What if this is a good as it gets?

[senoiajacket]

After a month to reflect back on what was overall an enjoyable season, the disturbing thought that is the title of this thread came into my head. Realizing that this year’s achievement was a recent high water mark and the draft empties the pitching cupboard, it’s a real possibility. With that said, what (if anything) gives you the most hope that we have turned some sort of mystical corner and GT baseball is on its way “back”. For me, I am hanging my hope on two thin threads of hope: the “new” attitude the team had this year where it seemed they “expected” to win vs hoping to win and two new assistant coaches (one of which we haven’t even hired yet). Pretty thin, huh?

This question is as much about your philosophical “view” of things as anything else I guess. My philosophical view has been warped by 50+ years of watching GT athletics.

 

[gtrower]

We have another Top 10 class coming in next year. We still have a ton of good players on the roster. We’re still sitting in the middle of one of the most talent-rich areas of the country. We still have one of the best sales pitches for a HS baseball player.

So no. Failing to advance out of a home regional is not as good as it gets.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

After a month to reflect back on what was overall an enjoyable season, the disturbing thought that is the title of this thread came into my head. Realizing that this year’s achievement was a recent high water mark and the draft empties the pitching cupboard, it’s a real possibility. With that said, what (if anything) gives you the most hope that we have turned some sort of mystical corner and GT baseball is on its way “back”. For me, I am hanging my hope on two thin threads of hope: the “new” attitude the team had this year where it seemed they “expected” to win vs hoping to win and two new assistant coaches (one of which we haven’t even hired yet). Pretty thin, huh?

This question is as much about your philosophical “view” of things as anything else I guess. My philosophical view has been warped by 50+ years of watching GT athletics.

What if we only end up as a top 10 team and get the #3 seed in the country nationally in the post season? I'd take that any year. Baseball is a crazy sport - just look at how half the #1 seeds ended up in the losers bracket in the post season.

 

[senoiajacket]

What if we only end up as a top 10 team and get the #3 seed in the country nationally in the post season? I'd take that any year. Baseball is a crazy sport - just look at how half the #1 seeds ended up in the losers bracket in the post season.

........ I guess the title was a bit misleading. The real question is in the post. What gives you confidence that GT baseball can sustain (some semblance) of this years performance in the upcoming seasons.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

........ I guess the title was a bit misleading. The real question is in the post. What gives you confidence that GT baseball can sustain (some semblance) of this years performance in the upcoming seasons.

The fact that we just did it.

 

[65Jacket]

We still have a lot of returning talent, plus a lot of new talent.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

The fact that we just did it.

This is often what I find myself realizing when I see some new world record broken like in track or something else. I think like “how in the world is anybody going to ever break that?“. Well whoever just broke it is the one who just broke it, so who’s to say they can’t do it again but 0.1 seconds faster? We have a ton of people coming back and a ton of good new people joining in. And other teams deal with the same type of loss to the big leagues and so on.

 

[FredJacket]

This is often what I find myself realizing when I see some new world record broken like in track or something else. I think like “how in the world is anybody going to ever break that?“

222-0 says hello.

 

[senoiajacket]

The fact that we just did it.

Ok, i’ll Play along. So, what changed this year to give us the success that we haven’t had in the last ten (arbitrary number, but hopefully you get the point)? Your answer would Lewis me to believe that that is the underlying “thing” that has changed and we can hang our hopes on. Don’t get me wrong, I will be thrilled if we have continued success. I guess I am just starting early in trying to establish expectations for next year. Need to be like some of y’all and just be able to enjoy the ride and take pleasure in the small victories as well as the big ones.

 

[Deleted member 2897]

Ok, i’ll Play along. So, what changed this year to give us the success that we haven’t had in the last ten (arbitrary number, but hopefully you get the point)? Your answer would Lewis me to believe that that is the underlying “thing” that has changed and we can hang our hopes on. Don’t get me wrong, I will be thrilled if we have continued success. I guess I am just starting early in trying to establish expectations for next year. Need to be like some of y’all and just be able to enjoy the ride and take pleasure in the small victories as well as the big ones.

I felt like Hall pulled pitchers quicker and Ramsey taught our hitters patience. Two things that may seem small but I actually think were big deals. And we did what we did with some huge players out injured.

 

[MWBATL]

No real answer...other than...I prefer to be an optimist.

Until the games start, then I am so worried about losing it overcomes everything....

 

[65Jacket]

I can't wait to get out to the stadium to watch them play again. I wish there was more news out about our baseball program, like who is our new pitching coach going to be.

 

[FredJacket]

Good thread...and frankly, a great question. Just about every year I "believe" the team will generally be taking a step back (the losses to draft and graduation are always significant). That "belief" is based on what is known. The seasons the team improves from previous year there are things I never knew or could have predicted. This past season it was those things already mentioned. CDH seemed to approach things differently (better) in significant ways. The hire of Coach Ramsey definitely seemed to make a difference. Also... our ACC schedule was pretty favorable this year (both opponents and home/away mix) resulting in a Coastal title and probably an elevated seeding in the NCAA tournament. Just my opinion...and that happens to teams. We took advantage.

As for 2020... the offense/defense should be stellar.
Up the middle: Waddell, 2 x Wilhite - OUTSTANDING
Outfield: Hall, Wilhite, Radcliff - OUTSTANDING
Corners: Webb? (he's back, right?) & TBD
Catching: TBD

Assuming we have decent talent to play 1B and catch... we're going to be just fine on offense and defense

PITCHING is the big question mark; and for me.... concerning simply because it is so unknown.

SCHEDULING will certainly be more difficult. There probably is no way the ACC schedule could be easier than 2019 AND we will get best of UGA with an early season weekend series against them. Do we travel to UCLA this season? Was there a home and home deal between the teams on that?

I'll optimistically stand with @bwelbo's logic... "because we just did it" is why we should feel good it can be repeated (or close).

The other thing to do is get @THWG to give his thoughts... he has a history of being correct about the talent coming into the program.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

If we knew the philosophical answer, it would be no as the enjoyment comes from the journey.

My answer to number of wins is maybe. Depends on pitching, especially pitching coach next year. I doubt we win as many games in the regular season next year while the team redefines itself.

We should easily make NCAAs. Then hope next year is different.

 

[senoiajacket]

If we knew the philosophical answer, it would be no as the enjoyment comes from the journey.

My answer to number of wins is maybe. Depends on pitching, especially pitching coach next year. I doubt we win as many games in the regular season next year while the team redefines itself.

We should easily make NCAAs. Then hope next year is different.

“Easily make the NCAAs”. I like the sound of that and would be quite satisfied if we achieve that!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

“Easily make the NCAAs”. I like the sound of that and would be quite satisfied if we achieve that!

"..should ...."

Given the players we have and the class coming in we have the power and defense. We need to develop pitching experience as the season goes on. That will mean not riding the same few pitchers excessively but rotating through when they hit a rough spot in a game. We have pitching talent coming in, just needs to be eased in a few innings at a time. I have no problem with staff days on weekends early in the season to figure out who is a gamer.

Any word on the new pitching coach?

 

[ScGold]

"..should ...."

Given the players we have and the class coming in we have the power and defense. We need to develop pitching experience as the season goes on. That will mean not riding the same few pitchers excessively but rotating through when they hit a rough spot in a game. We have pitching talent coming in, just needs to be eased in a few innings at a time. I have no problem with staff days on weekends early in the season to figure out who is a gamer.

Any word on the new pitching coach?

Weve been down this road a couple times and the end is always a big ball of fire. Danny Hall is out of juice. The quick answer is yes this I'd as good as it gets until a leadership change is made.

 

[THWG]

Good thread...and frankly, a great question. Just about every year I "believe" the team will generally be taking a step back (the losses to draft and graduation are always significant). That "belief" is based on what is known. The seasons the team improves from previous year there are things I never knew or could have predicted. This past season it was those things already mentioned. CDH seemed to approach things differently (better) in significant ways. The hire of Coach Ramsey definitely seemed to make a difference. Also... our ACC schedule was pretty favorable this year (both opponents and home/away mix) resulting in a Coastal title and probably an elevated seeding in the NCAA tournament. Just my opinion...and that happens to teams. We took advantage.

As for 2020... the offense/defense should be stellar.
Up the middle: Waddell, 2 x Wilhite - OUTSTANDING
Outfield: Hall, Wilhite, Radcliff - OUTSTANDING
Corners: Webb? (he's back, right?) & TBD
Catching: TBD

Assuming we have decent talent to play 1B and catch... we're going to be just fine on offense and defense

PITCHING is the big question mark; and for me.... concerning simply because it is so unknown.

SCHEDULING will certainly be more difficult. There probably is no way the ACC schedule could be easier than 2019 AND we will get best of UGA with an early season weekend series against them. Do we travel to UCLA this season? Was there a home and home deal between the teams on that?

I'll optimistically stand with @bwelbo's logic... "because we just did it" is why we should feel good it can be repeated (or close).

The other thing to do is get @THWG to give his thoughts... he has a history of being correct about the talent coming into the program.

I believe that we'll take somewhat of a step back next year, but not a significant one. I think that we'll be on the bubble for a hosting spot and win around 35 games. The offense is going to look completely different next year even though we have 7 starters returning. Radcliffe is going to really be the only power threat, but a few freshmen (Reid, Jenkins, Compton, and Holland) have real power potential and I would like to see all of them get playing time (mainly at DH). We have so much speed returning that I want to see us play like Louisville. It would be nice to see extremely aggressive baserunning. Our defense should also be near the top of the ACC if not the best.

Pitching is just a huge unknown right now. Roedig will be the ace, but after him there are a lot of questions. Will Hughes start? My guess is probably since he is starting in the Cape. Will Bartnicki start or be the main guy out of the pen? I think he should come out of the pen where his stuff can really play up and it seems like he is comfortable in that role. How will Archer pitch when he gets back? How will Brace, Chapman, and Barlow respond to a bigger role this year? I really love the potential of these three and I believe all of them will be very reliable pitchers whether it will be out of the pen or rotation is obviously to be seen. We also have a load of talented pitchers coming in, and it will be interesting to see who steps up. I really like Westbrooks, Finley, and Arnold, but you can never tell how freshmen will react to the change from high school to college.

Edit: I forgot about Maxwell coming in as well. I'm not expecting a ton out of him his freshman year since he has some documented control issues, but he is too talented to not have some kind of impact next year. I expect him to eventually develop into an ace though.