Random thoughts on the BaseVols 2026 season and a thank you

[ffemtp]

Just some random thoughts on the season

⁃ Not the season we hoped for, but not bad over all
⁃ Got delt a bad deal with the timing of CTV leaving, though you can’t blame him for chasing the MLB dream
⁃ Losing Anderson and Q hurt more than we realized
⁃ Need to hit the portal hard for pitching and some bats
⁃ Hopefully the sophomores will take a big leap in production next year, as we have seen in the past
⁃ Need a new pitching coach, not sold on Reynolds
⁃ Played great series vs OK, TX, bama, Miss St, Mizzu
⁃ Played terrible vs Vandy, LSU, KY, GA, Ole Miss
⁃ CJE did an overall good job. Made it to Regionals in his first year
⁃ CJE made some questionable coaching decisions and hopefully learned from them and will be better next year
⁃ Need some players to step up and be leaders in the dugout
⁃ Need to quit swinging for the fences on every pitch and concentrate on making contact and getting base hits
⁃ Didn’t see it in person but the renovations to LNS looked great on TV
⁃ And last but not least, a big thank you to most of you on here for the interactions during the games. The comments and banter back and forth made the games more enjoyable to watch. Even if the negas came out when things weren’t going good.

 

[tennrich1]

I think we were spoiled to a certain degree with our expectations. Agree with most of your points. I do think the launch angle issue was a slight issue as we had IMO no real power hitters (Chapman and Ford could launch them for sure). Struggled with staying ahead of the count and felt like 70% or more of our AB’s were from behind in the count. We struggled at times with our 7-9 hitting in the lineup. And really struggled with hitting with runners in scoring position. Our pitching staff issues are well documented so I’ll leave it at that. Defense was solid most of the year. We’ll miss Chapman cannon in right field…IMO we MUST fine some power in the portal and certainly revamp the bullpen as well. Overall…considering everything, CJE did just fine. Let’s see how the off season reload goes now. Go BaseVols!

 

[vol94]

Will E make any changes to his staff? Idk anything about the current hitting and pitching coaches.

 

[volfeeva]

It seems there is parity in college baseball , unlike football and basketball where only a top few schools dominate. In college baseball, almost any team can beat you on any given day. What determines who goes to the finals is pitching/having a stable of solid pitchers/relievers . If your starting rotation is only so so, better score a lot of runs. . The Championship team we had a couple years ago was special ...lightning in a bottle

 

[WaywardVol]

Just some random thoughts on the season

⁃ Not the season we hoped for, but not bad over all
⁃ Got delt a bad deal with the timing of CTV leaving, though you can’t blame him for chasing the MLB dream
⁃ Losing Anderson and Q hurt more than we realized
⁃ Need to hit the portal hard for pitching and some bats
⁃ Hopefully the sophomores will take a big leap in production next year, as we have seen in the past
⁃ Need a new pitching coach, not sold on Reynolds
⁃ Played great series vs OK, TX, bama, Miss St, Mizzu
⁃ Played terrible vs Vandy, LSU, KY, GA, Ole Miss
⁃ CJE did an overall good job. Made it to Regionals in his first year
⁃ CJE made some questionable coaching decisions and hopefully learned from them and will be better next year
⁃ Need some players to step up and be leaders in the dugout
⁃ Need to quit swinging for the fences on every pitch and concentrate on making contact and getting base hits
⁃ Didn’t see it in person but the renovations to LNS looked great on TV
⁃ And last but not least, a big thank you to most of you on here for the interactions during the games. The comments and banter back and forth made the games more enjoyable to watch. Even if the negas came out when things weren’t going good.

I missed 4 home games all year. I watched less than 15 minutes of the regionals. I was going to show up and support the team during the season, period. After watching what I watched, I had ZERO confidence in this team in the post season. We miss Frank Anderson. Too many betas and not enough alphas.

 

[Butch s]

Will E make any changes to his staff? Idk anything about the current hitting and pitching coaches.

Not many do know about pitching coach. I watched almost every game, and not sure I saw him a handful of times. If he’s here next year, charge him admission

 

[vavolfan6]

I get that there is really never a good time to lose a national championship winning coach, but considering that aspect I don't know what else makes the timing of it bad. If anything by being in the late fall it helped Elander retain the roster that was recruited under Vitello. Players didn't really have an alternative to jump ship even if they wanted to.

As far as being a 1st time HC making regional, I think even that is overblown. For a roster built under Vitello, who has made it to 5 consecutive super regionals, getting eliminated in the regional round is falling below the standard. To not even win 1 game is even more disappointing.

This and along with a few other in game criticisms throughout the season is why I am having a hard time being optimistic. I'm not really seeing the edge Elander gives to the team. He wasn't terrible, but I need to see how he recruits and how well they perform under him. Until then, I am cautiously pessimistic

 

[taylorvol]

A team that was 167th overall and 13th in the SEC in Returning Production (metric by D1 Baseball on returning ABs and IPs) was never going far in the postseason. 2026 was a rebuilding year where Elander managed to win 15 SEC games and make a Regional. Not great but certainly good (just ask Vandy and LSU). The only savior to a poor season would be hitting on virtually every single Portal transfer (see GA who basically overloads on portal players as only 1 starter didn‘t come via the portal).

Candidly, I’m done with college baseball if UT ever decides to emulate the bullpuppies. Unfortunately, UT had several outright portal busts. I hate to think of the fate of this team had Reese Chapman not returned. Chapman was the MVP and heart and soul of this team.

 

[feathersax]

A team that was 167th overall and 13th in the SEC in Returning Production (metric by D1 Baseball on returning ABs and IPs) was never going far in the postseason. 2026 was a rebuilding year where Elander managed to win 15 SEC games and make a Regional. Not great but certainly good (just ask Vandy and LSU). The only savior to a poor season would be hitting on virtually every single Portal transfer (see GA who basically overloads on portal players as only 1 starter didn‘t come via the portal).

Candidly, I’m done with college baseball if UT ever decides to emulate the bullpuppies. Unfortunately, UT had several outright portal busts. I hate to think of the fate of this team had Reese Chapman not returned. Chapman was the MVP and heart and soul of this team.

Agreed., but Manny Marin added lots of spirit plus his defensive prowess.

 

[Orangeslide]

A team that was 167th overall and 13th in the SEC in Returning Production (metric by D1 Baseball on returning ABs and IPs) was never going far in the postseason. 2026 was a rebuilding year where Elander managed to win 15 SEC games and make a Regional. Not great but certainly good (just ask Vandy and LSU). The only savior to a poor season would be hitting on virtually every single Portal transfer (see GA who basically overloads on portal players as only 1 starter didn‘t come via the portal).

Candidly, I’m done with college baseball if UT ever decides to emulate the bullpuppies. Unfortunately, UT had several outright portal busts. I hate to think of the fate of this team had Reese Chapman not returned. Chapman was the MVP and heart and soul of this team.

Unfortunately, Taylorvol, NIL and the portal is eventually going to take over college baseball if not regulated. Football and Basketball just rebuilds rosters yearly. I’m afraid seeing player development will be limited in the future. Teams are going to rely heavily on the portal to build rosters. Really elite high school players will go to the draft, so the portal will be an avenue to restock. I’m like you, I don’t like the way college athletics is headed, but NIL and the portal is out there and will always be used. Josh is a young coach, and may feel pressured or desperate to roll the dice on getting experienced players, but there’s always a chance those players might be a bust. Looking forward to the 2027 season, I think Josh will only get better with time.

 

[taylorvol]

Agreed., but Manny Marin added lots of spirit plus his defensive prowess.

Manny played a solid SS and I’d love to have him back but he’s 99% gone via the Draft. He’s not a big fan of school and certainly has the skill set to play in MLB one day if he adds some muscle to his frame and continues to develop. Chapman was the best teammate and leader.

 

[taylorvol]

Unfortunately, Taylorvol, NIL and the portal is eventually going to take over college baseball if not regulated. Football and Basketball just rebuilds rosters yearly. I’m afraid seeing player development will be limited in the future. Teams are going to rely heavily on the portal to build rosters. Really elite high school players will go to the draft, so the portal will be an avenue to restock. I’m like you, I don’t like the way college athletics is headed, but NIL and the portal is out there and will always be used. Josh is a young coach, and may feel pressured or desperate to roll the dice on getting experienced players, but there’s always a chance those players might be a bust. Looking forward to the 2027 season, I think Josh will only get better with time.

All good points. I just think where college baseball differs from the big two is MLB has reduced their minor league programs, reduced the rounds in the Draft, and will become even more reliant on college baseball for their “unofficial farm system”. With the upcoming MLB contact issues, who knows what will happen.
Also, baseball is a margin buster, so I obviously don’t see teams investing anywhere near the % or $$$$ they invest in football and basketball. Thus, I’m optimistic that UT will focus on developing HS talent and supplementing gaps with the portal. GA only starts one non portal player—-that’s a disgrace.

 

[brockytop]

A team that was 167th overall and 13th in the SEC in Returning Production (metric by D1 Baseball on returning ABs and IPs) was never going far in the postseason. 2026 was a rebuilding year where Elander managed to win 15 SEC games and make a Regional. Not great but certainly good (just ask Vandy and LSU). The only savior to a poor season would be hitting on virtually every single Portal transfer (see GA who basically overloads on portal players as only 1 starter didn‘t come via the portal).

Candidly, I’m done with college baseball if UT ever decides to emulate the bullpuppies. Unfortunately, UT had several outright portal busts. I hate to think of the fate of this team had Reese Chapman not returned. Chapman was the MVP and heart and soul of this team.

You might as well be putting your hand up to wave goodbye to the sport. Tennessee and every other major program are going to try and “emulate the bullpuppies”. Until rules are changed it’s the way of the world whether we like it or not.

 

[VOLtaism]

The players on this team were highly ranked, even those on the bench. They were either over-rated or the coaching staff did not get them playing to their capacity. I thought the body language at the plate all season lacked intensity. They were not able to put the bat on the ball, few foul balls. The pitching was soft all season but much better than Georgia Tech, who will probably win it all.

 

[Redheads]

I actually enjoyed seeing the improvement in defense this year. TV didn’t seem to care too much about it but a concerted effort this year was noticeable. The thing I don’t care for is that everyone who comes to the plate is looking for a home run. I’ve always enjoyed the other parts of the offense like walks, stolen bases, hit and run, and being able to BUNT. Could have won a game or 2 this weekend. We never have any real speed or put pressure on a defense. They can just put 3 infielders on one side and watch us hit right into it. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

 

[volfannga]

One thing that is almost never mentioned and it's impact was the roster reduction. No doubt there were players we wanted to keep but cut decisions were forced on us. Dylan Loy, for example, could have played a big role for us this year. And like most on here I hope we never give up bringing in and keeping the HS kids. So proud and thankful Reese played all 4 here.

 

[THEONLYTENISEE]

One thing that is almost never mentioned and it's impact was the roster reduction. No doubt there were players we wanted to keep but cut decisions were forced on us. Dylan Loy, for example, could have played a big role for us this year. And like most on here I hope we never give up bringing in and keeping the HS kids. So proud and thankful Reese played all 4 here.

I thought Loy went to GT to be guaranteed a starter. It appears he would have forgotten more opportunities staying. Short and sweet, we simply had too many players underperform.

 

[taylorvol]

You might as well be putting your hand up to wave goodbye to the sport. Tennessee and every other major program are going to try and “emulate the bullpuppies”. Until rules are changed it’s the way of the world whether we like it or not.

I don’t think it will be 90% transfers in the starting lineup like GA. They are an outlier and I think they will hopefully lose in Supers. If it does become like GA, I’m not here for it.

 

[Volpatine]

Thankful for Tony Vols for making baseball mean something here again

Excited and concerned for the future: next year will tell me a lot about this new coach and I really want him to succeed on a MCWS level. Getting there next year or making a super will be HUGE.

 

[taylorvol]

One thing that is almost never mentioned and it's impact was the roster reduction. No doubt there were players we wanted to keep but cut decisions were forced on us. Dylan Loy, for example, could have played a big role for us this year. And like most on here I hope we never give up bringing in and keeping the HS kids. So proud and thankful Reese played all 4 here.

Loy wasn’t cut. He chose to transfer to GT for an opportunity to start. Transfer portal cuts both ways. Vols roster ended up being 39 with 5 DSAs (+ 34) so it wasn’t awful compared to 40 (COVID) and 35 roster cap prior to COVID.

 

[Vtonerider]

I guess it's up to admin. to step up & put up regarding NIL money. CJE is a proven recruiter.

 

[Bigvalley84]

I’m a little disappointed in how we ended the season but ok with the regular season , I think 2 elite bullpen arms would have made a 3 or 4 game sec difference and that would probably mean playing a home regional , that’s how close we were to being really good , the post season wasn’t what we wanted but with Mack down and the unfortunate sickness of Kuhns really put us behind the 8 ball , we’ll see who stays and who goes with the portal and the draft , E was pretty good , Bell done a really good job at 3rd , Reynolds I’m not sure about if he’s in over his head or just a talent issue , he was put in a tough spot as was the whole staff , Jeroloman has a good track record and Kivett seemed to do ok even though I hate the shift , analytics is ok but the best managers have a feel for the game so hopefully E has that in him

 

[Vtonerider]

Given the Hypertrophic ecosystem in the LV forum, I'll ask this here. Do we have the equivalent of the candy Whistler for LV softball? Every LV pitch was accompanied by a scream from the stands or maybe the team. It's pervasive, repetitive and takes away from the game.

 

[txbo]

I actually enjoyed seeing the improvement in defense this year. TV didn’t seem to care too much about it but a concerted effort this year was noticeable. The thing I don’t care for is that everyone who comes to the plate is looking for a home run. I’ve always enjoyed the other parts of the offense like walks, stolen bases, hit and run, and being able to BUNT. Could have won a game or 2 this weekend. We never have any real speed or put pressure on a defense. They can just put 3 infielders on one side and watch us hit right into it. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

This team was arguably a more complete defense than anything Tony put together.... 2022 was pretty darn good defensively.

 

[taylorvol]

This team was arguably a more complete defense than anything Tony put together.... 2022 was pretty darn good defensively.

I give HUGE props to the improvement Grimmer made at 2B throughout the season. First of all, he’s more of a LFer or corner 1B/3B guy, but was open to doing whatever necessary to help the team. He went from looking completely out of place at 2B to looking very good. His 6-4-3 double play turns improved dramatically as well as his footwork at 2B. Really impressive athleticism and likely helped him on some draft boards.