Baseball America's 8 for Omaha

[Philip Seaton]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/eight-omaha-2018/#FcYofMKQxw0l8EuE.97

[bulldog04]

That's two publications predicting us to be in Omaha. It's CWS or bust next year boys

[Supermark101]

We'll finishave. 500 in the SEC and lose as a #2 Seed in a regional because we always either over or under achieve.

If history holds we will make Omaha, though.

2009, 2012, 2015, 2018?

[bulldog04]

We'll finishave. 500 in the SEC aND lose as a #2 Seed in a regional because we always either over or under achieve.

Ifor history holds we will make Omaha, though.

2009, 2012, 2015, 2018?

I hate high expectations but you have to live up to them. Florida did

[TebowHater]

I hate high expectations but you have to live up to them. Florida did

Yeah sure makes it less fun doesn't it? If we win, we're doing what we're supposed to do. If we lose, we are severely disappointing.

Will be a polar opposite from this year where everything we did good was an over achievement and exciting.

That said, would be amazing to play for a NC next year...DVH is going to get himself one.

[razCzar]

That's two publications predicting us to be in Omaha. It's CWS or bust next year boys

And the other one is?
[insert link here] 

[bulldog04]

And the other one is?
[insert link here] 

It's in another thread. I think d1baseball.

[Pudgepork]

This year's Hog team was a backup catcher, a gifted 3rd baseman, a lock down relief pitcher away from being elite.    Hopefully, help is on the way. 

The players have already faced and had success (except against aubbie) against top notch pitching. 
Their needs are a 1st baseman, 3rd baseman, help at catcher.  Fill those positions, add a couple of arms to the rotation, maturity and recruits panning out and Hogs Omahog bound in 2018.  Easy as that. 

Gonna miss Stephan

[ucahogfan]

This year's Hog team was a backup catcher, a gifted 3rd baseman, a lock down relief pitcher away from being elite.    Hopefully, help is on the way. 

The players have already faced and had success (except against aubbie) against top notch pitching. 
Their needs are a 1st baseman, 3rd baseman, help at catcher.  Fill those positions, add a couple of arms to the rotation, maturity and recruits panning out and Hogs Omahog bound in 2018.  Easy as that. 

Gonna miss Stephan

As far as your concerns, I feel like we have options to fill them.

For back up catcher, you have Casey Opitz as an incoming freshman who was a top 10 round type prospect, but had a strong commitment to school.  He is also spending his summer playing for the Midland Redskins which has had some elite prospects.  Three players we are all very familiar with as Hogs that DVH mentioned has played for them in the last decade or so include Zack Cox, James McCann, and Andrew Benintendi.  We also have Zack Plunkett who transferred in from TCU who can catch.

For first baseman, replacing Spanberger is going to be hard, but you have Bonfield who is playing there some this summer and could play there next year.  Another option is Jordan McFarland might be more talented than Spanberger who could make the big freshman to sophomore jump we frequently see.

For third baseman, I think DVH has penciled in Jared Gates already and I think he is primed for a huge senior year.  We have seen it multiple times where an extremely talented player is hurt just as the season gets started and comes in after a few weeks and never fully lives up to expectations.  See Dominic Ficociello his last year here.  Gates hit 6 HRs in like 35 games so expecting 12-15 HRs as a senior isn't a stretch as long as he stays healthy.

One player we need to step up and show his sophomore level production is Carson Shaddy.  He struggled this year and I think DVH attributes it to him wearing down.  Like DVH said in his PC, Shaddy needs to put on weight so he can sustain his level of production all throughout the year.  I feel like he can and probably will as a senior.

While we lose some key pieces on the staff in Stephan, Taco, Alberius, and Chadwick, we will return everyone else.  A two headed monster of Knight and Campbell starting off will be the envy of most teams in the country (Florida being an exception) while Murphy has shown elite potential.  We also have Kopps, Reindl, Cronin, and Lee who saw important innings down the stretch and are bringing in a lot of talented arms.

There is a lot to be excited about and I feel like we don't really have a question to raise that can't be answered except maybe the elite closer like a Colby Suggs.

[thebignasty]

I agree that we have to find an established closer but with guys like Cronin, Lee, Murphy, Reindl, Kopps and maybe even Bonnin and Mckinney duking it out over 1 available weekend starter spot I feel pretty good about someone settling in to a closer role.

[bulldog04]

I agree that we have to find an established closer but with guys like Cronin, Lee, Murphy, Reindl, Kopps and maybe even Bonnin and Mckinney duking it out over 1 available weekend starter spot I feel pretty good about someone settling in to a closer role.

Bonnin could be the closer but being a closer is just as much about mentality as stuff. Suggs embraced the closer role and owned it. I think Reindl showed that toward the end of the year

[Philip Seaton]

And the other one is?
[insert link here] 

It is behind a paywall on D1 Baseball.

[thebignasty]

Bonnin could be the closer but being a closer is just as much about mentality as stuff. Suggs embraced the closer role and owned it. I think Reindl showed that toward the end of the year

For sure.

[ucahogfan]

Bonnin could be the closer but being a closer is just as much about mentality as stuff. Suggs embraced the closer role and owned it. I think Reindl showed that toward the end of the year

As far as Bonnin being closer, it might be tough to not start either him or Lee so they can also be the DH.  While we return 7 starters, hitting over .400 in California is pretty legit.  I think Reindl did an excellent job as the season went along.  Sure he doesn't throw 95+ like a lot of closers, but his delivery is very deceptive and the slider is good.  Cronin might make a great closer.  We saw how much trouble Florida had against him throwing 91-94 as they couldn't catch up to his fastball as it has explosive life on it.  Imagine if we can get him up to 95-96 over 1-2 inning stints.  Talk about a potential AA at closer.

[ucahogfan]

Arkansas makes 8 for Omaha by Perfect Game as well:

https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=14166

[bosshog84]

There is a lot to be excited about and I feel like we don't really have a question to raise that can't be answered except maybe the elite closer like a Colby Suggs.

While he is no Colby Suggs, I'm hoping that Cronin can settle into that closer role.