Eaters are eating up Owl pitching again. Leadoff batters got hits in the first two innings ... and strung some together in the 2nd, scoring 3 runs on 4 hits. GRRR!!

3-0 ... after 2.

2-out rally in T3!!

With 2 outs, Comeaux reaches on a 3rd baseman's throwing error. Then Edwards singles him to 3rd!

Trei Cruz up -- the tying run. He sees three straight balls ... then two called strikes! Then fouls off a pitch. Then wiffs. Grrr!

No runs.

3-0, UCI ... heading to B3.

(02-23-2020 04:50 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  2-out rally in T3!!

With 2 outs, Comeaux reaches on a 3rd baseman's throwing error. Then Edwards singles him to 3rd!

Trei Cruz up -- the tying run. He sees three straight balls ... then two called strikes! Then fouls off a pitch. Then wiffs. Grrr!

No runs.

3-0, UCI ... heading to B3.

Once again, with runners in scoring position, our hitters are looking for walks rather than looking to be aggressive on obvious hitters counts. i can understand Cruz taking on 3-0, but not looking at a fastball down broadway on a 3-1 count. That's just pathetic.

(02-23-2020 04:52 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(02-23-2020 04:50 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  2-out rally in T3!!

With 2 outs, Comeaux reaches on a 3rd baseman's throwing error. Then Edwards singles him to 3rd!

Trei Cruz up -- the tying run. He sees three straight balls ... then two called strikes! Then fouls off a pitch. Then wiffs. Grrr!

No runs.

3-0, UCI ... heading to B3.

Once again, with runners in scoring position, our hitters are looking for walks rather than looking to be aggressive on obvious hitters counts. i can understand Cruz taking on 3-0, but not looking at a fastball down broadway on a 3-1 count. That's just pathetic.

I would understand it if the bases were loaded, but with just 2 on, a walk would have just kicked the can down the road. I completely agree here and if this cautious approach is being taught by Bragga, I hope it doesn't continue.

On the other hand, the consistently good defensive fundamentals exhibited by this team are a very good sign going forward when we get these highly rated recruits to campus.

(02-23-2020 04:52 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(02-23-2020 04:50 PM)Almadenmike Wrote:  2-out rally in T3!!

With 2 outs, Comeaux reaches on a 3rd baseman's throwing error. Then Edwards singles him to 3rd!

Trei Cruz up -- the tying run. He sees three straight balls ... then two called strikes! Then fouls off a pitch. Then wiffs. Grrr!

No runs.

3-0, UCI ... heading to B3.

Once again, with runners in scoring position, our hitters are looking for walks rather than looking to be aggressive on obvious hitters counts. i can understand Cruz taking on 3-0, but not looking at a fastball down broadway on a 3-1 count. That's just pathetic.

Based on watching Bragga's Golden Eagles @ the UT regional, I'm surprised this is such a weakness.

5-0 now after a couple of sacrifices.

Edit: they just played Baby Shark, so we need to come back and win.

We have now left 11 runners in scoring position in the last 9 innings. It would be comical if it wasn't so sad.

And why yank Greenwood after just 70 pitches. Aside from the one bad inning, he was actually pitching well. Yes, he gave up a leadoff, 9-pitch walk to their .485 hitting leadoff hitter, but Bordwine was a disaster last Sunday and, of course, he immediately gives up a double, sac fly, single, and another two runs.

This team sucks.

(02-23-2020 05:25 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  We have now left 11 runners in scoring position in the last 9 innings. It would be comical if it wasn't so sad.

And why yank Greenwood after just 70 pitches. Aside from the one bad inning, he was actually pitching well. Yes, he gave up a leadoff, 9-pitch walk to their .485 hitting leadoff hitter, but Bordwine was a disaster last Sunday and, of course, he immediately gives up a double, sac fly, single, and another two runs.

Bordwine throwing batting practice again. Double, deep sac fly, sac bunt, single, walk, stolen base, single, double...and those last 3 batters were the bottom of the UC-I order. It's now 7-0. Again, why the heck did he take Greenwood out?

Welp. This season is about growth and development of the younger guys unless we turn this ship around quickly.

(02-23-2020 05:34 PM)uconnbaseball Wrote:  Welp. This season is about growth and development of the younger guys unless we turn this ship around quickly.

The problem is we are a VERY upperclass-laden team.

T6:

Now down 9-zip (!!), Trei FINALLY gets a hit, a sizzling 1-out double.

But he's stranded ... natch. Sigh.

Ugh

Not that there is a bunch of stuff to be positive about, but some people need to re-think how they talk about these kids. They are not failing on purpose...

This is not on Graham. Perhaps the talent level had decreased under his watch, but this is on another level. It's all about recruiting, and hiring someone without Texas connections made no sense.

(02-23-2020 05:50 PM)RiceOwl Wrote:  Not that there is a bunch of stuff to be positive about, but some people need to re-think how they talk about these kids. They are not failing on purpose...

They are good kids, and they are doing the best they can. They're just not as good baseball players as our opponents have. We're not used to that. We're used to having 3-4 players every year that MLB scouts drooled over. We don't have that now. For several years we were recruiting with a very huge disadvantage, to the tune of about $20,000/year greater cost of attendance. As a result, we couldn't compete for the guys we used to get. This is all a very predictable result. I am hoping that the Rice Endowment will put an end to that. We are a couple of great recruiting classes away from being competitive at a high level again.

(02-23-2020 05:52 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  This is not on Graham. Perhaps the talent level had decreased under his watch, but this is on another level. It's all about recruiting, and hiring someone without Texas connections made no sense.

His first full recruiting class is next year, and it's shaping up to be a very good one, assuming we can get the top 3 guys (catcher, OFer and P) on campus.

(02-23-2020 05:34 PM)uconnbaseball Wrote:  Welp. This season is about growth and development of the younger guys unless we turn this ship around quickly.

Too late.

The goal for this year is already to win the conference tournament.

(02-23-2020 05:52 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  This is not on Graham. Perhaps the talent level had decreased under his watch, but this is on another level. It's all about recruiting, and hiring someone without Texas connections made no sense.

Graham was handicapped by the fact that a partial scholarship to Rice left parents with $20,000 more to pay than at Baylor or TCU. The Rice Endowment should end that, but it was a real factor for about a decade. And our talent fell a long way from where it was in the fist decade of this century. With the Rice Endowment, Bragga has a shot at getting back there. He needs to do so.

But like you, I still question hiring someone with no Texas connections.

(02-23-2020 07:00 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(02-23-2020 05:52 PM)WRCisforgotten79 Wrote:  This is not on Graham. Perhaps the talent level had decreased under his watch, but this is on another level. It's all about recruiting, and hiring someone without Texas connections made no sense.

Graham was handicapped by the fact that a partial scholarship to Rice left parents with $20,000 more to pay than at Baylor or TCU. The Rice Endowment should end that, but it was a real factor for about a decade. And our talent fell a long way from where it was in the fist decade of this century. With the Rice Endowment, Bragga has a shot at getting back there. He needs to do so.

But like you, I still question hiring someone with no Texas connections.

Well, we hired an AD with no Texas connections. In fact, two in a row.