In anticipation of the start of Fall Ball on Monday, I thought I'd start a thread for the compilation of comments and observations as the team progresses over the next 6 weeks.

Alan Shelby just posted the probable pitching rotation for the first two intrasquads and, unlike previous seasons when our proven, experienced pitchers were at the top of the rotation, this year The OG is starting off with our true Freshmen and upperclassmen who will be competing to earn back-of-the-bullpen roles....

Day 1: A. Orewiler, McCarthy, Salinas, Otto
Day 2: Rodgers, Williamson, Amador, Myers

Very interesting change in tactics. Stephens is unlikely to see any action until Spring practice, but the other guys expected to be competing for starting spots (Fox, Duplantier, McCanna, Solecitto), as well as those upperclass arms expected to anchor the bullpen (Ditman, Teykl, Rutter) are all being held back until later in the first week.

This question may have been asked and answered already, but does Pettite have to sit out this season?

(09-25-2014 01:11 PM)krehbr Wrote:  This question may have been asked and answered already, but does Pettite have to sit out this season?

Last I heard he had applied for a waiver (since he never pitched for Baylor). I have no idea where he is in his rehab, but would imagine he's close to being able to pitch off a mound given he had his Tommy John Surgery last Fall, and the timetable is now typically around 9 months.

Fall Ball (and the road to Omaha '15) begins today!

(09-25-2014 01:11 PM)krehbr Wrote:  This question may have been asked and answered already, but does Pettite have to sit out this season?

Josh tweeted: "I will in fact be ineligible for the upcoming spring season .. Bummer"

(09-29-2014 06:16 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Fall Ball (and the road to Omaha '15) begins today!

(09-29-2014 07:35 AM)Da.Owl Wrote:  

(09-25-2014 01:11 PM)krehbr Wrote:  This question may have been asked and answered already, but does Pettite have to sit out this season?

Josh tweeted: "I will in fact be ineligible for the upcoming spring season .. Bummer"

Could actually turn out to be a good thing for both Josh and Rice baseball. Gives him a full year plus to get healthy and regain his feel and command post-TJS, as well as work with The OG and the coaching staff...AND we will have more openings on the pitching staff in 2016 with the departures of Stephens, Fox, Ditman, Teykl, Rutter and, possibly, McCanna. Even without Josh we should be loaded on the mound this coming year.

With our pitching staff, if we can generate just an average level of hitting, we will be very difficult to beat.

In celebration of the commencement of Fall Ball (love JD's picture tweet of the Big Puma in his OE "R" cap and new Owlmaha practice Ts (with Owlmaha in blue OE lettering in the front on a gray shirt, with "...starts in the Fall" on the rear), I'll take a way tooooo early crack at the starting position players...

1B Kirby Taylor
2B Ford Stainback
SS Tristan Gray
3B Connor Teykl
C John Clay Reeves, Hunter Kopycinski
CF Leon Byrd
LF Khevin Brewer
RF Charlie Warren/John Williamson
DH Hunter Kopycinski, Ryan Chandler, Wiliiamson

Kriby came into his own last season, especially against left-handed pitching. Hunter has proven a solid bat against southpaw pitching, as well. It's going to be fun to see what JC can do injury-free, given the year he had in 2014 playing with a fractured wrist and serious leg issues. Hopefully, ford can build on his outstanding Summer. We need both Gray and Brewer to be immediate impact players at true Freshmen, and we need both The Byrdman and Teykl to finally live up to their potential offensively.

Starting pitchers: Fox, Duplantier, McCanna, Stephens, Solecitto, Salinas

Bullpen: Ditman, Teykl, McKelligott, Williamson, McCarthy, Orewiler, Myers

The pitching is deep, quality and experienced-- enough to overcome any potential injury issues. The bullpen could be truly elite level, especially if Evan Rutter flashes the command he did over the Summer, and LHP McKelligott continues to progress.

In perplexing and totally unexpected news (given his breakout Summer in California)...

Quote:Joseph Duarte
@Chronicle_Owls
FYI ... Evan Rutter is no longer on team ... I'm told he retired from baseball with year of eligibility left
12:37 AM - 30 Sep 14

...and he's no longer listed on the official roster. Odd to say the least. Anyone know if he's still enrolled? Bullpen should still be a strength, as Rutter was likely at best the #3 guy behind Ditman and Teykl, but he's still a loss given his elite stuff.

Berkman

(09-29-2014 08:45 PM)grol Wrote:  
Berkman

Awful lot of gray for a guy who's still relatively young...but love the new Owlmaha shirts.

(09-29-2014 08:45 PM)grol Wrote:  
Berkman

BTW, just as an FYI, the new dry fit Owlmaha shirts that Berks is modeling will be available for sale to RBI Club members during this Sunday's intrasquad scrimmage at Reckling.

(09-29-2014 10:09 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-29-2014 08:45 PM)grol Wrote:  Berkman

Awful lot of gray for a guy who's still relatively young...but love the new Owlmaha shirts.

He's a year older than I am, and I seem to be finding more and more ... umm, *extremely* light blond hairs in the beard and at the temples lately.

(09-30-2014 08:57 AM)NoodleOwl Wrote:  

(09-29-2014 10:09 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(09-29-2014 08:45 PM)grol Wrote:  Berkman

Awful lot of gray for a guy who's still relatively young...but love the new Owlmaha shirts.

He's a year older than I am, and I seem to be finding more and more ... umm, *extremely* light blond hairs in the beard and at the temples lately.

Most of my hair is still black. Just a lot less of it.

FYI

Quote:Rice Baseball ‏@RiceOwlsBSB 55 seconds ago
We still have the tarp on the field and will post the adjusted start time as soon as possible.

Just in case anyone was/is going.

Rice wins 9-4 but had to rally from behind, and scored most of its runs in the late innings.

one guy that seems to be performing very well is Glenn Otto. He certainly wasn't on the Parliament's radar coming into the season, and he's been a strikeout machine on the hill. Not sure he's even given up a run so far.

Our pitching is an embarrassment of riches. Our hitting...errr...

(10-12-2014 07:55 AM)wheredidmypantsgo Wrote:  one guy that seems to be performing very well is Glenn Otto. He certainly wasn't on the Parliament's radar coming into the season, and he's been a strikeout machine on the hill. Not sure he's even given up a run so far.

Our pitching is an embarrassment of riches. Our hitting...errr...

Byrd and Connor Teykl (3 hits, triple, HR) had big days at the plate yesterday. Let's not forget that JC Reeves is being held out of Fall Ball as he recovers from injuries. Anyone know why Khevin Brewer did not play yesterday?

Looked like Ricardo Salinas had an excellent, extrended (3 inning) outing yesterday.