2023 Off-season and Portal Recruiting

[Outsider]

Hopefully that will be the case. But this must have been the plan all along with Hibbs. I think all 8 freshman pitchers were Wedge/Hibbs recruits right?

In this day and age, if the program is going to recruit freshman then they are going to have to contribute from day one.

Last year team carried 18 pitchers (I think) and only about 6 actually contributed. You have to do better than that.

You aren't going to have success throwing Freshmen in the portal era of college baseball. It's an older players game. Even if you bring some in and develop them, you run the risk of losing them to a bigger school in the portal. The primary focus for most mid majors should be the portal. Get the best D2 pitchers like Missouri St just did, get guys from lower D1's who are proven that want to move up. Maybe a high D1 dropdown but that is the danger area. A lot of guys who can't play at that level drop down and find they just can't play, period. Add in some JUCO's and some Freshmen for the future. I'm an Arkansas fan. We recruit as well as anyone and our Freshmen can't play for the most part. Last year was 8 transfers in the starting lineup and all of the Freshman arms struggled. 18 -19 year old arms vs 22-23 year old hitters is a recipe for failure.

[WuDrWu]

You aren't going to have success throwing Freshmen in the portal era of college baseball. It's an older players game. Even if you bring some in and develop them, you run the risk of losing them to a bigger school in the portal. The primary focus for most mid majors should be the portal. Get the best D2 pitchers like Missouri St just did, get guys from lower D1's who are proven that want to move up. Maybe a high D1 dropdown but that is the danger area. A lot of guys who can't play at that level drop down and find they just can't play, period. Add in some JUCO's and some Freshmen for the future. I'm an Arkansas fan. We recruit as well as anyone and our Freshmen can't play for the most part. Last year was 8 transfers in the starting lineup and all of the Freshman arms struggled. 18 -19 year old arms vs 22-23 year old hitters is a recipe for failure.

Very sobering and likely spot on assessment.

[SB Shock]

You aren't going to have success throwing Freshmen in the portal era of college baseball. It's an older players game.

I agree. My main point was that there are some taking shots at Green, when Wedge/Hibbs had a plan of going heavy with Freshmen pitchers.

Even if you bring some in and develop them, you run the risk of losing them to a bigger school in the portal.

I don't disagree.

That why that u see Green going after Juco guys is my guess. Gone is the day the we fans get to follow that scrawny guy like Kevin Hooper comes in as Freshman and starts at 2B, bats ninth and by the time he leaves is MLB material. Sad day for college baseball fans who will not get emotionally invested in players.

[pogo]

Kind of like the Royals...get young talent develop them and lose them to the Yankees through free agency.

[WuDrWu]

Hibbs (or Wedge if you want to play that out) weren't going to lose Candiotti, Tolle or Gadler to the portal with Pelf.

We were going to be those 3 plus Henry next season, period. Sr Sr Jr RF. Then we had a year to develop the incoming guys (and replace with other transfers and or jucos....and find the ones that worked).

[Shockm]

Hibbs (or Wedge if you want to play that out) weren't going to lose Candiotti, Tolle or Gadler to the portal with Pelf.

We were going to be those 3 plus Henry next season, period. Sr Sr Jr RF. Then we had a year to develop the incoming guys (and replace with other transfers and or jucos....and find the ones that worked).

Not hiring Pelfrey was a mistake imo. We would have likely kept Horn, and Snead too. Pitching would seemingly have been set.

[mattdalt]

Hibbs (or Wedge if you want to play that out) weren't going to lose Candiotti, Tolle or Gadler to the portal with Pelf.

We were going to be those 3 plus Henry next season, period. Sr Sr Jr RF. Then we had a year to develop the incoming guys (and replace with other transfers and or jucos....and find the ones that worked).

The interview ADKS did with Shane Dennis is very sobering. MP even alluded to it in his interview with Shane. ADKS said repeatedly that over the last 10 months, the student athlete was not always the first consideration. FHCGS even said that something was off last year and needed a change. ADKS took that personally and took responsibility. What part MP contributed, or at least allowed, no one knows.

Hibbs, apparently, became more interested in having the interim label removed, than in winning and developing, and talked about it in front of the team. if true, UNPROFESSIONAL!

Listening to ADKS, FPCMP and FHCGS, how is anyone surprised a change was made.

Lastly, ADKS said the players had "Shocker fatigue." That's Wedge/Hibbs, and probably Palfrey. FPCMP mentioned that ADKS was very clear, followed through on exactly what he said he would do, and that he had zero issues with the way anything was handled.

If losing those players, and from your account, exceptional young men, is the price to correct the program, then so be it.

[Outsider]

I agree. My main point was that there are some taking shots at Green, when Wedge/Hibbs had a plan of going heavy with Freshmen pitchers.



I don't disagree.

That why that u see Green going after Juco guys is my guess. Gone is the day the we fans get to follow that scrawny guy like Kevin Hooper comes in as Freshman and starts at 2B, bats ninth and by the time he leaves is MLB material. Sad day for college baseball fans who will not get emotionally invested in players.

You can still get a guy like Hooper, it will just be out of JUCO. The problem with JUCO this year is that you are picking up crumbs. The top kids are already signed but JUCO should be a great path moving forward. along with the portal.

Dallas Baptist is probably the best developer of talent per capita in college baseball. Even they have gone hard with JUCO and portal kids. Oral Roberts gave every mid major the blueprint this year. Older roster, mostly transfers with some kids recruited out of HS, strong team culture, good pitching development.

Wichita St reminds me a lot of Arkansas basketball. 20 years of struggling until we found the right guy. Nolan was our Gene Stephenson, Mike Anderson was our Hibbs. The right coach will turn it around. The tradition is too good and it matters.

[Shockersdad]

The interview ADKS did with Shane Dennis is very sobering. MP even alluded to it in his interview with Shane. ADKS said repeatedly that over the last 10 months, the student athlete was not always the first consideration. FHCGS even said that something was off last year and needed a change. ADKS took that personally and took responsibility. What part MP contributed, or at least allowed, no one knows.

Hibbs, apparently, became more interested in having the interim label removed, than in winning and developing, and talked about it in front of the team. if true, UNPROFESSIONAL!

Listening to ADKS, FPCMP and FHCGS, how is anyone surprised a change was made.

Lastly, ADKS said the players had "Shocker fatigue." That's Wedge/Hibbs, and probably Palfrey. FPCMP mentioned that ADKS was very clear, followed through on exactly what he said he would do, and that he had zero issues with the way anything was handled.

If losing those players, and from your account, exceptional young men, is the price to correct the program, then so be it.

Its been brought up many times that kids were leaving regardless of coaches. I had the same take away from MP that Hibbs was frustrated about not being named head coach and that spilled into locker room.
Plus being 77 and a hard nose coach that doesn't like high fives if you strike someone out (because that's your job as a pitcher) is a thing of the past. Emotion is a big reason baseball ratings are through the roof

[Kung Wu]

I also feel like culture makes a bigger difference than ever, because kids can escape it if it sucks. The idea that it's impossible to create a culture where kids want to stay--even with NIL agents salivating all over them--is just hogwash. It will take a special coach with a mindset to specifically create that culture, but it absolutely can be done.

[WstateU]

[SB Shock]

Daniel Zang is a Juco recruit. Looks like right handed starting pitcher. Freshman year was 5-3, 4.43 ERA, 63 K's in 40 IP. His problem looks to be walks (30).

Fast Ball is 90-93
Change-up 80-82
Slider 76-78


Playing summer ball with the Rochester Honkers in the Northwoods league

https://northwoodsleague.com/rochester-honkers/player/?id=6596

[WstateU]

I like coach Green’s enthusiasm, but wonder if he can win a handshake?

[ShockTalk]

Daniel Zang is a Juco recruit. Looks like right handed starting pitcher. Freshman year was 5-3, 4.43 ERA, 63 K's in 40 IP. His problem looks to be walks (30).

Fast Ball is 90-93
Change-up 80-82
Slider 76-78


Playing summer ball with the Rochester Honkers in the Northwoods league

https://northwoodsleague.com/rochest...layer/?id=6596

"Huge Day" ?????

Good Day maybe a Great Day, but it's this pushing the "excitement" a little over the top?

Correct me if I'm wrong. The freshman stats do not appear that strong, particularly when you look at his summer ball numbers. The good is his 3-2 record with a 3.46 ERA. The questionable stat is 23 walks with 18 strikeouts in 26 innings, while having more walks than strikeouts in 5 of his 6 games.

[WuDrWu]

If you have ESPN+ they broadcast quite a few Northwoods League games. Might have a chance to see him (and 1 or 2 current and former Shockers) the next couple of weeks.