Baseball WTH? Discussion

[armadillo slim]

WTH?

Barring a miracle between now and the end of the conference tournament, this year's Longhorn team stands a very good chance of missing the CWS show for the second time in three years.  How did this happen?  Who saw this coming?

At the end of last year and then again at the end of recruiting season, every expert I know thought this year's team was going to contend seriously for the national title--everybody.  Augie, Skip, Joey, the mods both here and on TOS's, me, all the ratings and ranking services.  This was a consensus top 10 team.   A consensus top 10 team is a contender for the National Title.

WTH?   No, that deserves a WTF?

After last year's run, Augie bought himself another two to three years, but this years malaise has seriously jeopardized the odds that he'll serve that long.  I have a strong feeling that this is going to be it for a man who has kicked ass and taken names for a long time.

Deserved or not, he's going to get a lot of pressure to move on but that doesn't solve the problem.  It is clear that Texas can no longer simply snap their fingers and get the legitimate best players to come here.  And by legitimate, i mean guys who come here and produce.  Hell, last years recruiting class was widely regarded (by everyone) as a stellar class, but we cant hit our way out of a paper bag.  Why?

I doubt it's really a talent issue, but right now that's what it seems like to me and if that's the case, that means everybody, and i mean everybody, mis-evaluated the talent coming in.  Coaches, rating services, fans--everybody.

All i know is that when i look at our team, with just a few exceptions, our guys looks smaller than other teams.  Is that it?  are we recruiting tommy nicholson clones instead of bashers?

Or is is simply a confidence issue?

And no, it's not my hat.  my hat did not cause this.

Seriously.  WTF?

 

[streettopeschel]

it'll actually be missing the NCAA tourney 3 outta 4 won't it? we as a fan base crushed Barnes for missing it once and ran him off despite making it every other time.

Yes, Augie has many more skins on the wall, but missing a 64-team field when a lot of schools either don't play at all or don't emphasize it like hoops is pretty bad for Texas. Missing it 3/4 just shouldn't happen.

I always defer to those like Boyles, jonstarks and joey on our talent level, but I do know we've overestimated our football talent for years. Maybe that's the case here. Don't know.

whatever, the team either is having a crisis of confidence, just doesn't care or just isn't that good. i don't know which it is or if it's a combination and evidently neither does Augie.


edit: and whatever kharma that babyshit yellow hat once had, is now officially gone. i say we have a ceremonial burning-o-the-hat party post season to exorcise our baseball demons. .

 

[Matt Cotcher]

Good post. Anyone that claims they predicted this kind of season better have a link because I ain't buying it otherwise.

I still don't believe talent is an issue with this team. Augie & Skip have gotten almost everyone they wanted for two straight years, and that includes ~ 8-10 players that were drafted by MLB teams coming out of high school.

A draftee isn't D1-baseball.com making a recruiting list....that's a paid professional evaluating talent. If a player gets picked by an MLB team when he's a senior in high school, he darn well ought to be a solid college contributor.

 

[Capn Hook]

Good post. Anyone that claims they predicted this kind of season better have a link because I ain't buying it otherwise.

I predicted that we would be bad this year, but sadly I cannot locate the post.  J/K

I too thought this was going to be a special year and have been totally amazed at how pathetically the team is performing.  I have no idea what the answer is, and it would be specious of me to say that I do.  Hell the experts are puzzled.

I don't know if getting rid of Augie will solve, or even help the situation, but to assume that he can turn things around given the performance this year is to stick your head in the sand and hope things will get better if we maintain status quo.  I also have no idea of who would be the person to replace him.

 

[JimR]

I have a friend who's nephew is on the team. Skip J is the de facto coach so you'd better can them both if you're canning anyone.

 

[streettopeschel]

Starting in 2012, our conference records have been 14-10, 7-17, 13-11 and currently 8-10. Total for the 4 year run 42-48 with 6 conf games to go.

2012 we were 0-2 in the conference touney and missed the NCAA. 2013 we didn't even make the conference tourney. 2014 was the magic run to the CWS. this year...TBD. 

 

[armadillo slim]

I have a friend who's nephew is on the team. Skip J is the de facto coach so you'd better can them both if you're canning anyone.

not suggesting canning anyone.  i actually think Skip would be a great coach going forward.    i'm just frustrated.

 

[GBT]

Hitting is our main problem. Its time to fire the hitting coach. He is also the recruiting coordinator is he not? Wh don't we have big strong FAST guys like LSU and A&M ? Our guys are not just small but they are sloooooow. CJ is the slowest SS in the NCAAs I think; at least he looks it running to first base. We can't do anything consistently , but be inconsistent. Augie needs to go. He WAS great. Now he isn't. We kinda sucked last year too. We just got lucky and hit a streak of luck at the end after getting put in an easy regional.

I took a lot of crap for being critical about this team. I was right. We were not very good.

Our basketball team was supposed to be good. Ranked high and flopped. Patterson fired Barnes. Our baseball team did the same.

Should Augie be given another year to fix it since he got lucky and hot at the end to finish 3rd last year ? If so, then he should be told he'd better fix it. DFF has been nearly empty and or sparse this year. Can't imagine how empty it will be next season. Patterson surely won't like that.

 

[joeywa]

No worries. Cavalry is en route.

 

[Johnstark23]

I've said it all year, this isn't a talent problem its a player problem. This team has talent to burn. A hitting guy can tell people all day long they are flying open front side and trying to hit the ball 900 feet but until the player makes the adjustment it doesn't matter. Do we run Augie, Skip, and Tommy off I wouldn't think so the last two are the best in the country at what they do, but I think you let Augie have his farewell tour next year

 

[Donald Boyles]

I am baffle as any one. But if you look at some of the things that has happen.

Morgan Cooper- done for the year, Tommy John

Chad Holingsworth- Shoulder Surgery last summer, slow to heal and to come back..

Hinojosa-news came out today- broke his Hammate Bone.

Blake Goins- done for the year, Surgery for TOS.

Kacy Clemens- still coming back from his Shoulder Surgery after his SR. year in HS.

Zane Gurwitz- His Bat dissappear..

So, was the year 2014 like the year 2000? The year 2015 like the year 2001? 2016>>>>>2002??

 

[GBT]

Every team has injuries. A lot of those injuries occurred AFTER we headed South. if the talent is there, then its coaching. If it isn't there then its the coaches' fault for not recruiting the talent. Bottom line we need new coaches just like football and basketball needed new coaches. The question is does Patterson let the program fall deeper into the pit, or get new blood and start rebuilding NOW.

 

[joeywa]

I am baffle as any one. But if you look at some of the things that has happen.

Morgan Cooper- done for the year, Tommy John

Chad Holingsworth- Shoulder Surgery last summer, slow to heal and to come back..

Hinojosa-news came out today- broke his Hammate Bone.

Blake Goins- done for the year, Surgery for TOS.

Kacy Clemens- still coming back from his Shoulder Surgery after his SR. year in HS.

Zane Gurwitz- His Bat dissappear..

So, was the year 2014 like the year 2000? The year 2015 like the year 2001? 2016>>>>>2002??

Exactly Don. Good summary.

 

[streettopeschel]

Sorry boys. Zane's lost bat and Clemens historically long recovery aside, we're still 42-48 in conference over a 4-year period. That's a substantial sample size and can't be rationalized away imo.

The postseason run last year appears to be the outlier. Ut baseball is fsu football in bowden's last years.

 

[joeywa]

One day street will learn not to stay logged in when Slim is at his house.

 

[streettopeschel]

One day street will learn not to stay logged in when Slim is at his house.

I'm in Kingsville for a regional track meet. I assure you Slim and I aren't sharing a room. 😳
But the Astros just won again so there's that.

 

[joeywa]

There is that.