What goals would yall like to meet this season?

FredJacket

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Im ready for Beesball to start...
This is my indicator that spring is soon to sprung...

Lets get after it!!
Off top of my head...

Bullpen
-Record saves in 85% of their opportunities
-WHIP less than 1.1

Starting Pitching
-ERA less than 5.00
-K/BB 2.0 or better

Defense
-less than 1 error per game

Offense
-Average 7.5+ runs per game
-45+ stolen bases

Team
Win 20 of 30 ACC games
Win 18 of 25 non-conf games
Win Coastal division
Top 8 seed & actually host that super regional
 

GTRambler

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The starting pitching and bullpen both need to really improve this season, over that posted in previous years.

I believe the defense and offense will be good, as always. But … Pitching is the key to success in the Regionals and onward.

At this preseason point, I have too many questions about the team’s overall pitching staff to feel confident. The incoming freshman pitchers look promising, though. I hope at least a couple or three of them can excell in their rookie college seasons.
 

4shotB

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The starting pitching and bullpen both need to really improve this season, over that posted in previous years.

I believe the defense and offense will be good, as always. But … Pitching is the key to success in the Regionals and onward.

At this preseason point, I have too many questions about the team’s overall pitching staff to feel confident. The incoming freshman pitchers look promising, though. I hope at least a couple or three of them can excell in their rookie college seasons.

I don't follow baseball closely but isn't this the same complaint at the start of each year? For those of you with more knowledge on the topic, is there any reason to believe it will be different this spring...returning experience, players coming back from injury, transfer portal, incoming freshmen?
 

GTNavyNuke

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Win Omaha

fify

That's my hope. Advancing to a super regional is what I expect. Last year we had a 43 rpi due to poor pitching and defense so making the superregional would be a big step forward. Based on past performance, there are a lot of teams who have been better in the postseason than we have been. I won't get into the statistical basis for the postseason Charlie Brown syndrome but it's real.
 

GTNavyNuke

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I don't follow baseball closely but isn't this the same complaint at the start of each year? For those of you with more knowledge on the topic, is there any reason to believe it will be different this spring...returning experience, players coming back from injury, transfer portal, incoming freshmen?

Yes.

Defense has been poor but we have new players at the two top error generating positions from last year. As much as I loved Malloy, he was very erratic fielding. And Waddell had a poor fielding year. But they both got drafted, so what do I know. So I have hope we'll get up to top 50 fielding % but no objective quality evidence to support a change.

Pitching we have a lot more depth and quality of pitching. Mostly from the incoming class and our only pitcher drafted was Hurter. We got more from the portal than we lost but I'm not counting on them being superstars. I expect DBo will show his coaching talent this year with his players and more real time to develop them. That's from more personal contact with COVID winding down and better facilities are the reason for my hope and expectation.
 

FredJacket

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I don't follow baseball closely but isn't this the same complaint at the start of each year? For those of you with more knowledge on the topic, is there any reason to believe it will be different this spring...returning experience, players coming back from injury, transfer portal, incoming freshmen?
Great question. Yes... same as it ever was.

However, we grasp for anything "different"

Those things are some "investments" that should show more payoff this season...
- a pitching coach (Burrell) in only his 2nd FULL season... there is a hope the fruits of his recruiting & coaching will begin to show now
- pitching lab/technology in place for a couple of years now too

Show me/us... right?
 

eokerholm

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Returning stud players, check!
Highest PG ranked incoming pitching class of any year. (DBo's first "recruited" class). check! and Check!
Ridiculous-Stellar-Holy Cow Pitching Lab in full effect, benefits ALL. Double check!

The bull pen and mid-week games got a HUGE shot in the arm to help on the mound - more so than any of the past few years. A few injuries, and others recovering in the wings, but still the most "helpful/capable" freshman pitching class in recent past...backing up with improved experience, offense, add in base stealing with Simpson (it's ridiculous how fast he is), and the only question really is the defense going to be able to step it up and back it up.

I think Grissom, Cort, Smith, Aeden, Huff, and McNamee, Finley will all have stellar years. TONS of help behind them.
Hopefully, as Nuke mentioned, variety and experience up front for more of the horses in the stable, than the usual approach, will be off dividends = > 10 fold.....

Omaha seems extremely doable and within reach, again moreso than in previous years.

Then again I'm new as of 2+ years ago and don't have the history or cardiac conditions induced from years passed :)

Super excited about this season. Going to be a fun one!
 

4shotB

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Thanks for the responses. Now for my next question, I know in FB you can get immediate help from FR at the skill spots but rarely, if ever, on the LOS. Basketball a true FR can come in and take a team to a NC or be an ALL_American at any spot on the floor. In baseball, what is reasonable to expect from true FR? Does it vary by their poition as in FB? Thanks, I will hang up and listen. I enjoy the conversation...and y'alls patience with a "newbie".
 

eokerholm

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Yes, in BB the freshman can come and make an impact. Look at Parada & Grissom last year!!!
Look at Compton, Deleo, Reid, Jenkins, Anderson, Smith and Siegel and others their first year (both times :))

Campbell and Fry and Jett have the chops as freshman this year. Romano is a jack of all trades as well STUD utility!
Then you have arms like Aeden, Cody Carwile, Camron Hill, Logan, Okerholm, Clines and Daniels all with the chops at the highest national level with competitive and dominant experience.
  • Campbell, Okerholm, Logan, Daniels, Cody, all from top East Cobb Astros.
  • Aeden IMG and Hill from Team Elite.
  • Clines from FTB
National Powerhouse teams with elite experience and dominance. It's going to be some FUN baseball to watch this team gel, blossom, and dominate!! (#1 team was a fluke at Jupiter, the only reason they ended 2020 #1)
1642440543165.png

Let's go Jackets!!!
 

Home Park Jacket

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Thanks for the responses. Now for my next question, I know in FB you can get immediate help from FR at the skill spots but rarely, if ever, on the LOS. Basketball a true FR can come in and take a team to a NC or be an ALL_American at any spot on the floor. In baseball, what is reasonable to expect from true FR? Does it vary by their poition as in FB? Thanks, I will hang up and listen. I enjoy the conversation...and y'alls patience with a "newbie".
Definitely, similar to basketball with the impact. 3 of my favs if I remember correctly: Xzavion Curry became our Friday night ace as a FR, I think I remember Mark Pope was a Friday night ace as a FR, and Deck McGuire owned the cesspool in all 3 starts in his FR year.
 

4shotB

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Definitely, similar to basketball with the impact. 3 of my favs if I remember correctly: Xzavion Curry became our Friday night ace as a FR, I think I remember Mark Pope was a Friday night ace as a FR, and Deck McGuire owned the cesspool in all 3 starts in his FR year.
I suspected this to be the case tbh. Like basketball players, these guys get to play all year round as well as play against not just others in their HS region (like FB players are forced to do) but also against the best in the nation as Mr. Olkerholm said above due to AAU, club teams and similar organizations.
 

FredJacket

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I suspected this to be the case tbh. Like basketball players, these guys get to play all year round as well as play against not just others in their HS region (like FB players are forced to do) but also against the best in the nation as Mr. Olkerholm said above due to AAU, club teams and similar organizations.
Basketball & baseball are very different though... in a significant way as it relates to outcomes for a team. In basketball you have 5 guys on the court at a given time. You can play & "scheme" your stud player(s) to be a very significant part of the game flow. Baseball is quite the opposite... your VERY best player can only bat every ninth team at bat. Depending where he is on defense... he could barely be a factor there. Your ACE starting pitcher will participating as much as I do in 75% of the games. So... there are examples of great freshman players in baseball... but it takes a team of consistent strength up & down lineup to be elite. Weakness is exposed over time... & strength can be mitigated by quality opponents.
 

GTNavyNuke

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Definitely, similar to basketball with the impact. 3 of my favs if I remember correctly: Xzavion Curry became our Friday night ace as a FR, I think I remember Mark Pope was a Friday night ace as a FR, and Deck McGuire owned the cesspool in all 3 starts in his FR year.

X was our best pitcher as a Fr. He is probably the best pitcher we've had drafted in many years. But as a Fr had a 5.23 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. No way he starts on this team IMHO. I think very very few pitchers have a big impact (on elite teams) in their Fr year.

I think the biggest impact a FR can have is generally with his bat. My thought about impact on a team was that it largely depends on the team's needs. Getting another stud catcher in this year wouldn't help us much, but having a gold glove third baseman would.

Anyway, here's why my expected goal is to get to a Super Regional. Of course I'd like for us to get to Omaha but unlike Charlie Brown, I ain't expecting the football to be there to kick. We have a lot of talent, but most elite teams do too. I posted elsewhere how several of the CWS teams from last year considerably strengthened their rosters through transfers.

We've been a national seed 7 times since 1999. Went to Omaha once. Three of seven times we didn't even stinking win our own regional. About half the national seeds go on to the CWS. This is why I have the "Charlie Brown" syndrome and am setting my goals lower. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_Baseball_Championship

1642452006456.png
 

bensaysitathome

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Basketball & baseball are very different though... in a significant way as it relates to outcomes for a team. In basketball you have 5 guys on the court at a given time. You can play & "scheme" your stud player(s) to be a very significant part of the game flow. Baseball is quite the opposite... your VERY best player can only bat every ninth team at bat. Depending where he is on defense... he could barely be a factor there. Your ACE starting pitcher will participating as much as I do in 75% of the games. So... there are examples of great freshman players in baseball... but it takes a team of consistent strength up & down lineup to be elite. Weakness is exposed over time... & strength can be mitigated by quality opponents.
This sounds a lot like the AND and OR conversations about position groups on the football forum.

You're saying asketball is an OR sport, in that a single player can be a game changer. But baseball is more of an AND sport, where it's hard to be much better than your weakest link. Football, according to this theory, is more varied by position group.
 

slugboy

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This sounds a lot like the AND and OR conversations about position groups on the football forum.

You're saying asketball is an OR sport, in that a single player can be a game changer. But baseball is more of an AND sport, where it's hard to be much better than your weakest link. Football, according to this theory, is more varied by position group.
Well, people put up with a limited fielding range when you’ve got a slugging percentage near a thousand (Dillan Shrum of Nevada had a 0.968 slugging percentage this past season 😳)

Baseball is more "OR" on offense and "AND" on defense. Basketball is similar. Football doesn't make players play offense and defense, but basketball and baseball do. If you look at the Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young is an MVP on offense and a liability on defense, and the team is headed for a lottery pick unless things change this season.

When you're at the plate, it's time for INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT, but when you're in the field you're part of a TEAM.

Oh, I went all Capone on the thread...

GIF by FirstAndMonday
 

bensaysitathome

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Well, people put up with a limited fielding range when you’ve got a slugging percentage near a thousand (Dillan Shrum of Nevada had a 0.968 slugging percentage this past season 😳)

Baseball is more "OR" on offense and "AND" on defense. Basketball is similar. Football doesn't make players play offense and defense, but basketball and baseball do. If you look at the Atlanta Hawks, Trae Young is an MVP on offense and a liability on defense, and the team is headed for a lottery pick unless things change this season.

When you're at the plate, it's time for INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT, but when you're in the field you're part of a TEAM.

Oh, I went all Capone on the thread...

GIF by FirstAndMonday
Even then, like it was mentioned earlier, is only kind of true. Even an absolute slugger at the plate only bats one out of nine times.

I'd rather have 9 guys hitting .300 than 8 guys hitting .200 and one guy that gets on base 10 times out of 10. (these numbers were pulled out of my ***, but you get the point)
 
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