2022 Season

[eokerholm]

GT has 4 in the D1 Top 100!

 

[FredJacket]

Baseball Ranked No. 11 ahead of 2022 Season

Collegiate Baseball tabs Jackets second-highest team in ACC

ramblinwreck.com

Pre season rankings are starting to be published. Interesting... but everyone is really tied for 1st (or last) right now.

If I read the top 50 correctly...
Ga Tech's 11th slots 2nd in ACC behind Notre Dame (10th). 5 (of 7) Coastal teams in top 50.... in this order (all bunched in the 20s of the rankings) :
Miami
UVA
UNC
Duke
Pitt & VT (both outside top 50)

Collegiate Baseball Div. 1 Poll (12-20-21) - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

baseballnews.com

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Baseball Ranked No. 11 ahead of 2022 Season

Collegiate Baseball tabs Jackets second-highest team in ACC

ramblinwreck.com

Pre season rankings are starting to be published. Interesting... but everyone is really tied for 1st (or last) right now.

If I read the top 50 correctly...
Ga Tech's 11th slots 2nd in ACC behind Notre Dame (10th). 5 (of 7) Coastal teams in top 50.... in this order (all bunched in the 20s of the rankings) :
Miami
UVA
UNC
Duke
Pitt & VT (both outside top 50)

Collegiate Baseball Div. 1 Poll (12-20-21) - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

baseballnews.com

Yup, Texas deserves to be #1 pre-season based on small ball. Why they were 50-17 last year. What works in college is different than MLB. {:shameless troll}

No one really has an idea of how things are going to shake out. Like most years, outside the top couple likely to make CWS, it could be anyone's year out of the top 40. One of the things that makes the season so much fun.

 

[eokerholm]

Texas also had 51 on their roster with over 29 pitchers going into Fall... (we have a friend on their team).....

 

[eokerholm]

WTG Kevin!

 

[CINCYMETJACKET]

Baseball Ranked No. 11 ahead of 2022 Season

Collegiate Baseball tabs Jackets second-highest team in ACC

ramblinwreck.com

Pre season rankings are starting to be published. Interesting... but everyone is really tied for 1st (or last) right now.

If I read the top 50 correctly...
Ga Tech's 11th slots 2nd in ACC behind Notre Dame (10th). 5 (of 7) Coastal teams in top 50.... in this order (all bunched in the 20s of the rankings) :
Miami
UVA
UNC
Duke
Pitt & VT (both outside top 50)

Collegiate Baseball Div. 1 Poll (12-20-21) - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

baseballnews.com

Agreed Fred. We've been ranked so many times in my history following the program and not lived up to that, and vice-versa. So, just waiting until February to see what we can do!

 

[CINCYMETJACKET]

Yup, Texas deserves to be #1 pre-season based on small ball. Why they were 50-17 last year. What works in college is different than MLB. {:shameless troll}
View attachment 11840

No one really has an idea of how things are going to shake out. Like most years, outside the top couple likely to make CWS, it could be anyone's year out of the top 40. One of the things that makes the season so much fun.

Did you just note that "small ball" and sacrifice bunts were a way to score runs??? Don't let too many on this board hear you say that. Let 'em bash! (or strike out...)

 

[FredJacket]

WTG Kevin!

Listening to latest D1 Baseball podcast... the panel was discussing the top end catchers in college baseball. They mentioned Parada gets much of the publicity... but his defensive skills need work (relatively speaking). I tend to agree. Looking forward to seeing progress on that part of his game in 2022. [Yes... I'm picking nits. He's an awesome talent]

 

[FittedJacket]

 

[MWBATL]

The really nice thing about college baseball is the competitive nature of the sport...os many college teams could in it all each year....not like that "other" sport....

 

[GTNavyNuke]

The really nice thing about college baseball is the competitive nature of the sport...os many college teams could in it all each year....not like that "other" sport....

Especially this year and next with so many 5th year players and transfers to fill in holes. This year teams have 40 to figure out those on the field. Next year lots of transfers as the elite teams (and all others) will most likely have to get to 35.

Really going to be an interesting season.

 

[eokerholm]

Especially this year and next with so many 5th year players and transfers to fill in holes. This year teams have 40 to figure out those on the field. Next year lots of transfers as the elite teams (and all others) will most likely have to get to 35.

Really going to be an interesting season.

I think if the NCAA ballooned the teams to 40+ for Covid Reason/Season, they should remain at 40 until the "Covid Clog" goes away to be fair to all the classes.
Otherwise the 21, 22 and 23 classes get screwed...as one can only hope the clog takes care of itself by Spring 24 season.... going to 35 next year seems premature and screws the 21s and 22s. Nobody seems to think of the classes AFTER covid.

They also better leave the "outdoor sport" seasons alone as the open football stadiums had no restrictions. BS if they impose them on Baseball.
Open up the stands!!!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Happy 2022! Let's hope for a great season.

I think Omicron will be burned through the population by mid-Feb opening pitch. No restrictions on games (I hope).

Next big things ....

• American Baseball Coaches of America (ABCA) meets in Feb to decide what roster limits and scholarships should be after this season (2022-2023).
• MLB lock out should resolve in February (ish) and we'll find out about the size of this summer's draft.
• Opening day Friday Feb 18th at 4PM. We'll find out the 40 person roster by then. See if there are any starting surprises by then. The first month should have roster tinkering to adjust for in-field defense and hitting.
• What else in the nest two months?

 

[FittedJacket]

 

[FredJacket]

So... if I understand correctly the expectations are very VERY high. That's too bad. I was hoping for victory over mediocrity.

Oh well... The joy bar is set. I can only control what I can control.

 

[eokerholm]

2nd team preseason AA for KP!

Parada Earns Preseason All-America Honor

Sophomore catcher earns second selection of preseason

ramblinwreck.com

 

[GTNavyNuke]

2nd team preseason AA for KP!

Parada Earns Preseason All-America Honor

Sophomore catcher earns second selection of preseason

ramblinwreck.com

I think Parada will be drafted very high since he hits so well. There was a recent D1 Baseball podcast where they talked about the best draft eligible catchers and for Parada they said he can hit but isn't as strong defensively as some other elite catchers and discussed the other guys.

When you look at the rankings rationale, it's based on hitting. He needs work on the defensive end. Last year he had a fielding % of .983. He didn't throw out a lot of guys as I recall, but I don't have the stats. Joey Bart was fielding % .988 in 2017 and .992 in 2018 and very hard to steal on.

All that said, he's a damn good catcher and hopefully will improve defensively like Joey did. He has talked about working on that aspect of his game. Any criticism I may have is like saying he should be a low 5 star DT rather than a high 5 star DT. Lucky to have either. But we need to improve on D as a team this year to go deeper in the NCAAs.

 

[FredJacket]

I think Parada will be drafted very high since he hits so well. There was a recent D1 Baseball podcast where they talked about the best draft eligible catchers and for Parada they said he can hit but isn't as strong defensively as some other elite catchers and discussed the other guys.

When you look at the rankings rationale, it's based on hitting. He needs work on the defensive end. Last year he had a fielding % of .983. He didn't throw out a lot of guys as I recall, but I don't have the stats. Joey Bart was fielding % .988 in 2017 and .992 in 2018 and very hard to steal on.

All that said, he's a damn good catcher and hopefully will improve defensively like Joey did. He has talked about working on that aspect of his game. Any criticism I may have is like saying he should be a low 5 star DT rather than a high 5 star DT. Lucky to have either. But we need to improve on D as a team this year to go deeper in the NCAAs.

Another thing scouts liked about Bart... he called pitches. Extremely rare in college game for catcher to be handed that responsibility. Not sure when he was given that responsibility but I don't think he was doing it as a sophomore.

Also.... Parada is here under very different [pitching coach] circumstances. Better circumstances.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Another thing scouts liked about Bart... he called pitches. Extremely rare in college game for catcher to be handed that responsibility. Not sure when he was given that responsibility but I don't think he was doing it as a sophomore.

Also.... Parada is here under very different [pitching coach] circumstances. Better circumstances.

Of course, recognize that I am comparing Parada to one of the top three catchers in GT history. To date Wieters #1, then Bart / Nickeas. I think Bart was said to be the only catcher ever under Hall to have called pitches. As much as I grumble about not advancing in the NCAAs in the last decade, every one ever drafted was under Hall.

History isn't done but here's what's written so far for GT catchers who have been drafted:

 

[augustabuzz]

IIRC, Varitek also called the game while at Tech.