(01-26-2022 03:50 PM)gmath Wrote:  

(01-26-2022 02:40 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(01-26-2022 12:45 PM)RiceOwl Wrote:  Our standard of baseball has been historically very high - Jr. knows this, the assistants know it, and most importantly, the players know it.

Call me optimistic, but I have a feeling we see drastic improvement this season and get closer to that standard. It make take some time to hit our stride, but I am willing to bet we look back at 2022 as the first time in a while that we feel like we really have something to build on.

The buzz is back and it feels great!

I agree completely. I am optimistic too.

Strange, I thought you were Optimistic Owl.

Yes I am (relative to Rice Baseball)

optimistic-2 is just a mutant variation.

D1Baseball just posted their CUSA Preview, written by Walter Villa (who I've never heard of) instead of Kendall, and it is embarrassing-- they have us finishing with Marshall and UAB at the bottom of the conference...and the Rice writeup is simply filler material. No real inside knowledge. No mention of Woodcox, Deskins, Davis or Linskey, all of whom are going to be playing prominent roles for us this season. Appears he simply did a quick read of Kendall's Fall report on Rice and his writeup on the Rice-UH intrasquad, and then extrapolated from last season's performance. Hal Hughes as one of our offensive leaders? Seriously? He's clueless...

https://d1baseball.com/season-preview/20...W_SJafInX0

Quote:RICE
Rice
Rice (23-29, 11-20-1) is set to begin its first season under coach Jose Cruz Jr., a 47-year-old former MLB Gold Glove winner.

The Owls, CWS champs in 2003, have a proud program that includes 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, 11 regional championships and seven trips to Omaha.

Cruz was a senior at Rice in 1995, when the Owls made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Cruz hit .377 with 16 homers and 75 RBIs that year, leading the nation with 76 walks. Rice traveled to Baton Rouge that year, eliminating reigning national champion LSU in a regional. Rice then lost to eventual CWS champ Cal-State Fullerton.

Fast forward 27 years, and Rice hasn’t qualified for the NCAA’s postseason since 2017. Rice’s once-stellar pitching slipped last year to a 6.30 ERA, which ranked 10th in the league.

As pitching coach, Cruz has brought in Colter Bostick, director of Maximized Baseball. Bostick has developed a program that focuses on mechanical diagnostics and pitch design.

Pepperdine transfer Cooper Chandler could be one of Rice’s top pitchers in 2022, but nothing is set in stone at this point, especially with a new coach. Chandler had a strong fall, while Roel Garcia could finally be in position to have a big-time season and stay healthy. Garcia showed electric stuff during fall workouts and was much more consistent. I’m also intrigued to see how freshman righties Parker Smith and Caleb Matthews factor into the pitching staff roles. Those two were terrific in our looks in the fall, and have the stuff to make an instant impact.

Offensively, the leaders appear to be outfielders Connor Walsh and Guy Garibay Jr. as well as shortstop Hal Hughes, catcher Justin Long and first baseman Austin Bullman. UNC kickback Jack Reidel should make an immediate impact, while Nathan Becker showed a physical frame with some definite big-time power potential in a fall scrimmage against Houston.