(05-16-2021 12:47 PM)Musicowl1965 Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 11:54 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(05-15-2021 08:14 PM)Musicowl1965 Wrote:  

(05-15-2021 08:11 PM)Musicowl1965 Wrote:  

(05-15-2021 07:58 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  No draft prospects. Comeaux's our best player and he's already got a job lined up. In fact, I'm surprised he even came back this year after graduating as he had the same job lined up last Summer.

Do you know when the last year no one was drafted Walt?

I don’t count last year btw.

Wasn't Garcia drafted in a late round last year?

I think it was the year before (2019) but that’s a recollection not a fact.

Garcia was 2019, in the 27th round, by Toronto.

Rice wins 6-0.

(05-16-2021 01:17 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Rice wins 6-0.

Good for the seniors playing their last home game and their families.

(05-16-2021 01:20 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 01:17 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  Rice wins 6-0.

Good for the seniors playing their last home game and their families.

Great win (although rain-shortened) and we were treated to a grand salami by Hughes.

And now off to UT to finish the season. Is going to be on Longhorn Network.

(05-16-2021 02:38 PM)75src Wrote:  And now off to UT to finish the season. Is going to be on Longhorn Network.

Do you think this game gets played? High rain chances in Austin on Tuesday for a game that really has no consequence. Today may have been the last game of the season.

(05-16-2021 12:41 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 12:15 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Yesterday, Charlotte clinched the #1 seed in CUSA, and they're still Top 25 ranked. Having watched them the past 3 days, I just don't see it. Very good defensively and in the fundamentals, but the pitching is average at best, and they only have two elite hitters. If it wasn't for Holcomb's inability to throw strikes, a couple costly errors, and our skill at consistently leaving 10+ runners on base each game, we could have swept these guys.

Maybe what we are seeing is the urgency resulting from Bragga coaching for his job.

That was one thing that always troubled me about Bailiff. I never saw any urgency--not in 2009-11, when it was obvious that realignment was coming soon and the programs that could not compete were going to get left behind, and not in 2015-17, when he was pretty much coaching for his job (even if it did take 3 years for the shoe to drop).

I seriously doubt Bragga was coaching for his job.
1. Rice athletic admin is always slow to pull the trigger
2. He gets a covid pass
3. Noticeable improvement of play over the season. Whether that's coaching, experience or some random factor is anyone's guess

Even Stevie Wonder could see this team's problem is pitching. Is that coaching or talent? Probably both, but I lean to talent. We'll see what recruiting does for next season, but pitching takes time to develop.

(05-16-2021 03:26 PM)Old Sammy Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 12:41 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 12:15 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Yesterday, Charlotte clinched the #1 seed in CUSA, and they're still Top 25 ranked. Having watched them the past 3 days, I just don't see it. Very good defensively and in the fundamentals, but the pitching is average at best, and they only have two elite hitters. If it wasn't for Holcomb's inability to throw strikes, a couple costly errors, and our skill at consistently leaving 10+ runners on base each game, we could have swept these guys.

Maybe what we are seeing is the urgency resulting from Bragga coaching for his job.

That was one thing that always troubled me about Bailiff. I never saw any urgency--not in 2009-11, when it was obvious that realignment was coming soon and the programs that could not compete were going to get left behind, and not in 2015-17, when he was pretty much coaching for his job (even if it did take 3 years for the shoe to drop).

I seriously doubt Bragga was coaching for his job.
1. Rice athletic admin is always slow to pull the trigger
2. He gets a covid pass
3. Noticeable improvement of play over the season. Whether that's coaching, experience or some random factor is anyone's guess

Even Stevie Wonder could see this team's problem is pitching. Is that coaching or talent? Probably both, but I lean to talent. We'll see what recruiting does for next season, but pitching takes time to develop.

To each their own, but I did not see a noticeable improvement of play as the season progressed. Improved fundamentals this year was evidence from the get-go....but the mismanagement of the pitching staff, baserunning miscues (we had two in our first game win yesterday), inability to hit with runners in scoring position, lack of situational hitting and pitchers struggling to throw strikes has been a consistent all season, including this weekend.

(05-16-2021 03:39 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 03:26 PM)Old Sammy Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 12:41 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 12:15 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Yesterday, Charlotte clinched the #1 seed in CUSA, and they're still Top 25 ranked. Having watched them the past 3 days, I just don't see it. Very good defensively and in the fundamentals, but the pitching is average at best, and they only have two elite hitters. If it wasn't for Holcomb's inability to throw strikes, a couple costly errors, and our skill at consistently leaving 10+ runners on base each game, we could have swept these guys.

Maybe what we are seeing is the urgency resulting from Bragga coaching for his job.

That was one thing that always troubled me about Bailiff. I never saw any urgency--not in 2009-11, when it was obvious that realignment was coming soon and the programs that could not compete were going to get left behind, and not in 2015-17, when he was pretty much coaching for his job (even if it did take 3 years for the shoe to drop).

I seriously doubt Bragga was coaching for his job.
1. Rice athletic admin is always slow to pull the trigger
2. He gets a covid pass
3. Noticeable improvement of play over the season. Whether that's coaching, experience or some random factor is anyone's guess

Even Stevie Wonder could see this team's problem is pitching. Is that coaching or talent? Probably both, but I lean to talent. We'll see what recruiting does for next season, but pitching takes time to develop.

To each their own, but I did not see a noticeable improvement of play as the season progressed. Improved fundamentals this year was evidence from the get-go....but the mismanagement of the pitching staff, baserunning miscues (we had two in our first game win yesterday), inability to hit with runners in scoring position, lack of situational hitting and pitchers struggling to throw strikes has been a consistent all season, including this weekend.

This.
And what does it say that we showed improvement and finished in the cellar????

(05-16-2021 03:26 PM)Old Sammy Wrote:  Even Stevie Wonder could see this team's problem is pitching. Is that coaching or talent? Probably both, but I lean to talent. We'll see what recruiting does for next season, but pitching takes time to develop.

You have to look at philosophy and track record. Bragga's teams in Tennessee didn't beat you with pitching, they outslugged you. IIRC the superregional team won games 8-7, not 3-1. You wouldn't expect him to have a great pitching team. That would be like expecting a Bailiff team to throw the ball 60-70 times a game.

I seem to recall that Walt didn't think Wayne's teams played small ball often enough, or well enough. Different philosophies, different outcomes.

A little levity by the team after today's victory...

https://twitter.com/RiceBaseball/status/...0529502209

(05-16-2021 06:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  A little levity by the team after today's victory...

https://twitter.com/RiceBaseball/status/...0529502209

Shows how soft this program has become.

(05-17-2021 09:01 AM)esposito Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 06:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  A little levity by the team after today's victory...

https://twitter.com/RiceBaseball/status/...0529502209

Shows how soft this program has become.

Wow, seriously?
I love it any time I see Rice athletes having alittle fun.

(05-17-2021 02:27 PM)Barney Wrote:  

(05-17-2021 09:01 AM)esposito Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 06:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  A little levity by the team after today's victory...

https://twitter.com/RiceBaseball/status/...0529502209

Shows how soft this program has become.

Wow, seriously?
I love it any time I see Rice athletes having alittle fun.

Agree with Barney.

Kendall Rogers just said in his D1Baseball weekly chat that he expects Bragga to be retained for another year.

(05-17-2021 02:30 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(05-17-2021 02:27 PM)Barney Wrote:  

(05-17-2021 09:01 AM)esposito Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 06:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  A little levity by the team after today's victory...

https://twitter.com/RiceBaseball/status/...0529502209

Shows how soft this program has become.

Wow, seriously?
I love it any time I see Rice athletes having alittle fun.

Agree with Barney.

Agree, happy to see the players having fun together even if they are not winning as much as they would like. Sports are supposed to be fun. Has nothing to do with softness or hardness.

(05-16-2021 03:39 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  To each their own, but I did not see a noticeable improvement of play as the season progressed. Improved fundamentals this year was evidence from the get-go....but the mismanagement of the pitching staff, baserunning miscues (we had two in our first game win yesterday), inability to hit with runners in scoring position, lack of situational hitting and pitchers struggling to throw strikes has been a consistent all season, including this weekend.

Pitching improved marginally over the season - over the last third of the season Rice issued 3.7 walks/game vs 4.4 in the first two thirds (over 5 if you drop Southern and HBU out of the numbers). 3.7 compares well to the later Graham seasons. The problem was hitting too many bats, not throwing strikes. Team ERA (6.30) was probably the highest in 25 years. Bullpen management drove me crazy.

Offense was adequate. Defense was good - best fielding pct since 2014. Particularly Hughes at SS - maybe the best defensive SS since that guy coaching 3rd.

I look for improvement over the season from younger players. I don't expect Comeaux or Edwards to exceed prior levels to any significant degree. Hughes and Becker were much better hitters at the end of the season than early. Long (who has a great arm throwing to 2nd) figured out how to stop the avalanche of passed balls he had early. Garibay's offense declined, possibly because opponents figured out how to pitch him or he was asked to carry too heavy a load, both pitching and hitting.

Walt bemoans "situational hitting" and failure to hit with RISP. Yes, if either Becker or Garibay hits in b8 vs Charlotte Sat pm, Rice wins. Statistically that's about a 50/50 chance. I recall a MLB study that purported to show that there was no significant difference in hitting with RISP than without, which makes sense to me. If by "situational hitting" that means small ball vs Earl Weaver, imo that's driven by who you have available and what their skills are.

(05-17-2021 03:43 PM)Old Sammy Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 03:39 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  To each their own, but I did not see a noticeable improvement of play as the season progressed. Improved fundamentals this year was evidence from the get-go....but the mismanagement of the pitching staff, baserunning miscues (we had two in our first game win yesterday), inability to hit with runners in scoring position, lack of situational hitting and pitchers struggling to throw strikes has been a consistent all season, including this weekend.

Pitching improved marginally over the season - over the last third of the season Rice issued 3.7 walks/game vs 4.4 in the first two thirds (over 5 if you drop Southern and HBU out of the numbers). 3.7 compares well to the later Graham seasons. The problem was hitting too many bats, not throwing strikes. Team ERA (6.30) was probably the highest in 25 years. Bullpen management drove me crazy.

Offense was adequate. Defense was good - best fielding pct since 2014. Particularly Hughes at SS - maybe the best defensive SS since that guy coaching 3rd.

I look for improvement over the season from younger players. I don't expect Comeaux or Edwards to exceed prior levels to any significant degree. Hughes and Becker were much better hitters at the end of the season than early. Long (who has a great arm throwing to 2nd) figured out how to stop the avalanche of passed balls he had early. Garibay's offense declined, possibly because opponents figured out how to pitch him or he was asked to carry too heavy a load, both pitching and hitting.

Walt bemoans "situational hitting" and failure to hit with RISP. Yes, if either Becker or Garibay hits in b8 vs Charlotte Sat pm, Rice wins. Statistically that's about a 50/50 chance. I recall a MLB study that purported to show that there was no significant difference in hitting with RISP than without, which makes sense to me. If by "situational hitting" that means small ball vs Earl Weaver, imo that's driven by who you have available and what their skills are.

Situational hitting is more than getting a hit. It includes putting the ball in play, sac flies, hitting the ball up the middle to allow a runner to score from third with less than 2 outs, hitting to the right side with a runner on 2nd or 3rd, hitting behind a runner, etc., none of which necessarily mean getting a hit, although hits are always welcome. It does not include striking out, hitting the ball back to the pitcher or third baseman with a runner at 3B and less than 2 outs or other such rally killers.

(05-17-2021 02:38 PM)ExcitedOwl18 Wrote:  Kendall Rogers just said in his D1Baseball weekly chat that he expects Bragga to be retained for another year.

I think he's correct, unfortunately, but I doubt he has any inside info. He does not have any relationship with JK, and has only spoken with Bragga a couple times since he got here.

(05-17-2021 03:43 PM)Old Sammy Wrote:  

(05-16-2021 03:39 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  To each their own, but I did not see a noticeable improvement of play as the season progressed. Improved fundamentals this year was evidence from the get-go....but the mismanagement of the pitching staff, baserunning miscues (we had two in our first game win yesterday), inability to hit with runners in scoring position, lack of situational hitting and pitchers struggling to throw strikes has been a consistent all season, including this weekend.

Pitching improved marginally over the season - over the last third of the season Rice issued 3.7 walks/game vs 4.4 in the first two thirds (over 5 if you drop Southern and HBU out of the numbers). 3.7 compares well to the later Graham seasons. The problem was hitting too many bats, not throwing strikes. Team ERA (6.30) was probably the highest in 25 years. Bullpen management drove me crazy.

Offense was adequate. Defense was good - best fielding pct since 2014. Particularly Hughes at SS - maybe the best defensive SS since that guy coaching 3rd.

I look for improvement over the season from younger players. I don't expect Comeaux or Edwards to exceed prior levels to any significant degree. Hughes and Becker were much better hitters at the end of the season than early. Long (who has a great arm throwing to 2nd) figured out how to stop the avalanche of passed balls he had early. Garibay's offense declined, possibly because opponents figured out how to pitch him or he was asked to carry too heavy a load, both pitching and hitting.

Walt bemoans "situational hitting" and failure to hit with RISP. Yes, if either Becker or Garibay hits in b8 vs Charlotte Sat pm, Rice wins. Statistically that's about a 50/50 chance. I recall a MLB study that purported to show that there was no significant difference in hitting with RISP than without, which makes sense to me. If by "situational hitting" that means small ball vs Earl Weaver, imo that's driven by who you have available and what their skills are.

re. Becker-- he started really hitting once he finally became a starter and got regular at bats. The first half of the year he got 2 - 3 ABs per week as a pinch hitter. It's awfully hard to be productive when used that way, especially for a Freshman seeing his first D1 action. I think Becker, Garibay and Walsh (if he can finally stay healthy) will be the core of our offense next year, along with Bulman, who was just too inconsistent this year (vs. last year). That's four guys with pretty good pop.

No, situational hitting does NOT mean small ball. What it means is when you have a runner on 2B and less than two outs, you look to hit the ball to the right side of the field (so that if it's a ground ball or a long fly ball you move the runner to 3B). It means if you have a runner on 3B with less than two out, you shorten your swing (particularly with 2 strikes) and make sure you put the ball in play. Anywhere. You simply cannot strikeout in that situation.

I will say it did seem like we hit more sac flies this season than in years past, and that's a good thing. I also was pleased to see both Gneiting and Becker, both left-hand hitters, taking advantage of the shift that Charlotte used and bunting down the 3B line.