Gator Baseball 2023 Gator Baseball Thread- CWS Bound

[g8tr76]

This is the series to test Sully's team preparation skills. He needs them to play defense and offense in the same game. I know that sound like a lot, but look what happened at usce the first time.

While we were swept at usce, a lot of what happened in game 1 came after Sproat was pulled. The score was 2-4 for the cocks before relievers came in to complete the fifth (something I should have done during the game) and then in 1 1/3 innings our relievers issued 6 walks, 4 hits and 9 runs.

The second game was more competitive and started out good with a Cag homer, but the 5 runs in the first and second innings by the cocks was a reminder of the night before. After the second inning, play seemed to improve, and the Gators held the cocks scoreless for the remainder of the game We even out hit them but could only manage 2 runs on 8 hits. I was looking forward to game 3 and hoping for improved play but foolish me.............

These is not much you can say about game 3 except it started as a disaster with Cags issuing 6 walks before he was pulled at the beginning of the third. It just felt like a sweep after that.

While watching those games, I expected usce to have a brutal crowd, but they seemed far more than I expected. I don't recall them ever quieting down during any of the three games. When they are that much into the game the opposing team must be prepared for it. I think the crowd got into the heads of our relievers for game 1 (and that is preparedness), but rattling our relievers also set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

Now it's our advantage and we have a vocal fan base too. The cocks will be playing at the Ball Park this series in front of 7000+ Gator fans, so the change of environment from the first series maybe just what the Gators need to pull two games.

As far as pitching is concerned, Sully needs to start his regular rotation and we might see Sproat and Waldrep send us to Omaha without a rubber game. Cags had a good game in the regionals, and after he has a good game, he struggles in the next. My hope is that Cags is well rested up for CWS.

 

[Towels 'N Sporks]

There are several key criteria regarding baseball fundamentals that are apparent on Sully's teams since he arrived which have not improved or even addressed. These shortcomings have been discussed on this board at great length for the past 10+ years and you still refuse to acknowledge the problems so there is no point in belabouring the issue. Listing all the stats does not make these problems magically disappear. You are entitled to your opinion and I will continue to state my concerns. Enjoy the games!!

right. fundamentals aren't great. I wish he would find a way to fix that and I think we would be even better. Doesn't change the fact that we are an elite program because of sully

 

[Towels 'N Sporks]

I'll list a few gripes about his teams over the years.

1. Most years our offense is meh. Poor batting philosophy and approach at the plate. We always try to go for the long ball instead of just putting it in play and forcing the defense to play baseball to beat us. So it's feast or famine during most seasons similar to a basketball team that just jacks 3s all the time instead of moving the ball and looking for high percentage shots. Can win big or lose badly. Our batting approach over the years has been exasperating to me as we routinely take pitches right down the middle early in the count in an attempt to drive up pitch counts early, but often all we do is see strike outs as the kids intentionally take good pitches, get down 0 or 1-2 in the count, then are forced to swing at some borderline garbage or fall for a breaking ball in the dirt. Good offensive teams employ aggressive plate philosophies, through the years sully has done the opposite.

2. Along with #1 is the inability to play small ball when we need to. Laying a bunt down is a hold your breath and pray event for sully teams throughout the years. We don't practice any of that stuff, rarely employ it when it would be advantageous and usually f it up royally when we do. It should be coached and used whenever advantageous.

I've been much happier this year with the offense but let's be honest, it's not bat on a ball and put pressure on the defense. It's still long ball, we just lucked into at least 3 kids at any point in time hitting them over. If we have a game with no HRs, we probably lose bc we don't get on base and bat guys around with base hits very well. We're either hitting them over or flying out.

On the flip side, our defense has been consistent and very good throughout his tenure. Defense and pitching won us our only natty. Offense was very unremarkable that year. This year is interesting bc the offense is good but the pitching is inconsistent and defense can be a bit shaky at times.

Is sully garbage? No, he's a very good coach, but there are better ones. He's a great recruiter and that's why we compete at a high level. If he could coach and develop as well as he croots we'd have numerous titles

Agree about the bunting. It's absolutely miserable every year and I wish he would find a way to fix that.

 

[oxrageous]

right. fundamentals aren't great. I wish he would find a way to fix that and I think we would be even better. Doesn't change the fact that we are an elite program because of sully

The program would be a dynasty if Sully had any idea what to do with the elite players he recruits.

Haven't you ever wondered why no other programs ever try to hire the guy away?

 

[g8r.tom]

I'll list a few gripes about his teams over the years.

1. Most years our offense is meh. Poor batting philosophy and approach at the plate. We always try to go for the long ball instead of just putting it in play and forcing the defense to play baseball to beat us. So it's feast or famine during most seasons similar to a basketball team that just jacks 3s all the time instead of moving the ball and looking for high percentage shots. Can win big or lose badly. Our batting approach over the years has been exasperating to me as we routinely take pitches right down the middle early in the count in an attempt to drive up pitch counts early, but often all we do is see strike outs as the kids intentionally take good pitches, get down 0 or 1-2 in the count, then are forced to swing at some borderline garbage or fall for a breaking ball in the dirt. Good offensive teams employ aggressive plate philosophies, through the years sully has done the opposite.

2. Along with #1 is the inability to play small ball when we need to. Laying a bunt down is a hold your breath and pray event for sully teams throughout the years. We don't practice any of that stuff, rarely employ it when it would be advantageous and usually f it up royally when we do. It should be coached and used whenever advantageous.

I've been much happier this year with the offense but let's be honest, it's not bat on a ball and put pressure on the defense. It's still long ball, we just lucked into at least 3 kids at any point in time hitting them over. If we have a game with no HRs, we probably lose bc we don't get on base and bat guys around with base hits very well. We're either hitting them over or flying out.

On the flip side, our defense has been consistent and very good throughout his tenure. Defense and pitching won us our only natty. Offense was very unremarkable that year. This year is interesting bc the offense is good but the pitching is inconsistent and defense can be a bit shaky at times.

Is sully garbage? No, he's a very good coach, but there are better ones. He's a great recruiter and that's why we compete at a high level. If he could coach and develop as well as he croots we'd have numerous titles.

Smallball is over. Chicks like the long ball.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

The others:

Friday
Duke at Virginia 12PM ESPN2
Indiana St. at TCU 5PM ESPNU
Oral Roberts at Oregon PM ESPNU

Saturday
Alabama at Wake Forest 12PM ESPN
Kentucky at LSU 3PM ESPN
Tennessee at S. Miss 3PM ESPNU
Texas at Stanford 8PM ESPN2

Why is the 14 seed ISU playing at unseeded TCU? Can't figure that one out.

Because the Special Olympics is having a major event in Terre Haute this weekend and all the hotel rooms are booked. The NCAA apparently has a rule about the teams staying in close proximity to the stadium and the closest available hotel is 40 miles away.
I know that some read Special Olympics an assumed that this was a joke but it’s accurate. The Special Olympics booked this event nearly a year ago and there was no solution for ISU.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

All true! It worked great to go with Sproat and Waldrep first and firstA in Columbia so he may as well just follow the same script again and hope for a different result.

Edit: I looked at the box scores and both Sproat and Waldrep did OK against SC, over 100 pitches and both gave up some runs 4/5 but the pen was terrible in support. That was one of Cags worst starts only lasting three innings and walking a boatload. Hopefully, the stands are full of loud Gators.

This was the weekend we were without Neely due to the BS suspension.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Agree about the bunting. It's absolutely miserable every year and I wish he would find a way to fix that.

It's called practice.

 

[Joegator96]

It's called practice.

It's also about knowing how to coach the proper technique and it's clear Sully and staff cannot do it. I am not a big proponent of giving up an out to move a runner to second yet at certain situations you must be able to execute a sacrifice bunt, we cannot do it. This past weekend Schiekofer K'd while trying to lay down a bunt which is inexcusable at this level of baseball.

 

[Bullag8r]

It's also about knowing how to coach the proper technique and it's clear Sully and staff cannot do it. I am not a big proponent of giving up an out to move a runner to second yet at certain situations you must be able to execute a sacrifice bunt, we cannot do it. This past weekend Schiekofer K'd while trying to lay down a bunt which is inexcusable at this level of baseball.

Bunting is as much a part of baseball as the home run. Sully obviously doesn't believe in teaching or practicing it. We hit into 30 double plays this year. 4 in the 3 games against TT. Rivera, Cags and Kurland are responsible for hitting into 14 or the 30 double plays. Our opponents have only hit into 22 double plays. When we get a runner on first with no outs a good bunt can often become a base hit or a forced error. Even though we cannot execute a bunt to save our lives Sully still calls for bunts. That is just stupidity not to mention an epic failure. If he doesn't know how to teach guys to bunt he can hire a coach that does or bring in experts to teach it during the off season. There is no excuse for us not knowing how to bunt. Not just this year but every year since he started. And it is not just bunting. Our 1st basemen don't know how to play the position. They just wing it and hope for the best. I don't understand.

I don't deny Sully's success but why doesn't he take the next step? Why is he so opposed and resistance to take the obvious steps necessary to improve the team? As a baseball fan and a long time season ticket holder it is very frustrating.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

@Joegator96

Because ISU has a convention of some sort in town that weekend and doesn't have the available hotel space within the NCAA's required distance to host teams and fans....

This just raises another question: Why would anyone hold a conference or convention in Ames, Iowa?

 

[Jack o' Diamonds]

This just raises another question: Why would anyone hold a conference or convention in Ames, Iowa?

Actually it's Terre Haute, Ind, and its Indiana State UIniversity. Special Olympics....

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Actually it's Terre Haute, Ind, and its Indiana State UIniversity. Special Olympics....

I saw ISU and I just assumed it was Iowa State. I guess you can tell I'm not exactly following the entire tournament.

 

[Jack o' Diamonds]

I saw ISU and I just assumed it was Iowa State. I guess you can tell I'm not exactly following the entire tournament.

Yeah, I had already made that mistake...

 

[FireFoley]

I saw ISU and I just assumed it was Iowa State. I guess you can tell I'm not exactly following the entire tournament.

To the same guy who had something nice and complimentary to say about a former . The Defense rests.

 

[Joegator96]

Bunting is as much a part of baseball as the home run. Sully obviously doesn't believe in teaching or practicing it. We hit into 30 double plays this year. 4 in the 3 games against TT. Rivera, Cags and Kurland are responsible for hitting into 14 or the 30 double plays. Our opponents have only hit into 22 double plays. When we get a runner on first with no outs a good bunt can often become a base hit or a forced error. Even though we cannot execute a bunt to save our lives Sully still calls for bunts. That is just stupidity not to mention an epic failure. If he doesn't know how to teach guys to bunt he can hire a coach that does or bring in experts to teach it during the off season. There is no excuse for us not knowing how to bunt. Not just this year but every year since he started. And it is not just bunting. Our 1st basemen don't know how to play the position. They just wing it and hope for the best. I don't understand.

I don't deny Sully's success but why doesn't he take the next step? Why is he so opposed and resistance to take the obvious steps necessary to improve the team? As a baseball fan and a long time season ticket holder it is very frustrating.

I hope you are not suggesting Rivera, Cags and Kurland should be laying down sac bunts???? Halter, Shiekofer, Robertson but not anyone in the one thru six hole! Almost never!

 

[DallasTXGator]

I saw ISU and I just assumed it was Iowa State. I guess you can tell I'm not exactly following the entire tournament.

You might want to follow the regular season a little more closely too. Iowa State doesn't have a baseball team.

It's a little surprising some other big athletic programs don't either. Wisconsin, SMU, Tulsa, Syracuse, Colorado, and Colorado State are the most recognizable. Title IX I assume. You would have to add a money-losing female sport for a potentially money-losing male sport (maybe breakeven).

 

[Fodderwing]

You might want to follow the regular season a little more closely too. Iowa State doesn't have a baseball team.

It's a little surprising some other big athletic programs don't either. Wisconsin, SMU, Tulsa, Syracuse, Colorado, and Colorado State are the most recognizable. Title IX I assume. You would have to add a money-losing female sport for a potentially money-losing male sport (maybe breakeven).

WI has hockey and baseball season is over before it gets warm enough to play up there.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

You might want to follow the regular season a little more closely too.

Why?

I'll watch SEC baseball, and once in a blue moon ACC baseball, and then the college World Series.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

To the same guy who had something nice and complimentary to say about a former . The Defense rests.

Remember, I'm the weird in-law; I only married into this family