Hogs This Weekend.......

[ThreeHogNight]

............but will the weather hold up for the three game series?

The Hogs have been playing some great baseball lately. Back to SEC Series sweeps (MSU and UT) at home with a good mix of quality pitching, fantastic hitting, and adequate defense. Offense has scored 130 runs over the last 11 games, and two Freshmen Pitchers have performed quite well as the second and third starters.

I have been hoping that the Cats could bust out of their season funk and win a bunch of baseball games, but please don't start this weekend!

 

[Comebakatz3]

but please don't start this weekend!

I don't think you need to worry about that one.

Cats probably have a chance of winning the Saturday game with Thompson pitching. Other than that... Arky hitters will rake and there is no way that our hitters will score anywhere near enough.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

It's baseball, you never know.

The Hogs don't seem to have too many weaknesses at the plate, but if you have a bunch of Left Handed Pitchers, I definitely would take my chances with them.

 

[sluggercatfan]

............but will the weather hold up for the three game series?

The Hogs have been playing some great baseball lately. Back to SEC Series sweeps (MSU and UT) at home with a good mix of quality pitching, fantastic hitting, and adequate defense. Offense has scored 130 runs over the last 11 games, and two Freshmen Pitchers have performed quite well as the second and third starters.

I have been hoping that the Cats could bust out of their season funk and win a bunch of baseball games, but please don't start this weekend!

Trust me we are NO threat to you guys unless ZT pitches a game like at Fla which he's perfectly capable of...the rest of the guys you should pound. Very sad, but very true.

 

[Comebakatz3]

It's baseball, you never know.

The Hogs don't seem to have too many weaknesses at the plate, but if you have a bunch of Left Handed Pitchers, I definitely would take my chances with them.

Thompson is a lefty and is likely a top 10 or 15 draft pick this year. So, he will be tough for anyone. After that, Hazelwood is a lefty that is likely to pitch on Sunday, but he has been shaky at best. He has a 3/4 arm slot and a bit of a funky delivery and is pretty fastball/slider heavy. If he doesn't locate the fastball, as he hasn't lately, then he gets hit hard.

Friday will be Ramsey. 6'9 righty with a mean glare and a tendency to leave pitches middle/middle. Can be hard to hit, but makes a handful of mistakes each game and almost always pays for them.

We basically have no bullpen of substance. Starters other than Thompson aren't great and they give way to a bullpen that is worse. Some blame it on youth while others say it is talent. I just know it is depressing.

Cole Daniel is a lefty you might see a couple times, but he only comes in for one out or so and then he gets taken out. He has never thrown more than 1 inning. He is not a closer. He is like UK's trouble club.

You will see Harper, Coleman, Ayers, and Lockhart a lot. None of them have been particularly impressive. Harper, Coleman, and Lockhart all have an ERA above 5 in SEC play. Ayers is hovering around 3 and only has given up 2 earned, but 6 total.

Cottongame is the other lefty you'll see. He is all right.

 

[Comebakatz3]

The Hawgs raked against UT pitching... it is scary to think what they will do against ours. Our defense is also a major issue. Dead last in the league by a wide margin, 7 points lower than the next team. 58 errors on the year.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

Some blame it on youth while others say it is talent.

That's interesting, because this Arkansas Team was supposed to be in a "rebuilding year" due to the loss of so much talent from last season, and being very young with only two seniors. The two mentioned Freshmen Pitchers have come along very nicely, and the hitters have been very selective at the plate and really hitting the ball well.

Thanks for the great breakdown Katz!

 

[ThreeHogNight]

The Hawgs raked against UT pitching... it is scary to think what they will do against ours.

It has been a very surprising last two weekends in Fayetteville.

Mississippi State rolls into town with one of the best offenses in college baseball, and were completely shut down by Hog pitching.

Tennessee rolls into town with one of the best pitching staffs in college baseball, and the Hogs completely light them up.

That's baseball.

 

[sluggercatfan]

The Hawgs raked against UT pitching... it is scary to think what they will do against ours. Our defense is also a major issue. Dead last in the league by a wide margin, 7 points lower than the next team. 58 errors on the year.

#14 defense..#13 era..#13 BA...we are pretty bad.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

#14 defense..#13 era..#13 BA...we are pretty bad.

Ouch......those are some really tough numbers. The Hogs are probably a better team across the board on paper and when it comes to statistics, but you are at home and anything can happen. I am just hoping that you don't catch fire this weekend!

 

[sluggercatfan]

That's interesting, because this Arkansas Team was supposed to be in a "rebuilding year" due to the loss of so much talent from last season, and being very young with only two seniors. The two mentioned Freshmen Pitchers have come along very nicely, and the hitters have been very selective at the plate and really hitting the ball well.

Thanks for the great breakdown Katz!

It's all about talent and the lack thereof combined with very subpar coaching.

 

[Comebakatz3]

That's interesting, because this Arkansas Team was supposed to be in a "rebuilding year" due to the loss of so much talent from last season, and being very young with only two seniors. The two mentioned Freshmen Pitchers have come along very nicely, and the hitters have been very selective at the plate and really hitting the ball well.

Thanks for the great breakdown Katz!

You may or may not know this, but we lost 13 guys to the draft off of last year’s team. So, we knew that this could be a tough year, but I don’t think anyone expected it to be like this. In the field we basically returned one guy who started a year ago, and we have used a good chunk of JUCO talent to replace what we lost. However, it hasn’t clicked for a good number of them and many of them are struggling both at the plate and on defense. On the mound, we lost two of our three weekend starters and really no one emerged from last year as a clear cut SEC quality starter to fill those two roles. We loaded up on freshmen arms for this year with a whopping 12 guys. Despite the numbers, and adding to the frustration, none of them are emerging as SEC quality, especially as potential starters. So, a big chunk of our doom and gloom (IMO) is that the future doesn’t look bright. Unlike Arkansas, who has had two freshmen pitchers emerge, UK has had none, and they will lose the one quality starter on their roster, Thompson. That I know of, we have a couple of really good JUCO arms that are signed for next year, but I highly doubt either of them make it to campus. Former Razorback Jackson Rutledge headlines that, but he is a projected first rounder. The other is Lucas Knowles, and is also likely a top draft pick. So, help may not be on the way.

 

[Comebakatz3]

Ouch......those are some really tough numbers. The Hogs are probably a better team across the board on paper and when it comes to statistics, but you are at home and anything can happen. I am just hoping that you don't catch fire this weekend!

One could argue that we play better on the road. haha. We technically haven’t won a game at home since March 29th.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

You may or may not know this, but we lost 13 guys to the draft off of last year’s team. So, we knew that this could be a tough year, but I don’t think anyone expected it to be like this.

I knew that you lost a bunch, but I wasn't aware that it was that many. With the option of top recruits not showing up, development of those that do is of absolute importance.

We have actually lost a couple of mid-week games this season due to Van Horn choosing to play and pitch young talent. In fact, I am almost certain that I heard the other day that Arkansas has used a total of 12 freshmen pitchers this season.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I knew that you lost a bunch, but I wasn't aware that it was that many. With the option of top recruits not showing up, development of those that do is of absolute importance.

We have actually lost a couple of mid-week games this season due to Van Horn choosing to play and pitch young talent. In fact, I am almost certain that I heard the other day that Arkansas has used a total of 12 freshmen pitchers this season.

Yea, we had the most draft picks in the draft last year, maybe one other team was tied with us. That kind of adds to the frustration of this year. We didn’t make the NCAA tournament a year ago despite returning a ton of talent, and we lost all that talent and are way worse and it doesn’t look better going forward. Our situation with pitchers is a bit unique because last year we had our top 3 pitching prospects injured. All three had TJ surgery the spring or summer prior to coming to UK and spent 2018 redshirting. Two of those three have left the team, and the third plays only sparingly. So, that was a roll of the dice that the UK staff took and it seems to have backfired. So, I don’t know how much of a pass they get for that failing them, but it appears like it could hurt them for a long time. Roster turnover is pretty high and player development, especially with pitchers, is suspect. UK should, at the very least, be looking for a new pitching coach at season’s end.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

Weather may not cooperate for a regular series. Hoping for the best, but it may end up being a full game Friday, and a Sunday Doubleheader.

Lexington, KY Weekend Weather
FRI
MAY 3
76°60
Scattered Thunderstorms
50%

SAT
MAY 4
69°54°
Rain
100%

SUN
MAY 5
70°51°
AM Clouds/PM Sun
20%

 

[sluggercatfan]

Weather may not cooperate for a regular series. Hoping for the best, but it may end up being a full game Friday, and a Sunday Doubleheader.

Lexington, KY Weekend Weather
FRI
MAY 3
76°60
Scattered Thunderstorms
50%

SAT
MAY 4
69°54°
Rain
100%

SUN
MAY 5
70°51°
AM Clouds/PM Sun
20%

Better watch out....we are pretty dangerous on the 7 inning games

 

[ThreeHogNight]

I am fully aware.........and I don't want any part of it!

 

[MAYHOO22]

Maybe we could play a game or two of....first one scores wins!!

 

[ThreeHogNight]

Maybe we could play a game or two of....first one scores wins!!

No thanks, I don't like those odds either!

I see this as a very dangerous weekend for the Razorbacks. Statistically, we should comfortably win the series or even sweep, but it's baseball and you never know. We are coming off of two big weekend sweeps at home, have a chance to solidify our lead in the SEC West and an overall National Seed, but will there be a letdown?

 

[Comebakatz3]

Maybe we could play a game or two of....first one scores wins!!

They get to hit first... that might not bode well for us... lol

 

[MAYHOO22]

They get to hit first... that might not bode well for us... lol

You have a point there! LOL. If any game goes beyond the 6th, we are screwed anyway unless ZT is pitching.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

They get to hit first... that might not bode well for us... lol

Now that is funny, you guys are cracking me up!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Now that is funny, you guys are cracking me up!

We laugh to keep from crying.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

We laugh to keep from crying.

I have felt your pain often lately in Football and Basketball, but as far as Baseball, Van Horn has the Razorback program rolling! You all know more about your program than me, but from my viewpoint, it may be time for Kentucky to make a coaching change.

 

[Comebakatz3]

I have felt your pain often lately in Football and Basketball, but as far as Baseball, Van Horn has the Razorback program rolling! You all know more about your program than me, but from my viewpoint, it may be time for Kentucky to make a coaching change.

Well, his first season (2017) Mingione took us to a super regional, which was something UK baseball has never done before. So, he can ride that for a while. I imagine that he will fire Belanger, the pitching coach after the season though. So, maybe that will make some difference.

 

[sluggercatfan]

No thanks, I don't like those odds either!

I see this as a very dangerous weekend for the Razorbacks. Statistically, we should comfortably win the series or even sweep, but it's baseball and you never know. We are coming off of two big weekend sweeps at home, have a chance to solidify our lead in the SEC West and an overall National Seed, but will there be a letdown?

You are being much too kind!! We might give youall a good game if ZT can get to the 8th, but other than that it will be a massacre the way youall hit the ball. Have a little mercy on us.

 

[sluggercatfan]

I have felt your pain often lately in Football and Basketball, but as far as Baseball, Van Horn has the Razorback program rolling! You all know more about your program than me, but from my viewpoint, it may be time for Kentucky to make a coaching change.

We are with you, but don't get a say in the matter...looks like the 1st year was fool's gold.

 

[ThreeHogNight]

You are being much too kind!! We might give youall a good game if ZT can get to the 8th, but other than that it will be a massacre the way youall hit the ball. Have a little mercy on us.

Thanks. Obviously, I would prefer a sweep, but would also be okay with two out of three. Anything other than that could be an RPI killer, and make it much more difficult for us to win the west and secure a Top 8 seed.