OT: Boog Not Men's Softball

[WDE_Tarp]

Gang I waited until the premier sports team in boogville wrapped up the season. I get that baseball isn't going to be as big here as Bruce and his beautiful youngsters, but right now it's looking like a promising season so I thought I would create a thread for the season.

The positives - Casey Mize is a beast. Bats seem a good bit better this year, though sometimes they wait until the end of the game to get started. Tanner Burns is about as good as you could hope for a freshman to be. Coker is much improved out of the pen. Steven Williams is a stud. Looks good behind the plate, but his bat is so good that he is playing right field to get as many good bats in the lineup as possible.

Not as good - Few arms had to be held out this weekend. Greenhill has mono, Mitchell is experiencing tightness (though MRI was negative), bullpen is young and once you get past Coker and Greenhill there are a lot of question marks.

Would love to hear everyone's thoughts so far.

 

[fairfield35064]

We are #1 in RPI...
http://warrennolan.com/baseball/2018/rpi-live

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

Pleased with this team so far. I think we have a couple guys capable in the bullpen behind Greenhill and Coker. Malczewski really stepped up and pitched well this week. Herndon has the ability if he can command his sinker. Getting Mitchell back healthy will be a big help. I'm not as down on the pitching staff as I thought I'd be.

I think my biggest concern (and it's not a really big concern) is the hitting against SEC-caliber pitching. I think we saw a little of it this weekend. In games 1 and 3, we had 6 total hits. There are always going to be days where pitchers have their best stuff, but we've shown a few different times that the bats and the approaches just don't always show up. They still find a way to score runs and win games, but I don't think we're strong enough in our pitching staff to have an inconsistent offense. And I think against more quality opposition we might start seeing a bit more inconsistency.

Still, it's hard to complain about a 19-2 start with one of the most elite pitchers and one of the top offenses in the country.

 

[cookedw]

Pleased with this team so far. I think we have a couple guys capable in the bullpen behind Greenhill and Coker. Malczewski really stepped up and pitched well this week. Herndon has the ability if he can command his sinker. Getting Mitchell back healthy will be a big help. I'm not as down on the pitching staff as I thought I'd be.

I think my biggest concern (and it's not a really big concern) is the hitting against SEC-caliber pitching. I think we saw a little of it this weekend. In games 1 and 3, we had 6 total hits. There are always going to be days where pitchers have their best stuff, but we've shown a few different times that the bats and the approaches just don't always show up. They still find a way to score runs and win games, but I don't think we're strong enough in our pitching staff to have an inconsistent offense. And I think against more quality opposition we might start seeing a bit more inconsistency.

Still, it's hard to complain about a 19-2 start with one of the most elite pitchers and one of the top offenses in the country.

The one positive thing from games 1 and 3 were that although we didn't get many hits, we were hitting the ball hard, but just right at them. It was happening in the 2nd game as well, prior to the 5th inning.

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

The one positive thing from games 1 and 3 were that although we didn't get many hits, we were hitting the ball hard, but just right at them. It was happening in the 2nd game as well, prior to the 5th inning.

That is true. I actually told a friend of mine that. We squared up a bunch of balls this weekend that didn't find green grass. And in game 2, a few of the hits we had were fisted bloopers. So that is a good point by you. Probably something I should've considered.

I'm not overly worried about the lineup, but if I'm forced to pick a concern for an SEC series, it's the offense over the relievers for me right now.

 

[Slippin Jimmy]

That is true. I actually told a friend of mine that. We squared up a bunch of balls this weekend that didn't find green grass. And in game 2, a few of the hits we had were fisted bloopers. So that is a good point by you. Probably something I should've considered.

I'm not overly worried about the lineup, but if I'm forced to pick a concern for an SEC series, it's the offense over the relievers for me right now.

I’ve got all sorts of concerns

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

I’ve got all sorts of concerns

You always do.

 

[cookedw]

I’ve got all sorts of concerns

We wouldn't want it any other way

 

[Fillup Marschell]

I will not jinx this boog team by getting interested in them. It would be a disservice all around. If they win it all, I will claim this as my contribution.

 

[RistDownAU]

I really like how confident this team is at the plate. Forgot who it was but one game where they won late but were down a few runs at one point and one of the players said everyone in the dugout all knew they would win.

 

[cookedw]

This gives you an idea of how tough the SEC is this year.

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

@cookedw my boy Jack Owen is getting the start tonight. Let's hope he pitches well.

 

[cookedw]

@cookedw my boy Jack Owen is getting the start tonight. Let's hope he pitches well.

He looked good mid-week last week. Hopefully, he does the same tonight.

 

[DufnerFanBoy]

He looked good mid-week last week. Hopefully, he does the same tonight.

Yep. Maybe he can get us through the lineup twice and maybe into the third time without too much damage. Could really use a solid 5-6 inning start from a midweek guy. Might be too much to ask of him given he hasn't gone that deep at any point this season.