Baseball America Tournament Projections

[KC Shox Grad]

http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3863555

Doesn't have WSU making tourney. Says MSU will overtake us. I think this year we will be a sleeper team and can continue our dominance in the Valley.

[SB Shock]

Seems to be a little lack of respect there. Especially when you consider that WSU has made it to the NCAA tournament every year since 1980 except 1984, 1986 and 2001 and they have been to a super two year in row.

I know they lost alot last year, but WSU does have a track record of being able to reload and not have to rebuild.

[shocks02]

Re: Baseball America Tournament Projections

http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3863555

Doesn't have WSU making tourney. Says MSU will overtake us. I think this year we will be a sleeper team and can continue our dominance in the Valley.

They need to look at the last 20 years of college baseball

[ShockerFever]

Re: Baseball America Tournament Projections

http://proxy.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3863555

Doesn't have WSU making tourney. Says MSU will overtake us. I think this year we will be a sleeper team and can continue our dominance in the Valley.

Like I said in another thread, they picked UCLA as their preseason No.1 last year. UCLA didn't even make the NCAA's. I'll take their January predictions with a grain of salt.

We may have indeed a 'down' year for our program expectations. We may not win the Valley. But missing out on the NCAA's altogether, after two straight Super Regionals, is very much so a slap in the face.

[ShockerFever]

Perennial Missouri Valley Conference power Wichita State misses the NCAA tournament for the third time since 1987. The Shockers are extremely young and will be passed by a veteran Missouri State club in the MVC. The Bears make up for a mediocre conference RPI and earn a No. 2 seed thanks to a strong nonconference schedule that includes 16 games against Nebraska, Oregon State, Arkansas, Oral Roberts, Oklahoma State and Missouri.

Already found a patented BA flaw. If it were to happen, it would be the second time that's happened, not third.

Credibility already takes a hit, 3 weeks before the season begins. :roll:

[Ashockalypse]

That's OK.

I am sure Gene is showing all this crap to our new guys and saying in Clint Eastwood fashion "I guess they think they're better than us". Be the same result as Clint too: Pow Pow Pow! :D :yahoo: :lol: 8) 8)

[kcshocker11]

8)

[KC Shox]

I don't see an issue with it. We lost A LOT! We lose our entire weekend rotation and you guys have a problem with what they are saying? We will have a lot of youngters out there with no D1 experience. Sure we reload, we don't rebuild, but this could be the closest to a rebuilding year for the Shox in a long time.

With pitching down, we would have to rely on our offense to pick up the slack and win games for us, but we do not look to be an offensive juggernaut this upcoming season, heck, we weren't a huge offensive threat in our back-to-back SR's. We relied on our pitching to win us games.

The combination of inexperienced pitching and the status quo of low offensive production means this could be like 2001 all over again.

[Rosewood]

I don't see an issue with it.

Surprise Surprise Surprise

[Shocker85]

I don't see an issue with it. We lost A LOT! We lose our entire weekend rotation and you guys have a problem with what they are saying? We will have a lot of youngters out there with no D1 experience. Sure we reload, we don't rebuild, but this could be the closest to a rebuilding year for the Shox in a long time.

With pitching down, we would have to rely on our offense to pick up the slack and win games for us, but we do not look to be an offensive juggernaut this upcoming season, heck, we weren't a huge offensive threat in our back-to-back SR's. We relied on our pitching to win us games.

The combination of inexperienced pitching and the status quo of low offensive production means this could be like 2001 all over again.

KC, I don't disagree with what you're saying one bit. In fact, I'm willing to say that the non-pitching portions of the roster are as bad off as the pitching as far as losses and weaknesses. 2009 will be a rebuilding year for the Shox.

You people seem to be ignoring the fact that the Shox have almost nothing returning. All middle defensive position starters will be new. Shocker defense up the middle has been one of the mainstays of this program for 3 decades. New catcher, SS, 2B, and CF will be rough to replace. And the replacements have to step into the shoes of Weber, Workman, Coleman, and Dirks - a ton of good experience there.

3B is an unknown. Gillaspie may well be the most gifted offensive player to ever wear a Shocker uniform, and was a good defensive 3B. He had the ability to make the great plays, although mental lapses at times left you scratching your head. He won't be replaced in kind.

The starting line-up for the 3 Super Regional games vs. Florida State consisted of Dirks, Jones, Gillaspie, McKeever, Coleman, Workman, Weber, Hill, and Williams. Of those, 78% are gone. The entire team had 2233 ABs last year, of that 68% will be working elsewhere. The team had 53 HR, of that just 17% returns. RBIs were 479 as a team and 26% return. And SB a paltry 11 coming back with the returning players (10%). The status quo of offensive woes is gone (maybe that's good) - all that remains are question marks.

Folks, we got nuthin' to hang our hats on right now. The roster lists 21 Fr. or So. of 32 players and we know 2 upperclassmen are out (Hoch and Fleming) and one returning from major arm surgery (Hutson).

Returners McKeever, Jones, Hall, and Kelley are decent players. There are just a TON of holes to fill everywhere and the pitching is completely unknown, unproven, and inexperienced. I have no doubt that we'll see some magical transformation from a rag-tag band of new players into a good team by seasons end, but I'm willing to watch this team make some mistakes and get beaten around a little. This season will undoubtedly test everyone's patience.

You might feel disrespected by pre-season predictions for the Shox in '09, but it is deserved. Gene, Brent and JT are good, but can they work miracles?

--'85.

[SpanglerFan316]

YES

[BostonWu]

Gillaspie may well be the most gifted offensive player to ever wear a Shocker uniform

How old are you?

[shocker22]

Gillaspie may well be the most gifted offensive player to ever wear a Shocker uniform

How old are you?

Gillaspie might be one of the hardest workers in a Shocker Uniform, but not the most gifted. Let me think umm...Joe Carter, Mike Lansing, David Haas, Casey Blake, Darren Dreifort!

[Shocker85]

Gillaspie may well be the most gifted offensive player to ever wear a Shocker uniform

How old are you?

Old enough to have attended the Shox CWS games in Omaha in '82 and probably 600 games since.

How old are you?

Conor Gillaspie can put the sweet part of the bat on more balls than any player I recall watching. I predict that Gillaspie will have more success in MLB than any other Shocker non-pitcher ever has, except Joe Carter. Batting .419 with the current bat rules doesn't suck.

Maybe I'm old enough my memory is weak.

--'85.

[t7017s]

I dunno when Tony Gwynn says that Phil Stephenson was the best hitter he has ever seen I tend to believe him. Tony knew a thing or two about hitting for average. Conner was a great hitter no doubt about it and I hate to take anything away from the kid as his work ethic was hard to match but to say he was the greatest hitter ever to wear a shocker uniform is going a bit far IMO. To each their own though.