Haven’t been able to see much baseball this year. Has the pitching been significantly better than last year? Could barely watch last season.

(03-29-2023 02:55 PM)Greg Netwarble Wrote:  Haven’t been able to see much baseball this year. Has the pitching been significantly better than last year? Could barely watch last season.

Yes! Parker Smith has been steady and solid all season as the Friday night starter. The rest of the staff has progressed nicely since early in the season.

(03-29-2023 02:58 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(03-29-2023 02:55 PM)Greg Netwarble Wrote:  Haven’t been able to see much baseball this year. Has the pitching been significantly better than last year? Could barely watch last season.

Yes! Parker Smith has been steady and solid all season as the Friday night starter. The rest of the staff has progressed nicely since early in the season.

New pitching coach?

(03-29-2023 03:06 PM)Greg Netwarble Wrote:  

(03-29-2023 02:58 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(03-29-2023 02:55 PM)Greg Netwarble Wrote:  Haven’t been able to see much baseball this year. Has the pitching been significantly better than last year? Could barely watch last season.

Yes! Parker Smith has been steady and solid all season as the Friday night starter. The rest of the staff has progressed nicely since early in the season.

New pitching coach?

Yes. Parker Bangs from Davidson. Aside from his insistence on pitching inside when ahead in the count, which has resulted in a lot of hit batsmen, his pitch calling has been a significant upgrade over last year. And he's making in-game adjustments-- what a novel concept! For example, when it was clear that UTSA batters were swinging dead red on first pitch fastballs, he started providing a steady diet of off-speed and breaking pitches early in the count (which UTSA batters invariable took).

(03-29-2023 03:50 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-29-2023 03:06 PM)Greg Netwarble Wrote:  

(03-29-2023 02:58 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  

(03-29-2023 02:55 PM)Greg Netwarble Wrote:  Haven’t been able to see much baseball this year. Has the pitching been significantly better than last year? Could barely watch last season.

Yes! Parker Smith has been steady and solid all season as the Friday night starter. The rest of the staff has progressed nicely since early in the season.

New pitching coach?

Yes. Parker Bangs from Davidson. Aside from his insistence on pitching inside when ahead in the count, which has resulted in a lot of hit batsmen, his pitch calling has been a significant upgrade over last year. And he's making in-game adjustments-- what a novel concept! For example, when it was clear that UTSA batters were swinging dead red on first pitch fastballs, he started providing a steady diet of off-speed and breaking pitches early in the count (which UTSA batters invariable took).

What was the issue with the last guy? All I remember are a bunch of high scores (LOL!)

Owls are up to #79 in RPI after the win over Lamar. This weekend’s opponent, the FAU Owls, is #65, so it shouod be a good test.

And yes, I realize it’s early and RPI is not the end all at this point in the season, but the Rice Owls have been trending in the right direction.

(03-28-2023 06:51 PM)Swede Owl Wrote:  Sounded like from JP that a web gem by Lamar and a bang-bang play at first got Holderbach. Tough break

Actually, just watched that replay on ESPN+, and that was an absolutely insane play by the second baseman. Both to make the stop, and to make the throw. Really, really tough break for Holderbach!

That was literally a web gem! Top 3 on ESPN highlights! https://twitter.com/lamar_baseball/statu...mBqJDfjGmQ

FAU is beatable. Their defense is their achilles' heel...their shortstop played like a high school player when UConn played them a few weeks ago. Put the ball in play and grind two wins in Boca Raton.

(03-29-2023 06:39 PM)Tomball Owl Wrote:  Owls are up to #79 in RPI after the win over Lamar. This weekend’s opponent, the FAU Owls, is #65, so it shouod be a good test.

And yes, I realize it’s early and RPI is not the end all at this point in the season, but the Rice Owls have been trending in the right direction.

FAU is currently 16-10 (15-4 home, 3-3 CUSA), with a #67 ranked ISR and #69 SoS
Rice is currently 13-12, with a #102 ranked ISR and #48 ranked SoS

FAU is 1-5 vs. Top 25: beating Miami at home (6-5); swept by UConn x 3 at home, and losing badly twice to Florida in Gainsville. They were also swept pretty badly at UTSA x 3.
Their other wins aren't very impressive: Monmouth x 3, Harvard x 4, MTSU x 3, UCF x 2 (midweekers), and they took 2 of 3 at home vs. USF. They've been feasting on home cooking.

They're hitting an impressive .285/.468/.398 as a team, with 33 HRs, 53 doubles/triples and 27-30 in stolen bases.
(Rice is hitting .242./.380/.359, with 24 HRs, 37 doubles/triples and 12-14 SB

They have 3 hitters batting over .330, led by CUSA POY candidate in Nolan Schanuel (.447/.882/.600, 9 HRs, 8 doubles/triples, 31 runs, 29 RBIs, 9-9 SBs
That blows away Valdez of UTSA, who is one hell of a hitter.

FAU pitching has a 4.81 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, .279 BAA and averaging just under 1 strikeout per IP. None of their weekend starters have particularly impressive stats, and they don't have a dominant closer.

They have been struggling defensively, boasting a fielding% of only .958 (vs. .973 for Rice and .977 for Rice opponents so far). Their SS already has committed 10 errors.