Interesting when you look back to last year's baseball season.....

[Goat Holder]

while perousing the net at work. I noticed Carolina beat us 20-3 at home. Not many differences, except that we out hit people at the beginning of the year, won a few series and got one sweep over Auburn. Also noticed how utterly HORRIBLE we were at the end of last year from the midweek Austin Peay series up through the SEC tournament. Somehow we end up in Omaha. We still did stupid things last year, with mostly the same pitching, the difference being we had a step up in hitting talent.

Either Polk is right about the baseball gods, or it was a complete fluke. Could it be that maybe Polk is right? Because if we add some pitching consistency (or inconsistency, we've been consistently bad I guess), cut out these injuries, we could be a dangerous team next year. However I think the injuries and pitching are the direct result of offseason coaching and conditioning. Stupid braindead errors, terrible in-game decisions, catchers who can't, umm, CATCH. Damn it will be good to get Freeman back there again. Just my Monday afternoon pointless take on it all.

 

[Todd4State]

Also, we should have recruited well enough to overcome our injuries.

Yes, Polk is right that there is a degree of luck involved with baseball. But at the same time, this isn't poker. Preperation and opportunity = to success.

 

[patdog]

1. Last year was a fluke, and last year's team was much more talented than this year's team is.

2. It's going to take a new coach 2-3 years to turn this cluster-<17> around. This is a clean house and start over almost from scratch situation.

3. Here's a comforting thought for next year's pitching. We lose Weatherford and Pigott.</p>

 

[8dog]

I really care about seeing return: Hogue, Collins, C. Powers and Freeman.

I wouldn't mind seeing R. Powers either b/c he may have a future at SS, the lack of which as we all know has been one of the glaring Polk mistakes since he's been back.

And for what its worth (which is probably nothing), someone in vegas told me that Turner is gone after this year,wherever that may be.

 

[JacksonDevilDog]

yeah, it will take a couple of years to get back on track. With the right coach in here next year, this team will be a 2 or 3 seed somewhere far off. But you can basically sleepwalk and make that. Making regionals isn't really a big feat. Its just the baby step goal we have to set to get out of this mess.

 

[JacksonDevilDog]

He's a pretty good young hitter.

 

[Stormrider81]

We got hot at the right time, things lined up for us, Polk actually managed with a sense of urgency, and the players came through. In that same scenario we probably make it to the CWS one out of ten times at best.

Also, last year's team was a lot better than this year's. We had Easley, Rea, and Moreland. Easley was not only good at the plate but also behind it, where he kept baserunners honest and often got us an out once a guy was on base. Rea was great at getting on base and was good defensively. Moreland not only provided power to the offensive lineup but could also come in and pitch in relief. He got the final out of the SR last year. Injuries or not, this year's team simply isn't anywhere near as talented without those players, and really misses their leadership.

There's a handful of guy off this team that are truly SEC caliber. Most aren't. This is why I don't care if some of them transfer.

 

[8dog]

as he was pretty highly touted out of HS. But I can't stand watching that hitch in his swing. Also, he hits .231 in conf play with a whopping 23 Ks in 65 ABs. I realize he is just a RS Fr., but he's replaceable.

The problem is that we have only 2 position players signed for next year so we need everyone back. And don't get me wrong, I think they will be. I think the transfer stuff is just Polk blowing smoke. I saw Bowen's dad post on GP that players would transfer but I think that's garbage. Some players will have to go to get down to the 35 roster limit.