Do We Have a Closer?

[bphi11ips]

Haven't followed baseball much this year but watched the entire game today.  Didn't seem like we have a closer.  Who is the go to guy if we need three outs in the ninth?

[CJ HOG]

Nope, not in your typical sense. It's a job nobody seems to want or can keep consistently. Reindl has been pretty good the last 1/3 of the season along with Kopps.

Interestingly enough today was only the 2nd blown lead after 8 innings we've had all year. I guess of the leads we've blown, we did it prior to the ninth. It seems we would have more though with our BP struggles throughout the year.

[bphi11ips]

Did we just find one?  Cronin may be a K waiting to happen.

[SPAL]

No. Chadwick was and he struggled. Taco tried and failed. Stephan was supposed to be the closer but we had to move him to the rotation

[Dropkick]

Cronin did look sharp tonight

[Knot2brite]

Cronin is going to be a rotation guy next year...and a major one at that

[onebadrubi]

Cronin is going to be a rotation guy next year...and a major one at that

Is he a sophomore now?

[ricepig]

Is he a sophomore now?

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/m-basebl/roster/#sm.000mms5xj19ypcxwskg17kzbydt9k

[SPAL]

Is he a sophomore now?

True frosh

[onebadrubi]

http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/sport/m-basebl/roster/#sm.000mms5xj19ypcxwskg17kzbydt9k

It took you more time to link that than to answer the question, but thanks!

Freshman for anyone else wanting to know

[tennesseehogwild]

Haven't followed baseball much this year but watched the entire game today.  Didn't seem like we have a closer.  Who is the go to guy if we need three outs in the ninth?

Nope!

[TNhawgfan]

Cronin is going to be a rotation guy next year...and a major one at that

He has the stuff to start on the weekend. Can he learn to harness his power week in and week out? If so, watch out

[ThisTeetsTaken]

He has the stuff to start on the weekend. Can he learn to harness his power week in and week out? If so, watch out

He just needs to get stronger and increase his stamina.  Kid has some serious stuff in that arm.   Just needs some polishing.

[Pudgepork]

OK.  Late in the year to be asking this but the roster that ricepig linked shows 25 pitchers.
3 were injured.   It seems like 7-10 have played counting Lee as a pitcher.   Where are the others?
Pro ball? Redshirts?

[jry04]

OK.  Late in the year to be asking this but the roster that ricepig linked shows 25 pitchers.
3 were injured.   It seems like 7-10 have played counting Lee as a pitcher.   Where are the others?
Pro ball? Redshirts?

Red shirting or not enough room to make the travel roster.

One guy in particluar that comes to mind is Heiss. He has thrown 4 times all year, and isn't on the travel roster. He was projected to go in the top 10 rounds, but priced himself out of it. He was a unanimous top 500 prospect. He was a top 150 prospect in the country according to Perfect Game. His fastball touches 95-96 mph. If he reaches his full potential he could end up be a star in a year or two. He is just one of many guys who have big potential sitting in our dugout that nobody really hears about.

Lucas Krull is another high potential kid. 6'7" 230lb LHP that throws in the low 90s. He was a top 100 prospect according to prep baseball, and top 300 according to Perfect Game. If Johnson can do with these guys like he did with Knight, Stephan, etc. we are going to be really good on the mound in a few years. Kopps is a freshman, Cronin a freshman, Reindl a sophomore, Loseke a sophomore, Campbell a potential first round pick in a year and only a sophomore.

I know people are sold on Knight leaving, but he will not lose a year of leverage, could go in the top 4 rounds this year, but could come back and bulk up and go in the first round in a year as a junior. Kyle Peterson and Ben McDonald have both mentioned he has high potential but his frame and "lack of stamina" late in the year may scare teams away from drafting him as high as he could so returning to school may make him a lot more money. The difference between going in the 3rd round and late in the first round or early in the 2nd round can be over $1 million, and these kids live on that bonus for a long time considering they may spend years in the minors making less than $30k/yr. If by some chance he returned to go with what we already have we won't be having to piece together a staff late in the year like we currently are. We will have one of the best staffs in the country.

[Pudgepork]

Red shirting or not enough room to make the travel roster.

One guy in particluar that comes to mind is Heiss. He has thrown 4 times all year, and isn't on the travel roster. He was projected to go in the top 10 rounds, but priced himself out of it. He was a unanimous top 500 prospect. He was a top 150 prospect in the country according to Perfect Game. His fastball touches 95-96 mph. If he reaches his full potential he could end up be a star in a year or two. He is just one of many guys who have big potential sitting in our dugout that nobody really hears about.

Lucas Krull is another high potential kid. 6'7" 230lb LHP that throws in the low 90s. He was a top 100 prospect according to prep baseball, and top 300 according to Perfect Game. If Johnson can do with these guys like he did with Knight, Stephan, etc. we are going to be really good on the mound in a few years. Kopps is a freshman, Cronin a freshman, Reindl a sophomore, Loseke a sophomore, Campbell a potential first round pick in a year and only a sophomore.

I know people are sold on Knight leaving, but he will not lose a year of leverage, could go in the top 4 rounds this year, but could come back and bulk up and go in the first round in a year as a junior. Kyle Peterson and Ben McDonald have both mentioned he has high potential but his frame and "lack of stamina" late in the year may scare teams away from drafting him as high as he could so returning to school may make him a lot more money. The difference between going in the 3rd round and late in the first round or early in the 2nd round can be over $1 million, and these kids live on that bonus for a long time considering they may spend years in the minors making less than $30k/yr. If by some chance he returned to go with what we already have we won't be having to piece together a staff late in the year like we currently are. We will have one of the best staffs in the country.

That sounds, uhm,  elite

[jry04]

That sounds, uhm,  elite

It definitely does, but when you look at our classes it is reasonable to see why we could be considered elite in a year or two. Last year's class was ranked #6 (current freshmen). Next year's incoming freshmen class is ranked #6. 2015's class was ranked in the 30s because we did not sign a lot of players, just addressed needs. That class included Reindl, Kopps, Loseke, Knight, Campbell, Scroggins, and Murphy, though. If our top 10 classes perform like top 10 classes should, and that top 30 class exceeds expectations like it appears it will, there is no reason that we cannot have an elite pitching staff that compares to the other great staffs like LSU and Florida in the league.