2019-20 Fall Ball and Preseason Discussion

[SB Shock]

SB Shock

After reading your post it doesn’t even appear to me that you were at the game.

Why because I wasn't impressed with the remaining product that Butler left? That not a jab at Wedge, it just a fact of how bad Butler was.

Nebraska did not have even close to 25% of the fans it was closer to the 75 people range out of 3028 which is approx 3% of the people attending the game.

There also was not 3,028 people at the game. You either we not at the game, or you actually haven't been there when there was a crowd. The stadium wasn't close to being half-filled.

When you say David VanV doesn’t have much range have you watched him run or play the outfield? A 6.3 60 and the kid can really run and cover ground

I did in this game, and he didn't get to some balls that a good CF would have run down. It is an observation based on 1 game and holding him to a standard of good WSU team. I will happily enjoy seeing him run down everything in the future, but if he can't get better jumps than he did in this game he will be lacking. Again - I'm sure Wedge with time will develop him if he has the tools.

Can Chick at third is a solid player but doesn’t have near the arm Wallace does. If you kept up with any of our players Wallace threw an inning in Chatham and was up to 95 on the mound.

Maybe wallace arm was hurting him, he wasn't throwing harder than Chick.

Pitching will hopefully come around soon because it was been a struggle for the past few years

So you are going with "Hope". WSU pitching will come around when Wedge actually brings in some pitchers instead of throwers.

and I think Pelfrey will get them to where they need to be.

Meh, again this is another "kool-aid" statement. You have no basis for this statement except hope. We just don't really know if Pelfrey can coach or not.

Your comment on the fans needed to be into the game is correct but that was one of your only correct statements.

The team is going to have to win to bring the fans back. There was curiosity from the fans.

Your comments make me wonder if you evenpayed attention to the game.

Well, your comments actually make me wonder if you ever have seen a good shocker baseball team play.

[Shockm]

It’s stupid to fight about WSU baseball under Wedge. SB did seem to be a bit critical of the new team and Wedge’s new program after just one exhibition game. It’s kind of early to be too critical. We will see this spring how good we are. While I’m hopeful that we are more successful under Wedge than Butler, it’s unfair and probably unrealistic to expect us to become nationally relevant this year. But it sure would be fun. I’m still hopeful but not expectant.

[SB Shock]

It’s stupid to fight about WSU baseball under Wedge. SB did seem to be a bit critical of the new team and Wedge’s new program after just one exhibition game.

I think I had drunk too much of the Wedge Koolaid and expected some kind of miracle - which was unfair to Wedge. The hole that Butler has dug for this program is deep. It will be interesting to see by this spring how much this team has changed/developed compared to what we saw against NU. I bet a the very minimum, they will hit their cutoffs. I have reset my expectations for this year.

[Cdizzle]

The judgment of this year (and next) has always been about things like hitting cutoffs, tagging up, productive ABs and having less than 20% of routine fly balls fall in for doubles.

I'm excited to see where things go. I can get behind a team lacking in talent. Hard to get behind a team that can't execute at a 7th grade level.

[Shockm]

I think I had drunk too much of the Wedge Koolaid and expected some kind of miracle - which was unfair to Wedge. The hole that Butler has dug for this program is deep. It will be interesting to see by this spring how much this team has changed/developed compared to what we saw against NU. I bet a the very minimum, they will hit their cutoffs. I have reset my expectations for this year.

Happens.

[1972Shocker]

RH: Podcast with Baseball Assistant Coach Mike Sirianni

Link to Podcast: https://wichitastate.tv/podcast/roun...mike-sirianni/

[1972Shocker]

I had not heard or seen that former Shocker Garrett Bayliffe joined the Shocker strength and conditioning staff as an assistant and he is overseeing the strenght and conditioning for the Shocker baseball team.

https://goshockers.com/coaches.aspx?rss=20&path=bsb

Welcome back to Wichita Garrett!

[Veritas]

I think I had drunk too much of the Wedge Koolaid and expected some kind of miracle - which was unfair to Wedge. The hole that Butler has dug for this program is deep. It will be interesting to see by this spring how much this team has changed/developed compared to what we saw against NU. I bet a the very minimum, they will hit their cutoffs. I have reset my expectations for this year.

SB, nothing wrong with being objective. It’s only after 5 years of complete failure and still drinking the koolaid that one needs to check their sanity,
It is going to take some time to dig out of the hole. I do think HCEW will dig out of it more quickly than most could or would. It seems he has a template for winning that isn’t easily changed. Focusing on success day after day will bring it.

[WuDrWu]

I had not heard or seen that former Shocker Garrett Bayliffe joined the Shocker strength and conditioning staff as an assistant and he is overseeing the strenght and conditioning for the Shocker baseball team.

https://goshockers.com/coaches.aspx?rss=20&path=bsb

Welcome back to Wichita Garrett!

Garrett really enjoyed his time at WSU and is thrilled to be back in Wichita. Seems to be a good fit both ways too.


SB's analysis is very fair. It's going to take time to get the guys in they want and need.


I think we all expect to see better baseball being played, certainly more passionate baseball, pretty much immediately. But assuming no really bad turns, where are your expectations in year 5?

2022 recruits will be sophomores. That will be his first class that, for the most part, he has pretty much his pick of who he wants to recruit.

Is there anything that is unacceptable? Must we be top 40? Top 25?

Curious what people think. Looking forward to the fall World Series next week.

[pogo]

Like to be in the top 25-30

[WuDrWu]

Tough night in Springfield. 17-5 in 12, Bears.

[ShockerFever]

Tough night in Springfield. 17-5 in 12, Bears.

Butler's pitching phenoms will take a while to rinse. I hope MP is the guy for the job. I really like him as a player and a representative of WSU. It's still early in his job so it's not fair to judge him yet, especially based on the personnel he was stuck with. I do wonder how it will play out in the end since he has no D-1 coaching experience or really much coaching experience at all. Not all great players are great coaches..

Next year will still be a complete pass. Butler tanked the program pretty hard and unfortunately was given 2 years too long. So it'll take at least another 2 years to gain respectability again and we should be expecting better things and higher expectations by year 3. I'm confident EW will get it done.

[ShockerFever]

And just perusing the box score, it looks like everybody in uniform practically played while the Bares mostly played starters. Those exhibition wins must mean a lot more to Guttin.

[pogo]

Just a friendly reminder of where they wished they were and rubbing it in while they are able

[1972Shocker]

GoShockers.com Recap and Link to Box Score

Not a lot of positives to pull out of that box score although that doesn't mean HCEW didn't learn a lot about his team.

Alex Jackson went 2-3 plus a walk and scored 2 of the 5 Shocker runs from the lead off spot . Paxton Wallace went 2-5 and drove in 3 runs from the 4 hole. Brady Slavens was 1-1 plus a walk. Unfortunately, the rest of the team had 2 hits, doubles by Ross Cadena and Jack Sigrist, in 31 at bats. Sigrist double came in the 7th with one on and one out putting runners at 2nd and 3rd. Unfortunately, Jack got himself out leaving 2nd early on an ensuing fly ball out to CF.

Only Fr. LHP Beau Leonards (7th inning) and So. RHP Calvin Marley (12th inning) managed to get through an without allowing a run. Beau, who did not pitch against Nebraska, got of to a bit of a shaky starting hitting the lead off batter who advanced to 2nd on a passed ball by Josh Killeen. However, Beau got a strike out and 2 ground outs to get out of the inning unscathed. Calvin, who had a 1-2-3 inning against Nebraska, also set down the Bears in order in the 12th.

ShockerFever is right that Missouri State did not go to their bench nearly to the extent the Shocks did and only used 6 pitchers vs 10 for the Shocks. So it does seem like like the two head coaches had different agendas for what they were trying to get out of this game.

Nevertheless, it does look like the Shocks have a long way to go and this rebuild will take some time.