Rice currently stands at 12-18 after a sweep of Old Dominion. Despite Canterino's dominance and the presence of quality hitters on the roster, the overall performance of the team has been lackluster. As we all know, the main culprits are our atrocious defense and a lack of depth across the board (especially in the pen).

So...where do we go from here?

Even if a C-USA championship and a regional appearance are out of the question, this team can still finish strong while striving to correct the blunders that have plagued us all year. Here are my goals for this team for the remainder of the year; I feel like they are all achievable.

Note: I will make my goals tangible but anyone who wants to post their own goals may do so however they desire.

1. Attain a fielding percentage of .970 or greater from this day forward

Heading into last weekend, our defense was ranked #275 in the country, down there with programs like Iona and St. Peters. There are differing opinions on the true talent level of this team, depending on who you ask, but we can all agree we are not THAT bad. Defense is largely fundamentals...I see no reason why we can't field .970 (a slightly above average number) the rest of the way.

2. Find two reliable relievers besides Jeffries that can pitch to an ERA of 3.50 or below (again, from this day forward)

The bullpen has been disappointing, to say the least, but they showed improvement last weekend and have had their moments vs. strong competition. Tyner is my breakout candidate and the player I am giving a #MambaMentality challenge. The dude has good stuff but simply hasn't had the command or composure; if he can throw strikes I think he can help win quite a few games down the stretch. Gayle is a more obvious breakout candidate...hopefully he can turn it around.

3. Average 8 or less strikeouts per game

The strikeouts have frustrated me more than anything, especially the backwards K's. I get that our power heavy approach will lead to more strikeouts than Rice fans were accustomed to in the Graham era, but this season has been ridiculous. Square up with two strikes and get the damn bat off your shoulder.

4. Either execute sacrifice bunt attempts or stop sac bunting altogether

This one doesn't have a numerical goal attached because I am extremely anti-bunt myself, but if I were to attach a percentage, I'd like to see at least 66% of our sac bunt attempts land on the ground in fair territory. We don't bunt religiously or anything, but when we do bunt we need to get it down.

This does not include bunting for a single, which is naturally harder to get down due to the change in reaction time.

5. Finish the season with 30 or more wins


Yes, we can do it. Here's how.

-Go 3-2 in remaining midweek games.
-3-0 vs. struggling FIU at home
-2-1 vs. MTSU at home
-2-1 vs. Charlotte on the road
-3-3 vs. LA Tech and USM at home
-3-3 vs. Marshall and WKU on the road

That puts us at 28-28 for the regular season, at which point we would need to win 2 games in conference tournament play. If we can get to 30 wins on the season, the new staff would have some momentum going into next year & on the recruiting trail.

Feel free to add your goals, thoughts, etc. I have been wanting to post this thread for weeks now but waited until we had a nice weekend :)

Pretty spot on assessment. Well done.

I think the team goal now is essentially to make the conference tournament and win it.

Achieving some or all the goals presented in post #1 would certainly help that.

(04-02-2019 01:08 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I think the team goal now is essentially to make the conference tournament and win it.

Achieving some or all the goals presented in post #1 would certainly help that.

could someone comment on the opinion that recruiting has picked up, and some objective data to support that?

(04-02-2019 01:24 AM)HawaiiOwl Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:08 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I think the team goal now is essentially to make the conference tournament and win it.

Achieving some or all the goals presented in post #1 would certainly help that.

could someone comment on the opinion that recruiting has picked up, and some objective data to support that?

Next year's incoming class is still somewhat weak, but it has recently been bolstered by the addition of two quality JUCO pitchers (Conlin, DeLeon), and we're still seeking the addition of a JUCO OFer. However, the 2020 recruiting class (Freshmen for the 2021 season) is loaded, including a couple guys who are in serious danger of getting drafted within the first two days of the draft.

Win a NC?

(04-02-2019 09:19 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:24 AM)HawaiiOwl Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:08 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I think the team goal now is essentially to make the conference tournament and win it.

Achieving some or all the goals presented in post #1 would certainly help that.

could someone comment on the opinion that recruiting has picked up, and some objective data to support that?

Next year's incoming class is still somewhat weak, but it has recently been bolstered by the addition of two quality JUCO pitchers (Conlin, DeLeon), and we're still seeking the addition of a JUCO OFer. However, the 2020 recruiting class (Freshmen for the 2021 season) is loaded, including a couple guys who are in serious danger of getting drafted within the first two days of the draft.

Not sure where you get your info.

The 2020 Class has 7 current commits and none are currently in danger of getting drafted highly. The 2019 class had some really good players in it...and some remained committed and signed. The rest were let go and were signed by other schools. I do think the addition of a couple Juco pitchers can help. But its gonna be a long rebuild in my opinion.

That's not to say the 2020 commits are not good players....but its not like its shaping up to be some program changing group.

(04-02-2019 09:46 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:19 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:24 AM)HawaiiOwl Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:08 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I think the team goal now is essentially to make the conference tournament and win it.

Achieving some or all the goals presented in post #1 would certainly help that.

could someone comment on the opinion that recruiting has picked up, and some objective data to support that?

Next year's incoming class is still somewhat weak, but it has recently been bolstered by the addition of two quality JUCO pitchers (Conlin, DeLeon), and we're still seeking the addition of a JUCO OFer. However, the 2020 recruiting class (Freshmen for the 2021 season) is loaded, including a couple guys who are in serious danger of getting drafted within the first two days of the draft.

Not sure where you get your info.

The 2020 Class has 7 current commits and none are currently in danger of getting drafted highly. The 2019 class had some really good players in it...and some remained committed and signed. The rest were let go and were signed by other schools. I do think the addition of a couple Juco pitchers can help. But its gonna be a long rebuild in my opinion.

That's not to say the 2020 commits are not good players....but its not like its shaping up to be some program changing group.

What about the RHP pitcher, Davis...and the traveling squad catcher? I had heard both had the potential to be high draft picks.

(04-02-2019 09:50 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:46 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:19 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:24 AM)HawaiiOwl Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:08 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I think the team goal now is essentially to make the conference tournament and win it.

Achieving some or all the goals presented in post #1 would certainly help that.

could someone comment on the opinion that recruiting has picked up, and some objective data to support that?

Next year's incoming class is still somewhat weak, but it has recently been bolstered by the addition of two quality JUCO pitchers (Conlin, DeLeon), and we're still seeking the addition of a JUCO OFer. However, the 2020 recruiting class (Freshmen for the 2021 season) is loaded, including a couple guys who are in serious danger of getting drafted within the first two days of the draft.

Not sure where you get your info.

The 2020 Class has 7 current commits and none are currently in danger of getting drafted highly. The 2019 class had some really good players in it...and some remained committed and signed. The rest were let go and were signed by other schools. I do think the addition of a couple Juco pitchers can help. But its gonna be a long rebuild in my opinion.

That's not to say the 2020 commits are not good players....but its not like its shaping up to be some program changing group.

What about the RHP pitcher, Davis...and the traveling squad catcher? I had heard both had the potential to be high draft picks.

Davis is a good pitcher....but he’s not projected as a high draft pick from any indication I’ve been given. As far as the “traveling squad” catcher, you will have to be more specific. They all play travel ball.

.500 record should be the goal. Gives us a shot in the conference tourney and that's all we can ask for at this point.

(04-02-2019 11:49 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:50 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:46 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:19 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:24 AM)HawaiiOwl Wrote:  could someone comment on the opinion that recruiting has picked up, and some objective data to support that?

Next year's incoming class is still somewhat weak, but it has recently been bolstered by the addition of two quality JUCO pitchers (Conlin, DeLeon), and we're still seeking the addition of a JUCO OFer. However, the 2020 recruiting class (Freshmen for the 2021 season) is loaded, including a couple guys who are in serious danger of getting drafted within the first two days of the draft.

Not sure where you get your info.

The 2020 Class has 7 current commits and none are currently in danger of getting drafted highly. The 2019 class had some really good players in it...and some remained committed and signed. The rest were let go and were signed by other schools. I do think the addition of a couple Juco pitchers can help. But its gonna be a long rebuild in my opinion.

That's not to say the 2020 commits are not good players....but its not like its shaping up to be some program changing group.

What about the RHP pitcher, Davis...and the traveling squad catcher? I had heard both had the potential to be high draft picks.

Davis is a good pitcher....but he’s not projected as a high draft pick from any indication I’ve been given. As far as the “traveling squad” catcher, you will have to be more specific. They all play travel ball.

I believe we have two quality catchers in our 2020 class-- Tyler LaRue and Manny Garza....and I believe it is Garza who is the draft risk.

(04-02-2019 12:07 PM)RiceOwl Wrote:  .500 record should be the goal. Gives us a shot in the conference tourney and that's all we can ask for at this point.

Agree that this should be our goal. And, at this point in the season, it’s not going to be easy.

(04-02-2019 12:42 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 11:49 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:50 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:46 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:19 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Next year's incoming class is still somewhat weak, but it has recently been bolstered by the addition of two quality JUCO pitchers (Conlin, DeLeon), and we're still seeking the addition of a JUCO OFer. However, the 2020 recruiting class (Freshmen for the 2021 season) is loaded, including a couple guys who are in serious danger of getting drafted within the first two days of the draft.

Not sure where you get your info.

The 2020 Class has 7 current commits and none are currently in danger of getting drafted highly. The 2019 class had some really good players in it...and some remained committed and signed. The rest were let go and were signed by other schools. I do think the addition of a couple Juco pitchers can help. But its gonna be a long rebuild in my opinion.

That's not to say the 2020 commits are not good players....but its not like its shaping up to be some program changing group.

What about the RHP pitcher, Davis...and the traveling squad catcher? I had heard both had the potential to be high draft picks.

Davis is a good pitcher....but he’s not projected as a high draft pick from any indication I’ve been given. As far as the “traveling squad” catcher, you will have to be more specific. They all play travel ball.

I believe we have two quality catchers in our 2020 class-- Tyler LaRue and Manny Garza....and I believe it is Garza who is the draft risk.

Emmanuel Garza is a 2021 class and Tyler LaRue is a 2019 kid.

(04-02-2019 01:15 PM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 12:42 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 11:49 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:50 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:46 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  Not sure where you get your info.

The 2020 Class has 7 current commits and none are currently in danger of getting drafted highly. The 2019 class had some really good players in it...and some remained committed and signed. The rest were let go and were signed by other schools. I do think the addition of a couple Juco pitchers can help. But its gonna be a long rebuild in my opinion.

That's not to say the 2020 commits are not good players....but its not like its shaping up to be some program changing group.

What about the RHP pitcher, Davis...and the traveling squad catcher? I had heard both had the potential to be high draft picks.

Davis is a good pitcher....but he’s not projected as a high draft pick from any indication I’ve been given. As far as the “traveling squad” catcher, you will have to be more specific. They all play travel ball.

I believe we have two quality catchers in our 2020 class-- Tyler LaRue and Manny Garza....and I believe it is Garza who is the draft risk.

Emmanuel Garza is a 2021 class and Tyler LaRue is a 2019 kid.

Thanks for the clarification. Am I correct that Garza is the draft risk?

(04-02-2019 01:29 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 01:15 PM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 12:42 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 11:49 AM)Owl1998 Wrote:  

(04-02-2019 09:50 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  What about the RHP pitcher, Davis...and the traveling squad catcher? I had heard both had the potential to be high draft picks.

Davis is a good pitcher....but he’s not projected as a high draft pick from any indication I’ve been given. As far as the “traveling squad” catcher, you will have to be more specific. They all play travel ball.

I believe we have two quality catchers in our 2020 class-- Tyler LaRue and Manny Garza....and I believe it is Garza who is the draft risk.

Emmanuel Garza is a 2021 class and Tyler LaRue is a 2019 kid.

Thanks for the clarification. Am I correct that Garza is the draft risk?

Hard to say with a sophomore in HS if they’re a draft risk or not. He’s a big, strong kid but it’s too early to say with regards to MLB draft.

I have lower expectations I guess. I just would like to see us release our list of signees to date.