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Baseball comes in ranked #15 by one of the services
Posted on 2/7/16 at 2:52 pm
Posted on 2/7/16 at 2:52 pm
Probably a bit high IMO. Somewhere around 30 is probably more appropriate until we learn how some major holes are filled.
Friday night starter is clear....Houck. Preseason All-American. Pitched for the National team over the summer. Dominated.
Saturday starter....McClain...senior presence...control pitcher isn't going to overpower anyone but will hopefully improve on/do the same as last year.
Sunday Starter....No idea at this point. Ideal situation is for De Oca to establish himself. If he did, we may have as good of a weekend trio as any team in the county. But, from all accounts, he's still struggling with control. Think Ricky Vaughn types of struggles. Most likely will see either lefty Tribby or lefty Lake Dabney in my estimation. Both solid but neither capable of dominating.
Midweek starter....if De Oca doesn't get the weekend start, I'd love to see him work out his control issues here. Can't fix it without getting on the mound in game situations. Not TJ's style though. He will throw some sub-par pitchers who throw strikes but get pummeled.
What I'd like to see in the lineup:
CF - Ring - Returning starter with speed. Needs to improve OBP
LF - Harris - Brings some fire, excitement and a bit of pop.
SS - Howard - Steady. Played well for National team.
C - Bond - Started regularly last year and one of the leaders in most hitting categories. Might move to 1B.
3B - Benes - Hopefully coming in ready to play instead of being thrown in the middle of things.
1B - Lavy - Started here last year.
RF - Doherty - There is an opening in the OF and at 2B. Harris could move to 2B opening 2 spots in the OF. Ideally, Doherty is everything advertised and rounds out the OF.
2B - Really up in the air if Harris doesn't move here. Maybe watch for a newcomer to slide in here.
DH - Could be Akmon. Del Rio. After that, it would be a new name.
15 is too high going in but if that 3rd starter and the closer spot are answered, along with 1 OF spot and 2B, this team should improve on last year's record.
Friday night starter is clear....Houck. Preseason All-American. Pitched for the National team over the summer. Dominated.
Saturday starter....McClain...senior presence...control pitcher isn't going to overpower anyone but will hopefully improve on/do the same as last year.
Sunday Starter....No idea at this point. Ideal situation is for De Oca to establish himself. If he did, we may have as good of a weekend trio as any team in the county. But, from all accounts, he's still struggling with control. Think Ricky Vaughn types of struggles. Most likely will see either lefty Tribby or lefty Lake Dabney in my estimation. Both solid but neither capable of dominating.
Midweek starter....if De Oca doesn't get the weekend start, I'd love to see him work out his control issues here. Can't fix it without getting on the mound in game situations. Not TJ's style though. He will throw some sub-par pitchers who throw strikes but get pummeled.
What I'd like to see in the lineup:
CF - Ring - Returning starter with speed. Needs to improve OBP
LF - Harris - Brings some fire, excitement and a bit of pop.
SS - Howard - Steady. Played well for National team.
C - Bond - Started regularly last year and one of the leaders in most hitting categories. Might move to 1B.
3B - Benes - Hopefully coming in ready to play instead of being thrown in the middle of things.
1B - Lavy - Started here last year.
RF - Doherty - There is an opening in the OF and at 2B. Harris could move to 2B opening 2 spots in the OF. Ideally, Doherty is everything advertised and rounds out the OF.
2B - Really up in the air if Harris doesn't move here. Maybe watch for a newcomer to slide in here.
DH - Could be Akmon. Del Rio. After that, it would be a new name.
15 is too high going in but if that 3rd starter and the closer spot are answered, along with 1 OF spot and 2B, this team should improve on last year's record.
4
Posted on 2/8/16 at 9:29 am to reedus23
I hope more fans go out and support the baseball team. Those guys are good.
Hope Mizzou becomes better than Missouri State in regards in baseball. Mo State have build a good program down in Springfield.
Hope Mizzou becomes better than Missouri State in regards in baseball. Mo State have build a good program down in Springfield.
Posted on 2/8/16 at 10:23 am to reedus23
Don't follow baseball much. What's the expectations as far as league play goes?
Posted on 2/8/16 at 12:49 pm to JesusQuintana
A lot is going to depend on who that third weekend starter is. If De Oca figures it out, our starters will be as good or better than almost anyone's. If that happens and Benes finds his bat with a full off season, I don't think 2nd or 3rd in the east is out of question. Our pitching will keep us close in most games. Will we score enough to take 2 of 3 each weekend will be the question
Posted on 2/8/16 at 1:25 pm to reedus23
Does baseball have divisions? Some reason I thought that was a football only thing.
Posted on 2/8/16 at 5:23 pm to wubilli
Yes and no. They divide them into divisions with the winner of each division getting the #1 and #2 seeds in the SEC tourney based on winning percentage. After that, 3 through 12 just get seeded based on winning percentage.
I think even the SEC website shows them in divisions.
I think even the SEC website shows them in divisions.
Posted on 2/8/16 at 6:04 pm to reedus23
We finished 3rd in the east last year at 15-15 and 30-28 overall.
Mizzou's conference schedule:
@UF - Took 2 of 3 last year. But UF finished 2nd and are loaded. Almost everyone has them preseason #1. Hope to take 1 of 3. Anything more is a major coup.
Vandy - Gotten swept the last two years. They're a top 5 team again. Hope to take 1 of 3 like UF, even at home.
@Arky - Arky is close to being similarly situated as Mizzou in the preseason polls. Maybe slightly higher overall. There may be an outside chance at stealing the series, but because it's on the road, not likely.
Aub - At home is a very winnable series. Would be nice to get a sweep.
LSU - I'm thinking of driving to watch this series. LSU has a stud pitcher from KC area that's in Houck's class. Maybe 1 of 3 again.
@SC - If the pitching comes through, there's a chance to win this weekend. We faired well against them last year, winning 3 of 4. They were 5th in east last year.
UT - We won 2 of 3 last year and that was on the road. If we lock down that 3rd starter, there's a chance for a sweep. They were 6th in east last year.
@MSU - We nearly beat them in the SEC tourney 2 years ago when we were horrible. They're ranked slightly higher than us going into the year despite finishing last in the west last year. I have no idea what they have coming back to justify that. Until they show me why they deserve that ranking, I'm going to error on the side of optimism and say we win 2 of 3.
UGA - We swept them there last year. They finished last in the east last year. Hope for another sweep.
@UK - Lost 2 of 3 against them at home last year in what was a mild upset at the very end of the season, eliminating what would have been a shoe in for the NCAA tourney. I expect some revenge and I expect to win 2 of 3.
The biggest key for this team will be surviving the first half of the conference schedule and not getting too down with the losses. It definitely gets easier (relatively speaking) after that.
We do miss top 5 A&M, a decent Ole Miss and a decent Bama.
I would hope for a couple game improvement from 15-15 last year. If everything really falls in line, who knows. The key will be improving every year in the non-con games. Had some let ups last year that also killed our chances along with that UK series. Swept by Milwaukee, lost to A&M Corpus Christi & Ark Pine Bluff & UALR. Illinois was senior laden last year and we still blew that game. Much more winnable this year. MoState swept us. Gotta win 1 of those. SEMO beat us. Gotta win that one. Improve those noncon games and 15-15 in the SEC will get you in the tourney. Problem is TJ doesn't throw the high upside guys in those games. Throws guys who throw strikes but get pummeled.
Mizzou's conference schedule:
@UF - Took 2 of 3 last year. But UF finished 2nd and are loaded. Almost everyone has them preseason #1. Hope to take 1 of 3. Anything more is a major coup.
Vandy - Gotten swept the last two years. They're a top 5 team again. Hope to take 1 of 3 like UF, even at home.
@Arky - Arky is close to being similarly situated as Mizzou in the preseason polls. Maybe slightly higher overall. There may be an outside chance at stealing the series, but because it's on the road, not likely.
Aub - At home is a very winnable series. Would be nice to get a sweep.
LSU - I'm thinking of driving to watch this series. LSU has a stud pitcher from KC area that's in Houck's class. Maybe 1 of 3 again.
@SC - If the pitching comes through, there's a chance to win this weekend. We faired well against them last year, winning 3 of 4. They were 5th in east last year.
UT - We won 2 of 3 last year and that was on the road. If we lock down that 3rd starter, there's a chance for a sweep. They were 6th in east last year.
@MSU - We nearly beat them in the SEC tourney 2 years ago when we were horrible. They're ranked slightly higher than us going into the year despite finishing last in the west last year. I have no idea what they have coming back to justify that. Until they show me why they deserve that ranking, I'm going to error on the side of optimism and say we win 2 of 3.
UGA - We swept them there last year. They finished last in the east last year. Hope for another sweep.
@UK - Lost 2 of 3 against them at home last year in what was a mild upset at the very end of the season, eliminating what would have been a shoe in for the NCAA tourney. I expect some revenge and I expect to win 2 of 3.
The biggest key for this team will be surviving the first half of the conference schedule and not getting too down with the losses. It definitely gets easier (relatively speaking) after that.
We do miss top 5 A&M, a decent Ole Miss and a decent Bama.
I would hope for a couple game improvement from 15-15 last year. If everything really falls in line, who knows. The key will be improving every year in the non-con games. Had some let ups last year that also killed our chances along with that UK series. Swept by Milwaukee, lost to A&M Corpus Christi & Ark Pine Bluff & UALR. Illinois was senior laden last year and we still blew that game. Much more winnable this year. MoState swept us. Gotta win 1 of those. SEMO beat us. Gotta win that one. Improve those noncon games and 15-15 in the SEC will get you in the tourney. Problem is TJ doesn't throw the high upside guys in those games. Throws guys who throw strikes but get pummeled.
Posted on 2/9/16 at 9:26 am to reedus23
I'm planning on going to the Sunday LSU game. Will be at the Mumford & Sons concert in STL on the Saturday (gotta do nice things for the lady every once in a while).
I may also try to get to the game in Sauget this year. I think Mizzou is definitely a regional team this year. That puts them at probably top 8 in the SEC, which is top 30 in the country.
ETA: They just need to make sure they don't drop those inexplicable mid week games like UAPB last year.
I may also try to get to the game in Sauget this year. I think Mizzou is definitely a regional team this year. That puts them at probably top 8 in the SEC, which is top 30 in the country.
ETA: They just need to make sure they don't drop those inexplicable mid week games like UAPB last year.
This post was edited on 2/9/16 at 9:28 am
Posted on 2/9/16 at 10:54 am to ProjectP2294
Those midweek games are all on TJ. He almost just treats them as throw away games. I get you put your A team out there on weekends but you can't go to your C or D team midweek.
Posted on 2/12/16 at 8:04 am to reedus23
Somebody say.....baseball?
Posted on 2/12/16 at 12:24 pm to reedus23
quote:
Those midweek games are all on TJ. He almost just treats them as throw away games. I get you put your A team out there on weekends but you can't go to your C or D team midweek.
That has come back to bite the Hogs in past years as well. You don't want to go all out, but you certainly want to put some money in the bank so to speak.
Posted on 2/12/16 at 4:37 pm to reedus23
This is a bit of good news! Glad to hear it.
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