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can't wait for this season to start!!

Started by Bogghawg, January 24, 2018, 12:55:31 pm

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Bogghawg

Never Attempt To Teach a Pig To Sing; It Wastes Your Time and Annoys the Pig

Amityvillehogger

I'll be interested to see how they handle everyone patting them on the back and telling them they are good. Talent is no doubt there. Have to respond.

Also looking forward to seeing how Coach Thompson can enhance our approach at the plate.
Member # 2987.
Registered - 02-23-2005

 

ThisTeetsTaken

Quote from: Amityvillehogger on January 24, 2018, 12:59:14 pm
I'll be interested to see how they handle everyone patting them on the back and telling them they are good. Talent is no doubt there. Have to respond.

Also looking forward to seeing how Coach Thompson can enhance our approach at the plate.
There's a bunch of competition on this team to push that talent.  I'm trying not to get too excited but it's tough.
***"He must increase, but I must decrease"***

BroyledNutts

I feel like this team will be as good as its middle relief and closers are ... if they are lock down guys, innings eaters, and door slammers this team can go anywhere it wants.

We also need one guy that can come in from the pen when a starter doesn't have it, to be a substitute starter and a momentum killer. They find that guy, along with the above, and there's no ceiling for this year's squad.

ucahogfan

Quote from: BroyledNutts on January 25, 2018, 01:07:49 pm
I feel like this team will be as good as its middle relief and closers are ... if they are lock down guys, innings eaters, and door slammers this team can go anywhere it wants.

We also need one guy that can come in from the pen when a starter doesn't have it, to be a substitute starter and a momentum killer. They find that guy, along with the above, and there's no ceiling for this year's squad.
But how concerned are you about the pen?  How many arms do we need out there?

Sure, it sucks losing Kopps as he was our second best arm out there behind Reindl, but we return Reindl, Cronin, Lee, and Loseke as well as bring in elite level arms like Rutledge and Bonnin.  Not many teams can talk about having depth like that in the pen.

Knot2brite

Quote from: ucahogfan on January 25, 2018, 08:23:34 pm
But how concerned are you about the pen?  How many arms do we need out there?

Sure, it sucks losing Kopps as he was our second best arm out there behind Reindl, but we return Reindl, Cronin, Lee, and Loseke as well as bring in elite level arms like Rutledge and Bonnin.  Not many teams can talk about having depth like that in the pen.
But of all those names you mentioned...only Reindl is the only one that has consistently proven to be a reliable arm over multiple games. Lee has a great upside but he wasn't used as much, Cronin was good, bad and ugly all in the same at bat and Loseke could have an amazing inning and lose his ability to throw a strike the next. The freshmen are a crap shoot because you never know how they will respond. The bull pen is the scariest concern that I have for the next season
Usually in EI where intelligent conversation is required

BroyledNutts

Quote from: ucahogfan on January 25, 2018, 08:23:34 pm
But how concerned are you about the pen?  How many arms do we need out there?

Sure, it sucks losing Kopps as he was our second best arm out there behind Reindl, but we return Reindl, Cronin, Lee, and Loseke as well as bring in elite level arms like Rutledge and Bonnin.  Not many teams can talk about having depth like that in the pen.

I'm always concerned about the pen ... no matter how many arms are out there. Games and series have been won and lost by who we bring in at critical times.
After witnessing last year's various pitching debacles where it looked really good until it went really bad really quickly - or it just looked horrible from the word go (Auburn comes to mind immediately) ... most of the middle relief guys were wildly hit and miss, particularly in conference play ... as Knot said, I want to see some consistency out of the guys that will be called on for middle relief before I place stock in our bullpen depth ... having not seen the Freshmen pitch in person I cannot say how they will perform under duress ... most times in the past a freshman is good for an inning or two, and then the wheels get wobbly. I put no stock in them until I see what they bring and how they react to the moment.

To my knowledge we still don't have a lock down closer to go to, either.

ucahogfan

Quote from: Knot2brite on January 25, 2018, 08:36:45 pm
But of all those names you mentioned...only Reindl is the only one that has consistently proven to be a reliable arm over multiple games. Lee has a great upside but he wasn't used as much, Cronin was good, bad and ugly all in the same at bat and Loseke could have an amazing inning and lose his ability to throw a strike the next. The freshmen are a crap shoot because you never know how they will respond. The bull pen is the scariest concern that I have for the next season
Loseke had an ERA just over 3.00 in over 30 IP as a freshman in 2016 which I would say is a proven arm.  His biggest negative is that he has some bouts with extreme wildness.

Cronin got better as the season went along last year as well as Lee did.  If I remember correctly, both had solid summers as well.

While none of those 3 have as long of a track record as a Hog in terms of being a solid arm, I would say those three have established they can be solid relievers.  I would think many teams even in the top 10 would love to have that type of talent in their pen.

That doesn't even factor in Rutledge who DVH has praised and has made it tough on our hitters or Bonnin who struggled early in the fall, but once he faced college hitters, he adjusted and ended the fall as a solid option.  Both are 93+ arms with plus breaking balls.  While you might worry about the command, the raw stuff says they can be successful.

Knot2brite

Quote from: ucahogfan on January 26, 2018, 08:22:58 pm
Loseke had an ERA just over 3.00 in over 30 IP as a freshman in 2016 which I would say is a proven arm.  His biggest negative is that he has some bouts with extreme wildness.

Cronin got better as the season went along last year as well as Lee did.  If I remember correctly, both had solid summers as well.

While none of those 3 have as long of a track record as a Hog in terms of being a solid arm, I would say those three have established they can be solid relievers.  I would think many teams even in the top 10 would love to have that type of talent in their pen.

That doesn't even factor in Rutledge who DVH has praised and has made it tough on our hitters or Bonnin who struggled early in the fall, but once he faced college hitters, he adjusted and ended the fall as a solid option.  Both are 93+ arms with plus breaking balls.  While you might worry about the command, the raw stuff says they can be successful.
I don't see the track record and establishment of being proven depth in the bullpen that you see and even if those three or four do I worry it isn't enough at times. We are going to have to get some quality innings from Rodgers, Scroggins and some others this year. Loseke may have been fine his freshman year but he was lost in space his sophomore year and he is vital to this year along  with Cronin. I can never depend on a freshman until we are into conference play and they have a couple series under their belts. On paper this team has depth but paper doesn't play the game. I am a worrier and pessimist and this is my biggest worry about this upcoming season. It doesn't mean that we won't win a CWS because I worry but the bullpen is the one major weakness that I see we have and have had in the last few years.
Usually in EI where intelligent conversation is required

Mr.Gruntastic

I think our defense will compensate a lack of experience and depth in the bullpen.  I think our defense is gonna take away a lot of base hits, and extra base hits.  I think it's the intangible that nobodies mentioning when questioning our lack of depth in the pen.