2023 AAC Tournament

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

This is a tough one. On one hand, the current staff has done a tremendous job lining up recruiting classes despite EW not being well. Hibbs did a good job of steadying the ship but it fell apart at the end. Part of me thinks it would be good to look outside the current staff but its hard to overlook the recruiting that has been stellar for the next couple of classes. I don't envy ADKS for having to make this decision.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

Still trying to reconcile AAC honors with overall results. Not saying this was horrible season but doesn't seem like all the individual honors align with results. If you didn't know better you'd think we were loaded and ran away with the conference heading to a regional.

The talent is clearly there. My personal opinion is that there were some significant distractions with the previous/current staff that had a negative impact on development and mental readiness / approach.

[1972Shocker]

Still trying to reconcile AAC honors with overall results. Not saying this was horrible season but doesn't seem like all the individual honors align with results. If you didn't know better you'd think we were loaded and ran away with the conference heading to a regional.

I'm in the same boat. Made the same comment in an earlier post.

Speaking of individuals Brock Rodden certainly showed up for the AAC Tournament going 5-7 plus 2 walks, with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI and at least one outstanding defensive play in what I assume is his swan song as a Shocker. He certainly validated that last year was no fluke for him which should bode well for him in the upcoming draft. I feel bad for him that the teams he was on could not be more successful.

[ShockerExpress]

This is a tough one. On one hand, the current staff has done a tremendous job lining up recruiting classes despite EW not being well. Hibbs did a good job of steadying the ship but it fell apart at the end. Part of me thinks it would be good to look outside the current staff but its hard to overlook the recruiting that has been stellar for the next couple of classes. I don't envy ADKS for having to make this decision.

Exactly where I am. I am OK either way and honestly don't even lean any particular direction. The thought of a complete rebuild just seems so daunting - but idk if this staff did enough to warrant another year or not. Seems pretty tough.

Also just depressed about the ending. I guess maybe that says something, because we've been so bad I have not given an F about the end of the season in a while. Ugh. I just want some meaningful baseball back at Eck.

[BostonWu]

The talent is clearly there. My personal opinion is that there were some significant distractions with the previous/current staff that had a negative impact on development and mental readiness / approach.

If the talent is there to win big then what explains COY?

[mjbaker84]

who is expected to get drafted? A large swath of players expected?

[ShockerFever]

Coach of the year, player of the year, lots of all-conference selections.

0-2 when it matters most.

Not sure how you justify extending Hibbs here. Unless these are the results we desire. We were erratic garbage after we blew our pants against ECU.

Could not win the last game against any of the departing teams in the league. They all got the last laughs.

10 effing years since our last regional.

[1972Shocker]

who is expected to get drafted? A large swath of players expected?

With the draft only being 20 rounds these days probably not a large swath.

Brock Rodden for sure and probably Chuck Ingram.

Garrett Pennington is also a possibility. I think Garrett has 1 more year of eligibility remaining if he wants it but he did receive his degree this year and did participate in Senior Day activities.

Clark Candiotti also received his degree and participated in Senior Day activities and I think has 1 more year of eligibility if he wants it.

Not sure how Garrett and Clark will fare in the draft but they may decide to move on even if not drafted and try to go pro as free agents. I suppose that would apply to Kyte McDonald, Matt Boyer and Austin Wallace as well. But that requires interest on behalf of an MLB organization which have been cutting back on their minor league operations. Or they may simply decide it's time to move on with their post-baseball lives.

I think Sawyre Thornhill is the only player whose eligibility has expired.

Not sure there are any other likely draft candidates although I do not know for sure which, if any, sophomores are draft eligible.

[mjbaker84]

With the draft only being 20 rounds these days probably not a large swath.

Brock Rodden for sure and probably Chuck Ingram.

Garrett Pennington is also a possibility. I think Garrett has 1 more year of eligibility remaining if he wants it but he did receive his degree this year and did participate in Senior Day activities.

Not sure there are any other likely draft candidates although I do not know for sure which, if any, sophomores are draft eligible.

Thanks.

[shoxlax]

Vornado endorsements abound!

[Kung Wu]

Clearly Hibbs was an excellent "interim" head coach hired at the 11th hour. And so far, he has not left the cupboard bare by any stretch. He was the right guy for this year, for sure. CoY wasn't a stretch given what he did with his circumstances.

But that was this year, what about as a permanent head coach?

- His record doesn't indicate he has "deep NCAA tournament run" magic.

- He has only 5 NCAA regional appearances in 27 tries. Is an NCAA regional once every 5 years what WSU baseball fans expect? That's an easy "Not good enough". But that was done with a school that has lower recruiting expectations.

Does one more "proving" year as "interim" make sense?

[1972Shocker]

Still trying to reconcile AAC honors with overall results. Not saying this was horrible season but doesn't seem like all the individual honors align with results. If you didn't know better you'd think we were loaded and ran away with the conference heading to a regional.

Seems like your really good teams often appear to be better than the sum of their parts. In the case of this Shocker baseball team the opposite appears to be true. Perhaps it is coaching. Perhaps the quality of leadership and cohesiveness of the players. Very hard to pin that down. In very broad, vague terms I guess it comes down to intangibles.

[BostonWu]

Seems like your really good teams often appear to be better than the sum of their parts. In the case of this Shocker baseball team the opposite appears to be true. Perhaps it is coaching. Perhaps the quality of leadership and cohesiveness of the players. Very hard to pin that down. In very broad, vague terms I guess it comes down to intangibles.

That makes sense but if you subscribe to that train of thought then it's difficult to explain COY.

[shox7]

I feel like if All-league selections would have been based on defensive only stats, I don’t think we would have had anybody on 1st or 2nd teams this year. We were below average defensively as at team. I think that is a big reason we had the record we had.

[Aargh]

Remember those carnival things where you swing a sledge hammer and try to ring a bell at the top of the thing to win a cigar?

Hibbs is getting it within a foot or so, but no cigar.