It is even cold here in SC. I am ready for baseball....hopefully good baseball.
Is it baseball season yet?
- Thread starter MAYHOO22
- Start date
This year it will be sandwiched between a 9th title in basketball and an appearance in Atlanta by football. Glorious time!
Will depend on who is healthy, but I am going to guess:
C: Rubalcaba
1B: Plastiak
2B: Pitre - Harris may not be 100 percent and they might give him time to recover.
3B: Estep
SS: Ritter
RF: Liebert - Fogel would go here normally, IMO, but he's also banged up, so Liebert may go early.
CF: Thrasher
LF: Jump
DH: Anu
I think Pitre could essentially permanently win the position from Harris if he does well enough early on. I think Fogel probably steps back into the OF regardless and Liebert will be more of a backup, unless he just absolutely tears it up.
My huge crazy guess on how they hit is this:
1. Thrasher
2. Jump
3. Ritter
4: Anu
5. Plastiak
6. Estep
7. Liebert
8. Rubalcaba
9. Pitre
Of this I am only comfortable with saying that Pitre probably hits 9th and Thrasher probably hits first. Outside of that, I could see it being a bunch of possibilities.
Pitching wise...
Friday: Stupp
Saturday: Cotto
Sunday: Bosma
That's my guess. Obviously, Lee is a possibility there and if someone else struggles, they may plug him in, but I think this is how they go to start. I think they are most comfortable with Stupp and Cotto. Early on is usually when you have a couple weeks with Tuesday and Wednesday games. In those weeks, I think you see Lee and Hagenow pitch. Not sure who takes it over full time, but I'm guessing Lee gets that nod.
I think one interesting thing to watch on this team is how much power they might end up having. We return Ritter, Anu, Plastiak, and Estep that played pretty decent innings last year. They hit 15 combined home runs a year ago. Collett led the team and hit 16 on his own a year ago. So, will those power numbers go up? I don't think I'd classify anyone we brought in as being a big time power guy. Fogel is the one with the most alleged power and he had 4 home runs a year ago. That being said, due to Hawaii's windy conditions, the ballpark there is hard to hit it out of. Most of the 3 home runs he had were on the road, but it's still only 4. That being said, he hit 17 doubles. So, how many of those doubles might be home runs in KPP?
We return just 24 extra base hits that aren't home runs. So, how many more can be produced versus how many will the newcomers bring?
Also, for fun... here is how the newcomers fared against the best opponents they faced (looking at top 100 RPI)
Adam Fogel:
Arizona State (RPI 40): 2-13 (.154)
Long Beach State (RPI 89): 2-16 (.125) - 1 RBI
UC Irvine (RPI 24): 3-15 (.200) - 1 HR, RBI
UC Santa Barbara (RPI 48): 5-14 (.357) - 2 RBI
Total: 12-58 (.207) with 1 HR and 4 RBIs in 15 total games.
John Thrasher:
Stony Brook (RPI 89): 2-10 (.200), 1 HR, 2 SB
The only other team closed to RPI top 100 was 108 and he did not hit well against them, but it was the beginning of the season when he seemed to be struggling a bit more. Small sample size.
Hunter Jump:
Nevada (RPI 43): 6-10 (.600), 2 2B, 3RBI
UNLV (RPI 54): 1-3 (.333)
Oregon (RPI 17): 3-12 (.250), 2B, RBI
Washington State (RPI 85): 3-7 (.429) 2B, 3RBI
Arizona (RPI 8): 4-12 (.333) 2 RB, 2RBI
Stanford (RPI 7): 2-12 (.167), 2B, 2RBI
Grand Canyon (RPI 95: 3-9 (.333), 3RBI
Rhode Island (RPI 75): 2-12 (.167), 3RBI
California (RPI 87): 3-11 (.272), RBI
Oregon State (RPI 18): 3-13 (.230), 2 2B, RBI
UCLA (RPI 23): 3-11 (.272), 2B, 2RBI
Fairfield (RPI 9): 5-10 (.667), 2B, RBI
Texas (RPI 4): 0-4 (.000)
Total: 41-126 (.325), 11 2B, 22RBI
Daniel Harris:
Georgia Tech (RPI 41): 2-13 (.154), 2B, 2RBI
Louisville (RPI 70): 2-8 (.250), HR, 2RBI
Kentucky (RPI 66): 1-8 (.125)
Tennessee (RPI 6): 2-6 (.333),
Vanderbilt (RPI 3): 1-5 (.200) 2B, RBI
Southeast Missouri (RPI 86): 4-13 (.307). 2 2B, 3 RBI
North Dakota State (RPI 90): 3-12 (.250), 2 2B, RBI
Total: 15-65 (.231), 6 2B, HR, 9RBI
So, of the main guys that we got that will come in and hit for us, they hit a combined:
70-259 (.270). That number is propped up a whole lot by Hunter Jump's .325. The other three are hitting a combined .218. I will also note, for instance, that Harris didn't face the best pitchers that Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt had to offer as those were midweek games.
I don't think this tells you much of anything on how they will do this year, but it is interesting to look at it in this way.
We return just 24 extra base hits that aren't home runs. So, how many more can be produced versus how many will the newcomers bring?
Also, for fun... here is how the newcomers fared against the best opponents they faced (looking at top 100 RPI)
Adam Fogel:
Arizona State (RPI 40): 2-13 (.154)
Long Beach State (RPI 89): 2-16 (.125) - 1 RBI
UC Irvine (RPI 24): 3-15 (.200) - 1 HR, RBI
UC Santa Barbara (RPI 48): 5-14 (.357) - 2 RBI
Total: 12-58 (.207) with 1 HR and 4 RBIs in 15 total games.
John Thrasher:
Stony Brook (RPI 89): 2-10 (.200), 1 HR, 2 SB
The only other team closed to RPI top 100 was 108 and he did not hit well against them, but it was the beginning of the season when he seemed to be struggling a bit more. Small sample size.
Hunter Jump:
Nevada (RPI 43): 6-10 (.600), 2 2B, 3RBI
UNLV (RPI 54): 1-3 (.333)
Oregon (RPI 17): 3-12 (.250), 2B, RBI
Washington State (RPI 85): 3-7 (.429) 2B, 3RBI
Arizona (RPI 8): 4-12 (.333) 2 RB, 2RBI
Stanford (RPI 7): 2-12 (.167), 2B, 2RBI
Grand Canyon (RPI 95: 3-9 (.333), 3RBI
Rhode Island (RPI 75): 2-12 (.167), 3RBI
California (RPI 87): 3-11 (.272), RBI
Oregon State (RPI 18): 3-13 (.230), 2 2B, RBI
UCLA (RPI 23): 3-11 (.272), 2B, 2RBI
Fairfield (RPI 9): 5-10 (.667), 2B, RBI
Texas (RPI 4): 0-4 (.000)
Total: 41-126 (.325), 11 2B, 22RBI
Daniel Harris:
Georgia Tech (RPI 41): 2-13 (.154), 2B, 2RBI
Louisville (RPI 70): 2-8 (.250), HR, 2RBI
Kentucky (RPI 66): 1-8 (.125)
Tennessee (RPI 6): 2-6 (.333),
Vanderbilt (RPI 3): 1-5 (.200) 2B, RBI
Southeast Missouri (RPI 86): 4-13 (.307). 2 2B, 3 RBI
North Dakota State (RPI 90): 3-12 (.250), 2 2B, RBI
Total: 15-65 (.231), 6 2B, HR, 9RBI
So, of the main guys that we got that will come in and hit for us, they hit a combined:
70-259 (.270). That number is propped up a whole lot by Hunter Jump's .325. The other three are hitting a combined .218. I will also note, for instance, that Harris didn't face the best pitchers that Kentucky, Louisville, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt had to offer as those were midweek games.
I don't think this tells you much of anything on how they will do this year, but it is interesting to look at it in this way.
My guess is:
Defensive lineup
C: Rubalcaba
1B: Plastiak
2B: Harris - He's good to go
3B: Estep
SS: Ritter
RF: Fogel - good to go.
CF: Thrasher
LF: Jump
DH: Anu
I think if they want more offense they could put Church at 3B and Estep at 2B. Sacrifice some defense for better offense.
Batting Order:
1. Ritter
2. Jump
3. Estep
4. Plastiak
5. Anu
6. Fogel
7. Harris
8. Rubalcaba
9. Thrasher
Weekend Rotation:
Friday: Stupp
Saturday: Bosma
Sunday: Cotto
I'm hoping this is how they lineup. Cotto throws harder than Bosma so I'd rather have the harder thrower 2nd rather than the other way around. I'd also rather have a guy with Bosma's experience to pitch on Saturday rather than an unproven (highly talented but unproven) Cotto on Saturday.
However it works out, I'm ready for it to start already!!
Thrasher struggling at the plate?
I'm still stuck in Henderson's mindset. Hendo often liked the Saturday guy to be the inexperienced one. Which makes some sense if you win the first. Kind of makes the weekend more difficult if you lose the first though.
I’ve been away dealing with Covid and the flu and I’ve missed the issue with Harris? What type of injury does he have?
Not sure tbh. Cockycat may know. First I heard of it was at media day and it was discussed more like it was common knowledge rather than being news. Same thing with Fogel, but seems like both may be ready to go by opening day. I think they both progressed more quickly than initially believed.
Hope you're feeling better. I had a stomach bug type thing last weekend that kept me on the couch for 3 days.
Harris and Vogel were both banged up in the fall but are okay now. Harris being banged up is why we saw Pitre play more the fall I think. I think he is the shortstop of the future but is down the depth chart when everyone is healthy I think.
Thats interesting as we will be relying on these guys a whole lot.
With our new found speed we could be playing alot of small ball so we will need guys who hit for average. Hopefully we get that.
Talked to a parent of a newcomer yesterday (son is a pitcher), not surprising he thinks pitching will be improved, but said the hitting and offense may be a problem.
I am looking forward to the season though, don't follow basketball so baseball is my no. 2 UK sport.
I have not checked my account, anyone know how they handle electronic tickets season ticket holders? Just one at a time, like they do for football? That would be cumbersome.
I am looking forward to the season though, don't follow basketball so baseball is my no. 2 UK sport.
I have not checked my account, anyone know how they handle electronic tickets season ticket holders? Just one at a time, like they do for football? That would be cumbersome.
It didn't sound like Mingione was going to be using speed as the catalyst to the offense. I believe he mentioned that last year's team had speed and he thinks they utilized that because they led the nation in stolen base percentage last year (50 steals or more). Says this year they will be a group of guys that grind out quality at bats and do a good job with the strike zone, and have the 'pure hit tool.'
Not really sure what to take from that. I just think it is interesting that he mentions speed and mentions a stolen base percentage state and then mentions this year they can steal, but won’t do it as much, but will be a ‘grind out at bats,’ team. Seems weird to compare base stealing to hitting. Also, I don’t know that we were a speed team in regards to hitting a year ago. We didn’t really utilize the hit and run all that much. We had 16 sac bunts, which is 8th in the SEC, so we weren’t really even especially proficient at playing small ball in that way. So, just kind of a weird statement to me to compare base stealing with how this upcoming team will approach at bats.
We are a terrible bunting team have been for several years now
Clutch hitting no matter what has been pretty poor for a while now. Whether that be trying to get a bunt down to move the runner over, or needing a hit with RISP, we have struggled with it lately.
We also have 4 newcomers in the lineup, 5 if you count Rubalcaba who didn't play much. The ones who are back here are guys, I don't we would have doing a whole lot of sac bunts anyway. So, here's hoping that changes for us this year! I do think Thrasher has game changing speed, but you can't steal first, so I am really hoping he hits and stays healthy because having him in the field and on the bases is game changing for sure. I think he is guy that can be an under the radar game changer, just because he gets to everything in the OF and causes pitchers to get out of their game while he is on the bases.
Yep. I'm just frustrated that much of his abilities were not used to their full potential.
Totally agree. I think he was our best OF by far.
