I'm going to enjoy this season no matter what!

[ThisTeetsTaken]

I'm not going to allow some of the negative posting going on around here ruin my season.  I'm going to watch each game knowing that this probably isn't our year but there are still plenty of things to make it interesting.  We've got some good young talent that, at some point, are going to figure it out and turn in some great performances.  We're going to see what DVH is made of with this squad.  We're going to see him coach as hard as he ever has because he will have to.  We still have all of our goals ahead of us and we can still make a regional or better.  No reason to make things miserable on ourselves by being constant Debbie Downers.  Enjoy the process this year.  Whatever happens this particular season we are a really good program and nobody can say otherwise. 

[Kevin]

13 walks and 3 hbp, is hard to watch, don't care how big a fan you are

[WilsonHog]

I almost certainly won't enjoy it if this continues, but I'll still follow every game.

[Knot2brite]

I can enjoy it if we are competitive and losing with a young squad. I cannot stand to watch walks and HBP. That is not competing that is giving it away

[micali]

I will try real hard to enjoy this season but losing is not fun. 

[ricepig]

I can enjoy it if we are competitive and losing with a young squad. I cannot stand to watch walks and HBP. That is not competing that is giving it away

Yeah, it's just hard to believe our pitching is struggling this bad.

[Knot2brite]

UCA or someone said at the beginning of the season that we lost 17 pitchers over the last three years. That is a freaking boatload. I was a leader of the call for more offense. Well we got more offense ( it probably would have been there if the last three years we had been using the new ball) but NO team in the nation lost as much pitching as we have in the last three years. Killian is not 100%. Jackson is looking better. Taco is looking better. The youngins are just going to have to take their lumps. It isn't lump taking by giving it away. I really wonder how much the lower seams has affected the accuracy of pitching in the overall game. Are walks up across the nation?

[TNhawgfan]

I agree with the I'll still follow and be a fan crowd, but won't enjoy losing

[Kenny Dowell Loggains]

Playing hard and losing I can deal with, handing games to inferior teams on a silver platter is infuriating.  You're in the SEC, it's time to play like big boys.

[pigture perfect]

I don't personally know anyone who likes losing. It's the way you lose. This pitching staff will get better.

[reddogjcss]

Losing in a hard fought close game is not real bad, bad but it happens. Being out played by these little schools is BAD REAL BAD. Hard to watch.
We going to have a tough rebuilding year. I hope I'm wrong but making this last three looses look like Pro teams playing our high school team.

[reddogjcss]

I hope they turn it around

[ThisTeetsTaken]

Got there early enough to watch infield yesterday. We seriously have some ball players on this team. The gloves and arms on most of the team are nothing short of spectacular. That's what makes this so hard to figure out. Hopefully we get some pitching when we need it. Otherwise I'm convinced the position players are there.

Sometime that just the way baseball go.

Yep.
There will be a game where the young talent explodes.  Both on the mound and at the plate.  There's too much talent not to. All I'm saying is why not accept it for what it is and enjoy watching the process and being there when they do finally figure it out? 

[JonClaudeVanHam]

So far it has been one of those "check the score, don't watch the game" years for me. I simply get too frustrated watching all the walks. For the sake of the people around me it's better I don't. If we just stop walking people we'll make a huge jump, but until then, yikes.

[elksnort]

Bound to have a less than steller year sometime. 

[Kevin]

This program should never pitch like this

[hogsportsfan]

This program should never pitch like this

Even though the wheels fell off the bus, the bus is still there.  It's clear that the biggest holes are with the depth of pitching staff, but Coach Jorn is pro so look forward to see what he does with this group.

[Iwastherein1969]

man, whatever happened to the days of Stanek, Todd, Keuchel, Smyley....good lord, I could go down the list of bull pen arms and it would take too long...strange days, indeed....long way to go in the season, but as far as the baseball is concerned, we may have went a bit overboard on recruiting "so called" hitters....we'll see

[intoxhog]

I almost certainly won't enjoy it if this continues, but I'll still follow every game.

Im huge college baseball fan, obviously its not our year but im very happy to have such a abundance of baseball on espn 3. Ill watch every game i can including other teams this year.

[flippinhogmana]

COULD WE GET A GRIP HERE?  Come on, you'd think the sky was falling or something.  We've lived through six years of Obama, we can handle this (sorry, I wont ever mention anything remotely political again). 

I think that the only thing that is bothering some of you is your expectations.  There are those of us who tried to shout in the hurricane of your unrealistic appraisal of this team for caution early on, who voice were lost in the gale of enthusiasm around us.  No holes on this team, pitching will be fine, pigs among you said a lot in reply.  Now you guys are unnecessarily on suicide watch (sorry, now I am being over dramatic, hehe, it is fun at this point, but I don't mean to mock your pain, err, yes I do, just don't mean to hurt you).

Chill out, remember my words, from a couple of months ago, we will be fine in the end.  I am not the least bit surprised by any of this (well, surprised by some of DVH's reactions and line up choices), or dismayed as of yet, because it was written as plain as the nose on your face we would have these days.  I may be wrong, but I am just as cautiously optimistic as ever, we (the fans and coaching staff) just cant over react. 

[ricepig]

COULD WE GET A GRIP HERE?  Come on, you'd think the sky was falling or something.  We've lived through six years of Obama, we can handle this (sorry, I wont ever mention anything remotely political again). 

I think that the only thing that is bothering some of you is your expectations.  There are those of us who tried to shout in the hurricane of your unrealistic appraisal of this team for caution early on, who voice were lost in the gale of enthusiasm around us.  No holes on this team, pitching will be fine, pigs among you said a lot in reply.  Now you guys are unnecessarily on suicide watch (sorry, now I am being over dramatic, hehe, it is fun at this point, but I don't mean to mock your pain, err, yes I do, just don't mean to hurt you).

Chill out, remember my words, from a couple of months ago, we will be fine in the end.  I am not the least bit surprised by any of this (well, surprised by some of DVH's reactions and line up choices), or dismayed as of yet, because it was written as plain as the nose on your face we would have these days.  I may be wrong, but I am just as cautiously optimistic as ever, we (the fans and coaching staff) just cant over react. 

Ironic post

[southarkhog06]

COULD WE GET A GRIP HERE?  Come on, you'd think the sky was falling or something.  We've lived through six years of Obama, we can handle this (sorry, I wont ever mention anything remotely political again). 

I think that the only thing that is bothering some of you is your expectations.  There are those of us who tried to shout in the hurricane of your unrealistic appraisal of this team for caution early on, who voice were lost in the gale of enthusiasm around us.  No holes on this team, pitching will be fine, pigs among you said a lot in reply.  Now you guys are unnecessarily on suicide watch (sorry, now I am being over dramatic, hehe, it is fun at this point, but I don't mean to mock your pain, err, yes I do, just don't mean to hurt you).

Chill out, remember my words, from a couple of months ago, we will be fine in the end.  I am not the least bit surprised by any of this (well, surprised by some of DVH's reactions and line up choices), or dismayed as of yet, because it was written as plain as the nose on your face we would have these days.  I may be wrong, but I am just as cautiously optimistic as ever, we (the fans and coaching staff) just cant over react.

I was one of those people (well to a point), I was wrong.

You have been on like 3-4 threads now tooting your horn about how right you were, we get it. I will still enjoy watching hog baseball this year and I dont think anyone is on "suicide watch", nor do I understand the need for such hyperbole.

[BroyledNutts]

Well, the last two days were certainly frustrating.
I wonder if there wasn't a bit of a lingering hangover from the roughing up on Sunday.

The past two weeks have not been very conducive to building a rhythm - weather screwed around with practice and game schedules, I'm sure it interfered with going to class, practice...basically taking creatures of habit and interrupting the daily routine - I can't speak for them, but I know it gets me out of rhythm when that stuff happens...and it takes a little to get back to smooth operations. With that said, what I watched over the last three games wasn't SEC caliber ball.

We have a D1, SEC caliber offense - that's seems to be in a funk...facing a few left handed pitchers over the last games hasn't helped any either - this offense didn't have any lefties on the staff to practice against in the fall, and it shows a little right now when we face lefties...this I expect will fix itself as the season progresses; I just hope we go back to hitting well 1-9.

The running game isn't highly polished right now - DVH is feeling out who can run, who has good instincts, and who is a liability...this too, I expect to fix itself as the season progresses. Eventually we won't run ourselves out of innings, or make bad decisions on when to run and with who.

The defense, for the most part, seems to be quite solid. Wernes, Nomura, and Eagan makes 99.9% of the plays; with few errors. Bernal at short will be as is always has been - there will be an equal amount of "how did he make that" and "how did he blow that" - but I see him getting more and more reliable as we go. The outfield is as strong as it has ever been. My only real defensive concern is at catcher. Shaddy has the plate presence to be a good, reliable hitter; but he is struggling right now to catch the ball, or get in front of pitches. His POP time and throwing accuracy seems to lack a little as well. Experience can fix this, but it's going to be at the expense of some runs and stolen bases until his skills mature. Pennell, so far as I've seen him play this year, is solid behind the plate. He's a good stopper, his POP and accuracy are very good, and he seems to have the natural leadership that's needed there. He just can't hit well...but if his defense remains or improves, I would expect him to get the majority of starts as we move along; and with the rest of this offense, I would trade his bat for his defense.

The only major issue is the fact we have a high school level pitching staff right now. Our veterans are erratic - lights out one start, run out of the park the next. We haven't seen enough of Killian to know how his elbow is going to effect him this year. The bullpen is scary...as you all know and have seen. Who will step up? Who will maintain his technique and release point long enough to be effective? It's obvious the mantra from Dave Jorn off season was if you miss, make it low...and they do with abandon...and we seem to nibble way too much with men on, and pay way too much attention to men on 2nd...that's a maturity and experience issue, for sure. Walks and wild pitches will sink this season if it isn't corralled quickly - and I mean QUICKLY.

I'll be there, in the seats, grimacing through every remaining inning this year. I'll be watching, if for no other reason, to see the caliber of our coaching staff and how they turn boys into men and amateurs into D1 baseball players. If we get to the post season this year it will be to their credit alone....and I'll be watching the RBI girls, of course.

[flippinhogmana]

I was one of those people (well to a point), I was wrong.

You have been on like 3-4 threads now tooting your horn about how right you were, we get it. I will still enjoy watching hog baseball this year and I dont think anyone is on "suicide watch", nor do I understand the need for such hyperbole.

It hasnt been about tooting my horn, bro.  This passage above isnt about that either.  Its about the over reaction and emotional investment some seem to have that goes beyond the irrational.  I still find things to enjoy even in these losses, little things that encourage me and should encourage you.  I dont mean to cite the fact that I had an alternate opinion on things other than to say that its quite possible to be hopeful and still able to see problems.  Its called cautious optimism.  My main point in each thread that you say I am tooting my horn is to relax, give it a chance, dont push the panic button (which is what I said above).  I cite what I have said all year to show that I am consistent that is all.

[flippinhogmana]

1+ to you Broyled

[TuckFexas]

I always enjoy the Hogs. It's much more enjoyable when we know what kind of product to expect. This year, all we really had to go by was hope. Hope that the kids coming in would live up to their recruiting rankings. Hope that the returning starters would be improved. Hope that indoor talent transitioned to on the field competition. So far, it's been a let down. Good news is, we haven't started conference play yet. There's a LOT of season left. Things could start clicking and who knows how far we get? Or, we're gonna see that this team isn't that tough mentally and we have our worst season in a long time and this forum starts to resemble Jump Ball and MMQB.

Success has spoiled us rotten. ALL of us. Our program is to a point where not making a SR is a disappointment. That's a pretty damn good spot to be in. Recruiting classes compete with the best in the nation. Some years are an anomaly and maybe we're due. I don't have a lot of confidence in this team, but they at least have a chance to redeem themselves with so much season left. And look on the bright side, you don't have to deal with Razorvision anymore!

[azhog10]

UCA or someone said at the beginning of the season that we lost 17 pitchers over the last three years. That is a freaking boatload. I was a leader of the call for more offense. Well we got more offense ( it probably would have been there if the last three years we had been using the new ball) but NO team in the nation lost as much pitching as we have in the last three years. Killian is not 100%. Jackson is looking better. Taco is looking better. The youngins are just going to have to take their lumps. It isn't lump taking by giving it away. I really wonder how much the lower seams has affected the accuracy of pitching in the overall game. Are walks up across the nation?

UCA also argued that we didn't have really any holes in this team.

Listen, DVH is a heck of a coach. However, you have to be able to call a spade a spade and between him, Butler, Jorn, and Vitello we have seriously missed the mark in recruiting for pitchers. I understand we've lost guys to the draft, but they weren't really surprises. I added Butler bc recruiting is more than just a years process. The fact is to have one or two lefties on your staff and that's it, and neither have any experience whatsoever. Couple that with very few pitchers who can consistently throw strikes and you have yourself a year like we are having so far.

I like the fact we are hitting somewhat better. Still can't seem to bunt very well, and timely hitting hasn't been our thing in a year or two. We were always able to rely on our pitching and hope our defense and hitting came through. Well that won't be the case this year and I think DVH deserves some of that flack due to our lack of recruiting pitchers. Heck Gonzaga had better pitchers than we did. Not a lot of good you can say about that. Sure sure someone like UCA or "BSking" will be able to tell me about their ace and how they will make the tourney. Doesn't change anything and it isn't going to change the fact that we may end up leading the SEC in walks and HBP's from our pitching staff.

[Kevin]

Anyone know the deal with Serrano. I figured he would be in the 2 hole everyday

[dotnet]

Anyone know the deal with Serrano. I figured he would be in the 2 hole everyday

No idea.  And I disagree with DVH favors veterans notion - but the not playing of Serrano is very unusual

[dotnet]

UCA also argued that we didn't have really any holes in this team.

Listen, DVH is a heck of a coach. However, you have to be able to call a spade a spade and between him, Butler, Jorn, and Vitello we have seriously missed the mark in recruiting for pitchers. I understand we've lost guys to the draft, but they weren't really surprises. I added Butler bc recruiting is more than just a years process. The fact is to have one or two lefties on your staff and that's it, and neither have any experience whatsoever. Couple that with very few pitchers who can consistently throw strikes and you have yourself a year like we are having so far.

I like the fact we are hitting somewhat better. Still can't seem to bunt very well, and timely hitting hasn't been our thing in a year or two. We were always able to rely on our pitching and hope our defense and hitting came through. Well that won't be the case this year and I think DVH deserves some of that flack due to our lack of recruiting pitchers. Heck Gonzaga had better pitchers than we did. Not a lot of good you can say about that. Sure sure someone like UCA or "BSking" will be able to tell me about their ace and how they will make the tourney. Doesn't change anything and it isn't going to change the fact that we may end up leading the SEC in walks and HBP's from our pitching staff.

I find it strange that some people always want to blame someone.  They want someone to take the blame every time a certain set of expectations aren't met.  And since only one team can win it and 8 teams make the CWS... there is a ton of blame every year in college baseball. 

Blaming the recruiting doesn't even make sense.  Okay, DVH wears the not enough lefty's thing, though I don't what game that would have been the difference in. 

But the pitching staff has a ton of highly recruited guys like it always has.  No coach in the country would trade the Arkansas staff for Gonzaga.  Yes, for some reason the staff struggles with control (understatement) at times.  But if you were recruiting guys to come in and pitch in the SEC, you would pick guys like Jackson, TK, McKinney, etc. over Gonzaga any day of the week. 

The guys just need to develop and play better.  Teague needs to pitch like he did all summer.  Jackson needs to pitch like he does in stretches out of the pen.  TK needs to be healthy.  The talent is there though. 

Granted, the staff isn't as deep as it has been before.  It wasn't last year either. 

[flippinhogmana]

I find it strange that some people always want to blame someone.  They want someone to take the blame every time a certain set of expectations aren't met.  And since only one team can win it and 8 teams make the CWS... there is a ton of blame every year in college baseball. 

Blaming the recruiting doesn't even make sense.  Okay, DVH wears the not enough lefty's thing, though I don't what game that would have been the difference in. 

But the pitching staff has a ton of highly recruited guys like it always has.  No coach in the country would trade the Arkansas staff for Gonzaga.  Yes, for some reason the staff struggles with control (understatement) at times.  But if you were recruiting guys to come in and pitch in the SEC, you would pick guys like Jackson, TK, McKinney, etc. over Gonzaga any day of the week. 

The guys just need to develop and play better.  Teague needs to pitch like he did all summer.  Jackson needs to pitch like he does in stretches out of the pen.  TK needs to be healthy.  The talent is there though. 

Granted, the staff isn't as deep as it has been before.  It wasn't last year either.

Just too many good fans over reacting.  I am just going to comment one last time on this mainly to endorse what you are generally saying dotnet.  We will get better, We will be fine.  The kids we recruited include Nomura (no complaints), McKinney, he is doing okay. Look for bright spots. Dont get too down or too high with this bunch they are a work in progress.  I think the players are just as disappointed.  They read these boards, heard how good they were, believed it and are shocked to discover you have to fight every play.  but they will get it together.

[woodhog14]

I almost certainly won't enjoy it if this continues, but I'll still follow every game.

This

[Knot2brite]

I don't care who recruited them....throw strikes

[ricepig]

I don't care who recruited them....throw strikes

Yep, generally speaking, solo home runs don't beat you.

[flippinhogmana]

I don't care who recruited them....throw strikes

+1  For a guy that asserts he isn't too brite, you certainly have it right!  Pretty simple most of the time isn't it?  Except when it isn't?  They do need to quit trying to make the perfect pitch, the pitchers from last year aren't so much doing that as it is the new pitchers (although some of that is with people like Stone, etc.).  Which means that it may not be just the pitchers.  We also have another totally new component in that battery-yep catchers.

It may be that the catchers aren't framing the pitches as well as past, more experienced catchers have done.  Thats possible, its also possible that those calling the pitches might be contributing to that by calling for off-speed and breaking balls more than the heaters.  Its also possible that because they are rookie catchers they aren't getting the respect and the calls that older signal callers might normally have gotten. 

It might just be that the pitchers aren't throwing strikes, or it might be more complicated, but the results are the same-walks, hbps, free passes, which in a couple of games are solely responsible for us getting beat or have led to an eventually meltdown.  Fix the walks and hbp and you will fix most of our problems. 

Generally we are a good hitting club, we are generallly good defensively.  Its not that our recruits dont have 'stuff'.  So, like the man said, "throw strikes", get strikes-Get better.

[TikiHog]

I noticed Vandy gives up a lot of walks....but they dont give up many hits and they K a lot

[SPAL]

Just too many good fans over reacting.  I am just going to comment one last time on this mainly to endorse what you are generally saying dotnet.  We will get better, We will be fine.  The kids we recruited include Nomura (no complaints), McKinney, he is doing okay. Look for bright spots. Dont get too down or too high with this bunch they are a work in progress.  I think the players are just as disappointed.  They read these boards, heard how good they were, believed it and are shocked to discover you have to fight every play.  but they will get it together.

Stop. Nobody is overreacting. They are reacting to what they see and what they are seeing is bad baseball. Nobody is griping or firing coaches or anything like that on this board. Jump ball is overreaction....that isn't happening here so stop

[dotnet]

I noticed Vandy gives up a lot of walks....but they dont give up many hits and they K a lot

Vandy's staff is on a different level. My he Arkansas staff have up a lot of walks in 2012 too.

Their batting average against is like 10 points lower than the next closest team.

[TikiHog]

right like I said they dont give up many hits

[dotnet]

right like I said they dont give up many hits

?

[southarkhog06]

It hasnt been about tooting my horn, bro.  This passage above isnt about that either.  Its about the over reaction and emotional investment some seem to have that goes beyond the irrational.  I still find things to enjoy even in these losses, little things that encourage me and should encourage you.  I dont mean to cite the fact that I had an alternate opinion on things other than to say that its quite possible to be hopeful and still able to see problems.  Its called cautious optimism.  My main point in each thread that you say I am tooting my horn is to relax, give it a chance, dont push the panic button (which is what I said above).  I cite what I have said all year to show that I am consistent that is all.

fair enough I seem to have misunderstood you

[azhog10]

I find it strange that some people always want to blame someone.  They want someone to take the blame every time a certain set of expectations aren't met.  And since only one team can win it and 8 teams make the CWS... there is a ton of blame every year in college baseball. 

Blaming the recruiting doesn't even make sense.  Okay, DVH wears the not enough lefty's thing, though I don't what game that would have been the difference in. 

But the pitching staff has a ton of highly recruited guys like it always has.  No coach in the country would trade the Arkansas staff for Gonzaga.  Yes, for some reason the staff struggles with control (understatement) at times.  But if you were recruiting guys to come in and pitch in the SEC, you would pick guys like Jackson, TK, McKinney, etc. over Gonzaga any day of the week. 

The guys just need to develop and play better.  Teague needs to pitch like he did all summer.  Jackson needs to pitch like he does in stretches out of the pen.  TK needs to be healthy.  The talent is there though. 

Granted, the staff isn't as deep as it has been before.  It wasn't last year either.

My point is it's our coaches job to find guys that can pitch. I don't care if they were highly ranked, highly recruited or not. They should be able to evaluate players on their own regardless of scouting services. Get some kids in that can pitch and throw strikes. Plain and simple.

[jry04]

My point is it's our coaches job to find guys that can pitch. I don't care if they were highly ranked, highly recruited or not. They should be able to evaluate players on their own regardless of scouting services. Get some kids in that can pitch and throw strikes. Plain and simple.

Most of our pitchers are freshmen or sophomores with little experience.

I love how we bring in some hitters and everyone is crying about not having pitchers, but when we had pitchers everyone cried about not having enough hitters.

[Kevin]

Why can't we have a complete team?  Why do we always seem to be missing something

[southarkhog06]

Why can't we have a complete team?  Why do we always seem to be missing something

sadly talent wise this is very close to a complete team. For whatever reason our pitchers just can't throw strikes without tossing fastballs right down the middle right now but they are very talented it's just hard to figure out

[Knot2brite]

Why can't we have a complete team?  Why do we always seem to be missing something

11.7 scholarships.......just isn't enough money to get all we need....it should be criminal how they treat baseball

[TheyCallMeHogLuver]

It's a good thing that other college teams don't have to deal with that scholarship limit....everybody would have holes in their teams.

[azhog10]

Most of our pitchers are freshmen or sophomores with little experience.

I love how we bring in some hitters and everyone is crying about not having pitchers, but when we had pitchers everyone cried about not having enough hitters.

Im asking more out of lack of knowledge with baseball recruiting. I will admit I was one hoping we would go after better hitters and I think we have. But I guess I feel like being able to find Guys that throw strikes shouldn't be difficult. We have played some mid majors who don't hit batters and walk as many as we do. I just feel to not have some veteran pitchers was a huge miss for us. But we are hitting better even with all the young talent.

[Knot2brite]

It's a good thing that other college teams don't have to deal with that scholarship limit....everybody would have holes in their teams.

True that all public schools have the same scholarship situations and some do a better job than others spreading them out. It is still a shame that all schools only get 11.7 scholarships.

[hawgcraZ]

Still can't score for killian.  Worse version of last years team.