Yes. The scouts were anxious to see him. He has the stuff, but needs to hit his spots. Same with Duplantier. He is hard to hit, but went deep in the count on a lot of batters. Both of those guys have great futures when they can refine their game. It's sad but every 14 years we lose the Glove.

I really like Duplantier's easy delivery. Not a stressful motion at all and he was bringing it at 90 (according to the scoreboard). Ball explodes out of his hand.

I think it's only fair that the Coogs get to win once every 15 years. My only dissappointment is Rice "forgot" to bring the trophy which didn't allow UH to celebrate on its home field. Great game. Look forward to the game at Constellation Field

(03-25-2014 07:16 PM)Ricefootballnet Wrote:  Walt, that could've been a triple play. With no outs and runners at first and second running on the pitch, Hoelscher caught a soft liner just before it hit the turf, then wheeled and tossed sidearm to Byrd at second, but the throw was a bit wide toward the infield and it skidded off Leon's glove. Both runners were way down the base paths. Runner would've been out a mile at second, and the first base runner probably as well.

Pardon if someone already mentioned this. From my angle it didnt' look like a bad throw from 3rd. Shane's throw was to Ford. Ford anticipated the throw to first and took his eye off the ball before it was in his glove. Dropped it. Both runners were safe, but it was a potential triple play.

(03-25-2014 09:25 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 09:18 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Well, I think we can safely conclude we'll be starting the postseason in the Houston regional...we just may not be hosting it. Tip of the hat to UH...thus far in the season, they're the better team.

I think at the present time, both teams deserve regionals.

Well, the Silver Glove streak had to end at some point. Hat tip to UH. They earned it.

Still love my boys against anybody in a 3 game weekend series.

Sad to see it go. But I wouldn't discount the idea that both of these schools wind up as national seeds, meaning they wouldn't play in the post-season until Omaha. I think it would take a precipitous slide for there to be only one regional in Houston.

Yes, Ford simply dropped it.

(03-25-2014 09:38 PM)Mademen Wrote:  I think it's only fair that the Coogs get to win once every 15 years. My only dissappointment is Rice "forgot" to bring the trophy which didn't allow UH to celebrate on its home field. Great game. Look forward to the game at Constellation Field

As all rivalries, it would be more heated if the results were closer to .500. Nevertheless, after 15 years, they probably have to break out the cutting torch to free it from its rightful home.

And, kudos to UH for putting together what looks like a pretty good team.

(03-25-2014 10:06 PM)I45owl Wrote:  And, kudos to UH for putting together what looks like a pretty good team.

I would say "very good team".

I'm glad they're looking strong, I've long wanted them to pick their form back up. It's just more fun when Rice and UH are two quality teams fighting it out.

But this isn't quite what I wanted, because:
a) I wanted them as a strong _conference_ opponent, and
b) I wanted them to be good but us to be better.

(03-25-2014 10:01 PM)grol Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 07:16 PM)Ricefootballnet Wrote:  Walt, that could've been a triple play. With no outs and runners at first and second running on the pitch, Hoelscher caught a soft liner just before it hit the turf, then wheeled and tossed sidearm to Byrd at second, but the throw was a bit wide toward the infield and it skidded off Leon's glove. Both runners were way down the base paths. Runner would've been out a mile at second, and the first base runner probably as well.

Pardon if someone already mentioned this. From my angle it didnt' look like a bad throw from 3rd. Shane's throw was to Ford. Ford anticipated the throw to first and took his eye off the ball before it was in his glove. Dropped it. Both runners were safe, but it was a potential triple play.

Could've been. We were sitting behind the dugout; I polled a couple of seat mates; the consensus was that the throw was slightly off. But handle-able. Imagine what a change of momentum a triple play would have made at that point...

That was going to be a triple play and it would have been the second to have occurred in the first inning of a Rice-UH game at UH. I think the last time was in 2003.

Overall it was a very flukish though memorable game. Ten hits in the first and only five more the rest of the game. Nevertheless I plan to forget it as soon as possible. Atypical. I still think the Coogs will Coog it eventually. It's what they do best.

I can't help but wonder what the impact of the Cougars' plastic and rubber bits field is on visiting teams. Every time a ball short-hops it throws up a spray of little rubber bits. That's got to take some getting accustomed to.

Definitely a different UH team than we saw in the Raynor era.

(03-25-2014 11:21 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  I can't help but wonder what the impact of the Cougars' plastic and rubber bits field is on visiting teams. Every time a ball short-hops it throws up a spray of little rubber bits. That's got to take some getting accustomed to.

Definitely a different UH team than we saw in the Raynor era.

Blaming the field seems like a cop out. UH beat Rice on its field too. Both teams are really good. UH has just executed better in the clutch this year. Let's just hope they don't penalize either team and make them play at the other's regional.

(03-25-2014 11:29 PM)Mademen Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:21 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  I can't help but wonder what the impact of the Cougars' plastic and rubber bits field is on visiting teams. Every time a ball short-hops it throws up a spray of little rubber bits. That's got to take some getting accustomed to.

Definitely a different UH team than we saw in the Raynor era.

Blaming the field seems like a cop out.

I'm not blaming the field for the loss. I don't like plastic fields for baseball and you can't tell me they play the same as grass. The spray of little rubber pellets has got to take some getting used to. And I have never bought the rationale for plastic for baseball fields where the sun shines and grass grows as it does in Texas.

(03-25-2014 11:55 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:29 PM)Mademen Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:21 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  I can't help but wonder what the impact of the Cougars' plastic and rubber bits field is on visiting teams. Every time a ball short-hops it throws up a spray of little rubber bits. That's got to take some getting accustomed to.

Definitely a different UH team than we saw in the Raynor era.

Blaming the field seems like a cop out.

I'm not blaming the field for the loss. I don't like plastic fields for baseball and you can't tell me they play the same as grass. The spray of little rubber pellets has got to take some getting used to. And I have never bought the rationale for plastic for baseball fields where the sun shines and grass grows as it does in Texas.

So just to clarify then, you're fine with little rubber pellets where the sun don't shine or when there's no grass on the field.

I was going to ask how the field looked? (JP said it looked sharp). And did they upgrade the stands?

Of course these upgrades couldn't have happened in the Rayner days... he wouldn't have had anything to pile up on top of the plate:

(03-26-2014 12:29 AM)texd Wrote:  I was going to ask how the field looked? (JP said it looked sharp). And did they upgrade the stands?

Of course these upgrades couldn't have happened in the Rayner days... he wouldn't have had anything to pile up on top of the plate:

The field looks like clean and new plastic. It just doesn't look like a good grass baseball field. The stands are unchanged, with not quite enough pitch in the lower stands.

Baseball is meant to be played on grass. I can get along with an artificial field for football. Usually, soccer requires a grass field per FIFA. I have not heard of any permanent artificial field cricket pitches, although I saw a demo in a decrepit Astrodome after the Astros and everyone else had moved out.

The plastic bits are probably not as hard to get used to as the center field cliff that UT had until they moved to a new field in 1974 (however their new field had the fake stuff that Bevo could not eat.

(03-25-2014 11:55 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:29 PM)Mademen Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:21 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  I can't help but wonder what the impact of the Cougars' plastic and rubber bits field is on visiting teams. Every time a ball short-hops it throws up a spray of little rubber bits. That's got to take some getting accustomed to.

Definitely a different UH team than we saw in the Raynor era.

Blaming the field seems like a cop out.

I'm not blaming the field for the loss. I don't like plastic fields for baseball and you can't tell me they play the same as grass. The spray of little rubber pellets has got to take some getting used to. And I have never bought the rationale for plastic for baseball fields where the sun shines and grass grows as it does in Texas.

We do not want to play UH in the postseason until it is in Omaha.

(03-25-2014 10:03 PM)I45owl Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 09:25 PM)d1owls4life Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 09:18 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  Well, I think we can safely conclude we'll be starting the postseason in the Houston regional...we just may not be hosting it. Tip of the hat to UH...thus far in the season, they're the better team.

I think at the present time, both teams deserve regionals.

Well, the Silver Glove streak had to end at some point. Hat tip to UH. They earned it.

Still love my boys against anybody in a 3 game weekend series.

Sad to see it go. But I wouldn't discount the idea that both of these schools wind up as national seeds, meaning they wouldn't play in the post-season until Omaha. I think it would take a precipitous slide for there to be only one regional in Houston.

(03-25-2014 11:55 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:29 PM)Mademen Wrote:  

(03-25-2014 11:21 PM)Hardball Owl Wrote:  I can't help but wonder what the impact of the Cougars' plastic and rubber bits field is on visiting teams. Every time a ball short-hops it throws up a spray of little rubber bits. That's got to take some getting accustomed to.

Definitely a different UH team than we saw in the Raynor era.

Blaming the field seems like a cop out.

I'm not blaming the field for the loss. I don't like plastic fields for baseball and you can't tell me they play the same as grass. The spray of little rubber pellets has got to take some getting used to. And I have never bought the rationale for plastic for baseball fields where the sun shines and grass grows as it does in Texas.

The reasoning for the turf is actually pretty thoughtful.

Number 1: holds off water/drains like you wouldn't believe. I can think of at least 3 games this year that would have been rain outs with a grass field.

Number 2: Whiting believes (and who am I to argue with the coach) recruits/players LOVE playing on this surface. At least locally, kids play tons of games on this stuff at Baseball USA.

Number 3: It is cheaper to maintain. You'll see lots of schools switching to turf very soon. The newest turf surfaces have an excellent reputation.

The only think UH screwed up with its field, is somehow home plate is sunk in about an inch. They'll have to fix it after the season.