SEC Tournament hosted by the Lady Vols Softball Team

#126
#126
Ralph always pulls our pitchers early, trying to head off trouble. It has been an effective tactic--but, yea, did not work at all last night.

I hope we didn't screw up our chance of getting a top 8 seed with that loss, but we may have. It was one of the worst games we've played all year. I'll be miffed if we don't host a super-regional (assuming we win the regional, which can't really be assumed), but I don't think we have the quality to win the national title. Out pitching is a notch below elite. Moss is close to elite and still improving. Arnold has been good, will get better, but it looks like she is tiring. She's been getting knocked around a bit. And our bottom-half of the order hitting just isn't good enough. Geer hasn't done a lot--very spotty. I was all for giving Weimer a shot, as she looked to be a better hitter than Lockman (though not as good defensively)--but if you're going to strike out twice then the switch is counter-productive. Not sure if the Weeklys can get Holcomb and McLain both in the lineup, but worth thinking about.
 
#128
#128
Good point about Gregg looking lost at her crucial at bat....She never even took her bat off her shoulder....

For us that was one ugly game....
 
#129
#129
GameTime said:
Good point about Gregg looking lost at her crucial at bat....She never even took her bat off her shoulder....

For us that was one ugly game....
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She looked bewildered the whole game. She said in an interview earlier in the week that she never swung at a pitch she did not think she could drive. Guess she felt that way last night. So uncharacteristic of her.
 
#130
#130
I think the coaches are better at recruiting than managing a team or a pitching staff. They have to stop jerking pitchers out of the game at the drop of a hat. The other team is going to score some runs too. Doesn't mean it's time for the hook if they score a couple runs. Let the best nine players play and stop trying to be Tony La Russa.
 
#132
#132
The team has done better than expected this season were picked by the experts to finish fifth in the league and finished third. The pitching has also been better than expected as it was suspect because we had a sophomore and a freshmen as the only pitchers we could rely on. I know we'll play the regional against somebody at home then will certainly be on the road if we make it to the Super Regional.
In softball pitching is so much of the game and hopefully the pitchers on the roster will get better in the off season and the left handed pitcher coming in will be a solid contributor next season.
 
#133
#133
JL Pettimore said:
I think the coaches are better at recruiting than managing a team or a pitching staff. They have to stop jerking pitchers out of the game at the drop of a hat. The other team is going to score some runs too. Doesn't mean it's time for the hook if they score a couple runs. Let the best nine players play and stop trying to be Tony La Russa.
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So how do you think they won 20 in a row? Without coaching? All teams have bad nights. Unfortunately last night was one of them.
 
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#134
#134
It was a bad time to have a terrible game. SEC tournament, at home, last game of the night, prime time, and we did not look good.Had we won, I think we would have been assured of a top 8 NCAA seed. Now, we may not get it, which would mean traveling for the super-regional, if we win the regional. Just means the road will be tougher. We might still get top 8, but it will be dicey. I guess we'll know on Sunday?
 
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#135
#135
Coaching is not a problem,we are still lacking a couple of key position players...specifically first base,catcher, and another quality pitcher....the next class will address at least two of the issues..A top quality pitcher and catcher ...First base might still be a problem...
 
#136
#136
tallvolball98 said:
So how do you think they won 20 in a row? Without coaching? All teams have bad nights. Unfortunately last night was one of them.
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I think a pitching staff that authored a 20 game win streak is better than Ralph & Karen give them credit for. They certainly deserve more respect than to be pulled early because the other team tied the score at 2 runs apiece. It proved to be a mistake so I'm surprised to see someone defend the decision but those two have their acolytes who believe they can do no wrong.
 
#137
#137
Nickid1975 said:
Coaching is not a problem,we are still lacking a couple of key position players...specifically first base,catcher, and another quality pitcher....the next class will address at least two of the issues..A top quality pitcher and catcher ...First base might still be a problem...
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Well Ralph has won a hell of a lot more softball games than anyone on this board. He does some head scratchers about every game.

I have said all year long that until we solve the catcher and first base position we are going to hurt. Nothing has changed for that not to be the case. I also have spewed about us not having another pitcher, preferably a lefty for the last several years. From what the new recruits next year these 3 problems should be solved. Little Shippman will be here in 2018 to help solidify the catcher position more. Geer leaving is not a major factor since she was so iffy all year. Great kid and teammate from what I hear. I still say put Vines at first and let her stay. Her bat has to be in the lineup!! JMHO as always!:worship::rock2::biggrin:
 
#138
#138
JL Pettimore said:
I think the coaches are better at recruiting than managing a team or a pitching staff.
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It's always been that way. I don't think Ralph or Karen are bad coaches -- I do think Karen is the better coach and have always thought that -- but I do think they are much better recruiters than they are coaches.

I still can't shake seeing Arizona make adjustments to the most dominant pitcher in NCAA history and beating us for the title and us never making a single adjustment to the changeup despite it being thrown over and over and over. There are some coaches that likely would've had multiple titles with a pitcher like Abbott. Connie Clark at Texas is even worse as Cat Osterman never even got as close as Abbott did to a title.
 
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#139
#139
One thing I would love for us to get would be a big strong right hand hitter who can hit the ball out. I would assume that Lockman was thought to be one of those but has not yet proved she can hit all. It seems every team but us has at least one and most a couple. I know they like the speed game but there are times like last night where someone has to hit with power or at least have the potential. I guess some would say that Terrango was supposed to be that player as well and before her Spigner. I guess Callahan and Burchell would have been before them. Seems so long since we had that type of hitter. First base would go nicely with that young lady. JMHO as always!
 
#140
#140
volman128 said:
It's always been that way. I don't think Ralph or Karen are bad coaches -- I do think Karen is the better coach and have always thought that -- but I do think they are much better recruiters than they are coaches.

I still can't shake seeing Arizona make adjustments to the most dominant pitcher in NCAA history and beating us for the title and us never making a single adjustment to the changeup despite it being thrown over and over and over. There are some coaches that likely would've had multiple titles with a pitcher like Abbott. Connie Clark at Texas is even worse as Cat Osterman never even got as close as Abbott did to a title.
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The fact that Connie Clark is still on payroll at the University of Texas is a testament to what a cluster f that athletic department is right now. More money than god, Longhorn Network, flagship university in second most populous state, tremendous talent within 2 hours drive of Austin.
 
#141
#141
WVU05UT09 said:
The fact that Connie Clark is still on payroll at the University of Texas is a testament to what a cluster f that athletic department is right now. More money than god, Longhorn Network, flagship university in second most populous state, tremendous talent within 2 hours drive of Austin.
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of the Texas soccer program. Angela Kelly--who was the coach here for I want to say at least 10 years--has not done well at all with the Longhorns but as somehow managed to keep her job. I think they were last in the conference last year. Kelly did a good job at Tennessee for several years--we were an NCAA quarterfinalist at least one years--but her recruiting really fell off her last four or so years and she left when Texas waved more money in front of her.
 
#142
#142
The Vols are lacking power. I don't know what our home run total for the year is, but it has got to be one of our worst years in a while. We didn't hit too many last year, either. Gregg hits a few but is--thankfully--a line drive hitter. McSwain and Geer can hit it out, but they are streaky. After that, not much at all. Rowland and Lockman definitely have power potential but have struggled to adjust to SEC pitching. We've shown that you can win a lot of games without it--but power is one way to beat a very good opposing pitcher. If your pitcher has a good game, and you can get one timely homer in a game where your hitters are otherwise struggling against an excellent pitcher, you can steal a game 2-1 or somesuch.
 
#143
#143
Looks like we got an Ole Miss vs LSU final all the top seeds are gone and one of these teams will win the tourney.
 
#144
#144
The Vols will be the same as this years team next season with an additional pitcher highly rated left hander. Amanda Ayala is a very good hitter but she is not a power hitter. I think she will have a shot to replace Geer in the lineup. Ashley Morgan is somewhat of a power hitter don't know if she will play much with all the first basemen and catchers we have but she may be better than any of them.
We'll have to hope that some of the current players on the roster get a lot better. I think Seggern will be a lot better hitter. Lockman has to change her entire style she is a wood chopper right now needs to get a swing that makes contact with the ball. I expect we'll see some people leave and maybe someone transfer in. The entire lineup returns intact except Geer so everyone getting better will determine if this team can win the SEC or get to World Series.
 
#145
#145
I believe the Lady Vols could still sneak in as a number 8 seed. Weren't they seventh going into the SEC tourney, with Texas A&M like eighth, who also lost first round?
 
#146
#146
LSU shutting out Auburn softens our loss a bit. With teams like Oklahoma making a strong push, the LVs probably needed better play in the SECT to ensure that 8 seed... but who knows.

The LVs were one and done in the SECT a few years ago, hosted a Super and made it to the WCWS. Ralph said they have a week to put Humpty Dumpty back together again, so we'll see if they can do it.
 
#149
#149
Volfan2012 said:
The Vols will be the same as this years team next season with an additional pitcher highly rated left hander. Amanda Ayala is a very good hitter but she is not a power hitter. I think she will have a shot to replace Geer in the lineup. Ashley Morgan is somewhat of a power hitter don't know if she will play much with all the first basemen and catchers we have but she may be better than any of them.
We'll have to hope that some of the current players on the roster get a lot better. I think Seggern will be a lot better hitter. Lockman has to change her entire style she is a wood chopper right now needs to get a swing that makes contact with the ball. I expect we'll see some people leave and maybe someone transfer in. The entire lineup returns intact except Geer so everyone getting better will determine if this team can win the SEC or get to World Series.
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I was curious about Seggern this year, and wondered if she'd be all that coming from what I think was a small-town area in Texas. But she has impressed---very good defensively and has hit fairly well. Has a nice swing and gets the bat on the ball. She should get better.

I think Rowland will get better. She has struggled this year but she has a good swing and looks the part at the plate. We need her to get better. Lockman improved some as a hitter this year--she was not good last year--but clearly still has a way to go. She is a good defensive catcher, however,, and has good energy.

Geer's departure means that, in theory, both Holcomb and McSwain could start in the outfield next year. Whether that happens, not sure. Holcomb has the potential to be a productive player; she is a lot like Leach, though not quite at Leach's level, and would be hitting leadoff on most other teams. I think she is good to have in the 2 hole, though it basically means that we've got two leadoff hitters. Not a bad thing, though. What we really need is better hitting from 5-7 spots. Seggern will be in one of those spots, and who knows about the other two--maybe McSwain and whoever is playing first.

Morgan sounds like a very good prospect who has some power. We'll just have to see how she adjusts to SEC pitching. It is one thing to get hits off of non-conference pitching--but SEC pitching is a lot better. I remember Koeinig feasting on early-season non-conference pitching one year and then she couldn't hit a lick once conference play started.

We certainly should be better next year, especially if the left-handed pitcher, Sprang, proves capable. Not having three pitchers who can throw or come in at any time and be dependable has been a handicap.

All this said, we shouldn't write off this year. This team is good--a bit inconsistent but good--and may yet make some serious noise in the NCAA tourney.

How in the world did Ole Miss win the tournament? Talk about an upset. Good for them.
 
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#150
#150
armchair said:
I was curious about Seggern this year, and wondered if she'd be all that coming from what I think was a small-town area in Texas. But she has impressed---very good defensively and has hit fairly well. Has a nice swing and gets the bat on the ball. She should get better.


Respectfully disagree about Seggern, at least the hitting part. Not saying she can't improve and be productive the next 3 years, but this year she didn't hit a lick in conference play, which is the barometer to me. Batted .188 and led the team in strikeouts. Plus she doesn't walk much. Contrast that with Vines and Leach, who hit .319 and .324 in conference games as freshmen. Gregg hit .289 as a freshman in conference games. Geer hit .243 as a freshman in conference games. And Vines, Leach, Gregg and Geer walked more than they struck out. Seggern, in conference play, struck out 18 times and walked 6. I like her glove, but she looked over-matched a lot to me against SEC pitching.
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