2020 Lady Vols Softball

[kregman]

It's not correct to say he refuses. Maybe he does it less than some coaches? Or maybe our pitchers just haven't been among the better hitters much of the time? Gaffin and Stacy Jennings did both a lot. Aucoin did both quite a bit. Tarango did both some.

Marty’s perspective from camps a few years ago was they were afraid in part that other teams would throw at our pitchers. He said I believe it was Ellen at the time was a very good hitter that they did not want to risk her getting hurt. I have no idea if they still hold to that philosophy.

 

[Volfan2012]

I really don't know what the plans are for Milloy just know she will play a lot of softball at some position. She is a superior athlete her father was an All Pro running back won the Super Bowl with Seattle. She certainly has the high school numbers to do some pitching if the coaches desire her stats read like Rogers in high school. I am delighted she is a Lady Vol an all around athlete that will help us immediately.

 

[sccshortstop]

Marty’s perspective from camps a few years ago was they were afraid in part that other teams would throw at our pitchers. He said I believe it was Ellen at the time was a very good hitter that they did not want to risk her getting hurt. I have no idea if they still hold to that philosophy.

I wonder how many pitchers have been lost to injury from batting? Sounds like a piss poor excuse to me but what do I know. I always put the best hitters on the field whenever possible but I am old school. Pitchers have a better chance of being knocked out from the mound. JMHO as always

 

[lvocd]

I wonder how many pitchers have been lost to injury from batting? Sounds like a piss poor excuse to me but what do I know. I always put the best hitters on the field whenever possible but I am old school. Pitchers have a better chance of being knocked out from the mound. JMHO as always

When was the last time ANY player was lost to injury from batting?

 

[UTKVolsfan2013]

Well, their worst fear happened in 2016 when Rainey Gaffin broke her wrist when she a pitch hit her in the SEC tournament. I don't know if Rainey makes the difference in beating Arizona in the regionals that year, but it was a big blow to lose the emotional leader of the team, a good bat in the lineup, and the pitcher that completed that staff with Erin Gabriel and Matty Moss.

 

[kregman]

Well, their worst fear happened in 2016 when Rainey Gaffin broke her wrist when she a pitch hit her in the SEC tournament. I don't know if Rainey makes the difference in beating Arizona in the regionals that year, but it was a big blow to lose the emotional leader of the team, a good bat in the lineup, and the pitcher that completed that staff with Erin Gabriel and Matty Moss.

Huge lost that year.

 

[sccshortstop]

Well, their worst fear happened in 2016 when Rainey Gaffin broke her wrist when she a pitch hit her in the SEC tournament. I don't know if Rainey makes the difference in beating Arizona in the regionals that year, but it was a big blow to lose the emotional leader of the team, a good bat in the lineup, and the pitcher that completed that staff with Erin Gabriel and Matty Moss.

That was the year the Weeklys again got caught with not enough quality pitchers. Gabriel never reached the number 1 status as the best pitcher in all the land when recruited as did Gabby last year. We seem to miss on pitchers a lot but other teams may as well. Rainey was a player who happened to be a pretty darn good pitcher as well. Not many like her and none since her I think. I know we struck out with the Bush girl and another from Florida as well if I remember correctly around that time.

 

[kregman]

The minute we lost her our postseason chances were done that year. Gaffin had that power sinker that gave people fits especially when she replaced someone.

 

[sccshortstop]

The minute we lost her our postseason chances were done that year. Gaffin had that power sinker that gave people fits especially when she replaced someone.

If I remember correct Ralph said they used Rainey after she was throwing BP and none of the girls were able to hit her so he said she would work as the 3rd pitcher . ?????? Why didn't he know!

 

[DeerPark12]

If I remember correct Ralph said they used Rainey after she was throwing BP and none of the girls were able to hit her so he said she would work as the 3rd pitcher . ?????? Why didn't he know!

Because she rarely pitched for the teams her mom coached in high school and travel.

As for the earlier post on Gabriel, remember that her hip had to be reconstructed during her freshman year. Catastrophic injury from overuse pre-college. Couldn’t even start throwing until the February of her sophomore year. She improved every year after that, despite having to manage her workload to avoid putting too much stress on the hip. If they had won the appeal to get her freshman year back, she would have been a a crucial piece in 2017.

As for Sprang, she clammed up and couldn’t throw strikes in games. Was as good in practice and in the bullpen as anyone they’ve ever had. But put a crowd out there and it was all over. Cropped up during fall games a little, but grew worse with every appearance in the spring. And transferring to OK St. didn’t change it. Walks and wild pitches abound. They just avoided using her in pressure situations, mostly just midweek and in games that were out of hand to eat up innings.

 

[sccshortstop]

Because she rarely pitched for the teams her mom coached in high school and travel.

As for the earlier post on Gabriel, remember that her hip had to be reconstructed during her freshman year. Catastrophic injury from overuse pre-college. Couldn’t even start throwing until the February of her sophomore year. She improved every year after that, despite having to manage her workload to avoid putting too much stress on the hip. If they had won the appeal to get her freshman year back, she would have been a a crucial piece in 2017.

As for Sprang, she clammed up and couldn’t throw strikes in games. Was as good in practice and in the bullpen as anyone they’ve ever had. But put a crowd out there and it was all over. Cropped up during fall games a little, but grew worse with every appearance in the spring. And transferring to OK St. didn’t change it. Walks and wild pitches abound. They just avoided using her in pressure situations, mostly just midweek and in games that were out of hand to eat up innings.

Yep I remember about Gabriel but had forgotten. We probably got more out of her than we deserved but again the other pitchers we lost seemed to be mid major material. Don't know what they did after us but I hope they did well. DP I growl and gripe as much as anyone on here butknow the Weeklys have been god sent to us. I would like a new hitting coach more than anything though. Did Rowland leave on her own or was it a mutual understanding if you know. Someone said she was a 2nd team AA as a DP which we dearly needed. I have been a Vol and LVol fan for more years than many people on the forum so I am go going anywhere else. Thanks for you knowledge on all things LVOLS!

 

[sccshortstop]

Yep I remember about Gabriel but had forgotten. We probably got more out of her than we deserved but again the other pitchers we lost seemed to be mid major material. Don't know what they did after us but I hope they did well. DP I growl and gripe as much as anyone on here butknow the Weeklys have been god sent to us. I would like a new hitting coach more than anything though. Did Rowland leave on her own or was it a mutual understanding if you know. Someone said she was a 2nd team AA as a DP which we dearly needed. I have been a Vol and LVol fan pulling for every program for more years than many people on the forum so I am go going anywhere else. Thanks for you knowledge on all things LVOLS!

 

[kregman]

Yep I remember about Gabriel but had forgotten. We probably got more out of her than we deserved but again the other pitchers we lost seemed to be mid major material. Don't know what they did after us but I hope they did well. DP I growl and gripe as much as anyone on here butknow the Weeklys have been god sent to us. I would like a new hitting coach more than anything though. Did Rowland leave on her own or was it a mutual understanding if you know. Someone said she was a 2nd team AA as a DP which we dearly needed. I have been a Vol and LVol fan for more years than many people on the forum so I am go going anywhere else. Thanks for you knowledge on all things LVOLS!

With all the 5th and even 6th seasons the NCAA gives out I don’t know how Gabriel in her situation didn’t get it. I think the coaches thought she would so I can’t fault them that should have been a no brainer for Ncaa.

 

[DeerPark12]

Yep I remember about Gabriel but had forgotten. We probably got more out of her than we deserved but again the other pitchers we lost seemed to be mid major material. Don't know what they did after us but I hope they did well. DP I growl and gripe as much as anyone on here butknow the Weeklys have been god sent to us. I would like a new hitting coach more than anything though. Did Rowland leave on her own or was it a mutual understanding if you know. Someone said she was a 2nd team AA as a DP which we dearly needed. I have been a Vol and LVol fan for more years than many people on the forum so I am go going anywhere else. Thanks for you knowledge on all things LVOLS!

I'll say it like this, there are a lot of players that stayed that would have been All-American type players if they were in a lesser conference. Likewise, The best player in the Big West would probably hit about .275 in the SEC. It's just not apples to apples.

For Rowland specifically, she was a 2nd team AA, set a single-season LBSU record with 58 RBI, hitting 12 HR and a .351 average in 2018. This year, she hit .283 with 2 HR and 12 RBI. Neither year surprises me. Consistency of work ethic and dedication do not match her talent.

 

[DeerPark12]

With all the 5th and even 6th seasons the NCAA gives out I don’t know how Gabriel in her situation didn’t get it. I think the coaches thought she would so I can’t fault them that should have been a no brainer for Ncaa.

It was cut-and-dry, in their eyes. To qualify for a 5th year, you can only play in 20% of scheduled games and they have to happen in the first half of the year. She sat out three weeks trying to rehab her hip and avoid surgery, so the 20% was no problem. She was cleared and then reaggravated the injury in her next start and was done for the year.

Would she win the appeal today? Not sure, but she would have had a better chance.

 

[SEC FAN 1111]

Did Rowland leave on her own or was it a mutual understanding if you know. Someone said she was a 2nd team AA as a DP which we dearly needed. I have been a Vol and LVol fan for more years than many people on the forum so I am go going anywhere else. Thanks for you knowledge on all things LVOLS![/QUOTE]

She was encouraged to leave. It took a year longer because she tore her acl in the fall of her freshman year. It will be interesting to see who was encouraged to leave from the current team?

 

[Vol67]

It's not correct to say he refuses. Maybe he does it less than some coaches? Or maybe our pitchers just haven't been among the better hitters much of the time? Gaffin and Stacy Jennings did both a lot. Aucoin did both quite a bit. Tarango did both some.

Only because he was forced to due to circumstance

 

[DeerPark12]

Did Rowland leave on her own or was it a mutual understanding if you know. Someone said she was a 2nd team AA as a DP which we dearly needed. I have been a Vol and LVol fan for more years than many people on the forum so I am go going anywhere else. Thanks for you knowledge on all things LVOLS!

She was encouraged to leave. It took a year longer because she tore her acl in the fall of her freshman year. It will be interesting to see who was encouraged to leave from the current team?

You left out that it was things off the field that led to that encouragement.

 

[Creekdog]

I wonder how many pitchers have been lost to injury from batting? Sounds like a piss poor excuse to me but what do I know. I always put the best hitters on the field whenever possible but I am old school. Pitchers have a better chance of being knocked out from the mound. JMHO as always

I agree with your opinion, however humble it may be.

 

[SEC FAN 1111]

You left out that it was things off the field that led to that encouragement.

Was that the case with Sprang as well? Instead of developing her they ran her off as well. You can’t pull scholarships these days based on performance!

 

[volman128]

It's not correct to say he refuses. Maybe he does it less than some coaches? Or maybe our pitchers just haven't been among the better hitters much of the time? Gaffin and Stacy Jennings did both a lot. Aucoin did both quite a bit. Tarango did both some.

Monica Abbott actually hit some early in her career.

Danielle Pieroni is another one that did both and was recruited for both (and wasn't good at either, but I digress).

Gaffin wasn't recruited as a pitcher at all out of HS. She pitched out of necessity later in her career (in part because of Erin Gabriel's struggles) -- and wound up being the best pitcher on the team her best season -- but she was recruited as an OFer and hitter. It's hard to refuse when the best pitcher on your team is one of the best hitters, too.

Tarango wasn't really recruited as a pitcher, either. From what a parent on the team told me, she was told she would get some innings but was here as a hitter and 1B.

Aucoin was here as both, though. Of course she barely pitched at all her last season with the addition of Matty that season.

 

[volman128]

I don't follow high school softball much anymore so I wouldn't know her by name. No disrespect intended to her, I'm sure she's a fine player, but 136 hits given up in 161 innings in high school is more than you'd expect from a pitcher to be considered by SEC coaches. Ashley Rogers gave up 118 hits in 173 innings this year against a major college schedule.

It's JUCO not high school.

 

[larjoranj]

Monica Abbott actually hit some early in her career.

Danielle Pieroni is another one that did both and was recruited for both.

Gaffin wasn't recruited as a pitcher at all out of HS. She pitched out of necessity later in her career (in part because of Erin Gabriel's struggles) -- and wound up being the best pitcher on the team her best season -- but she was recruited as an OFer and hitter. It's hard to refuse when the best pitcher on your team is one of the best hitters, too.

Tarango wasn't really recruited as a pitcher, either. From what a parent on the team told me, she was told she would get some innings but was here as a hitter and 1B.

Aucoin was here as both, though. Of course she barely pitched at all her last season with the addition of Matty that season.

So you would agree with me that when the other poster said "he absolutely to UT detriment refuse to have 2 way players", that's not really accurate? Whether players were recruited as pitchers or position players we have had players that ended up being 2 way players to some extent.

 

[Volfan2012]

So we have a senior pitcher leaving sounds like something not right with UT softball for that to happen.

 

[SEC FAN 1111]

Breaking news just read on another forum that Caylan Arnold has entered her name in the transfer portal! Justinsworldofsoftball.com