Tennessee Softball 2023

#2,051
#2,051
kregman said:
I really like her. I think though still really good she has overloaded on the left handed hitters/slappers with not a lot of power this year. Don't walk them and you can control that lineup especially if you have a top pitcher.
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Same as we have in the past and i was not real keen on the idea. Power right handed hitters are what brings the bacon home!
 
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#2,053
#2,053
Majors said:
personally like 2-3 quick/slappers, 3-4 power and 2-4 jack of all from either side (bunt on cue, gap to gap and get around 5 HRS.)
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I’m not sure that really works anymore with the way the game has evolved.

This formula seems to somewhat resemble the OkSt model. They have some success and get close, but I don’t know that they’ll ever get over the hump and win it all.

The Ok model with big, strong hitters and a good pitcher seems like the way to me.
 
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#2,054
#2,054
EZE said:
I’m not sure that really works anymore with the way the game has evolved.

This formula seems to somewhat resemble the OkSt model. They have some success and get close, but I don’t know that they’ll ever get over the hump and win it all.

The Ok model with big, strong hitters and a good pitcher seems like the way to me.
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To me it all starts in the circle. Have a dominate pitcher(s) you move to the head of the class.
 
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#2,055
#2,055
tnburban said:
Not sure how much Ralph is still involved, if at all (at least officially per NCAA overlords). But I know a few former players that say he was the more player friendly of the pair, kind of like the team dad, where Karen was more regimental. One told a story of Karen jumping on her about something, and then Ralph playing "good cop" for lack of a better term after. This was a conversation I had 4-5 years ago when both were still coaching. Don't know if that aspect is missing in the locker room, that older wise voice who was more observant of team chemistry.

Also, it used to be rare that a contributor on the team didn't play 4 years. Sure, walkons would come and go, but top 12 or so players were pretty much 4 year players. Now rosters can have significant turnover year-to-year which does impact cohesion.
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Ralph was definitely good cop to Karen's bad cop. Also, Ralph had his pets. IDK if that affected team chemistry or not but it was admitted to me by two parents (including by one parent of a player from CA who admitted Ralph tended to baby the California girls more, in part because they were so far from home). OTOH, pretty much everyone found themselves in Karen's dog house at some point, even the AAs. No idea if it's still like that this year. Karen seems a lot looser from what I've seen this year but coaches tend to look more relaxed when a team is winning, lol.
 
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#2,056
#2,056
volman128 said:
Ralph was definitely good cop to Karen's bad cop. Also, Ralph had his pets. IDK if that affected team chemistry or not but it was admitted to me by two parents (including by one parent of a player from CA who admitted Ralph tended to baby the California girls more, in part because they were so far from home). OTOH, pretty much everyone found themselves in Karen's dog house at some point, even the AAs. No idea if it's still like that this year. Karen seems a lot looser from what I've seen this year but coaches tend to look more relaxed when a team is winning, lol.
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Very accurate of then and now.
 
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#2,058
#2,058
kregman said:
On the other hand watching Bama Murphy has turned heel this year. I don't follow them close but there is internal problems plus the pressure of possibly wasting one of the best pitchers he will ever see may be getting to him.
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It’s not this year, he’s been like this since 2021. There was a lot of talk around Tuscaloosa last year that he was on the verge of taking a sabbatical after last season. They have some issues. This weekend really feels like their last stand for the season. They are going to be a dangerous team in Knoxville.
 
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#2,059
#2,059
tnburban said:
Not sure how much Ralph is still involved, if at all (at least officially per NCAA overlords). But I know a few former players that say he was the more player friendly of the pair, kind of like the team dad, where Karen was more regimental. One told a story of Karen jumping on her about something, and then Ralph playing "good cop" for lack of a better term after. This was a conversation I had 4-5 years ago when both were still coaching. Don't know if that aspect is missing in the locker room, that older wise voice who was more observant of team chemistry.

Also, it used to be rare that a contributor on the team didn't play 4 years. Sure, walkons would come and go, but top 12 or so players were pretty much 4 year players. Now rosters can have significant turnover year-to-year which does impact cohesion.
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Depends on who you ask. If you got 10 former players together, probably five of them would say they had a better relationship with Karen, the other five would say Ralph. I’m not saying whoever told you that is wrong, that very well could have been their experience. But there were just as many players that had the opposite experience. I’ve never really heard it described as good cop, bad cop, just players that identify more with one than the other based on their own personalities. That appealed to some players, didn’t appeal to others.
 
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#2,060
#2,060
I know one thing I watched almost all the Bama Arkansas last night and the ump threw him out but they were done with him. That gets around see our baseball team though I love them.
 
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#2,064
#2,064
AL this season does not appear to be the hitting juggernaut of yrs past. Admit I have not seen much of them this season but since I live in Tide Land see their scores on the local sports. Be hard for Fouts to win with not much run support. Think we can score on her and have faith in our pithing staff.
 
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