Gm 52 - vs DBU (3 of 3)

[SB Shock]

Ah, more typical Gene bashing. Last year was 39-28; this year's team was supposed to be as good or better. Obviously the suspensions didn't help, and those certainly can't be blamed on the Butler regime. But the play itself has deteriorated, as has the defense. And lots of hitters haven't progressed. That's a fair reason to be concerned

ShockTalk already addressed the player development, but here is some food for thought comparison.

2013 vs Top 50: 0-7 0%
2014 vsTop 50: 3-10 23%

2013 vs Top 100: 5-13 28%
2014 vs Top 100: 6-9 40%

2013 vs Top 200: 22-7 76%
2014 vs Top 200: 14-7 67%

2013 vs 200+ : 11-1 92%
2014 vs 200+: 3-0 100%

2013 SOS: 125
2014 SOS: 62

[Cdizzle]

2013: NCAA Regional
2014: We'll See.

[ShockBand]

2013: Got hot late and bailed out the season
2014: Doubtful we can sustain a run through the Valley tournament

[WstateU]

2013:


2014:
When...

[AndShock]

ShockTalk already addressed the player development, but here is some food for thought comparison.

2013 vs Top 50: 0-7 0%
2014 vsTop 50: 3-10 23%

2013 vs Top 100: 5-13 28%
2014 vs Top 100: 6-9 40%

2013 vs Top 200: 22-7 76%
2014 vs Top 200: 14-7 67%

2013 vs 200+ : 11-1 92%
2014 vs 200+: 3-0 100%

2013 SOS: 125
2014 SOS: 62

I hope Butler continues to schedule up and doesn't switch to focusing on wins/losses. Would everyone be happier if the team was 45-20 with a 200+ SoS? I wasn't a full supporter of the Butler hire because I would've much rather gone with a risky hire like Hooper than someone who has already failed once as a head coach. With that said, any criticism before the conclusion of Year 2 is absolutely ridiculous. Any criticism before the conclusion of Year 3 is unwarranted. I did not like the hire but I will support Butler as HC of WSU until there's a a reason not to.

[Cdizzle]

I liked the direction of the schedule.

I do not like helping Texas and LSU never leave their home stadiums. Very non-majorish.

[1972Shocker]

Brett gets the primary credit for building this seasons schedule. I don't think Coach Butler had any significant influence (no influence at all is most likely).

Nevertheless, I don't see HCTB shying away from scheduling tough. I don't mind going to Texas and LSU to play. We're not helping them stay home, because they are going to stay home one way or the other anyway. I would think having those games on your schedule would be a positive for recruits. Doesn't sound like they are going fill the schedule up with those kind of games.

Bottom line is if the Shocks start winning again and making at least some noise in the post-season then most everything HCTB and staff does will be hunky-dory. If not, then nothing they do will be acceptable.

[Play Angry]

Bottom line is if the Shocks start winning again and making at least some noise in the post-season then most everything HCTB and staff does will be hunky-dory. If not, then nothing they do will be acceptable.

Bingo.

[SB Shock]

You are pretty knowledgeable with the baseball program.
Give us your predictions for the next 3 years (year by year).

Do we really know enough information about Butler to make that type of prediction?

Recruiting: Beside Tewes, we know nothing about how successful Butler is going to be as a recruiter. There are indications that he has a pretty good class (especially in the JUCO ranks) coming in for 2015. He has #20, #27, #55, #67 and #86 juco ranked player coming in. But how many will he lose in the draft and what will his fall back be? Gene had some high prospects that he lost to the draft, but he didn't seem to have good alternates. But call me a little cynical about recruiting rankings anyway.

Talent Evaluation: WSU and Gene in his prime seemed to have a keen eye for finding diamond in the rough. He would bring in guys off of the radar and would leave the program as high draft prospect. Does Butler have this ability? We won't know for what 2 years? But Butler is going to have this skill if he is going to get WSU back to being a Top 25 program.

Player Development: We don't know anything about Butler on this, I think if you go down the roster the anecdotal evidence is mixed. But this was one of the biggest criticism of the Gene lead program for position players. The program seemed to have Top 30-40 talent coming in - even in the last 5 years, with the program producing more draft picks each year than the MVC combined, but the results never transferred to the field for that last 5 years.

Pitching Staff Management: If you look at WSU ERA broken down in ~20% increments through 52 games, I see something disturbing. The ERA is constantly climbing. The first 60% of the season it were pretty good with ERA of 3.20, 3.60, 3.60 but the last 40% has seen the ERA balloon with 4.70 and 5.12 over the last 40%. Is this because of pitching fatigue due to lack of depth or pitching fatigue due to mismanagement? Hard to believe it is mismanagement with Kemnitz still with the program. But if we would see Kemnitz leave the program after this year then maybe there is a reason to be concerned.

Also plotting the offensive scoring also, pretty dismal offensive performance during 40% of the season.

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[tru2thaduce]

Do you think Brent leaves after this season?I for one hope not.

[SB Shock]

Do you think Brent leaves after this season?I for one hope not.

Not I don't. But if he did - it would just be a potential warning sign.