0.75 ERA. He is also second nationally with a 0.80 WHIP, fifth with 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings (97 K in 60 1/3 IP), eighth with 4.92 hits allowed per nine innings (45 H in 60 1/3 IP) and 33rd with a 6.47 strikeout-to-walk radio (97 K/15 BB), plus opponents are hitting just .158 against him.

Rocker and Leiter were amazing this season and are definitely better professional prospects, but they were nowhere near as consistent as Kopps.

Mississippi State fans would be quick to point out that Landon Sims has even better numbers - 0.49 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 17.8 K/9IP, 3.65 H/9IP and .120 BAA - but it’s an easy choice to go with Kopps as the first-team relief pitcher.