The Official Tennessee Tech @ Tennessee Game Thread Tuesday April 18, 2023 6:30 PM EST SEC NETWORK +

[TheMookieMonster]

Rough game. Rough season. Bounce back this weekend and try to spoil Candy’s national seed hopes with a sweep.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Here’s a bit of darkness from me:

Baseball last year was one of the largest TN sports letdowns in all of TN athletics history…. To be rivaled only by the misery SC football would bring to us a few months later.

Baseball was much worse; football was bad but they weren’t the best team in country. Baseball was one of the best teams of all time and didn’t even make Omaha.

Football wise I think it relates better to 2001. Basketball for me probably 2000 or 2018 when both times we had our best paths to the Final Four ever.

 

[vol66]

A catcher and a shortstop, I’ll leave it there. They’re pretty chill though, really nice and like it here. Just bad locker room vibes

I can see that, shame on them for talking out of school, but as frustrated as fans are, they all have to be frustrated as all get out. I appreciate your candor.

GBO!!!

 

[CAVPUT]

Our guys desperately need to get their confidence back. Baseball has a way of humbling even the most talented of players but they have to keep grinding. All it takes is one big series against Vanderbilt to swing momentum back our way. I know everyone is frustrated but it’s moments like this that help make men out of boys. Just gotta find a way to get some grit and grind out a series win this weekend and we will be in good shape.

The thing that gives me pause is that I felt the same way after the aTm series following the Mizzou debacle. Didn't work that way. Maybe a sense of urgency and a bit less challenging schedule will be the difference. Guess I'm not feeling a lot of faith in this bunch because I'm not so sure the talent is there.

 

[VolPack22]

A catcher and a shortstop, I’ll leave it there. They’re pretty chill though, really nice and like it here. Just bad locker room vibes

If you are telling the truth, they should be talking man to man instead of to classmates. Hopefully they haven’t said too much. I know Tony would not be pleased to hear this.

 

[tombowalker]

I mean you’ve posted in the baseball forum twice in the last 2 games…. Both were you coming to say how horrible we are…. So I’m thinking, ya maybe not a true fan, just a Vol football fan who observes the baseball scores.

Dude, quit with the "true fan" nonsense.

Not everyone can spend their evenings with a 100+ posts on VN.

That's just absurd.

 

[UTK]

So as an admitted causal fan of this due to the excitement from the past couple years, is it normal to have what seems to be such a drastic drop off? I realize last years team was on another level and a drop off of some degree would happen, but every time I’m seeing a result lately it’s , L, L, L. Ect. Just curious, don’t mean to stir the pot at all.

 

[Christian Lowe]

So as an admitted causal fan of this due to the excitement from the past couple years, is it normal to have what seems to be such a drastic drop off? I realize last years team was on another level and a drop off of some degree would happen, but every time I’m seeing a result lately it’s , L, L, L. Ect. Just curious, don’t mean to stir the pot at all.

Yes and no. This record would be fine if we weren’t getting absolutely blown out and doing much of it to ourselves. Especially at one of the only returning positions- pitching.

 

[VolPack22]

So as an admitted causal fan of this due to the excitement from the past couple years, is it normal to have what seems to be such a drastic drop off? I realize last years team was on another level and a drop off of some degree would happen, but every time I’m seeing a result lately it’s , L, L, L. Ect. Just curious, don’t mean to stir the pot at all.

It’s a combination of not returning a single player from the starting lineup and playing the hardest schedule in the country wearing down on the guys. Tony kept telling everyone to not get too excited about the preseason ranking because he knew this was an inexperienced team. Baseball is already hard enough as is, and whenever you start seeing the losses pile up you try to overthink everything you do instead of just reacting to the pitch/play.

 

[AthensVol2007]

It’s not rumor mongling, it’s being in the same class with a couple of the guys

I heard this at the UF series from someone who talks to the same parent I’ve talked to in the past. We met said parent together several seasons ago and he talks to the parent more often than I do at games. I trust him and knowing who he’s talking to, I wouldn’t doubt what he’s been told.

 

[greasemachine]

BSB | Tony Vitello Postgame Media vs. Tennessee Tech | 4.18.23

 

[vol66]

So as an admitted causal fan of this due to the excitement from the past couple years, is it normal to have what seems to be such a drastic drop off? I realize last years team was on another level and a drop off of some degree would happen, but every time I’m seeing a result lately it’s , L, L, L. Ect. Just curious, don’t mean to stir the pot at all.

When you replace all the position players, which is to say the offense too. In addition the pitching underperforms, stuff gets tough. Then being the worst fielding team in the SEC, which helps the pitching in no way…if you were CTV, what would you do? Serious question? What would you do? He’s given everyone a chance right? I just don’t believe we can’t compete. Time to roll, Coach, if we ain’t up for it we ain’t up for it, and rid the dugout of the guys causing problems.

 

[Christian Lowe]

When you replace all the position players, which is to say the offense too. In addition the pitching underperforms, stuff gets tough. Then being the worst fielding team in the SEC, which helps the pitching in no way…if you were CTV, what would you do? Serious question? What would you do? He’s given everyone a chance right? I just don’t believe we can’t compete. Time to roll, Coach, if we ain’t up for it we ain’t up for it, and rid the dugout of the guys causing problems.

It’s got to be infuriating and baffling all at the same time to him. Now I know how Yankees fans felt with insane talent finishing 3rd-4th in the division for some stretches the past 20 years years.

 

[greasemachine]

Let it go and start fresh on Friday. That's it.

 

[VolsSportsFan]

Vandy sucks.

That’s all.

 

[Freak]

When you replace all the position players, which is to say the offense too. In addition the pitching underperforms, stuff gets tough. Then being the worst fielding team in the SEC, which helps the pitching in no way…if you were CTV, what would you do? Serious question? What would you do? He’s given everyone a chance right? I just don’t believe we can’t compete. Time to roll, Coach, if we ain’t up for it we ain’t up for it, and rid the dugout of the guys causing problems.

Our starting pitching has been the biggest disappointment, simply because of expectations and the guys struggling were so good last year. We’ve seen what Dollander and Burns are capable of and we know they’re great players. It’s crazy.

 

[MT_Vol]

Our starting pitching has been the biggest disappointment, simply because of expectations and the guys struggling were so good last year. We’ve seen what Dollander and Burns are capable of and we know they’re great players. It’s crazy.

Some of that is because they are known commodities now. Last year Dollander, Burns, and Beam were all new to the SEC. Teams now have a year of film to study on them.

 

[MT_Vol]

What guys?

Watch the dugout and you'll get an idea.

 

[MT_Vol]

A catcher and a shortstop, I’ll leave it there. They’re pretty chill though, really nice and like it here. Just bad locker room vibes

Bad locker room vibes can definitely kill a team.

 

[MT_Vol]

I heard this at the UF series from someone who talks to the same parent I’ve talked to in the past. We met said parent together several seasons ago and he talks to the parent more often than I do at games. I trust him and knowing he’s talking too I wouldn’t doubt what he’s been told.

Watching guys in the dugout it's starting to show.

 

[Volfan1000]

Wow Tech isn't very good

A very shocking loss and I think that the recent series loss to Arkansas weighed heavily on Tennessee as well as possibly overlooking Tennessee Tech and looking ahead to the Vanderbilt series this weekend.

Tennessee desperately needs to sweep the series this weekend in my honest opinion.

 

[Christian Lowe]

Some of that is because they are known commodities now. Last year Dollander, Burns, and Beam were all new to the SEC. Teams now have a year of film to study on them.

Being a known commodity doesn’t make your ERA go from 2.00 to 12.00 in conference play like Burns’s has.

 

[feathersax]

Our starting pitching has been the biggest disappointment, simply because of expectations and the guys struggling were so good last year. We’ve seen what Dollander and Burns are capable of and we know they’re great players. It’s crazy.

Since the beginning of the season I've tried to remain optimistic, but now it's just frustrating. Baseball team seems confused, indifferent & team cohesiveness is lacking. Is it lack of leadership, jealousy, etc.? Still going to Hoover, though.

 

[OrngeJuiceJones]

I'm glad you looked it up. The top 12 of the 14 SEC teams go to the SEC tournament. We will 100% do that. But thank you for looking it up. I really am glad you did. So you can see why we are definitely going to make the SEC post season.

Field of 64 for NCAA? Just look up our current RPI. Again, no question what so ever that we will be a part of that too.

Thought it was top 10?

 

[VolunteerCeltic]

Log out until next season.

I think I'll stay and wait for the miracle to happen.