My opinions on the baseball start

[messageboardsuperhero]

We have got to play better defensively. I have absolutely no clue what has happened to the gloves the past four games, because they were outstanding the first weekend, but that HAS to get fixed. Catcher is a huge concern, although Collins is solid (other than his blocking) and Walker looked promising behind the dish today. We're playing too damn tight in the field right now- we just need to relax and play ball.

Offensively (and I may be in the minority on this), I'm actually not too discouraged. We get on base and run extremely well- and Garner may be a guy who can help Rea at driving in the runs. Clutch hitting could definitely be better, but it's not like we've been anemic offensively.

Pitching has been up and down. I like our rotation of Woodruff/Fitts/Hudson on weekends, but we've also had guys let us down on the mound (which will happen when we're trotting out as many different arms as we are). Holder needs to get it together though. Hopefully his finger issue doesn't linger. Jacob Lindgren really needs more innings- there's no reason for him to pitch only a couple of innings/weekend, unless his stuff drops off dramatically if he pitches more than that.

The root of our bad start is we're just out of sync and pushing too hard, IMO. Every time a ball is hit to someone, it's like they're sphincter either tightens up and they freeze, or they panic and try to make the great play instead of just making the right play. I'm not going to give up on this team, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little concerned- let's face it, losing to Memphis and Holy Cross on our field in the span of three days is flat out embarrassing. It's obvious that we aren't a top 10 ballclub right now, but I think we still can be by the middle of the season- the guys just need to relax, make the routine plays, throw strikes, put the barrel on the ball, and play their game. The talent is there.

[Will James]

Jacob Lindgren really needs more innings

Losing to Memphis and Holy Cross on our field in the span of three days is flat out embarrassing.

It's obvious that we aren't a top 10 ballclub right now

Agreed with these 3.

SS is another issue. Heck needs some PT.

[Todd4State]

We have got to play better defensively. I have absolutely no clue what has happened to the gloves the past four games, because they were outstanding the first weekend, but that HAS to get fixed. Catcher is a huge concern, although Collins is solid (other than his blocking) and Walker looked promising behind the dish today. We're playing too damn tight in the field right now- we just need to relax and play ball.

I agree- and I think if there is anything that we have successfully done, it's figure out that Collins and Walker are our best options at catcher. I have a feeling that there is a reason why Garner isn't catching right now- and we probably don't want to find out why.


Offensively (and I may be in the minority on this), I'm actually not too discouraged. We get on base and run extremely well- and Garner may be a guy who can help Rea at driving in the runs. Clutch hitting could definitely be better, but it's not like we've been anemic offensively.

Well, I guess both of us are in the minority. Offensively, we play to our strengths and we have been scoring runs for the most part. Our approach overall has been better this weekend. I know people won't more power- but it's just simply not there right now. We have to manufacture runs to get our max output.


Pitching has been up and down. I like our rotation of Woodruff/Fitts/Hudson on weekends, but we've also had guys let us down on the mound (which will happen when we're trotting out as many different arms as we are). Holder needs to get it together though. Hopefully his finger issue doesn't linger. Jacob Lindgren really needs more innings- there's no reason for him to pitch only a couple of innings/weekend, unless his stuff drops off dramatically if he pitches more than that.

When you have to play a four game series as opposed to three- it makes it more difficult to manage a pitching staff. Normally, Sexton wouldn't have started. And normally we would have had Will Cox and Myles Gentry available late in the game. To me, Preston Brown, Ross, Myles Gentry, Will Cox, Lindgren and Holder are all reliable options. And then we are going to have Bracewell as an option if someone struggles. If it were me, I would go with Woodruff/Fitts/Bracewell on the weekends and then use Hudson as a power arm out of the bullpen and also have him start midweek. But when he does start- only let him go about 50 pitches and then use our bullpen depth.


The root of our bad start is we're just out of sync and pushing too hard, IMO. Every time a ball is hit to someone, it's like they're sphincter either tightens up and they freeze, or they panic and try to make the great play instead of just making the right play. I'm not going to give up on this team, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little concerned- let's face it, losing to Memphis and Holy Cross on our field in the span of three days is flat out embarrassing. It's obvious that we aren't a top 10 ballclub right now, but I think we still can be by the middle of the season- the guys just need to relax, make the routine plays, throw strikes, put the barrel on the ball, and play their game. The talent is there.

I think you are right. I don't think it's cockiness. I think it's learning how to deal with success.

[messageboardsuperhero]

I'll also add for the people who want to see us dismantle everyone we play in the non-conference- we simply aren't going to blow a lot of teams out this year. I just have a feeling that that's not the identity of this team, and it's really just not who we are. I don't expect us to have a ton of 10+ run performances this year, but at the same time, our speed will keep us out of some of those bad, week long slumps that most teams go through.

That being said, we can still score runs, win a lot of games, and be successful- just don't look for many overpowering/dominating performances from us this year. UCLA didn't dominate many teams offensively last year, but they still won the national title.

Defense is the biggest key to me. When we play defense like we're capable of playing it, we are going to be tough to beat- especially when we're also getting guys on base and putting pressure on the other team.

[maroonmania]

I'll also add for the people who want to see us dismantle everyone we play in the non-conference- we simply aren't going to blow a lot of teams out this year. I just have a feeling that that's not the identity of this team, and it's really just not who we are. I don't expect us to have a ton of 10+ run performances this year, but at the same time, our speed will keep us out of some of those bad, week long slumps that most teams go through.

That being said, we can still score runs, win a lot of games, and be successful- just don't look for many overpowering/dominating performances from us this year. UCLA didn't dominate many teams offensively last year, but they still won the national title.

Defense is the biggest key to me. When we play defense like we're capable of playing it, we are going to be tough to beat- especially when we're also getting guys on base and putting pressure on the other team.

I certainly think we can get things going but after watching this team for 7 games I don't see any way we make national seed status and it will be an uphill battle to host a regional. Yes, we will improve, but last year's team barely got to host and we were much further along as a team after 7 games last year than we are this year.

[Dawgface]

I'm not a passionate baseball fan like many. So I certainly can't break down our +/- like many here. But I was worried we might be a little over rated because of last years success. I'm hoping that some of our problems might be because the team bought into all the hype and simply are pushing a little too hard to meet expectations. Hopefully the team can settle down and improvement follows. But expecting us to be as good as last year is asking way too much.

[bulldogcountry1]

I'm not worried about the young guys doing what young guys do at first - make errors, make dumb decisions, and show no discipline at the plate. That always improves.

What I am concerned about is what the veterans are doing...or not doing.

1. Henderson still makes the highlight reel catches, but he also still makes bonehead mistakes like letting that ball get past him and not charging a base hit when a runner is rounding third. He was completely flat-footed when he caught the ball.

2. CT is still the same punching Judy slap hitter he has always been. He's either going to pop up to the infield or ground it weakly.

3. Detz isn't the answer at 3rd. No range.

4. Britton isn't the answer at SS. Not much range either and can't hit. On more than one occasion yesterday, Pirtle fielded a ground ball well onto the SS side of second, and Britton wasn't ever close.

5. The bullpen blowing two leads in a week after going, what, 82-0 or something like that?

[AlSwearengen]

Our more talented players (non pitchers) are still true freshmen and aren't ready to carry a team. Our older players outside of Pirtle and Ray and maybe C.T. (jury is still out) are one dimensional type of players. For example, Detz is a good contact singles hitter, but his defense is nothing special. Britton, to this point is a defensive player that has never shown signs of being a big hitter. Demarcus will make an outstanding defensive play or come up with a huge hit and then pull a head scratcher.

Gavin Collins looks like he might be a good all around catcher that will provide some offense to go along with good defense. If Humphries lives up to the hype, he will be a 3 hole hitter that plays a good third base. If Swinarski lives up to his expectations, two years from now he should have an outfield spot locked down and be hitting at the top of the lineup. There are other examples, but the bottom line is, if you look at potential and expectations, our good SEC type of talent are freshmen or in the eleventh and twelfth grades right now. We are still two or three years away from playing teams like South Carolina or Vanderbilt and matching up with them talent wise across the board.