This baseball team v. 2016, which one is better?

[chef dixon]

I honestly didn't think it would be possible to have a team that good again for a long time. Obviously a disappointing ending, but that team was really damn good.

[Todd4State]

I'll get back to you at the end of the year. I like this team better though.

[smootness]

I honestly didn't think it would be possible to have a team that good again for a long time. Obviously a disappointing ending, but that team was really damn good.

I think the 2016 ended up being better than this team currently is, but this team is better right now than that one was. And I think this team has a higher ceiling. That team had very good SP, but I like this year's duo better than any 2 from 2016. 2016 also had a very good, deep offense, but it took them a little while to get going. This offense is already hitting on all cylinders and is better top to bottom.

2016 defense and bullpen were better, but it also took a little while for the bullpen to come together. I think this year's team has as much bullpen talent as that one did.

I like this year's team better.

[ShotgunDawg]

Good question. Let?s unpack it.

C - Kruger vs Skelton = Kruger
1B - Lowe vs Allen - Lowe
2B - 2016 version of Stovall vs Halter = Equal
SS - Gridley vs Westburg = Westburg
3B - Collins vs Foscue = Equal with a lean towards Foscue
LF - Humphreys vs Rowdey - Equal although they do it in different ways.
CF - Mangum vs Mangum = 2019 version
RF - Rooker vs Mac = Rooker but Mac is a better defender

Fri - Hudson vs Small - Equal in effectiveness. Hudson better pro prospect
Sat - Sexton vs Ginn - Not close. Biggest gap between both teams.
Sun - committee vs committee = Equal

Closer - Humphreys vs Gordon - Equal. Trust Gordon more but Hump was more talented.
Set- Up - Houston vs White - Houston late in the season

Overall, I think the 2016 team was more talented but JT Ginn on Saturday gives this team another ace that 2016 didn?t have. Add that into this team having greater experience, and I think the 2019 team is more likely to win a natty.

This team is tougher and more confident. The 2016 group was coming off some bad years. This team is coming off Omaha

[Rick Danko]

Good question. Let?s unpack it.

C - Kruger vs Skelton = Kruger
1B - Lowe vs Allen - Lowe
2B - 2016 version of Stovall vs Halter = Equal
SS - Gridley vs Westburg = Westburg
3B - Collins vs Foscue = Equal with a lean towards Foscue
LF - Humphreys vs Rowdey - Equal although they do it in different ways.
CF - Mangum vs Mangum = 2019 version
RF - Rooker vs Mac = Rooker but Mac is a better defender

Fri - Hudson vs Small - Equal in effectiveness. Hudson better pro prospect
Sat - Sexton vs Ginn - Not close. Biggest gap between both teams.
Sun - committee vs committee = Equal

Closer - Humphreys vs Gordon - Equal. Trust Gordon more but Hump was more talented.
Set- Up - Houston vs White - Houston late in the season

Overall, I think the 2016 team was more talented but JT Ginn on Saturday gives this team another ace that 2016 didn?t have. Add that into this team having greater experience, and I think the 2019 team is more likely to win a natty.

This team is tougher and more confident. The 2016 group was coming off some bad years. This team is coming off Omaha

Could not disagree more about most things than about Collins VS Foscue. If he holds his current path, it?s Foscue and frankly it?s not even close...

[msstate7]

Could not disagree more about most things than about Collins VS Foscue. If he holds his current path, it?s Foscue and frankly it?s not even close...

Collins in 2016 = .921 ops
Foscue = .956 ops

Collins was after 30+ sec games, regional, and SR.

[ShotgunDawg]

Could not disagree more about most things than about Collins VS Foscue. If he holds his current path, it?s Foscue and frankly it?s not even close...

I think your having a recency bias. Collins was good

[AlSwearengen]

Could not disagree more about most things than about Collins VS Foscue. If he holds his current path, it?s Foscue and frankly it?s not even close...

Without looking at stats, I remember Collins hitting for a high average but with not as much power as Foscue is showing. Collins was also out of position, so his defense wasn?t as good as Foscue?s. Collins was a damn good hitter though and I would love to have 9 of him.

And unless I am misremembering on when Rooker graduated, he had a good year in 2016 but 2017, obviously is when he went crazy. Statistically, as it stands right now, 2016 Rooker and Mac might be about equal or slight edge to Mac.

[Rick Danko]

I think your having a recency bias. Collins was good

That?s probably fair. I just remember a lot of frustration with Collins. But my memory is probably skewed because I expected big big things from him. He was good, but not elite. Foscue has that chance

[smootness]

Good question. Let?s unpack it.

C - Kruger vs Skelton = Kruger
1B - Lowe vs Allen - Lowe
2B - 2016 version of Stovall vs Halter = Equal
SS - Gridley vs Westburg = Westburg
3B - Collins vs Foscue = Equal with a lean towards Foscue
LF - Humphreys vs Rowdey - Equal although they do it in different ways.
CF - Mangum vs Mangum = 2019 version
RF - Rooker vs Mac = Rooker but Mac is a better defender

Fri - Hudson vs Small - Equal in effectiveness. Hudson better pro prospect
Sat - Sexton vs Ginn - Not close. Biggest gap between both teams.
Sun - committee vs committee = Equal

Closer - Humphreys vs Gordon - Equal. Trust Gordon more but Hump was more talented.
Set- Up - Houston vs White - Houston late in the season

Overall, I think the 2016 team was more talented but JT Ginn on Saturday gives this team another ace that 2016 didn?t have. Add that into this team having greater experience, and I think the 2019 team is more likely to win a natty.

This team is tougher and more confident. The 2016 group was coming off some bad years. This team is coming off Omaha

You're missing Pilkington as the Sunday starter in 2016, and he was really good.

I would also say it's not completely clear cut at C. Kruger was fantastic, but Skelton has been just as good so far. And I would give a slight edge to MacNamee in RF over 2016 Rooker.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Good question. Let?s unpack it.

C - Kruger vs Skelton = Kruger
1B - Lowe vs Allen - Lowe
2B - 2016 version of Stovall vs Halter = Equal
SS - Gridley vs Westburg = Westburg
3B - Collins vs Foscue = Equal with a lean towards Foscue
LF - Humphreys vs Rowdey - Equal although they do it in different ways.
CF - Mangum vs Mangum = 2019 version
RF - Rooker vs Mac = Rooker but Mac is a better defender

Fri - Hudson vs Small - Equal in effectiveness. Hudson better pro prospect
Sat - Sexton vs Ginn - Not close. Biggest gap between both teams.
Sun - committee vs committee = Equal

Closer - Humphreys vs Gordon - Equal. Trust Gordon more but Hump was more talented.
Set- Up - Houston vs White - Houston late in the season

Overall, I think the 2016 team was more talented but JT Ginn on Saturday gives this team another ace that 2016 didn?t have. Add that into this team having greater experience, and I think the 2019 team is more likely to win a natty.

This team is tougher and more confident. The 2016 group was coming off some bad years. This team is coming off Omaha

In 2016; 2b was Holland, Cf was Robson (hurt a bit), Rf was Mangum, and Dh was Rooker

A real comparison would be:

C- Kruger was an All American and 1st Team All SEC and probable MLB
1B- Lowe is a MLB 1b
MIF - Westburg
MIF - Gridley
3b - Foscue no doubt
OF - Freshman Mangum
OF - Senior Mangum
OF - MacNamee - Rooker had not found the energy crystals yet in 2016
DH - Rooker without the crystals

SEC Rotation - Small, Ginn, and Hudson
Closer - Hump blew the save in Game-2 vs Arizona and dropped a fly ball in Game-1 vs Arizona. Gordon all the way

2016 was slightly better, IMO

[ShotgunDawg]

That?s probably fair. I just remember a lot of frustration with Collins. But my memory is probably skewed because I expected big big things from him. He was good, but not elite. Foscue has that chance

I understand that and that's why I said I lean towards Foscue. However, I didn't think the difference was large enough that it would make lean one way or another in regards to which team was better

[Todd4State]

That?s probably fair. I just remember a lot of frustration with Collins. But my memory is probably skewed because I expected big big things from him. He was good, but not elite. Foscue has that chance

Much of the frustration with Collins was about his defense rather than his bat.

[msstate7]

2016 didn't get its sheet pushed in by LSU

[Activated Alpha]

The best thing about the 2016 team was when Stovall caught the last out and slammed it into the ground. LSU fans hated that. Until we can get that fire back like the 2016 team had then we won't ever be competitive against LSU

[ArrowDawg]

I'll get back to you at the end of the year. I like this team better though.

I get the feeling our performance this weekend will help settle this debate. Even before this weekend I would have said 2016, but that it's close. It's a wider gap now.

With that said, the 2016 team ranks as one of the biggest disappointments ever because I thought they had everything to give us our first title.

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

2016 didn't get its sheet pushed in by LSU

But the 2016 team was at least the most underachieving team in the last 30 years, maybe of all time.

[DownwardDawg]

I get the feeling our performance this weekend will help settle this debate. Even before this weekend I would have said 2016, but that it's close. It's a wider gap now.

With that said, the 2016 team ranks as one of the biggest disappointments ever because I thought they had everything to give us our first title.

Good to have you around Arrow.

[msstate7]

But the 2016 team was at least the most underachieving team in the last 30 years, maybe of all time.

Won sec, regional, and lost game 3 of SR against a red hot team. Disappointing, sure, but I think you're going to the extreme

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

Won sec, regional, and lost game 3 of SR against a red hot team. Disappointing, sure, but I think you're going to the extreme

Pretty sure we went 0 and 2 against Aridzona. Was rated #1 at one time that year and did not make it to Omaha. So, yea. Underachieved.