2017 Predictions

[shockfan89_]

Another 1-3 week with a pretty nice win over KU (top 100 RPI). Our RPI actually increased this week from 159 to 138 but our NPI fell from 183 to 187. The MVC now owns the 14th spot in RPI with an NPI of 18th. Unfortunately all of our losses were in conference play so we are now in 7th place in the MVC.

As stated, we picked up a top 100 RPI victory over KU but lost one as Bradley's RPI has tumbled down to 121 even though they were 3-1 on the week. WSU is now 2-15 against the top 100 RPI and 16-6 against RPI 101+.

The good news is we should do very well (record wise) from here on. We only have 5 more games against top 100 RPI teams and 9 more against RPI killing ISU Red (270), Evansville (263), and ISU Blue (176).

Last week we needed to finish 11-9 to be over .500 for the year. With 16 games left we now need to go 10-6, which SHOULD be fairly easy given our remaining schedule. We need to go 12-4 to get to 30 wins, I think we will get 11 more wins and still betting we finish the regular season 29-26 and then 1-2 in the MVC to hit the 30 win mark!!!

[ShockTalk]

Another 1-3 week with a pretty nice win over KU (top 100 RPI). Our RPI actually increased this week from 159 to 138 but our NPI fell from 183 to 187. The MVC now owns the 14th spot in RPI with an NPI of 18th. Unfortunately all of our losses were in conference play so we are now in 7th place in the MVC.

As stated, we picked up a top 100 RPI victory over KU but lost one as Bradley's RPI has tumbled down to 121 even though they were 3-1 on the week. WSU is now 2-15 against the top 100 RPI and 16-6 against RPI 101+.

The good news is we should do very well (record wise) from here on. We only have 5 more games against top 100 RPI teams and 9 more against RPI killing ISU Red (270), Evansville (263), and ISU Blue (176).

Last week we needed to finish 11-9 to be over .500 for the year. With 16 games left we now need to go 10-6, which SHOULD be fairly easy given our remaining schedule. We need to go 12-4 to get to 30 wins, I think we will get 11 more wins and still betting we finish the regular season 29-26 and then 1-2 in the MVC to hit the 30 win mark!!!

This makes you excited???? Feel really bad for the players, but I would just as soon see a big belly flop by Butler and Co to finish the season. Surely another losing season coupled with a lack luster (maybe under .500) record in conference would get the job done on his ouster.

His best season so far is the first season (and not his players) of which 9 on the roster he wouldn't even recruit due to height and another 7 may have been borderline right at 6' (he current has 4 at 6' now). That's nearly half the roster total. Such a ridiculous and, IMO, incompetent "requirement".

[Cdizzle]

Yep. So far, Gene's crappy leftovers were the best we've done the last 4 years. There's no hiding behind anything at this point.

[shockfan89_]

This makes you excited???? Feel really bad for the players, but I would just as soon see a big belly flop by Butler and Co to finish the season. Surely another losing season coupled with a lack luster (maybe under .500) record in conference would get the job done on his ouster.

I guess I have given up on seeing a change at the end of this season regardless of our record. I think any of us that were excited for this season have long ago come back down to reality and realized that this team looks good against bad teams and bad against good teams. I think we will finish above .500 in the MVC and should finish 3rd but the conference is so bad this year I don't think that tells us anything.

At this point I see no reason to continue the current direction of the baseball program. The only positive I have seen from this coaching staff is their ability to recruit players that look good on paper. The problem is that after a year or so in the program most, if not all, regress rather than show improvement. I will say that Alex Jackson appears to be the best recruit we have had during the HCTB era. He can field his position, hit pretty good, and has good speed.

So to answer your question, at this point winning 30 games does excite me. Since I have given up on the AD doing their job, I want as many wins under HCTB as we can possibly get. That being said, I totally understand your point and it pains me to admit 30 wins is a goal in our 4th year under HCTB. It also pains me to be in 7th place in the 14th ranked conference. Next weekend can't get here soon enough!!

[JohnQShocker]

Yep. So far, Gene's crappy leftovers were the best we've done the last 4 years. There's no hiding behind anything at this point.

"Crappy leftovers"?....Wow! The comments that come off this forum regarding our student-athletes never cease to amaze me.

[Cdizzle]

"Crappy leftovers"?....Wow! The comments that come off this forum regarding our student-athletes never cease to amaze me.

Yeah, I realized after I posted that I probably should have put quotes around that phrase. It's less about my perception of those players (though admittedly it wasn't murderer's row), and more about the comments that have come from the current coaching regime. That once all his players were in place, things would be better. Turns out, the talent that got Gene fired is the highest talent level we've had since.

Maybe SB can put together one of those nice graphs he's so good at that correlates ABs and IP by Gene players relative to wins per season or RPI.

[1972Shocker]

Not sure our win-loss record will be the key factor in whether HCTB is given another year. At best we will have a very mediocre record built on the backs of beating up on the weaklings of our schedule and I am not willing to just assume that will continue to be the case as the Shocks finish off Valley play against DBU and the "other" 3 bottom feeders of the Valley.

What may be a much bigger factor is the clearly declining fan interest in Shocker baseball reflected for sure in actual attendance and I would think to some significant degree the revenue the program is generating. HCTB might survive a 0.500 season. Not sure he can survive these other factors.

[JohnQShocker]

Maybe SB can put together one of those nice graphs he's so good at that correlates ABs and IP by Gene players relative to wins per season or RPI.

That WOULD be an interesting graph.....and one that would certainly back up your thought of Gene's players producing better than the current coaches players.

[Cdizzle]

Not sure our win-loss record will be the key factor in whether HCTB is given another year. At best we will have a very mediocre record built on the backs of beating up on the weaklings of our schedule and I am not willing to just assume that will continue to be the case as the Shocks finish off Valley play against DBU and the "other" 3 bottom feeders of the Valley.

What may be a much bigger factor is the clearly declining fan interest in Shocker baseball reflected for sure in actual attendance and I would thing to some significant degree the revenue the program is generating. HCTB might survive a 0.500 season. Not sure he can survive these other factors.

Speaking for myself, I won't be back out to the ballpark until a change is made.

Unless they have some sort of basketball national championship party there or something.

[shockfan89_]

"Crappy leftovers"?....Wow! The comments that come off this forum regarding our student-athletes never cease to amaze me.

One complaint fans had with the previous coaching staff is they were no longer getting quality recruits or working hard enough to find the guys with the right drive to produce. The current staff has had highly rated recruiting classes that haven't translated to wins on the field. I think Cdizzle was pointing out you need both coaching and recruiting to win at the level the fans want/expect. Not so much knocking players from either regime.

[Cdizzle]

Remember when we just thought JT was a bad hitting coach?

Ah, good times.

[JohnQShocker]

One complaint fans had with the previous coaching staff is they were no longer getting quality recruits or working hard enough to find the guys with the right drive to produce. The current staff has had highly rated recruiting classes that haven't translated to wins on the field. I think Cdizzle was pointing out you need both coaching and recruiting to win at the level the fans want/expect. Not so much knocking players from either regime.

Oh, I understood cdizzle's way of thinking (and I think most would agree that Gene's recruits were most responsible for TB's season one 'success' (plus cdizzle acknowledged his mistake in his next post)), but the way that it was presented was certainly not appropriate (imo) and that's why I pointed it out. No parent wants their 18, 19, & 20 year old kid being referred to as "crappy leftover". That's simply all that I was attempting to point out.

[JohnQShocker]

Remember when we just thought JT was a bad hitting coach?

Ah, good times.

HAHA, I literally laughed out loud!!!

[BostonWu]

Not sure our win-loss record will be the key factor in whether HCTB is given another year. At best we will have a very mediocre record built on the backs of beating up on the weaklings of our schedule and I am not willing to just assume that will continue to be the case as the Shocks finish off Valley play against DBU and the "other" 3 bottom feeders of the Valley.

What may be a much bigger factor is the clearly declining fan interest in Shocker baseball reflected for sure in actual attendance and I would think to some significant degree the revenue the program is generating. HCTB might survive a 0.500 season. Not sure he can survive these other factors.

What's actual attendance like for a weekend series these days?

[1972Shocker]

What's actual attendance like for a weekend series these days?

Not really sure. But from what I can see of the crowds on the ESPN3 internet streams not very good. Perhaps someone esle has a better feel for that.