We need 10 wins

[WilsonHog]

Ten wins in our last 17 SEC games. If I have the stat right, no SEC team finishing with 14 conference wins has failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

Now where we get those, I couldn't tell you.

[Kevin]

Looks bleak

[ricepig]

I was telling myself we needed 35 wins the other day, we have 21 games left, we need 14 more wins.

[dbhog]

Sorry but it will not happen.  We do not have the pitching.  I think we might get 4 more SEC wins but it will be tough when your starters only go 3-4 innings.

[Scott7703]

I will not be surprised to see this team get hot at the end and back into the NCAA tournament and be very dangerous down the stretch. Wilson, Rice and others here have followed our baseball program long enough to know that you can never count a DVH led team out regardless of how bad they may look and how poorly they may be playing. Keep the faith fellas, keep the faith.

[bighog2255]

If I have the stat right, no SEC team finishing with 14 conference wins has failed to make the NCAA Tournament.

Unfortunately, you are wrong. Kentucky went 14-15 last year and missed the tournament. Mizzu went 15-15 and missed the tournament. On the other hand, Auburn got in last year with a 13-17 record. The difference being Auburn had a good RPI. Mizzu and UK did not.

14 SEC wins gets us in the discussion, and possibly gets us in if we do well in the non-conf games and at Hoover. But its certainly not a lock

[JackMcQueen]

Our schedule, SOS, & RPI have KILLED us. We need to win out every SEC series, beat Creighton, Ok State, split with Mo State (at worst). Yeah we have some good wins from Houston, but we're winless in true road games, we have to make a dent in that, along with the remaining games we have or its bye bye NCAA Tournament, & maybe even SEC Tournament (which the auto bid could be our only way in).

[bighog2255]

I was telling myself we needed 35 wins the other day, we have 21 games left, we need 14 more wins.

I think this is dead on. I think 14 wins gives us a great shot, and 13 gets us in the discussion.

Florida      W L
Creighton  W
@UK         W W L
OK St        W
A&M         W W L
@Miz St    L
@LSU       W L L
Bama       W W L
Miz St      W
@MSU     W W L

That gives us 13 more wins. 34-21 with a 14-16 SEC record heading into the SEC tournament. Basically, we need to salvage one this weekend, win 3 out of our 4 non-conf games, and win 4 out of our last 5 SEC series. That is very doable. I could also see us picking up a win or 2 (possibly sweeping Bama or winning at Mizzu St). I'm not throwing in the towel just yet. Now, if Florida sweeps us, we are in trouble.

[BoroBoy90]

Wins are a must, but I don't see many coming. Hopefully Arkansas can get 1 win against Florida, but that is a stretch. Creighton could be a win being a mid-week game pending on if they go to a weekend guy or not. Then the issue is playing at Kentucky, Oklahoma State, A&M, at Mizzou State, at LSU, Bama, Mizzou State, and at Miss State.

There aren't a lot of W's in that list folks. Kentucky is good enough to sweep this team, but could get 1 W. Lost by 1 at OSU so that game is a toss up. A&M will take 2 or sweep the Hogs, then Mizzou State will take the Springdale game. With LSU being so young replacing 8 of their 9 starters from last year you don't know what LSU team will show up.  The Bama series I think the Hogs can actually get 2 wins. The home game with Mizzou State is a toss up, but then you get swept at Miss State.

So yeah not a lot of wins moving forward. This team just can't find the pitching to compete with the majority of these teams. Plus being real for a minute the teams left on the schedule are just playing better with deeper and better talent. But, outside the state of Arkansas nobody had this team being great. Picked between 6th-8th in the SEC. But, that was before we found a issue at weekend pitching. 

[WilsonHog]

I obviously want us to make it, but not making it won't change how I perceive DVH or our program. Not all down seasons are created equal; context matters. Just like I won't be upset if the St. Louis Cardinals don't make the playoffs after the run they've had, I'd see no reason to be upset here. It happens in all sports.

[jry04]

I obviously want us to make it, but not making it won't change how I perceive DVH or our program. Not all down seasons are created equal; context matters. Just like I won't be upset if the St. Louis Cardinals don't make the playoffs after the run they've had, I'd see no reason to be upset here. It happens in all sports.

While I get your point, and agree with your first statement, I think there is definitely reason to be upset. I won't look at DVH or the program any differently. I am going to renew my season tickets as if it is any other season. LSU, South Carolina, Florida, and Vandy have all missed the NCAAT in recent years when we haven't. It has happened to just about every power, so we weren't immune to it. However, that doesn't mean I like it or am not upset. We started pre-season top 25 by just about every poll, return 2 of our 3 starting pitchers from a CWS team while having one of the top closers in all of baseball. We have multiple seniors/draft eligible players, and while we lost some valuable pieces last year, we have more than enough fire power in our offense. After Spanberger and Koch's HRs last night, we are #1 in the SEC in HRs, and have an above average team BA. We have the pieces to be a successful team. You look at what we did to Houston, Rice, and TT and then see how well they are doing now, and it is frustrating to be where we are. TT is battling for a national seed after losing to us in a weekend matchup, while Arkansas is battling just to make the 12 team SEC Tournament. Something went wrong with this team, and I do not think anyone knows exactly what. The guys who were expected to do well are some of the biggest reasons we are losing.

With that said, if we do not turn it around, I expect us to get back after it next year and start a new streak. We have a lot of good young players that we will be able to count on next season, while hopefully bringing in some studs from our recruiting class. 

[code red]

Pipe dream

[TNhawgfan]

I obviously want us to make it, but not making it won't change how I perceive DVH or our program. Not all down seasons are created equal; context matters. Just like I won't be upset if the St. Louis Cardinals don't make the playoffs after the run they've had, I'd see no reason to be upset here. It happens in all sports.

Speaking as a braves fan, never be ok with your team missing the playoffs because you've been on a good run lately. Once you drop it takes forever to get back to the top

[Iwastherein1969]

I obviously want us to make it, but not making it won't change how I perceive DVH or our program. Not all down seasons are created equal; context matters. Just like I won't be upset if the St. Louis Cardinals don't make the playoffs after the run they've had, I'd see no reason to be upset here. It happens in all sports.

We were definitely due a down year, and we are definitely fulfilling that prophecy to the hilt. We'll be back but not until the starting pitching is stellar again....a Schmidt-Todd type duo

[Knot2brite]

10 more wins will be extremely difficult to get unless something major changes...it can't be just one thing...it has to be a couple things...I am not sure of what those things are but change has to happen for this team to get to the tourney....one thing I know...pitching has to stop getting behind in counts and nibbling ....games with 5-7 walks put undue pressure on the offense to be amazing every night...I am not going to say exactly what I want to say because it is counter productive but something has to change

[ricepig]

10 more wins will be extremely difficult to get unless something major changes...it can't be just one thing...it has to be a couple things...I am not sure of what those things are but change has to happen for this team to get to the tourney....one thing I know...pitching has to stop getting behind in counts and nibbling ....games with 5-7 walks put undue pressure on the offense to be amazing every night...I am not going to say exactly what I want to say because it is counter productive but something has to change

Well, grooving an 88mph fastball doesn't get it done either, but being behind in the count, and adding in the walks and errors makes it difficult to succeed.

[Knot2brite]

Well, grooving an 88mph fastball doesn't get it done either, but being behind in the count, and adding in the walks and errors makes it difficult to succeed.

Problem is that we are having to groove a pitch because we can't find the black early...then we are behind in the count and bad things happen this year. Then when one bad thing happens....they get antsy and cause another bad thing to happen trying to make up for the first bad thing...next thing you know...we are down big again...right now....every player and coach is paranoid...it happens to teams all over the game be it high school, college or MLB...we just have to work through it

[Boardon Hamsay]

Well, if we need 10 wins that's 10 sections to tear off. Only question is, who do we want to uncover?

[code red]

10 more wins will be extremely difficult to get unless something major changes...it can't be just one thing...it has to be a couple things...I am not sure of what those things are but change has to happen for this team to get to the tourney....one thing I know...pitching has to stop getting behind in counts and nibbling ....games with 5-7 walks put undue pressure on the offense to be amazing every night...I am not going to say exactly what I want to say because it is counter productive but something has to change

Major problem?  Giving away outs IMHO

[LSUFan]

The problem in the SEC this year, as I see it, is that most teams are Really good, pretty much equal on all levels. The games that I have seen lost this year were based upon errors. With the competition so tight, you just CANNOT make any errors.

Hogs always perform well in the post season.

And if not this year, DVH is still a helluva coach and Arkansas still has one of the top 5 programs in the country, IMO.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

My son and I are planning to go to Starkville for the final series of the regular season.  His old high school coach is now MSU's pitching coach.  I can only hope that we go down there to see a series that has real meaning for the Hogs.  If so, I'll be cheering my butt off for a sweep.

[code red]

The problem in the SEC this year, as I see it, is that most teams are Really good, pretty much equal on all levels. The games that I have seen lost this year were based upon errors. With the competition so tight, you just CANNOT make any errors.

Hogs always perform well in the post season.

And if not this year, DVH is still a helluva coach and Arkansas still has one of the top 5 programs in the country, IMO.

Errors = Mental fatigue.....I would dare to draw the conclusion..that this the reason for the Hogs draw backs.

[GioB26]

The problem in the SEC this year, as I see it, is that most teams are Really good, pretty much equal on all levels. The games that I have seen lost this year were based upon errors. With the competition so tight, you just CANNOT make any errors.

Hogs always perform well in the post season.

And if not this year, DVH is still a helluva coach and Arkansas still has one of the top 5 programs in the country, IMO.