Fall practice not far off

[haysdb]

We lost a lot from last years team, but we have a solid core of players returning.

Conor Gillaspie
Andy Dirks
Tyler Weber
Dustin Coleman
Josh Workman
Tyler Hill

Aaron Shafer
Rob Musgrave
Anthony Capra
Andy Womack

The exciting part of a new season is seeing what newcomers will fill the holes left by Derek Schermerhorn, Matt Brown, Damon Sublett, Travis Banwart, Noah Krol, Kyle Touchatt, etal.

I'll be lucky to see one game of the fall series, so I'm depending on others to provide the goods on the new players and returning players like Bret Bascue, Clinton McKeever, Kenny Williams, Ryan Jones, and Cody Lassley.

[roadshocker]

fall practice

As we know Bascue did not play due to surgery.
Mckeever hit .364 @ Newton in the summer league, 132AB, 48H, 15 2B,
3 3B, 3 HR, 35 RBI, 6SB, and closed 3 games on the mound with a 0.00 ERA, 3 hits

[haysdb]

Clint pitched for Newton? Now there's something I did not know he did.

Clint can hit. I saw that last fall. He never got untracked this spring, but he can hit. And he runs better than you would expect. I didn't see enough of him at first base to form any opinion, but if he can play defense, he has a legit chance to be an everyday player this year.

How did Ryan and Cody do this summer?

[ddog44]

Hays - Ryan Jones is still playing for Duluth in the Northwoods league. They are in the first fround of playoffs. The word is that he could have made the all league team, but didn't feel he had enough at bats. his line is:

.297 118AB 35hits (4) 2b (3) 3b (2)HR 12 SB 1CS .432 Slug% .407 OBP

He also has an amazing 10 assists from his right field position - 7 at home plate, 1 at 3rd, and 2 at 2nd.

Last Saturday night, he actually pitched 1 inning with no hits, no walks, and 2 SO and got the win, as his team was tied 5-5 and scored 2 in the top of the 9th to take the lead. Go Figure.

Hopefully he can carry this confidence into next season and have a breakout year, this kid has talent. I think the shockers are going to be pretty darn good. I look forward to getting it going again.

Would love to have your e-mail address to send you a pretty cool video I pulled off a website, but don't know how to attach it here.

GO SHOCKS!

[Shocker85]

Hays,

I love what the Shocks have coming back and I love that there's room for some of the newer guys to crack into the every day roster. Having 2 OF spots, 2B, DH, and 1B virtually up for grabs gives several guys the chance to earn some PT. Some combination of Hill, Workman and/or McKeever will probably claim 2 or 3 of those roles, but that still leaves lots of chances, especially with Gene's love for platooning righty/lefty.

I'd add Kyle Touchatt to the list of guys we'll miss a lot - his reliability last season was unparalleled and will be very difficult to replace. The attitude and production Travis Banwart and Derek Schermerhorn brought to the ballpark every day won't be replaced, but there are some attitudes not returning which I think will be better for the team in the long run.

This team could be very good, anchored by outstanding pitching once again.

--'85.

[GoShockers89]

This year will be a blast to watch for baseball purists. I fully expect us to have the finest starting rotation in the country.

Hopefully Womack and Nanney are ready to carry the pen, I expect a ton of 4-3's and 3-2's...

[SB Shock]

This year will be a blast to watch for baseball purists. I fully expect us to have the finest starting rotation in the country.

Hopefully Womack and Nanney are ready to carry the pen, I expect a ton of 4-3's and 3-2's...

So you think the team hitting is going to get worse?

I was kind of hoping that maybe offense would start a trend where it was becoming a strength for the program once more (especially with the summer that several of the veteran players had).

FWIW, if there is going to be a ton of 4-3 and 3-2 games, then WSU is probably only a 35 win team next year.

[GoShockers89]

I expect little if any offensive improvement. However, last year and this coming season may seem like offensive heaven in 2009....

[haysdb]

We'll have a lot of new faces this fall, and some returning players who didn't really get a chance to show what they could do (Lassley and McKeever in particular). Let's see what we have before condemning the offense.

[sportfanhouse]

Cody Played on the Clark Griffith All-star team Played left field 4 innings caught the rest of the game. Season totals for Senators, batting AVG .391, R 22, h 27, 2b 7, 3b 1, hr 3, slg% .652, ob% .488 stolen bases 14. Pitching totals era 0.00, app 2, h 2, bb 1, so 3, b/avg .250. Cody had a good summer playing catcher, left field and a little pitching for the Vienna Senators.

[biggoldshocker]

Possible Lineup???

Hello,
I am new to this board. I have been a shocker fan for quite a bit and found out about this site last spring so i thought i would drop by and add my two cents on some subjects. I feel that i have a pretty good idea of the game and who will be playing and i would love to hear what everyone else thought.

1.Workman 2b.....if arm is healthy
2.Lassley DH....i think he could be the biggest suprise .390 with wood
3.Dirks CF....no brainer
4.Gillaspie 3b.....are best overall hitter and biggest power potential
5.Weber C....11 bombs again would be great from the big guy
6.Mckeever 1b...great power potential could be our 5 hole guy
7.Bascue LF....i think if his arm heals hes our best bet in left
8.Jones RF....has the potential to be great hopefully he'll be less nervous
9.Coleman SS...great defensive guy...only will get better as a hitter


You gotta also think about Tyler Hill who I am sure will split time with Bascue in Left, I just think that if Bass is given the shot he could run away with the position...if his arm heels up.....Kenny Williams in my mind is a huge question mark....this guy has great makeup but who knows what he will do if we can never get him frickin eligible and in a COLLEGE GAME......then you got the freshman who im sure there will be one or two suprises as there is every year...i.e. Damon Sublett.....It will be interesting to see but i like what i got for the opening day lineup barring any suprises or injuries.

Starting Pitching
1. Shafer...duh
2. Musgrave...duh
3. Capra...duh
4. Fleming?....maybe Tim Kelley??...maybe Fugett???...all possibilities

bullpen.........coleman, maybe dirks, new guys and Womack.........


let me know what you think????

[haysdb]

I wouldn't argue with any of that. Now all we can do is wait to see how wrong we are. The fall will tell us a lot. Not all, but a lot.

I will never count Tyler Hill out. Some way some how, he will be in the lineup more often than not.

[KC Shox Grad]

Hope we can get all we can out of our juniors before they go and get drafted.

http://www.goshockers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7500&ATCLID=1205053

[low80's]

any walk-on's that we need to be made aware of ?