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**Play Angry** · February 25, 2018, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post

If the Shocks sweep the Huskers than perhaps we have some reason for optimism.

A sweep would be terrific, but I think taking 2 of 3 would also be a very satisfactory result. NU received an at-large bid last season (35-22-1, RPI 54) and was picked 2nd in the Big Ten preseason poll for this season, so they are projected to be a bubble at large team yet again. They are 5-3 coming off a weekend where they dropped a pair against Oregon State while sweeping a pair against Utah.

Should be a good test for our team and I am glad we get it at home.

**Play Angry** · February 25, 2018, 06:36 PM

McNeese State did salvage a 1-0 win in the final game of their series at Texas State this afternoon.

**WuDrWu** · February 25, 2018, 06:48 PM

Alec Bohn is pretty much hitting everything hard right now. The Home run he hit just to the right of CF damn near plugged the hill. If he'd elevated it just a bit it might have left the centerfield parking lot.

Jenista is playing CF quite well so far. Very good range and has made a couple of dynamite plays. Clearly those 2 need some help outside of Jordan Boyer.

The first pitch Hunter Gibson saw left the yard down the LF line. He was a happy dude to say the least.

Ross caught the 2nd game giving Troutwine a rest. Troutwine won't see much more rest imho.

Liam was excellent. Heuer was really good Yesterday and Connor battled today, Connor doesn't have the arm of Liam or Codi but he pitched well today.

Chandler had a nice comeback, Barnhouse is still nails. Segal was very good even in giving up 3 hits and a run. His stuff had the batters spinning into the ground. All three hits were lucky to be honest. He's coming along nicely.

Good to see Tyler Davis work an inning and Clayton McGinnis continues to give us what we need in relief. Not perfect, not great competition, but it's a start. Good measuring stick next weekend. Winning the series would be fantastic.

Happy with what I've seen of Heuer and Eddy as starters and McGinnis, Segal, Sanburn and especially Barnhouse out of the pen. Certainly we need more.

Jenista and Bohm will be excellent. Boyer seems solid. Everybody else needs to get better. Gotta hit at first. Dugas is better but has to be better still. Plenty to work on but still #UndefeatedProblems.

**1972Shocker** · February 25, 2018, 07:07 PM

After 6 games Alec has an OPS of 1.717. Greyson's OPS is 1.156.

Shocker Stats

I still think we need to find better protection to bat behind Alec. So far Mason O'Brien (.176) and Dayton Dugas (.176) in that role. Won't be long and Alex won't be seeing many good pitches to hit especially if we can't protect him any better than that. My picks for the 4 and 5 holes for now would be Jacob Katzfey and Jordan Boyer.

If I'm coaching against the Shocks I don't think I want to let Greyson and Alex beat me.

**ShockerFever** · February 25, 2018, 07:10 PM

The leadoff hitter is batting .091 with 8 strikeouts in 6 games. That doesn't set up the middle of the order very well.

**Cdizzle** · February 25, 2018, 07:30 PM

This team is hitting .254 against terrible competition. That is not going to hold up at all against decent competition, with this pitching staff.

Intrigued by Eddy's start to the year.

**1972Shocker** · February 25, 2018, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by ShockerFever View Post

The leadoff hitter is batting .091 with 8 strikeouts in 6 games. That doesn't set up the middle of the order very well.

Probably why the shocks went to Alex Jackson in the lead off spot for Game 2 today. What I didn't like was that they put Ritter in the 5 spot behind Dugas as protection for Alec Bohm. Kind of surprised that Alec only walked 1 time in 8 at bats today.

**1972Shocker** · February 25, 2018, 07:54 PM

Originally posted by Cdizzle View Post

This team is hitting .254 against terrible competition. That is not going to hold up at all against decent competition, with this pitching staff.

I was a bit concerned when I read this article on launch angles and exit velocity by Paul Sullentrip earlier in the year. Add this to HCTB's stated philosophy of swinging as hard as you can and I wonder if we don't have too many guys trying to be home run hitters. Most of the guys should just concentrate on making good, solid contact on the sweet spot and hit the ball hard on a line or on the ground. If you have enough power you will hit your share of home runs. If not hopefully you don't have a season full or can of corn fly balls with occassional warning track power.

Luke Ritter had a very good summer then and now he can't even make change for a buck with his hiting. It will be interesting to see if Trey Vickers has changed his approach much when he get back and for what end result.

**Shocker85** · February 25, 2018, 08:07 PM

Originally posted by ShockerFever View Post

The leadoff hitter is batting .091 with 8 strikeouts in 6 games. That doesn't set up the middle of the order very well.

It was demonstrated last season that Butler has no clue about putting together an effective lineup.

I assume he must base the lineup on batting practice performance. Game time numbers don't lie.

I will admit it is early. Very early.

**ShockerVille** · February 25, 2018, 08:28 PM

My take on the weekend is neither good or bad. idk last year it would have taken the shoxs nearly half the season to get a win coming from behind. Im pretty sure one of them was @McNeese and Game 1 this weekend. Not sure if thats the experience that this team brings or just a stronger will to win then in the past. I just like how they compete and find ways to win. The lineup did not produce at all, and pitchers picked up their slack. Jenista only had 1 hit on the weekend and really was no threat, but with a rare no show from one of the "Bash Bros." the team still managed another sweep. Im pretty excited.

**1979Shocker** · February 25, 2018, 09:17 PM

Originally posted by 1972Shocker View Post

Clayton got a potential DP ground ball to Luke Ritter at 2nd but he and Boyer boxed the exchange and all runners were safe to laod the bases. Ritter charged with a throwing error.

I think you meant botched.

**WuDrWu** · February 25, 2018, 11:03 PM

I know some folks (maybe most) aren't happy with the state of the program. I get that. But I wish there was more support, especially when they ARE doing well. Ok, we didn't sweep LSU. Neither did Gene. We're also not playing Tabor, Friends, Southwestern and Pitt State anymore. And I say that fully agreeing that mid pack Valley finishes aren't acceptable and we're stepping WAY up in class.

I've also made the argument many times that the landscape of college baseball is VASTLY different than 30, 20, even 10 years ago. Yes, the right leadership can always do wonders, but we're NEVER going to steamroll people like some of you believe can still happen. There's simply too much competition out there. All that said, being competitive and good isn't a pipe dream either. We have to be better.

Last season we fielded .974. Tied for 2nd best in program history. So far this year? .986 Is that any coaching? Talent?

I don't want to try and debate 50 stats. It's not 1998 and it's never going to be again. Too many other programs are winning the spending arms race. Can we be competitive? Can we overachieve? Can we consistently get to the tourney? I don't know, but I DO think we're on the right path. We're making strides. THEY'RE making improvements.

In someways it seems like many of us are still Valley basketball fans. If we're not dumptrucking every team not in the top 25, we suck.

You don't have to be a sunshine pumper. Hell, I know we have shortcomings. BUT Bohm and Jenista are ARGUABLY the 2 best position players in a decade or more, yes? This teams fields superbly. They're getting runners home from 3rd with less than 2 outs regularly. The pitching IS better. Last year it was better than the year before by almost a run. Can Steele do it again? He seems pointed in the right direction.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not bitching, I just we'd be more supportive (and I said we, including me). These are good people and they deserve better support than they are receiving, imho.

Quick...name regular top 30ish type teams from non-southern climates these days. I'll hang up and listen off the air.

**Cdizzle** · February 26, 2018, 11:02 AM

I really think the fielding thing is a reach. Fielding percentage always has been a stretch of a way to judge defense. An outfielder that can't identify a fly ball gives up doubles, but doesn't hurt the fielding percentage. A catcher that can't receive a slider gives up tons of extra bases and eventually has a staff that isn't allowed to throw something in the dirt but doesn't hurt the fielding percentage. Also of note, for comparison sake, WSU now plays almost all of its games on quality artificial surfaces. They used to play games at SIU dodging mole-hills in half-light (this is a net-plus for the game, but to my memory even some of Gene's last and worst teams were among his best by fielding percentage, and I think this impact is being ignored).

As for the rest of your post, it sounds a little defeatist (which I know is not you). And also a little like things some Gene supporters pointed out as reasons/excuses for the decline in the program nationally prior to his release---to no avail. Now we want to give the new guy a break for those things despite having never accomplished anything for the university?

Do you really think this is a top 30ish team? Seems way too early to make that call.

Butler may have walked in to a difficult situation, but in my opinion has not handled it particularly well. I'm sure things look different to those in the know, but from my view through the radio, occasional game, and newspaper, I don't see any fire, and I do see a lot of comments/actions that someone with a 12yo understanding of baseball would question.

Perhaps I am placing unfair expectations on Butler based on my feelings about the prior 30 years and how they ended. BUT: He knowingly walked in to that situation, is taking a salary I could only dream of, and any objective analysis would demonstrate that the results through 4 years have been between bad and downright abysmal, even without my projecting things onto the situation.

**ShockTalk** · February 26, 2018, 12:32 PM

I'm not sure how much stock we can put into the first 6 games as a guide to anything.

Last year, we won the first 7 games (I believe).

My gut says our competition so far has not been that good and, yes, we won all 6, but didn't overwhelm. Just too soon to gauge.

I hope that my expectations for Butler in the past has been very reasonable. As I've said before, my first measurement was how we did in the league (MVC) for what we were paying. Not getting to the College World Series, not winning the first round of regionals, not always being an at-large team, not even winning Valley Championships every year. In my mind, there was no reason, at least after a year or two, to be competitive with Dallas Baptist or whoever else was at the top of the Valley. We were not.

Had we been more competitive at the top of the Valley, we would have had hopes to be competitive with the top 3-4 teams in the AAC. If we are, I will be very happy, shut up, and enjoy. If not, I will think (and probably say) that we are NOT getting our money's worth, particularly after this many years. This does not mean I won't support our players.

WuDrWu, what is your expectation for our baseball team after this many years of big $s spent?

**Play Angry** · February 27, 2018, 09:37 AM

We are listed as receiving votes in yesterday's NCBWA poll following the weekend sweep.

FLORIDA TOPS NCBWA DIVISION I POLL

http://www.sportswriters.net/ncbwa/news/2018/poll180226.html

Five different conferences make up Top 5

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