College Baseball 2015

[sontensei]

nice that the hr's were only solo shots.

[OleMissCub]

Well, that oughta do it. Sucks for Illinois.

[bukie]

Bad weekend for the offense to go ice cold.

[KrisBryantisaBeast]

The Illini have been terrible with risp and manufacturing runs.

[ARCubsFan]

I hate baseball.

[Guest]

TCU just left the bases loaded in the bottom of the 14th against TAMU. Going to the 15th now, winner goes to Omaha.

[shnsajax]

A&M is already selling shirts and listed LSU as their next game.

http://www.12thman.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=27300&SPID=93243&SPSID=632716

[toonsterwu]

I'm sort of rooting for TAMU for some odd reason. Guess is I'm still mystified at how TCU managed to make it to regionals.

 

Either way, I do think the bottom bracket is setting up nicely for Vanderbilt. If their offense comes to play, that'll be Fulmer in Game 1, in all likelihood, and assuming a win (granted, Eshelman will be tough), that means ... uh, the lefty (name is slipping) or Buehler in Game 2 against possibly LSU, and most likely, without Lange. Top bracket is a bit tougher to figure, but feels like Florida has to be the favorite up there.

[Cubswin11]

This game is crazy

[ARCubsFan]

A&M is already selling shirts and listed LSU as their next game.

http://www.12thman.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=27300&SPID=93243&SPSID=632716

What am I watching this game for then?

[ARCubsFan]

Holy crap what a horrible send yet it all worked out

[toonsterwu]

Impressive win for UVA. I admit, I was worried throughout, telling my friend who I was watching the game with that I thought UVA was going to lose.

 

I'm a bit mystified that Connor Jones didn't go to his change-up at all. He didn't have much today, as his command was shaky, and a lot of hanging breaking balls, but he fought through for 6.

 

I might just become a believer in Benintendi. That's a really quick stroke with a lot of balance. Trey Killian was much better than last year. More an end of the rotation type if he makes it up, but works quick and throws strike. Zach Jackson looked shaky. For all the talk about him, I expected him to dominate. He had a nasty curve that he didn't really go to, and the slider (I think?)/fastball didn't look that great.

 

Don't like throwing Sborz three innings, but I guess with the days off, Sborz will likely be available on Monday as well. Still think Sborz was under-rated int he pre-draft hype. I think that slider's very good, and the fastball has the velo. Still not sure he's a starter though.

 

Daniel Pinero was shaky in the field this year, but if he plays as well as he can ... I might just be a believer that he can be a 6'5" shortstop, as he's athletic and smooth. Consistency's the biggest issue. He should add some more power, and could be a fascinating prospect next year. McCarthy can hit. I think Tampa got a good one there.

 

This gives UVA a chance. Still ... Brandon Waddell gets the nod on Monday, and he's been hit or miss all year. I imagine Kirby and Sborz will be ready to go, as UVA's best, really, only chane is to keep winning and avoid the extra games as they lack the pitching depth as a possible Game 3 starter, Alec Bettinger, was shelled last time out.

[toonsterwu]

Really tough one for Fullerton today. If it doesn't storm yesterday, Eshelman probably pitches them to victory, putting Vandy and LSU in an elimination game.

 

That said, Peltzmeier left it over the plate enough. Gonna be tough for them to scrap together enough pitching to go through TCU, I think.

 

Miami over Arkansas wasn't surprising, but I was surprised at how solid the pitching was. They simply didn't have the pitching depth. They had their chances, though, against UVA and Miami.

 

UVA's giving Puk enough to handle right now. Gonna be tough to break through, as he's just that good, and their main pen guys are rested to come in early. Still, the discipline of the UVA hitters against an electric arm is nice to see. Gonna be curious if Waddell can keep it up ... he's a tough pitcher, but the fastball command was shaky early.

[toonsterwu]

Well, I might be the only one left here really following the CWS closely, but what a game last night to finish out the triple-header (of sorts - started with the continuation of Sunday's Fullerton-Vandy game). Waddell was brilliant after a rough start - man he looked really good. If he ever could consistently pitch in the low 90's (he can reach back and get to 92/93 right now, but he sits more 88-89 on the fastball), he could be really intriguing at the next level (and I know some folks believe he might be able to add some strength and iron out some things to get that extra tick - we'll see if the Pirates can get that to happen). Then again, key for him, as with all "pitchability" lefties is locating, and he was on last night, particularly with that nasty cutter that just bored in on hitters. Had arguably his best change-up of the year as well. Shaky most of the year, but on last night. Just brilliant work after the first inning against a superb lineup.

 

Sborz was excellent for the final two innings. That's a crazy play he had to make, showing a ton of composure - first and third with no out, and a bullet by Harrison Bader. Got his glove up at the last second, knocked the glove off his hand, but he was calm enough to grab the ball, look at 3rd to hold the runner, look at first, and then still throw to 2nd to get Ryan Larson ... and calm enough for the whole team to be laughing on the mound after the play when the trainers came out to check. Almost lost in his outing was the fact that, in the 9th, Sborz came out to mow down Schwarz/Reed/Alonso with basically one pitch, his slider that he through in there at 84-88. Just a filthy, filthy pitch last night, with a ton of depth to it. His fastball was solid at 91-94 when he came on in the 8th, but the slider was so good and they kept chasing it.

 

Virginia's offense didn't do much either, which kept it a game all the way through, but they did the one thing they had to do, which was to work AJ Puk and get him out of the game. Just an awesome win, and puts Virginia at a really advantageous position with their thin staff. They could go back with Connor Jones on Friday, keeping Waddell available for a possible Saturday start, but my hunch is that, with three days off, they may go with Nathan Kirby to try and get 4-5, maybe piece together an inning or two with the shaky middle relief (Bettinger?), and then turn it over to Sborz in the 7th or so. That saves Jones for a possible Saturday game if necessary, or to line up Jones/Waddell for the championship series, knock on wood.

[Guest]

Golden spikes award on ESPN

 

Worst produced sports program ever or worst produced anything ever?

[ARCubsFan]

God I wish the Cubs got Andrew Benintendi.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

God I wish the Cubs got Andrew Benintendi.

Happ will be better.

[ARCubsFan]

God I wish the Cubs got Andrew Benintendi.

Happ will be better.

I hope so but I doubt it. I don't think there's any doubt the Cubs take Benintendi over Happ if both were there. And I like Ian Happ but I loved Benintendi.

[Guest]

Third and deciding game of the College World Series Final Wednesday night.

[toonsterwu]

Gonna be a tough one for UVA, as Waddell is on short rest and I'm not sure what to expect out of Kirby. That said, Haseley pitching (although Haseley was a good prep arm ... that said, he was topping out mid-80's, albeit with nice cutting action ... reminds me of a young Waddell in some respects ... going to be curious if UVA gives him a rotation spot next year), Clement (not hard to imagine him getting stronger and developing into a quality shortstop in 2 years when Pinero is gone) and Woodruff delivering ... not the recipe anyone would expect to win Game 2 of a CWS Final vs. a loaded Vanderbilt team. Sborz also didn't have a slider and was able to work his way through on a very tired arm (at the start of CWS, he was hitting 95 ... he wasn't hitting that yesterday).

 

Been a wonderful run for UVA. Hope they come through, but I am not expecting it.

 

___

 

As a side note, wow, Jordan Sheffield has an awesome arm. He reminds me quite a bit of Chris Archer in the low minors (not a race thing ... a "he throws 94-97 with nasty natural life, but needs a lot of work on command" comparison ... there are other comparisons, but Archer was the first one that came to mind ... you could compare him to a freshman year Sborz). He needs to learn that 94 with command can be nastier than 97 without it, but just an awesome arm to try and mold. Going to be fascinating how he develops next year.

[toonsterwu]

I'm honestly somewhat flabbergasted that UVA won the National Title, partly because I thought the only way they could win was if Connor Jones pulled out Game 1. That said, UVA was the heavy favorite least year and lost, and Vandy was the heavy favorite this year. I think Corbin pulled Buehler too early, forcing him to go with mixing and matching, although truthfully, that probably didn't hurt them. What hurt them was the inability for their offense to do much. A lot of credit to Brandon Waddell - just a polished pitcher, and one wonders if he can add a tick or two to his velocity, if he could be really good at the next level.

 

It's odd, but in a series that he didn't do so well in, I thought Dansby Swanson was more impressive than I imagined. Still more of a the best of a mediocre draft crop at the top than an elite guy, but the swing is so level when he's on ... I think I can buy him as a solid average (if we're throwing numbers, maybe .270-.290) that hits for average HR (maybe 10-15) power and is solid with the glove. A very valuable asset. Kilichowski didn't impress me that much out of the pen, but could've been an off day. Watching Fulmer pitch game 1, I think I can buy him being a starter short term. Now, long term, not sure (but thinking about the Chris Sale rumors, perhaps Rick Hahn has some formula in place on getting guys with quality arms that might be excellent starters short term and then dealing them away when the innings start piling up?) Fulmer's stuff was strong even as the innings piled up. His velocity was still mid-90's in the 8th, and breaking stuff was sharp. Contrast that to the talented, but younger, Connor Jones, whose velocity tailed off as he hit the 100+ pitch mark.

 

Scary thing is that both teams, despite losing a lot of key players, are loaded for the future. Vandy's arm depth seems ridiculous - Fulmer/Pfeiffer/Buehler all went in the top 2 rounds this year, and it's not hard to imagine Kyle Wright, John Kilichowski, Jordan Sheffield, Colin Snider and others going high in the future. Despite losing Swanson/Wiel/Wiseman and others, this should still be a pretty good offensive lineup with guys like Toffey/Kendall stepping forth in the near future.

 

I thought UVA was over-hyped this pre-season and viewed this as somewhat of a rebuilding season that could go well if the pitching could carry it. They should be loaded offensively next year with Smith (reminds me a lot of Anthony Rizzo), Thaiss, Clement, Pinero, Haseley, and a few more, to go with a good freshman class. Question will be the pitching. Derek Casey should get a rotation spot after Connor Jones, and it'll be interesting to see if they put Adam Haseley there, or go with a potential freshman like Evan Sperling. Bullpen will have a lot of sorting out to do, as they lose Sborz.

[Guest]

Congrats, toonster! Bet you didn't see this coming a month ago.

[OleMissCub]

Very nice toon!!

[toonsterwu]

Congrats, toonster! Bet you didn't see this coming a month ago.

 

No way anyone can legitimately say to see this coming. I mean ... UVA doesn't win that series against UNC, they aren't in the ACC, let alone, the NCAA tournament (I know there was some chatter that they could sneak in even without being in the ACC tournament, but I didn't think that was possible). They were stringing the staff together all year - leave aside the SP issues down the stretch ... the pen was a mess all year, lacking the go to options of years past.

 

Then, you get to Supers against a talented Maryland squad ... and UVA pulls a rabbit out with two late game wins against a very good college closer (although still think Szefc goofed by not going to Alex Robinson). They run into Florida with Brandon Waddell on short rest, instead of Connor Jones, and somehow piece it together. They turn to their starting LF (due to injuries) to relieve Game 1, partly to save arms ... and they turn to their freshman CF to start Game 2. Sborz didn't have his out-pith, his slider, yesterday at all. I know the Oregon State win is up there, and I know Fresno State stands out for it's 4th seed status, but this has to be one of the more surprising CWS wins in recent memory when all factors all considered. Now, no doubt, UVA had the raw talent all along, and their freshmen came through late ... but damn surprising and damn exciting.

[davell]

Congrats Toonster! Roller coast rides can be fun!