Sandvol
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If you watch the games just visually our players don't look like SEC caliber athletes. We have maybe 5. We would probably do well in another conference and might even make the NCAA's but not in the SEC. I don't think this is something Serrano can fix quickly.
My opinion means little on this subject because I really wouldn't be that upset if UT decided to drop baseball. But, I'd be more interested if UT could field a winner. Right now it appears that there is a competitive disadvantage. I'd like to know more about how Vandy is fielding all these incredible teams.
Other than that it's obvious this team does nothing well.
Inherited the single worst job in UT history.
Believe me, I certainly understand the disappointment. There is little to no objective data to claim improvement.And with all due respect, they have not improved at all.
I think the fans on this board have been very reasonable in this discussion as well.
This isn't a bunch of complaining about not competing for SEC titles, not winning a regional, etc, etc, etc.
This is about trying to find some measurable way to claim that the program is better off now than it was four years ago. Considering how low the bar was set, that's not asking a whole lot.
It's really, really difficult.
Believe me, I certainly understand the disappointment. There is little to no objective data to claim improvement.
I just truly believe that rebuilding a baseball program in the SEC is a very difficult task and that coaching changes are not always the answer to a disappointing season.
Good post! Everyone is quick to blame coaching which has merit and deserves its own scrutinization however there are numerous factors why a team struggles which cannot be easily explained.
We could do a lot worse with a coaching change and possibly a lot better.........its a tough decision that personally I'm not qualified to make nor would I want to at this time.
A good night sleep and a good cup of coffee does wonders for the mind, body, and spirit.
Sure they can.
I'll grant you that baseball is a weird game and can be streaky. Sometimes the team or certain individuals are hot and sometimes they are cold.
However, the beauty of baseball is that it's a long season with a lot of games.
They've played nine 3 game weekend series and have lost 7 of the 9 series. They have yet to sweep a series. They have been swept once. They pretty much have left each weekend taking 1 of 3.
Half the team is hitting less than .250. There are 9 guys on the team who have started multiple games that are all hitting below .200.
The only bats on the team are Senzel, Stewart, Jackson and Lee.
Only 3 guys on the team have 10 extra base hits or more on the season. Only 2 guys with 5 or more doubles. 1 guy with more than 20 RBI's.
You've got an outfielder with a .940 fielding percentage. There are no words for that. To put that in perspective, Manny Ramirez had a career fielding percentage of .978 and Jose Canseco had a career fielding percentage of .971. Every pitcher worth anything on the Tennessee staff has a fielding percentage at or below .900. Marks, Owenby, Cox, Serrano and Martin. The team has given up 40 unearned runs on the season.
The more I looked into the stats the more I felt sorry for Christian Stewart who is flat out getting it done on a really bad team.
It all can be very easily explained, IMO.
I really want to believe in Serrano, but watching the Vols flounder in Thursday's game, it occurred to me time and again that I was watching a bunch of high school hotshots who reached their maximum potential in the 12th grade.
you re letting facts get in the way of our discussion......HA
My statement was referring to why they are hitting so bad and playing so poorly on defense, I honestly believe they are better ball players then they have shown this year. I could be wrong.......
I dunno. Watching them on TV. They've got a wonderful park, nice gloves, expensive bats, and uniforms that run from butt ugly to classically beautiful. But when the ump hollers "play ball!", they look like Serrano suited up the first nine guys he caught coming out of the student center.