This is a fun time of year for baseball fans.
Hofstra/CAA had poor showing, but there were some interesting regional stories. I know baseball doesn't move the needle in college athletics, but I really feel like Campbell is taking a step forward. Knoxville was a tough region for them, but they had a good showing.
For Supers, we have OU at VT, Arkansas at UNC and Texas at ECU. Good baseball is being played around here.
Unrelated to the CWS, but I saw where UNCW commit, Tanner Thach, led Perquimans to their second straight 1A title. It sounds like Thach is going to be a player.
In general, some really good high school baseball being played in the state too. Providence completing the first ever undefeated season for a 4A team, and Randleman absolutely has a squad. They ran through the playoffs outscoring their opponents 96-5. They run-ruled everyone except gm 2 against Whiteville where they won 12-5.
(06-07-2022 07:50 AM)bricksnivy Wrote: [ -> ]This is a fun time of year for baseball fans.
Hofstra/CAA had poor showing, but there were some interesting regional stories. I know baseball doesn't move the needle in college athletics, but I really feel like Campbell is taking a step forward. Knoxville was a tough region for them, but they had a good showing.
For Supers, we have OU at VT, Arkansas at UNC and Texas at ECU. Good baseball is being played around here.
Unrelated to the CWS, but I saw where UNCW commit, Tanner Thach, led Perquimans to their second straight 1A title. It sounds like Thach is going to be a player.
In general, some really good high school baseball being played in the state too. Providence completing the first ever undefeated season for a 4A team, and Randleman absolutely has a squad. They ran through the playoffs outscoring their opponents 96-5. They run-ruled everyone except gm 2 against Whiteville where they won 12-5.
It was GREAT to watch EZ fall on it's face.
I think I saw where UNCW has signed the 2A and 3A NC State POY from 2022.
(06-16-2022 02:22 PM)bricksnivy Wrote: [ -> ]I think I saw where UNCW has signed the 2A and 3A NC State POY from 2022.
https://www.perfectgame.org/College/Coll...llege=1808
Will be interesting to see where these guys fit, 4 SS. Fully recognize the best player on high school teams usually plays SS, just curious where they will fit on our squad.
Wouldn't be surprised if a couple of these guys are redshirted. We have at least 4 that we're redshirts this season. Plus a few that were injured early. We are nowhere depleted as some want us to believe.
Alec Demartino OF
2022 (Freshman): Red-shirted
Prior to UNCW: Three-year starter at Millbrook High School … First-team All-State … Cap 7 Player of the Year … Served as team captain his senior season … Hit .432 with three home runs and 18 runs scored as a senior … Also stole 11 bases and knocked in 12 runs … Named Cap-7 Rookie of the Year as a freshman … All-Cap 7 his sophomore year … Hit .430 as a sophomore … Played for the East Coast Clippers.
We also have the kid from Perquimanns coming in also, correct? 1A small school, but he seems like a ball player.
Tripp Edens OF
2022 (Freshman): Red-shirted
Prior to UNCW: Played three seasons at Desert Oasis High School ... Earned first-team 5A All-Conference honors ... Hit .468 his senior season for the Diamondbacks ... Helped the team to a pair of state championship appearances, including a state title as a sophomore.
Personal: Full name: Larry Gordon Edens III ... Born in Raleigh, N.C. ... Son of Kara and Larry ... Father played baseball at NC State and in the Chicago Cubs minor league organization ... His grandfather, Larry, played at UNCW (then Wilmington College (1960-62)) and Virginia Tech.
Hoops, I love Anthony Rizzo so much I find myself happy for the Yankees' success this year. I kind of hope he gets another ring.
(06-22-2022 08:01 AM)bricksnivy Wrote: [ -> ]Hoops, I love Anthony Rizzo so much I find myself happy for the Yankees' success this year. I kind of hope he gets another ring.
He's very likable and having a great year. I'm still waiting for the proverbial bubble to break as there is a whole lot of guys playing way above the numbers on the back of their baseball cards. But they have played so well even if they went .500 rest of the way they would win 97 games which is CRAZY! The thing that gives me hope this year, is while they are still relying on the HR, there has also been a ton of clutch hits which the last several years has been a big issue.
08 i think is enjoying the Mets start too, and that's just as impressive to me given they have been missing two of the best pitchers in baseball most of the first few months.
(06-22-2022 08:24 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote: [ -> ]08 i think is enjoying the Mets start too, and that's just as impressive to me given they have been missing two of the best pitchers in baseball most of the first few months.
Definitely something different about this year's Mets team. It could all fall apart at any time but this team has been grinding out games they shouldn't and are enjoyable to watch.
One key difference where Cohen's ownership has made an immediate impact: There's been reports that the Mets team plane is always packed to the brim because of all the trainers and analytics staff they bring with them on road trips. That's definitely new. And it has to have an impact on day-to-day operations and the team's ability to consistently play well.
(06-22-2022 08:24 AM)Seahawkhoops Wrote: [ -> ] (06-22-2022 08:01 AM)bricksnivy Wrote: [ -> ]Hoops, I love Anthony Rizzo so much I find myself happy for the Yankees' success this year. I kind of hope he gets another ring.
He's very likable and having a great year. I'm still waiting for the proverbial bubble to break as there is a whole lot of guys playing way above the numbers on the back of their baseball cards. But they have played so well even if they went .500 rest of the way they would win 97 games which is CRAZY! The thing that gives me hope this year, is while they are still relying on the HR, there has also been a ton of clutch hits which the last several years has been a big issue.
08 i think is enjoying the Mets start too, and that's just as impressive to me given they have been missing two of the best pitchers in baseball most of the first few months.
Without watching regularly, I'm sure Rizzo has contributed to the clutch-hit category. I've always been impressed with his two-strike approach; especially in today's game, it's pretty rare to see a middle-of-the-order guy choke up and take a single to the opposite field. Maybe his approach/leadership is helping with a better team approach.
Not to overstate his importance, I know Judge is still the MVP and most important piece.
Regarding the Cubs, I'm afraid they're losing me! From the Core 4, I love each one of them, but I believe I miss Rizzo the most (I appreciate Contreras more this year than before, but I'm afraid we're going to trade the BEST CATCHER in baseball). It is pretty frustrating to operate like small-market team when we're in a major market and still have the 4th highest ticket prices in the league. Prospects are fun (and Chicago's system is significantly improved from a year ago), but it's miserable as a fan to have the core group turnover ever 5-7 years. I get that they couldn't keep everyone. Some player's windows close earlier than others, but if we trade Contreras the only tie to the World Series team we have is Kyle Hendricks (Happ didn't contribute and JHey is only around because we can't move his contract...he's also a bottom ten offensive player and no longer elite defensively).
It's hard for me to forgive Chicago from moving on from both Rizzo and Bryant.
(06-23-2022 07:49 AM)bricksnivy Wrote: [ -> ]Regarding the Cubs, I'm afraid they're losing me! From the Core 4, I love each one of them, but I believe I miss Rizzo the most (I appreciate Contreras more this year than before, but I'm afraid we're going to trade the BEST CATCHER in baseball). It is pretty frustrating to operate like small-market team when we're in a major market and still have the 4th highest ticket prices in the league. Prospects are fun (and Chicago's system is significantly improved from a year ago), but it's miserable as a fan to have the core group turnover ever 5-7 years. I get that they couldn't keep everyone. Some player's windows close earlier than others, but if we trade Contreras the only tie to the World Series team we have is Kyle Hendricks (Happ didn't contribute and JHey is only around because we can't move his contract...he's also a bottom ten offensive player and no longer elite defensively).
It's hard for me to forgive Chicago from moving on from both Rizzo and Bryant.
You are not alone. My good buddy is a Cubs fan and he shares almost the exact same sentiment.
I'm in the same boat with the Cubs. They had all the talent in the lineup to make a 2-4 year run at the World Series and basically squandered it because they didn't really focus on the importance of the pitching staff and just rolled out there with middle of the pack level starters.
I was infuriated with the Cubs trading ALL of those guys. There's no sense in that. They could've traded 1-2 and still made things work but they pulled a Marlins type fire-sale, without the immediate results the Marlins executed a couple times via fire-sales.
The three guys I liked a lot were Rizzo, Baez, and Bryant in that order. Trading one seemed to be in the cards regardless, but getting rid of all of them just irritated me. For various reasons, I haven't watched a Cubs game all season. I've kept track of stats, and Contreras is still an amazing catcher. If they trade him, I'm really going to be pissed. I just feel like there's a lack of vision in the Cubs organization and an acceptance of going back to decades of losing, because they feel like Cubs fans don't actually EXPECT a perennial winner. Just seems like a lack of intention to win. Not sure how I feel with Ross as the manager either, but that's also hard to gauge because they've given him complete shite for a lineup and options.
(06-23-2022 01:12 PM)B_Hawk06 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm in the same boat with the Cubs. They had all the talent in the lineup to make a 2-4 year run at the World Series and basically squandered it because they didn't really focus on the importance of the pitching staff and just rolled out there with middle of the pack level starters.
I was infuriated with the Cubs trading ALL of those guys. There's no sense in that. They could've traded 1-2 and still made things work but they pulled a Marlins type fire-sale, without the immediate results the Marlins executed a couple times via fire-sales.
The three guys I liked a lot were Rizzo, Baez, and Bryant in that order. Trading one seemed to be in the cards regardless, but getting rid of all of them just irritated me. For various reasons, I haven't watched a Cubs game all season. I've kept track of stats, and Contreras is still an amazing catcher. If they trade him, I'm really going to be pissed. I just feel like there's a lack of vision in the Cubs organization and an acceptance of going back to decades of losing, because they feel like Cubs fans don't actually EXPECT a perennial winner. Just seems like a lack of intention to win. Not sure how I feel with Ross as the manager either, but that's also hard to gauge because they've given him complete shite for a lineup and options.
out of those 3, i'd think Baez would be the easiest to let walk. Baez to me is like the Yankees Torres Super high ceiling, but just never seems to get there for whatever reason or another.
(06-23-2022 01:12 PM)B_Hawk06 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm in the same boat with the Cubs. They had all the talent in the lineup to make a 2-4 year run at the World Series and basically squandered it because they didn't really focus on the importance of the pitching staff and just rolled out there with middle of the pack level starters.
I was infuriated with the Cubs trading ALL of those guys. There's no sense in that. They could've traded 1-2 and still made things work but they pulled a Marlins type fire-sale, without the immediate results the Marlins executed a couple times via fire-sales.
The three guys I liked a lot were Rizzo, Baez, and Bryant in that order. Trading one seemed to be in the cards regardless, but getting rid of all of them just irritated me. For various reasons, I haven't watched a Cubs game all season. I've kept track of stats, and Contreras is still an amazing catcher. If they trade him, I'm really going to be pissed. I just feel like there's a lack of vision in the Cubs organization and an acceptance of going back to decades of losing, because they feel like Cubs fans don't actually EXPECT a perennial winner. Just seems like a lack of intention to win. Not sure how I feel with Ross as the manager either, but that's also hard to gauge because they've given him complete shite for a lineup and options.
I think there is a vision, it just includes tanking this year and only modest improvement next year. There are a few pieces here now that will be around for the next playoff push: Suzuki, Thompson, Morel, Steele with decisions on Happ and Contreras. Pitching development seems to have improved and they have 4 of the top 100 farmhands and a bunch of other high end guys in A and AA.
(06-23-2022 02:10 PM)bricksnivy Wrote: [ -> ] (06-23-2022 01:12 PM)B_Hawk06 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm in the same boat with the Cubs. They had all the talent in the lineup to make a 2-4 year run at the World Series and basically squandered it because they didn't really focus on the importance of the pitching staff and just rolled out there with middle of the pack level starters.
I was infuriated with the Cubs trading ALL of those guys. There's no sense in that. They could've traded 1-2 and still made things work but they pulled a Marlins type fire-sale, without the immediate results the Marlins executed a couple times via fire-sales.
The three guys I liked a lot were Rizzo, Baez, and Bryant in that order. Trading one seemed to be in the cards regardless, but getting rid of all of them just irritated me. For various reasons, I haven't watched a Cubs game all season. I've kept track of stats, and Contreras is still an amazing catcher. If they trade him, I'm really going to be pissed. I just feel like there's a lack of vision in the Cubs organization and an acceptance of going back to decades of losing, because they feel like Cubs fans don't actually EXPECT a perennial winner. Just seems like a lack of intention to win. Not sure how I feel with Ross as the manager either, but that's also hard to gauge because they've given him complete shite for a lineup and options.
I think there is a vision, it just includes tanking this year and only modest improvement next year. There are a few pieces here now that will be around for the next playoff push: Suzuki, Thompson, Morel, Steele with decisions on Happ and Contreras. Pitching development seems to have improved and they have 4 of the top 100 farmhands and a bunch of other high end guys in A and AA.
Everything i've read is that Contraras is a goner at the deadline. So, what you are able to pull for him could play big the next few years if you are able to get MLB ready guys
I’m still hopeful they extend Contreras, but coming off last year it feels like he’ll get traded. I think his return will be significantly more than Rizzo, Baez or Bryant.