Fire Todd Butler

[Veritas]

Dear Mr. Butler
You should be ashamed. You're a pathetic head coach.
Please quit before you cause additional harm to a once proud nationally relevant program.
You seem like a nice guy. Just a terrible head coach.
That is all.

[DwShock]

Is it just me or is the baseball program the only one at the University that isn't having a fantastic season? Or last few for that matter. Seems like that should be a huge sign to the brass that Butler isn't the answer.

[SB Shock]

Is it just me or is the baseball program the only one at the University that isn't having a fantastic season? Or last few for that matter. Seems like that should be a huge sign to the brass that Butler isn't the answer.

Womens bball (7-22)

[DwShock]

Womens bball (7-22)

Notice I said last few...

[ShockerFever]

20 days and counting...

[Cdizzle]

Related question, just to kindof keep things moving but maybe a little different direction.

Is there legit young hitting talent on this team? I can't make up my mind. Part of me wonders if 2 years from now a lineup with Bohm, Jenista, Dugas and Ritter could be fairly good. I don't think any of them can currently play the slightest bit of defense, but it seems like with time people can at least become non-liabilities defensively.

Of course, I also thought Tinkham would hit his weight this year, so who knows.

[bleednblackngold]

Related question, just to kindof keep things moving but maybe a little different direction.

Is there legit young hitting talent on this team? I can't make up my mind. Part of me wonders if 2 years from now a lineup with Bohm, Jenista, Dugas and Ritter could be fairly good. I don't think any of them can currently play the slightest bit of defense, but it seems like with time people can at least become non-liabilities defensively.

Of course, I also thought Tinkham would hit his weight this year, so who knows.

Who cares? Unfortunately shocker baseball is dead to me. I as a lifelong shocker fan I still can't believe they hired this clown. We deserved better. Krusty may have needed to go but I would take 30-40 wins all day long compared to this crap! Makes me need to drink dammit!

[shockfan89_]

Related question, just to kindof keep things moving but maybe a little different direction.

Is there legit young hitting talent on this team? I can't make up my mind. Part of me wonders if 2 years from now a lineup with Bohm, Jenista, Dugas and Ritter could be fairly good. I don't think any of them can currently play the slightest bit of defense, but it seems like with time people can at least become non-liabilities defensively.

Of course, I also thought Tinkham would hit his weight this year, so who knows.

I have wondered the same thing. They seem to be VERY good fastball hitters, the problem is they aren't seeing as many fastballs anymore and have struggled to adjust. I think they are above average FR but time will tell. We haven't seen players grow and develop under this coaching staff (at least not to this point).

[1972Shocker]

We haven't seen players grow and develop under this coaching staff (at least not to this point).

The scary thing is that not only have they not shown any development, in quite a few cases we have seen regression.

The other thing that needs to be critically reviewed and evaluated is the training and condition aspects of this program. Maybe it is just a matter of bad luck but it seems to me (and I could be all wet) that injuries under HCTB have been above trend and expectations as well. Of course, that is probably mostly on Kerry Rosenboom and he has been doing this a long time and petty successfully. But that doesn't mean the injury situation should not be studied and evaluated.

Update: After I posted this I see that Willie Schwanke may very well be out for the season. I wonder how much this rash of injuries will play into an excuse for retaining HCTB another season (or two). Of course, IMHO, the elephant in the room is the big buyout number.

At this point FADES is wearing a very poor hire and and even worse contract and there really doesn't appear to be a light at the end of the tunnel at this point either.

[1972Shocker]

Related question, just to kindof keep things moving but maybe a little different direction.

Is there legit young hitting talent on this team? I can't make up my mind. Part of me wonders if 2 years from now a lineup with Bohm, Jenista, Dugas and Ritter could be fairly good. I don't think any of them can currently play the slightest bit of defense, but it seems like with time people can at least become non-liabilities defensively.

Of course, I also thought Tinkham would hit his weight this year, so who knows.

There may or may not be legit young hitting talent on this team. It bothers me that most of our guys are so pull happy and about the only young man that seems willing to take the ball to the opposite field is Trey Vickers. I suppose part of that if due to HCTB's stated preference to have his guys swinging from the heels.

OTOH, it may not make any difference if we can't recruit and develop a much better pitching staff.

[SB Shock]

I have wondered the same thing. They seem to be VERY good fastball hitters, the problem is they aren't seeing as many fastballs anymore and have struggled to adjust. I think they are above average FR but time will tell. We haven't seen players grow and develop under this coaching staff (at least not to this point).

The "grow and develop" is kind of myth. Boyd Nation did a study of his hitting database and found that you would find the following improvements by year (for starters)

Avg: +1%
SLG: +3%
OBP: +2%

That stats that had the best predictability from year to year was - HR, BB, SO. Meaning you are what you are.

Troutwine
Avg/OBP/SLG
0.298/0.404/0.405
0.288/0.395/0.451

Vickers
0.252/0.355/0.269
0.310/0.373/0.372

Rader
0.239/0.363/0.383
0.267/0.368/0.416

Tinkham
0.333/0.446/0.576
0.229/0.333/0.369

Mucha
0.313/0.354/0.374
0.296/0.350/0.358

Kihl
0.313/.0.369/0.456
0.301/0.387/0.390

Looking back at some notable shockers their progression was (Batting Avg for their 3 or 4 years)

Hooper 0.321/0.348/0.360/0.402
Ryan 0.391/0.340/0.439/0.304
Preston 0.269/0.393/0.330/0.299
Schermorhorn 0.286/0.329/0.329/0.347
Sublette 0.314/0.394/0.354
Cody C 0.264/0.320/0.320
Blake B 0.277/0.396/0.391
Blue 0.263/0.257/0.317/0.285
Koyie H 0.327/0.347/0.391/0.356
Magness 0.409/0.464/0.364/0.344

I think in general, either you are good hitter or not. There is no "sure thing" they will get better each year - look at Hill or Magness. They bounced around, but regardless of their numbers from year to year they were good, just some better than other.

[shocker3]

Looking back at some notable shockers their progression was (Batting Avg for their 3 or 4 years)

Hooper 0.321/0.348/0.360/0.402
Ryan 0.391/0.340/0.439/0.304
Preston 0.269/0.393/0.330/0.299
Schermorhorn 0.286/0.329/0.329/0.347
Sublette 0.314/0.394/0.354
Cody C 0.264/0.320/0.320
Blake B 0.277/0.396/0.391
Blue 0.263/0.257/0.317/0.285
Koyie H 0.327/0.347/0.391/0.356
Magness 0.409/0.464/0.364/0.344

I think in general, either you are good hitter or not. There is no "sure thing" they will get better each year - look at Hill or Magness. They bounced around, but regardless of their numbers from year to year they were good, just some better than other.

I am pretty sure that Koyie Hill left after his junior season, so I don't know why there are 4 years of numbers for him. As I recall, he and Blake Blasi both were hitting near .400 during their junior (final) season. Also, Jeff Ryan did stay 4 years, but he had injury issues his senior year.

[SB Shock]

I am pretty sure that Koyie Hill left after his junior season, so I don't know why there are 4 years of numbers for him. As I recall, he and Blake Blasi both were hitting near .400 during their junior (final) season. Also, Jeff Ryan did stay 4 years, but he had injury issues his senior year.

Yeah, I don't know where I got the 0.356 from, but you are correct - the 0.356 was a typo.

Jeff Ryan played 60 games his senior season before he injured himself when he ran into the wall. So the injury wasn't the reason for his falloff.

[1972Shocker]

It's official. We have hit rock bottom:

Bark in the Park - Saturday, May 7th.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2016/5/5/baseball-bark-in-the-park-scheduled-for-may-7.aspx

No doubt they will count the dogs in their attendance numbers and it is a way to add a little noice to the proceedings.

[DUShock]

It's official. We have hit rock bottom:

Bark in the Park - Saturday, May 7th.

http://www.goshockers.com/news/2016/5/5/baseball-bark-in-the-park-scheduled-for-may-7.aspx

No doubt they will count the dogs in their attendance numbers and it is a way to add a little noice to the proceedings.