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Everyone blaming the portal misses...
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:16 pm
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:16 pm
Yes, Jay missed on position players in the portal, no argument there, he freely admitted that.
But was that really this team's biggest problem?
Pitching, particularly free passes, statistically was their biggest flaw. And I would argue that the majority of that was returning players regressing and freshman just never developing. Add to that the worst season of defensive catching we've witnessed (returning player and a freshman), and those are what contributed to allowing 10+ runs per game routinely. Sure, errors by portal transfers added to that misery, but the hideous amounts of walks, past balls, wild pitches really can't be pinned on the portal misses.
Sorry I didn't post official stats, but at a glance, this team finished middle of the pack on offense, but near (if not at) the bottom in runs allowed.
All this to ask the question - even if Jay hits on the portal transfers next season - does that guarantee that there will be postseason baseball at the Box again next June? My concern is that pitching development is a lot larger issue than getting a couple of big bats in the lineup.
I realize Jay's a whole lot smarter than all of us combined, just hoping he spends a lot more time adressing the pitching approach and developmental problems than just spending lots of money on big bats this offseason.
But was that really this team's biggest problem?
Pitching, particularly free passes, statistically was their biggest flaw. And I would argue that the majority of that was returning players regressing and freshman just never developing. Add to that the worst season of defensive catching we've witnessed (returning player and a freshman), and those are what contributed to allowing 10+ runs per game routinely. Sure, errors by portal transfers added to that misery, but the hideous amounts of walks, past balls, wild pitches really can't be pinned on the portal misses.
Sorry I didn't post official stats, but at a glance, this team finished middle of the pack on offense, but near (if not at) the bottom in runs allowed.
All this to ask the question - even if Jay hits on the portal transfers next season - does that guarantee that there will be postseason baseball at the Box again next June? My concern is that pitching development is a lot larger issue than getting a couple of big bats in the lineup.
I realize Jay's a whole lot smarter than all of us combined, just hoping he spends a lot more time adressing the pitching approach and developmental problems than just spending lots of money on big bats this offseason.
6
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:20 pm to OllaTiger
Sometimes the team and everyone on it is just bad.
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:21 pm to OllaTiger
Can’t read all this from another 8u All Star coach
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:22 pm to OllaTiger
Pitching, and specifically the walks, hp, and wild pitches are def the biggest problem this season, not necessarily the portal. Im a bit more worried about it now than i was 4-5 weeks ago. Its gotten progressively worse. I think they have a good core to start with. But we need some arms to replace cowan and possibly sheerin and maybe guidry on the back end and may one good starter on the front. And the replacements need to be upgrades.
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:25 pm to OllaTiger
The pitching has been awful for the back half but the first half of the season a lot of situations they pitched fine and defense would lay an egg. The infield has been atrocious all year and so has the catchers. That compounds itself and just inflates mentally in pitchers when they have no help they press more. As they say bad play is like cancer as it spreads.
So yes, a big part of it is on the pitchers but what's disturbing about it is it got progressively worse. Not only that defense never wholly improved except maybe you can say catchers got better. This team has zero mental fortitude in the bullpen.
So yes, a big part of it is on the pitchers but what's disturbing about it is it got progressively worse. Not only that defense never wholly improved except maybe you can say catchers got better. This team has zero mental fortitude in the bullpen.
This post was edited on 5/16/26 at 9:26 pm
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:28 pm to OllaTiger
quote:
Add to that the worst season of defensive catching we've witnessed
it's really not. 2022 was just as bad if not worse. McManus was the worst defensive catcher I've ever seen at LSU. That stuff you saw this year with any ball in the dirt getting by the catcher, that happened throughout every game in 2022. i lost count of all the dropped third strikes that ended up with a runner on first base. And our pitchers didn't have nearly as much control issues in 2022 as they do this year, which made our catchers' job that much more difficult. McManus had 11 passed balls by himself in 2022 in 38 starts and he split time with freshmen Alex Milazzo and Hayden Tavinski. All our catchers combined this year had 13, Bide/Serna had 6 each and Yamin had 1. Mcmanus also only threw out 4 base runners the entire season
This post was edited on 5/16/26 at 9:32 pm
Posted on 5/16/26 at 9:56 pm to OllaTiger
quote:
even if Jay hits on the portal transfers next season - does that guarantee that there will be postseason baseball at the Box again next June?
There's no guarantees on just about anything in life. Hurricanes teach us that lesson often. What is taken for granted can be taken away, seemingly in the blink of an eye.
That's why it is important to fully appreciate the good, even when striving for greatness.
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