2019 Season Previews

GTNavyNuke

GTNavyNuke

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The D1 Baseball ACC Conference preview came out today:
".... This group of players lacks postseason experience and must prove it knows how to win, but this Tech roster has legitimate Omaha upside if it all clicks. ....."

They picked us fifth overall in the ACC which is pretty good. And third in Coastal behind UNC and Duke with a 14-16 in conference and 31-27 overall.

Some tidbits on pitching:
Starters
Friday/Saturday - Curry & Thomas
Sunday - English (not decided yet!) or Hurter or Willingham
Midweek - Willingham or Roedig
Relievers -
English / Hurter / Willingham / Roedig if not starting
Bartnicki
Hurter
Shirah
Archer
+all others

I guess I'd like English to relieve if he can play first otherwise. If relieving prevents English from playing at first, I'd like for him to start Sundays (and when done to play at first).

D1 notes we have questions at the corners and behind the plate. But I'm less worried about C and 1st if English is there. Serratos needs a great fielding year for us to go far. But D1 expects good things overall from SS (Austin) and 2B (Waddell).

Overall if we finish fifth, I'll be happy given the level of competition.
 
GTNavyNuke

GTNavyNuke

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GTNavyNuke said:
.......They picked us fifth overall in the ACC which is pretty good. And third in Coastal behind UNC and Duke with a 14-16 in conference and 31-27 overall. ........
Click to expand...

Ooops, that record seemed low to me. It is since it's last year's and not what they project.

And actually, they had us finishing 6th behind L'Ville, UNC, FSU, Wake and Clemson. I'll be surprised if Clemson does that well, I think it's more likely Duke or UVa finish ahead of us than Clemson. But we'll see........ again for the sake of repetition, there should be a lot of good teams in the ACC.
 
GTNavyNuke

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65Jacket said:
I was told by someone who was there that Jonathan Hughes pitched an inning in one of the scrimmages the other day.
Click to expand...

Thanks. It's just strange there is no mention of him at all. Pitchers with a lesser record were talked about. Looks like just an oversight. I posted this before but Jonathan had a good summer in summer ball. So hopefully he is an option for being an effective reliever! http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=197378
 
GTNavyNuke

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GTNavyNuke said:
....... And actually, they had us finishing 6th behind L'Ville, UNC, FSU, Wake and Clemson. I'll be surprised if Clemson does that well, I think it's more likely Duke or UVa finish ahead of us than Clemson. But we'll see........ again for the sake of repetition, there should be a lot of good teams in the ACC.
Click to expand...

Clemson just took a big hit losing their Friday night starting pitcher for the year:
 
GTNavyNuke

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Female Jacket said:
https://www.fromtherumbleseat.com/2...college-baseball-connor-thomas-luke-bartnicki
Article on our pitchers.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Seems when we have a CGSO we do pretty well. (I figured that one out by myself - tic.)

Let's see what happens with English. Until we can get someone who doesn't stop my breathing when there is a throw to first and it's not English, I want him there. English has the stamina to start so it may be better to use him there. I just want English on the field ALL the time.

One other pitcher thing I picked up on from D1 is about Luke Bartnicki. His birth date is 1/7/2000. So I think he will be draft eligible after only his Fr and So year (over 21 when draft commitment period ends). So he may be a two and done. Or take the English route and get many $M more by waiting a year.

We should still be thankful that no teams gave English a good enough offer during or after the draft last year to have him leave.

As far as the buzz about Roedig, let's see his control as we get into the season. If he has control of all those pitches, we have a great problem.

In fact, Hall **should** greatly change his management of pitchers and pull any pitcher who starts showing signs of problems. And not wait till they have given up 5 runs. Hall may have been so slow recently because he didn't think he had better options, but that excuse is completely gone now. As long as we make the CWS, I won't complain about pitcher management during the CWS. Till then, I won't complain if we win and also develop our pitchers for the postseason.
 
FredJacket

FredJacket

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GTNavyNuke said:
Thanks. Seems when we have a CGSO we do pretty well. (I figured that one out by myself - tic.)

Let's see what happens with English. Until we can get someone who doesn't stop my breathing when there is a throw to first and it's not English, I want him there. English has the stamina to start so it may be better to use him there. I just want English on the field ALL the time.

One other pitcher thing I picked up on from D1 is about Luke Bartnicki. His birth date is 1/7/2000. So I think he will be draft eligible after only his Fr and So year (over 21 when draft commitment period ends). So he may be a two and done. Or take the English route and get many $M more by waiting a year.

We should still be thankful that no teams gave English a good enough offer during or after the draft last year to have him leave.

As far as the buzz about Roedig, let's see his control as we get into the season. If he has control of all those pitches, we have a great problem.

In fact, Hall **should** greatly change his management of pitchers and pull any pitcher who starts showing signs of problems. And not wait till they have given up 5 runs. Hall may have been so slow recently because he didn't think he had better options, but that excuse is completely gone now. As long as we make the CWS, I won't complain about pitcher management during the CWS. Till then, I won't complain if we win and also develop our pitchers for the postseason.
Click to expand...
Don't go changin' Nuke. You crack me up. Won't complain about pitching management during CWS.... what if it sucks during the CWS? You're gonna have a problem. (y)
 
FredJacket

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Our ACC schedule in 2019 is markedly easier than 2018. Below are the Massey composite rankings based on several polls/ranking systems. The 3 Atlantic teams that do NOT play Tech in 2019 (FSU, NC State, WF) are ALL in top half of a strong ACC & top 50 nationally in this composite (i.e. projected to make post-season field).

Compared to last year… the 3 teams Tech did NOT play were BC, ND, & Louisville. Our 2018 ACC schedule was arguably the toughest in the conference last year… especially when you consider we traveled to Clemson, NC State, UNC, & UVA.

So… things going for us this year:
1) a better overall team;
2) more favorable ACC schedule based on opponent and home/away mix.
We managed a 14-16 conference record in 2018. My opinion…baring some devastating injuries [wood knocking sound] and/or some real surprise from those lower tier (projected) teams, Tech has to be expecting 17-20 ACC wins in 2019.

ACC teams’ Rankings (using Massey Composite)
#7 UNC
#9 Louisville
#11 FSU
#19 Clemson
#24 NC State
#30 Duke
#36 Georgia Tech
#47 Wake Forest
#57 Miami
#62 UVA
#128 Pittsburgh
#132 Va Tech
#136 Notre Dame
#145 Boston College

https://www.masseyratings.com/cbase/compare.htm
 
Female Jacket

Female Jacket

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Hopefully if the schedule is "easier" then our young freshman can get in on some action and learn to play ball with the big boys... this ain't high school ball after all. The freshman are used to being top guns, I bet. Let's hope GT can pull if off this year, or else "Off with her head." From Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts.
 
Female Jacket

Female Jacket

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Just read this:
"Connor Thomas continued to build on the end of his freshman season, which saw him pitch well after he regained his eligibility. He did not pitch over the summer, content to rest his fatigued arm and allow a slight knee issue to clear up. He gained a little weight and comes into the season with a well-rested arm.

This fall Thomas worked with pitching coach Jason Howell on developing a fourth pitch. He plans to make the curveball a part of his repertoire.

“I plan on throwing it more,” he said. “I worked on it all fall. I have lot of confidence in it.”

He has a lot of confidence in his teammates, too. The rotation is loaded with Curry, Tristin English, Brant Hurter, Amos Willingham and freshman Luke Bartnicki.

“We’re really deep,” Thomas said. “We had pitching last year, but not nearly as much as we have this year. It’s doubled, if not quadrupled. It’s really deep. “
 
GTNavyNuke

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D1 Baseball has 7 GT players in top 350 for the 2019 draft. GT is tied second overall - Vanderbilt has 9 and L'ville and GT have 7.
62 - English
93 - Curry
132 - Murray
143 - McCann
153 - Thomas
232 - Austin Wilhite
250 - Willingham

No more f'ing excuses. After today's football signing day, I'd be happy with 5% of that buzz in baseball. Damn, I'd even settle for 2% or 1% 0r .5%. Collins recruiting message is even truer for baseball. Time for a change......... but that's another post.
 
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