GAME 8 THREAD: #18 ARKANSAS (7-0, 0-0 SEC) vs #23 Texas Tech (6-1, 0-0 Big12)

[BigBrandonAllenFan]

Give daddy some sugars!

[MemphisBossHog]

DVH can do it all, Recruit, Train, Coach and make players better!  Lucky to have him!!!

We really are.  I just hope Augie Garrido stays at UT-Austin and doesnt retire anytime soon cause you know they would at least have to come a callin on DVH.  He is really good at what he does and has a ton of experience. 

[Knot2brite]

DVH isn't going to Texas ...no reason to...

[MemphisBossHog]

Nice weekend against some quality teams, can't say enough about them keeping their heads in the game after the first inning.

ricepig ( or anyone) , you keep up with the Diamond Hogs as much or more than most.  Did we see the beginning of an elite team this weekend?  I know we have been ranked but mainly down in the high teens or 20s.  We looked like a Top 10....dare I say it....Top 5 team this past weekend.  Beating Rice, Houston, and TTU in succession early in the season like this really seems impressive, but I dont know college baseball like many of you guys on here do.

Has DVH got him the makings of a powerhouse this year?  Last year it seemed we struggled to score against quality competition (maybe thats wrong, but that is what I remember).  This past weekend, we just scored and scored.  Even the announcers during the TTU game finally had to wonder if ARK is better than advertised since it didnt seem to matter who TTU trotted out there on the mound, the Hogs found a way to get baserunners and score.  Do you think this team has the makings of a special Hog team that can really make some national noise??

[12247]

First weekend in a long time where it was totally wonderful to be a Hog fan.  First time in a long time where we just went out and took the games over and all on the road, not in our honey hole.  We got a bit of power, good pitching and smart D and everyone seems to be willing to do their part everytime they are asked to.  Wasn't perfect but nearly.

[MemphisBossHog]

DVH isn't going to Texas ...no reason to...

Im certainly not saying he is, but I remember a couple years ago, something was reported on the interweb (so you know it has to be true LOL) that when Garrido retires, DVH was going to be #1 on UT's list to talk to. 

I would like to think that DVH realizes how he has built on what Norm DeBriyn built and has got something special at Ark--his alma mater.  I would hope that he would tell UT (or anyone) thanks but no thanks, but one never knows.  I just dont want them sniffing  around and trying to get him. 

I saw where Garrido makes a little over $1M per year.  Does DVH make anywhere close to that?  He!!, he may make more.  I have no idea.  Anyone know?

** just found this.  DVH comes in at about $700K per year. Got a raise and extension for making CWS last year.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2015/nov/07/van-horn-gets-extension-cws-run/

[MemphisBossHog]

First weekend in a long time where it was totally wonderful to be a Hog fan.  First time in a long time where we just went out and took the games over and all on the road, not in our honey hole.  We got a bit of power, good pitching and smart D and everyone seems to be willing to do their part everytime they are asked to.  Wasn't perfect but nearly.

well said.  I agree 100%.  Arkansas looked very very impressive to say the least.

[pigture perfect]

DVH is not going anywhere. And baseball is not like other sports. You don't rise and fall because of 1 or 2 games. You almost expect to lose occasionally because of the technicalities of each game. But by winning as we have the last 2 weeks you definitely expect to move up, others won't move down though because of a single loss.

[ricepig]

ricepig ( or anyone) , you keep up with the Diamond Hogs as much or more than most.  Did we see the beginning of an elite team this weekend?  I know we have been ranked but mainly down in the high teens or 20s.  We looked like a Top 10....dare I say it....Top 5 team this past weekend.  Beating Rice, Houston, and TTU in succession early in the season like this really seems impressive, but I dont know college baseball like many of you guys on here do.

Has DVH got him the makings of a powerhouse this year?  Last year it seemed we struggled to score against quality competition (maybe thats wrong, but that is what I remember).  This past weekend, we just scored and scored.  Even the announcers during the TTU game finally had to wonder if ARK is better than advertised since it didnt seem to matter who TTU trotted out there on the mound, the Hogs found a way to get baserunners and score.  Do you think this team has the makings of a special Hog team that can really make some national noise??

IMO it's still too early to see what we have, who knows, Rice, Houston, and Tech  may have been over ranked. We still have only one "proven" starter, so we've got a little more work to do there. What we do have is more arms to throw this year, which is a plus, so there's someone to plug in, just who? The hitting and fielding have been the surprise to me, especially the hitting. We may hit as many, or more HR's this year, than last, just spread out over more guys. My one question is still Bonfield, for some reason, he looks like a kid still trying to grow into his body. Hopefully he can keep in the lineup and produce.

[12247]

2 or 3 years ago, we had a team that either didn't know baseball or wasn't trained or chose not to understand the game.  Stupid error after stupid error.  Add to that several teams recently that not only couldn't hit but looked really bad getting there.  The typical at bat went take the first pitch right down the middle, swing at a corner pitch that most anyone couldn't have hit and then either take another middle of the plater or swing wildly at a ball bouncing 4 feet in front of the plate.  Often, we stunk.

What I see so far this year is a team trying to become a complete team.  There was the ignorant at bats still but far less.  This team right now has an attitude for excellence.  The entire team seems alive, alert and hell bent.  And that goes for the coaching too.  DVH is coaching like he wants it, like he's 15 years younger.

[thebignasty]

2 or 3 years ago, we had a team that either didn't know baseball or wasn't trained or chose not to understand the game.  Stupid error after stupid error.  Add to that several teams recently that not only couldn't hit but looked really bad getting there.  The typical at bat went take the first pitch right down the middle, swing at a corner pitch that most anyone couldn't have hit and then either take another middle of the plater or swing wildly at a ball bouncing 4 feet in front of the plate.  Often, we stunk.

What I see so far this year is a team trying to become a complete team.  There was the ignorant at bats still but far less.  This team right now has an attitude for excellence.  The entire team seems alive, alert and hell bent.  And that goes for the coaching too.  DVH is coaching like he wants it, like he's 15 years younger.

lol

[Knot2brite]

Im certainly not saying he is, but I remember a couple years ago, something was reported on the interweb (so you know it has to be true LOL) that when Garrido retires, DVH was going to be #1 on UT's list to talk to. 

I would like to think that DVH realizes how he has built on what Norm DeBriyn built and has got something special at Ark--his alma mater.  I would hope that he would tell UT (or anyone) thanks but no thanks, but one never knows.  I just dont want them sniffing  around and trying to get him. 

I saw where Garrido makes a little over $1M per year.  Does DVH make anywhere close to that?  He!!, he may make more.  I have no idea.  Anyone know?

** just found this.  DVH comes in at about $700K per year. Got a raise and extension for making CWS last year.

http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2015/nov/07/van-horn-gets-extension-cws-run/

In most sports, going to UTexass would be a step up. While the money is better...all of the other aspects aren't. He has one of the top five stadiums in college baseball, he has a indoor facility, he has the second best ( attendance wise) fan bases and THE smartest baseball fanbase, and he makes $700K on top of it. Add to it that recruiting kids to Arkansas isn't as hard for baseball as it is for the other sports and he has a AD that backs him completely....he isn't leaving for a extra $300 K and less exposure for his program. The longhorn network doesn't cover as much as the SEC network and the big 12 isn't going to get the coverage like the SEC.

[JHicks3636]

In most sports, going to UTexass would be a step up. While the money is better...all of the other aspects aren't. He has one of the top five stadiums in college baseball, he has a indoor facility, he has the second best ( attendance wise) fan bases and THE smartest baseball fanbase, and he makes $700K on top of it. Add to it that recruiting kids to Arkansas isn't as hard for baseball as it is for the other sports and he has a AD that backs him completely....he isn't leaving for a extra $300 K and less exposure for his program. The longhorn network doesn't cover as much as the SEC network and the big 12 isn't going to get the coverage like the SEC.

And I bet we could find most, if not all, of that $300,000.

[gumbohog]

I like the fact they DVH didn't bring in Zach Jackson towards the end of the game when he could have. He gave some kids a chance to show what they could do under some "pressure". We're going to need some of those arms later in th season and today was a good way to start seeing what we have in weekend situations in games we want to win (didn't HAVE to win but we definitely wanted to win.

[Knot2brite]

And I bet we could find most, if not all, of that $300,000.

Without a doubt

[MemphisBossHog]

DVH is not going anywhere. And baseball is not like other sports. You don't rise and fall because of 1 or 2 games. You almost expect to lose occasionally because of the technicalities of each game. But by winning as we have the last 2 weeks you definitely expect to move up, others won't move down though because of a single loss.

agreed.  That is why I asked the question about what did we really see this weekend?  Does DVH have something maybe a bit more special than we first thought going into the season?  I know that any team can beat any other team on a given day/night but the Hogs put together 3 pretty impressive wins against solid competition.  They faced adversity--down 5 runs  right off the bat against TTU--and came out of it.  That is why I asked if we can read anything into these wins or are they just early season wins against decent competition but nothing special?   I kinda think they might be a sign that DVH has  a better team than first thought.  The bats were impressive.  They constantly kept pressure on the opposing pitchers.  All in all, it seemed to be a very impressive weekend.

[SPAL]

You can put any and all speculation of DVH leaving for anywhere to rest. This is his dream job and is one of the top 10 in the country. It gets no better than Fayetteville AR for baseball.

[MemphisBossHog]

In most sports, going to UTexass would be a step up. While the money is better...all of the other aspects aren't. He has one of the top five stadiums in college baseball, he has a indoor facility, he has the second best ( attendance wise) fan bases and THE smartest baseball fanbase, and he makes $700K on top of it. Add to it that recruiting kids to Arkansas isn't as hard for baseball as it is for the other sports and he has a AD that backs him completely....he isn't leaving for a extra $300 K and less exposure for his program. The longhorn network doesn't cover as much as the SEC network and the big 12 isn't going to get the coverage like the SEC.

Im with ya.  Agreed.  Good points.  I know I am biased but I think we have as good a head coach/manager as there is in college baseball.  I know some talk about Tim Corbin or Ray Tanner (before he moved up to AD at USCe) or Garrido or Maineri (sp??--LSU head coach) or whoever--Im sure you guys on here can add several to that list--but I think DVH is about as good as it gets.  He was the head coach for the 2014 USA Baseball National Collegiate Team. All in all, I think we have about the best coach we can get.

[MemphisBossHog]

You can put any and all speculation of DVH leaving for anywhere to rest. This is his dream job and is one of the top 10 in the country. It gets no better than Fayetteville AR for baseball.

here here!!  I am glad.

[JHicks3636]

Presently my biggest surprise is that our hitting seems to be ahead of our pitching. Maybe I should say starting pitcher. Other than Taccolini, Knight has gone 5.0 and 2.0 innings in his starts, McKinney has gone 4.0 and .2 innings in his. Of course. February weekend starters may not be mid-March weekend starters. Although we are playing very well so are most of the teams in the SEC. Lots of teams feeling good this time of year.

[tennesseehogwild]

I would have liked to see Hogs and TCU square off...Clearly the 2 best teams at the Classic this weekend,

[BigBrandonAllenFan]

Presently my biggest surprise is that our hitting seems to be ahead of our pitching. Maybe I should say starting pitcher. Other than Taccolini, Knight has gone 5.0 and 2.0 innings in his starts, McKinney has gone 4.0 and .2 innings in his. Of course. February weekend starters may not be mid-March weekend starters. Although we are playing very well so are most of the teams in the SEC. Lots of teams feeling good this time of year.

Keaton and Blaine will be fine, as will the entire staff, as evidenced by the last two games in which Jorn and Van Horn threw a tornado of continuous pitchers at the opponents.  Texas Tech and Houston had to be thinking, "Do these guys ever run out of pitchers?  Dammit."

It was a pitching onslaught by Arkansas and proved the depth Jorn and Van Horn have amassed at the position.

Break down today's game, and you find only 1 run in the last 8 innings for Tech.  That is putting a plug in it.   That was done through pitching depth, of which Arkansas has a ton.  10 strike outs for the onslaughters of the deep futher shows the quality of their stuff.  Those KO's included some big strike 3's to kill Tech rallies.  Knock out punches.  The real difference makers.

It was again all about the pitching for Arkansas, no matter who started the game or who finished it, just a different twist.

[JHicks3636]

 

Keaton and Blaine will be fine, as will the entire staff, as evidenced by the last two games in which Jorn and Van Horn threw a tornado of continuous pitchers at the opponents.  Texas Tech and Houston had to be thinking, "Do these guys ever run out of pitchers?  Dammit."

It was a pitching onslaught by Arkansas and proved the depth Jorn and Van Horn have amassed at the position.

Break down today's game, and you find only 1 run in the last 8 innings for Tech.  That is putting a plug in it.   That was done through pitching depth, of which Arkansas has a ton.  10 strike outs for the onslaughters of the deep futher shows the quality of their stuff.  Those KO's included some big strike 3's to kill Tech rallies.  Knock out punches.  The real difference makers.

It was again all about the pitching for Arkansas, no matter who started the game or who finished it, just a different twist.

When we start playing teams with very good starting pitchers, we will have to get more than 2 or 3 innings from our starters. It is certainly early in the season, but McKinney has a ways to go and it is apparent. Many teams rely on pitching by committee on Sundays, but I don't think we can depend on it for 2 out of 3 games each weekend. It will be interesting as to who DVH has penciled in as the first substitute weekend starter. Teague? I'm sure he would prefer to keep him in the pen. I'm in no panic mode as we are playing very well, but two of the starters so far do provide cause for concern.

[Iwastherein1969]

Van Horn is cardinal and white in every bone of his body, literally and figuratively....there is absolutely no way Dave Van Horn goes to Austin, Texas to coach...one imagines, since he played at the UA during the hay day of UT, the burnt orange and that god-awful synthetic field at Disch-Falk repulses DVH just as it makes everyone else ready to                     DVH a HOG for life, baby !

[AirForceHog]

When we start playing teams with very good starting pitchers, we will have to get more than 2 or 3 innings from our starters. It is certainly early in the season, but McKinney has a ways to go and it is apparent. Many teams rely on pitching by committee on Sundays, but I don't think we can depend on it for 2 out of 3 games each weekend. It will be interesting as to who DVH has penciled in as the first substitute weekend starter. Teague? I'm sure he would prefer to keep him in the pen. I'm in no panic mode as we are playing very well, but two of the starters so far do provide cause for concern.

Sorry but I disagree. I think our pitching is just fine and will only get better.

[BigBrandonAllenFan]

When we start playing teams with very good starting pitchers, we will have to get more than 2 or 3 innings from our starters. It is certainly early in the season, but McKinney has a ways to go and it is apparent. Many teams rely on pitching by committee on Sundays, but I don't think we can depend on it for 2 out of 3 games each weekend. It will be interesting as to who DVH has penciled in as the first substitute weekend starter. Teague? I'm sure he would prefer to keep him in the pen. I'm in no panic mode as we are playing very well, but two of the starters so far do provide cause for concern.

I don't think we will see any change in the rotation next weekend.  We are 8-0 and our RPI has to be top 10 at the least. 

Blaine is young and we know he is going to have some growing pains, but he has plenty of slack to back him up.  Plus, Van Horn didn't necessarily have to pull Blaine after 2 2/3's innings, but IMO it was the definite right move.  Blaine had only allowed one run.  Van Horn just didn't want him to get snow balled in his first road experience.   

And Keaton was just the unlucky guy of that one bad inning in 3 games.  That's all it was.  I'll not be the least bit surprised if Keaton throws 6 shut out innings his very next time out. 

[BigBrandonAllenFan]

Sorry but I disagree. I think our pitching is just fine and will only get better.

This is the key. 

We are out of the gate in fine form.  By mid season getting 3 runs on Arkansas will be a chore for any team.

[Destin2bAhog]

Wonder if Klingberry would call this an a55 whoopin.....

[Kevin]

Just watched the game. Wow.
Like how this team scraps

[razCzar]

Only able to hear most of all three games and absorb some great post-game comments here, but I can tell ya I.AM.EXCITED about this team.  But then, who wouldn't be at 8-0!

[ErykofArkansas]

I would have liked to see Hogs and TCU square off...Clearly the 2 best teams at the Classic this weekend,

Yes / No Up till today TCU, Arkansas and TT all had the same record,  Yes i would have also prefered TCU also, But really TT was Undefeated as well when we lit them up, So either way we played the Tied 2-0 team.  Which was fitting.

[ErykofArkansas]

Has Anyone heard anything or have a link to the Shriners all Tournament Team. 

[factchecker]

Has Anyone heard anything or have a link to the Shriners all Tournament Team.

BOOOO!!!!   

https://twitter.com/astros/status/704170712093872128


YAY!!!!

https://twitter.com/TDARaginCajuns/status/704168707996721154




http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/165667262/doug-fister-to-start-astros-spring-opener

Additionally, the College Classic announced the 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic All-Tournament Team, which was highlighted by the Classic's Most Outstanding Player SS Michael Bernal from Arkansas. Bernal hit .333 (4x12) this weekend with three home runs and seven RBI.

The remaining 2016 All-Tournament Team:
   C   Tucker Pennell, Arkansas   
   1B   Joe Davis, Houston 
   2B   Michael Davis, Texas Tech 
   3B   Joe Robbins, UL Lafayette 
   SS   Michael Bernal, Arkansas 
   OF   Clark Eagan, Arkansas   
   OF   Dane Steinhagen, TCU
   OF   Charlie Warren, Rice
   DH   Luken Baker, TCU
   P   Luken Baker, TCU   
   P   Brian Howard, TCU
   P   Nick Lee, UL Lafayette
   P   Dominic Taccolini, Arkansas
 
Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic Most Outstanding Player: SS Michael Bernal, Arkansas

GO HOGS!!!!

[Iwastherein1969]

BOOOO!!!!   

https://twitter.com/astros/status/704170712093872128


YAY!!!!

https://twitter.com/TDARaginCajuns/status/704168707996721154




http://m.astros.mlb.com/news/article/165667262/doug-fister-to-start-astros-spring-opener

GO HOGS!!!!

uh oh, this means we'll be dropping in the polls.....

[trippigs]

I enjoy beating all things Texas Tech and their prissy football coach...just cant help it. Sunday was a glorious day.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

The pitching is going to be ok. Pretty sure it was planned ahead of time to keep some of the starters and freshmen and newcomers down to 2 or 3 innings depending on their pitch count. I don't remember which pitchers were mentioned (quite a few), but the plan is to gradually increase their pitch counts each week and have them going as far as they can by SEC play.

[BigBrandonAllenFan]

The pitching is going to be ok. Pretty sure it was planned ahead of time to keep some of the starters and freshmen and newcomers down to 2 or 3 innings depending on their pitch count. I don't remember which pitchers were mentioned (quite a few), but the plan is to gradually increase their pitch counts each week and have them going as far as they can by SEC play.

I think this is a spot on assessment. I don't think we will see any change in rotation. 8 and 0.

[Razorback7281]

Everyone needs a little comic relief.


"Texas Tech arguably had the best weekend at the Classic, going 2-1 in the tournament."

http://www.vivathematadors.com/2016/2/29/11133556/texas-tech-to-return-to-shriners-college-classic-in-2017

[ricepig]

Everyone needs a little comic relief.


"Texas Tech arguably had the best weekend at the Classic, going 2-1 in the tournament."

http://www.vivathematadors.com/2016/2/29/11133556/texas-tech-to-return-to-shriners-college-classic-in-2017

Bless their hearts.