Expectations next year?

#226
#226
Jax_Vol said:
That is very true. I never dreamed we would be this good after losing Jake, Max, Dallas, Petey, Spense, two outstanding catchers, Saturday night starter, etc. The 2022 team way over exceeded the pre-season predictions. Perhaps we peaked in Hoover.
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And this team will lose an awful lot, especially on offense. The law of averages says we won't have the gaudy win-loss record of last year. But we don't really know all of what our lineup is going to be yet, as transfers in haven't become known. And we do know that our starting pitching is going to be elite. Bullpen is a semi question mark right now, as is the offense and defense.
 
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#227
#227
UTK said:
I believe the university is cursed. But maybe it’s best to have a ho hom regular season and just luck out in a beat of three of next year lol

Two years in a row the best team didn’t make it to the CWS. Maybe something needs to give.
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i think it was 2019 Vandy only lost three SEC games, but got Eliminated in the Super Regionals. The next year their SEC record was worse and they won the whole thing.
 
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#228
#228
BigorangeBoy said:
i think it was 2019 Vandy only lost three SEC games, but got Eliminated in the Super Regionals. The next year their SEC record was worse and they won the whole thing.
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Yeah, part of the reason that those teams with the amazing record don't win it all is just the law of averages. If you're an SEC baseball team that is 56-7 on June 6, there's no way you get there unless you're: 1. A ridiculously fantastic baseball team, and 2. there just has to be some luck/hot at the right time/etc things going on. Eventually, things average out.

If you're in Vegas and win multiple hands of blackjack in a row, you should quit while you're ahead. If you continue playing, statistics will even things out over time.

Hopefully we're that team soon who may not have the gaudy record but takes the crown.
 
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#229
#229
BigorangeBoy said:
i think it was 2019 Vandy only lost three SEC games, but got Eliminated in the Super Regionals. The next year their SEC record was worse and they won the whole thing.
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You definitely want to lose some along the way.

Best example I ever heard was the 1954 Cleveland Indians. In regular season, they played 154 games during the regular season, won 111 games, lost 43 games, and finished in first position. In World Series, they lost 4 straight to the New York Giants.

Baseball is a funny game.
 
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#230
#230
tombowalker said:
Fwiw, there's a reason analytics killed small ball to such a large extent. It generally doesn't score as many runs.... especially for a team with pop #1-9 like Tennessee.
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I think you are correct about small ball but we certainly needed it yesterday when the left handed breaking ball pitcher shut down the entire team for 4 innings in a playoff game. They played small ball yesterday and won.
 
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#231
#231
VOLtaism said:
I think you are correct about small ball but we certainly needed it yesterday when the left handed breaking ball pitcher shut down the entire team for 4 innings in a playoff game. They played small ball yesterday and won.
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That's the rub....

Over the course of a season, taking hacks and crushing dingers will almost certainly generate more runs. But it doesn't always pan out with small sample sizes.

The question is, if you decide to change your game plan for a single game, what's stopping you from changing the other games as well? (see point above)

The only answer is to run what ya brung and hope it works out.
 
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#232
#232
malibuvol said:
No to Lawson at third...He bounced most of his throws to first this year from SS
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While he did have a couple of struggles at SS he has a cannon arm! And a quick release which you must have to be effective at 3rd. JMO but I think he’d be just fine at 3rd. But I guess it’ll all depend on who goes, comes back, or emerges as an option at 3rd. Lipscomb developed into a really good 3rd basement despite a few hiccups down the stretch.
 
#233
#233
We will have to see how much senior leadership got passed on to younger players. We will be much younger next season. But if the remaining players maintain the standards for off-season work and individual development, can seek personal excellence without losing a team-first perspective... who knows?

I certainly would expect it to be a team that starts out flashing brilliance, losing games to inconsistency, but improves throughout the season.

As always, set your expectations low, cheer to encourage the players rather than only to acknowledge their accomplishments, and enjoy being surprised by who they eventually become.
 
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#235
#235
BruisedOrange said:
We will have to see how much senior leadership got passed on to younger players. We will be much younger next season. But if the remaining players maintain the standards for off-season work and individual development, can seek personal excellence without losing a team-first perspective... who knows?

I certainly would expect it to be a team that starts out flashing brilliance, losing games to inconsistency, but improves throughout the season.

As always, set your expectations low, cheer to encourage the players rather than only to acknowledge their accomplishments, and enjoy being surprised by who they eventually become.
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We did have senior leaders this year, but think it should be noted that only 4/9 of our lineup (Luc, Beck, Drew, Evan) and 1/4 of our starters (Blade) were regular starters on the team last year. So, we did have a lot of new starters who were tossed into the fire and did very well, although everything changes in June.
 
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#237
#237
txbo said:
I believe he is returning.... and yea, there's your leadership.
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So focusing on the pitchers,
Likely starters- Chase Burns, Drew Beam and Chase Dollander.
Bullpen- Seth Halvorsen depending on how he comes back from injury, the other Joyce twin and Kirby Connell. Who am I missing and who is coming in this year?

Go Vols- disappointed but excited for Vol baseball in the future.
 
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#238
#238
LeannaVol said:
So focusing on the pitchers,
Likely starters- Chase Burns, Drew Beam and Chase Dollander.
Bullpen- Seth Halvorsen depending on how he comes back from injury, the other Joyce twin and Kirby Connell. Who am I missing and who is coming in this year?

Go Vols- disappointed but excited for Vol baseball in the future.
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We have an embarrassment of riches with left handed pitching: Zander, Will, Kirby, Wyatt all with quality stuff. Mark is another who is back on the right handed side.
 
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#242
#242
JohnWardForever said:
AH Ha! Another "Wait till next year" Commentary. At least let us BROOD a few days??? LOL
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Even in jest, you nailed us, JohnWardForever.

But a championship mindset calls on us to "snap and clear" after mistakes or disappointments, and focus 100% on the next play.

I guess the opposite of "snap and clear" is "bi#ch and moan." The latter skill we surely mastered over the previous decade or two. Time to up our fan game.

Today's Tennessee Volunteers are the "SEC All Sports Champions"--so let's keep moving forward.
 
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#244
#244
VOLtaism said:
I would like to see our baseball team play more baseball next season. Bunt, make contact type hitters who advance the base runners, disruptive base runners who steal anything they see, pitchers holding runners with throws and pitch outs, vacuum cleaner infield. This is baseball and skills that win championships.
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Hope we have a true catcher playing the position and who has a gun for an arm with at least a chance to limit steals next season.
 
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#247
#247
arkyvol said:
As for the future, with Vitello I don't see this year's team as a one shot wonder or the stars suddenly aligning (such as they did for Orgeron at LSU). I see a program with a solid foundation and more than a few trips to the CWS.
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Yep want surprise me a bit to win 50 games again next year.. I went to many games in the 90s and early 2000 . As a whole I think TV will have a team ready to compete every day as long as he is the head man. Think he will always have an exciting team. These guys broke so many records this you can't expect to break many next year but the boys coming in probably surprise most of our real fans that understand baseball .
 
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