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2023 Texas Baseball


Fletch

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1 hour ago, Hookem2147 said:

I have no idea what our 11.7 scholarship situation looks like, but you would think we would have a crapton of it available considering Cox, Coffey and Bolte aren't making it to campus and all the guys we expected to be drafted got drafted.

Seems like JWB and Porter Brown are last remaining portal targets and then still trying to round out the prep class with some combo of the SC twins, the kid Tech just booted, and maybe a Baylor flip of Calder from LT. 
 

There have been a lot of decommits in the last week so this is probably way too fluid to try to nail down 

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10 minutes ago, Hookem2147 said:

They also confirmed Texas is no longer in the running for Skenes, which isn’t surprising. Mississippi State leading with Arkansas and Vandy the other two under consideration.

Can’t be true, I heard he was already enrolled at Tennessee and even has a Volunteer face tattoo.

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Wasn’t there a top 50ish pitcher from Keller who signed with usc last year? I don’t remember seeing anything about him playing this year, but maybe I missed it. I’m wondering what the story is—if he was injured or is a portal candidate. Anybody know?

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12 minutes ago, SamMan said:

Wasn’t there a top 50ish pitcher from Keller who signed with usc last year? I don’t remember seeing anything about him playing this year, but maybe I missed it. I’m wondering what the story is—if he was injured or is a portal candidate. Anybody know?

Eric Hammond. You are right he didn’t play this year which is interesting. Had to be an injury.

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Resetting where we project on the position player side, post-draft:

Catchers (6): Galvan, Guillemette, Powell, Schuessler, Constantine, Hoffart

Infielders (7): Daly, Thomas, Flores, O’Dowd, Carlson, Duplantier, O’Hara

Outfielders (4): Campbell, Kennedy, Belyeu, Whitehead

Isn’t obvious who will play 3B, and they look like they could use another OF, especially if Kennedy doesnt come back. But if Kennedy comes back the lineup looks like it’ll be plenty deep, even if it lacks the star power of this year’s lineup.

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The starting rotation would have a lot of potential with Watts-Brown. Top 2 starters would be. 

Gordon (2nd team All-Big 12)

Watts-Brown (2nd team freshman All-American)

Then the 3rd starter would be between

Hurley (USC's top starter)

Stuart (top left handed JUCO pitcher)

Morehouse? 

Sthele? 

 

 

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12 minutes ago, Rickylovesweed said:

The starting rotation would have a lot of potential with Watts-Brown. Top 2 starters would be. 

Gordon (2nd team All-Big 12)

Watts-Brown (2nd team freshman All-American)

Then the 3rd starter would be between

Hurley (USC's top starter)

Stuart (top left handed JUCO pitcher)

Morehouse? 

Sthele? 

 

 

Would they give Harrison a shot? Or is he just a bullpen guy

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44 minutes ago, Snake Diggity said:

Resetting where we project on the position player side, post-draft:

Catchers (6): Galvan, Guillemette, Powell, Schuessler, Constantine, Hoffart

Infielders (7): Daly, Thomas, Flores, O’Dowd, Carlson, Duplantier, O’Hara

Outfielders (4): Campbell, Kennedy, Belyeu, Whitehead

Isn’t obvious who will play 3B, and they look like they could use another OF, especially if Kennedy doesnt come back. But if Kennedy comes back the lineup looks like it’ll be plenty deep, even if it lacks the star power of this year’s lineup.

Carlson slots in at 3B. There’s no way we carry 6 catchers into the spring. Galvan is already probably better than the last 4 listed so there will probably be some attrition.

I don’t think Kennedy wants to come back. Campbell, Belyeu, Whitehead is the starting OF right now. Thomas can play the OF as well. But yes we definitely need to add at least one OF from the portal or juco ranks late.

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Our OF recruiting the last 3 years hasn’t left us much room for error.

2020 class: Dalton Porter (transferred), Campbell came in as a SS and transitioned to OF

2021 class: Whitehead

2022: Belyeu (and Thomas)

Signing 3-4 OF’s over the 3 year span is not ideal.

Edited by Hookem2147
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Just now, Hookem2147 said:

Our OF recruiting the last 3 years hasn’t left us much room for error.

2020 class: Dalton Porter (transferred)

2021 class: Whitehead

2022: Belyeu

Signing 3 OF’s over the 3 year span is not ideal.

I agree: not ideal. 

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Just now, ztejas said:

I agree: not ideal. 

The 2021 class in particular is going to bite us in the ass eventually. I understand they had a lot coming back and not much scholarship room but signing 9 kids (only 8 of which made it to campus) is so risky. And of those 8, 4 are already in the portal. 
 

Harrison and Whitehead are the only two major contributors we are likely to have from that class.

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1 minute ago, Hookem2147 said:

The 2021 class in particular is going to bite us in the ass eventually. I understand they had a lot coming back and not much scholarship room but signing 9 kids (only 8 of which made it to campus) is so risky. And of those 8, 4 are already in the portal. 
 

Harrison and Whitehead are the only two major contributors we are likely to have from that class.

Damn dude I was just messing with you. 

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I’m not sure about the new guys, but the bullpen was limited on lefties last year. I would think we would not have 3 of 4 lefty starters and leave the bullpen who little to no lefty options.

I’m not certain chasing a 4th starter for midweek starters is a worthwhile endeavor. Having guys start Tuesday then be a spot weekend bullpen arm promotes inconsistencies. You might be better off going starter by committee in the midweek. So I’d rather Harrison start and go two innings rather than hope for 5 because he made 1/2 appearances over the weekend. It’s not even about pitchcount but rather two different approaches/mentalities.

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The 2021 class was always going to be a problem because of how many players returned to last years team.  

Players don't like to sit in the dugout and they will transfer if they don't get playing time. That's why I'm hoping we start a couple freshman this year because it's the only way to keep them. 

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12 minutes ago, Had Enough said:

I’m not sure about the new guys, but the bullpen was limited on lefties last year. I would think we would not have 3 of 4 lefty starters and leave the bullpen who little to no lefty options.

I’m not certain chasing a 4th starter for midweek starters is a worthwhile endeavor. Having guys start Tuesday then be a spot weekend bullpen arm promotes inconsistencies. You might be better off going starter by committee in the midweek. So I’d rather Harrison start and go two innings rather than hope for 5 because he made 1/2 appearances over the weekend. It’s not even about pitchcount but rather two different approaches/mentalities.

The Rice transfer (Shaw) is the only other lefty I can think of outside of Gordon, Stuart and Harrison, but he was also a starter at the end of the season last year. 
 

I agree you probably want 2 lefties in the pen. Harrison and Shaw seem like the most likely options based on the guys above, especially if we add another weekend starter from the portal.

I also somewhat agree with your thinking about midweek starters. I am a believer of either just bullpening the thing or have a set midweek starter who you don’t have to ask to turn around and come out of the pen on the weekends. Let him throw 80-90 pitches and say see you again next Tuesday. We didn’t have that luxury last year after Witt’s injury forced Gordon into the Sunday spot because we had to pray Eckhardt could make it through 3 innings.

Edited by Hookem2147
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7 hours ago, Hookem2147 said:

OB reporting a pitcher is on campus this weekend on a visit. Didn’t release a name but said he threw a no hitter this year. Sounds like Watts-Brown @Rickylovesweed

Yeah... gotta think that's Watts-Brown.  I really want this guy.  He continues to pitch well in the Cape.  Last night he went 5.0 with 9 k's and only gave up 3 hits, 2 walks and 2 unearned runs.  Kid is legit.  

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No love for whitehead, the pitcher? I’m obviously kidding, but I think he is going to be solid in the lineup next year.

I’m fuzzy on the particulars, but wasn’t the ou pitcher who had the monster cws in a similar situation as Witt? If so, that kid made a ton of money coming back and pitching well. Somebody correct me if I have that wrong. That said, I’m still not expecting him to contribute at this point. It’s a risky proposition.

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6 hours ago, SamMan said:

No love for whitehead, the pitcher? I’m obviously kidding, but I think he is going to be solid in the lineup next year.

I’m fuzzy on the particulars, but wasn’t the ou pitcher who had the monster cws in a similar situation as Witt? If so, that kid made a ton of money coming back and pitching well. Somebody correct me if I have that wrong. That said, I’m still not expecting him to contribute at this point. It’s a risky proposition.

Biggest difference is the OU guy had his surgery in early February the year prior. Witt was late March.

Edited by Hookem2147
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The Rice transfer (Shaw) is the only other lefty I can think of outside of Gordon, Stuart and Harrison, but he was also a starter at the end of the season last year. 
 
I agree you probably want 2 lefties in the pen. Harrison and Shaw seem like the most likely options based on the guys above, especially if we add another weekend starter from the portal.
I also somewhat agree with your thinking about midweek starters. I am a believer of either just bullpening the thing or have a set midweek starter who you don’t have to ask to turn around and come out of the pen on the weekends. Let him throw 80-90 pitches and say see you again next Tuesday. We didn’t have that luxury last year after Witt’s injury forced Gordon into the Sunday spot because we had to pray Eckhardt could make it through 3 innings.



I’d rather have a 4th starter, but college scheduling makes it awkward. The Aggies or Tx State are different than UTRGV or many of the teams we play midweek. That 4th consistent starter is difficult to come by in the first place. If you got him, he’s probably one of your top 6/7 guys so then you’ll have that tendency to need and want him on the weekend. So to be disciplined to say he’s only getting a certain number of pitches on a weekend so he can start Tuesday is pretty difficult as those weekend series are most often more “important.”

Now get to 8/9/10 dependable arms and you’ll be tough to beat. I hadn’t thought it thru to recall whether that ever actually happens either.
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8 minutes ago, Had Enough said:

 

 


I’d rather have a 4th starter, but college scheduling makes it awkward. The Aggies or Tx State are different than UTRGV or many of the teams we play midweek. That 4th consistent starter is difficult to come by in the first place. If you got him, he’s probably one of your top 6/7 guys so then you’ll have that tendency to need and want him on the weekend. So to be disciplined to say he’s only getting a certain number of pitches on a weekend so he can start Tuesday is pretty difficult as those weekend series are most often more “important.”

Now get to 8/9/10 dependable arms and you’ll be tough to beat. I hadn’t thought it thru to recall whether that ever actually happens either.

 

 

All fair points. It is tough to be disciplined enough when it comes to pitch counts and chasing weekend wins. Just thinking out loud but it might make it easier when that 4th starter is a lefty because he can come in for more specialized situations (lefty lefty matchup) on the weekend as opposed to just “give us 2 innings 4 days after you threw 80 pitches against UTRGV”.

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