NOT Adam's Baseball Preview

Catcher - Have to imagine Garza is the guy, as long as he is healthy enough. I don't know the timetable of his injury, or if they will ease him back into play. If we get Garza from the end of the season though, he will have to be in the lineup at catcher, or DH.

Travinski/Milazzo - Travinski will provide the pop at the plate. Milazzo will provide the defense. I expect both of these guys to play early on, giving Garza a break. Travinski could carve a path into the lineup at the DH position as well.

1B - Beloso will have to get injured, or really regress to lose this position. His bat must be in the lineup, and this is one of the few positions that I don't think are really up for grabs.

Travinski, Willis, Dugas, Bianco - a bunch of people could back up this position, but I don't see it happening much.

2B - Cade Doughty seems to be the one to get first crack at it. Once it all clicks for him, he could be special. We were lucky to get him to campus. I expect him to spend plenty of time in the line up. His leash will be longer than others.

Biggs/Dugas - Biggs has played, and played well here. Dugas didn't spend much time (I don't think any) in the fall, but you have to think he can be plugged here at any time, with confidence.

3B - Mathis seems to be Chris Reid version 2. He had a great fall with his bat, and he looks like he will get the first shot here.

Bianco/Dugas/Doughty - If Mathis slips, then Doughty may move over. Mathis seems to be the guy right now though.

SS - Even though people don't want to hear it, Hughes is going to start. Hopefully the lineup is so hot that we can trade his bat for his glove, or hope he improves at the plate.

Arnold/Doughty - Doughty's glove is an issue here, so him playing SS may be a last resort. Arnold has been injured, so we just don't know yet. Hopefully he can push Hughes at the SS position.

Outfield

The outfield is a crowded group. Willis, Bianco, Toups, Sanford, Dugas will all battle it out for left field to start the season. Each have looked good at times with their bat. It's going to be a revolving door, until a lineup is settled late in SEC play. There is no shortage of options.

Center field may be given to Gio to start the season. Cabrera is another option, if Gio isn't getting it done.

Right field will belong to Cabrera, unless he moves to CF. Cabrera is the only staple in the OF. He is the one guy who will have a starting spot every game.

Then there is Hampton. He will be behind, but he could come in and take an OF position. He may be hard to keep off the field once he gets going.

Do your thing man

Looking forward to spring time at the box again.

From the ABCA conference a couple weeks ago, Louisville did a presentation on how they measure offensive success. I want to see how close we get to some of these metrics. I know Eddie Smith has talked about a few of them as far as what he measures as well:

quote:

---

“Number one, we are trying to score more runs than our opponent, and there are many ways to do that,” Vrable said.

“Number two, everyone in our lineup (has) 10-15 plus doubles. (Number) Three, three guys in our lineup with double-digit home runs, and four, we want to control the strike zone. How do we do that? Our walks and hit by pitches need to be even or greater than our strikeouts. And lastly, putting pressure on the defense. We want to have 100-plus (stolen) bags by the end of the year.”

---

ETA: Abendroth is no longer on the roster and per a poster here with knowledge of the situation he's expected to be at Hinds CC in Mississippi this spring.

quote:

---

From my understanding Storz is still out?

---

Official team practice hasn't started, so no one is out right now. And Storz has been throwing for a few weeks now.

quote:

---

“Number one, we are trying to score more runs than our opponent

---

Our pitching staff should help us do this plenty.

quote:

---

Number two, everyone in our lineup (has) 10-15 plus doubles.

---

With Hughes in the lineup, don't see this happening. Not a knock on Hughes, just don't have any reason to believe he has 10-15 extra base hits. Hope I'm wrong.

quote:

---

Three, three guys in our lineup with double-digit home runs,

---

Should happen relatively easy. Cabrera and Beloso should be two for sure. Then we have Garza, Travinski, Doughty, Willis that are all fully capable, depending on at bats.

quote:

---

Our walks and hit by pitches need to be even or greater than our strikeouts.

---

So Bianco will play.

This dude is a poser, NEVER BACK DOWN

quote:

---

Would you mind updating roster with probability of playing based on health?

---

Storz, Fontenot, Garza, Arnold, Hill all missed all/most of fall ball.

Reports are that Storz and Hill started throwing (Hill actually threw in the P&G World Series).

I don't believe Fontenot, Garza or Arnold had season threatening injuries.

We will have to wait till practice starts to get some more clarification on everything.

Thanks. I just went and read PM's November update (I've been a little preoccupied following football. Haven't we all?) and saw that Storz has been throwing and is expected to (along with J. Hill) be ready to go.

Such good news on those two.

quote:

---

He increased their slash line by 7%/6%/17% (not percentage points, but relative to the previous year). OPS went up by 12%. Walk rate went up by 7%, K rate down by 3%. Extra Base Hit rate went up by 29%.

---

Love it

quote:

---

I think Willis, in particular, is primed for a breakout season

---

I think so too, but I have no clue where the hell we are going to put all these players. Might be a lot of lefty/righty match ups going on. Bianco, Dugas might have trouble finding the field.

Gio could have to scrap and claw for a spot. Travinski's big bat might be hard to get in the lineup.

Of all mentioned, one will play in the OF, and the other DH. Still looking at some solid players on the bench though.