LH Pitching?

[lookawayquick]

Would someone more knowledgeable than me please provide a scouting report on the Hogs LH pitching. Will a LHer get significant innings this season?  Tough to win in the SEC without a southpaw in the pen.

[dbhog]

Not much to report.  We have one left hander in Pate and he has not been effective.  He walks too many and gets behind in the count.  DVH will not pitch him on weekends.  Hope we recruit a couple of lefties.  We should have Fant (Randall's brother) available next year.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

Would someone more knowledgeable than me please provide a scouting report on the Hogs LH pitching. Will a LHer get significant innings this season?  Tough to win in the SEC without a southpaw in the pen.

Sorry, but this is it, other than the 2 we have now:

2015 Recruiting and Beyond
http://www.hogville.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=569692.100

[Sueie]

Not much to report.  We have one left hander in Pate and he has not been effective.  He walks too many and gets behind in the count.  DVH will not pitch him on weekends.  Hope we recruit a couple of lefties.  We should have Fant (Randall's brother) available next year.

Would we rather have a lefty walk them or a righty?  We just need ANYONE to throw strikes. 

[ucahogfan]

I really like the potential of both Pate and Fant.  Pate can be 88-91 with good cut on his fastball, but he is going to have to learn to throw strikes and get hitters out.  Fant is a guy who has been up to 94 in the past so the talent is there.  Both guys pitched at the Area Code Games last year so they should be contribute in the future.

As far as the 2015 signing class, we have four LHPs signed and hopefully all make it to campus.

The biggest draft threat is the top pitcher in Missouri according to Prep Baseball Report in Jacob Schlesener.  He is from the Springfield area and is the furthest away from campus among of LHPs, but I think he might be a life long Hog fan.  He is another guy who threw at the Area Code Games, but has seen a big jump since then.  At the ACG, he was 87-88, but has recently seen a bump to 90-92 with a nasty chaneup and a good slider.  He could compete for a weekend spot next year should he make it to campus.

Two of the LHPs are teammates this year at Rogers Heritage in Ty Harris and Kacey Murphy.  Murphy is the #2 ranked player in Arkansas this year just behind Gray Fenter and Harris is the #6 ranked player by PBR.  Both guys can run it up to about 90 and could see immediate playing time.  Harris had TJ surgery in 2013 and hit 92 last summer.

The other LHP signee is Springdale Har-Ber's Weston Rogers.  He is the biggest of the group at 6-4 and can also top out at about 90.

This has just been a freak year after having so much LHP depth in 2013 as we have lost some LHPs to the draft and others to transfer.

[ricepig]

Would we rather have a lefty walk them or a righty?  We just need ANYONE to throw strikes. 

Might need to get one of the softball pitchers.

[Sueie]

Might need to get one of the softball pitchers.

You might have something there.  I think the 2 lefty we have this year might not be here next year.  So we might be back at the same spot we are now.  Surely there are some Juco left handed pitchers out there somewhere.  I don't really pay attention to PG or BA rankings any longer.  Have seen to many of them come here thinking they are the next Bob Gibson only to leave in a year.  When they do something at the SEC level then I will pay attention. 

[ricepig]

You might have something there.  I think the 2 lefty we have this year might not be here next year.  So we might be back at the same spot we are now.  Surely there are some Juco left handed pitchers out there somewhere.  I don't really pay attention to PG or BA rankings any longer.  Have seen to many of them come here thinking they are the next Bob Gibson only to leave in a year.  When they do something at the SEC level then I will pay attention. 

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised to see a JUCO lefty, any Arkansas' boys off playing somewhere that fit the bill?

[hogman64]

after this year it is a little hard to be counting on a freshman for anything.. we had the #1 class in the nation and I really see no one helping significantly.  I guess somewhat of a case could be made for Spanberger and of course I know some of them will be good players maybe even better than good , but so far this year no so much.

[lookawayquick]

Does DVH plan to redshirt Fant?  Appreciate the reports.  Was hoping I had missed a LH pitcher......but unfortunately no.  Let's hope Pate and Fant develop quickly. I do have faith in Jorn.

[futurehogdad]

If no one noticed the 2 pitchers that LSU started that smoked us were both freshmen. Baseball is not a game that you can really play effectively while looking over your shoulder. Unfortunately, I think this is what happens to a lot of our freshmen and I'm not talking just this year.

When you have the number 1 recruiting class and no results to show for it who else can you blame but the coaching?

DVH, has NEVER coached confidence.  I believe this is the sole reason why other teams get more out of their younger players.  Going back just a few years ago when USCE won their Championships they had Freshman in their line up at Catcher, SS & LF.  They started from day 1 and were left in no matter how bad they played.  USCE struggled pretty bad to begin the season but got better as the season wore on.   

Our Frosh are just as talented as any in the Country but he manages more like a professional manager.

[Diamond fan]

DVH, has NEVER coached confidence.  I believe this is the sole reason why other teams get more out of their younger players.  Going back just a few years ago when USCE won their Championships they had Freshman in their line up at Catcher, SS & LF.  They started from day 1 and were left in no matter how bad they played.  USCE struggled pretty bad to begin the season but got better as the season wore on.   

Our Frosh are just as talented as any in the Country but he manages more like a professional manager.

You Sir are exactly right, anyone who doesn't see this don't want to see. Dvh stays as far away from players as he can, you perform or you don't

[kennymayne]

DVH, has NEVER coached confidence.  I believe this is the sole reason why other teams get more out of their younger players.  Going back just a few years ago when USCE won their Championships they had Freshman in their line up at Catcher, SS & LF.  They started from day 1 and were left in no matter how bad they played.  USCE struggled pretty bad to begin the season but got better as the season wore on.   

Our Frosh are just as talented as any in the Country but he manages more like a professional manager.

Wait. I thought the last few years DVH has gotten ripped for leaving players in when they aren't performing. Now its the other way around?

[BroyledNutts]

Wait. I thought the last few years DVH has gotten ripped for leaving players in when they aren't performing. Now its the other way around?

He has gotten ripped for that - particularly in regard to pitching; leaving someone in way too long. The biggest pet peeve I have with his style is all the musical chairs with position players. That doesn't allow a team to get into a defensive rhythm at all...The LSU lineup I watched for 3 games this past weekend are the same 9 that has taken the field since the season started - oh sure, there were substitutions made as the games wore on - mostly for situational purposes. DVH tends to tinker too much. Pick 9 and run with them. Sub in when the situation calls for it...not as a constant audition process.