App v ULL

[bigCasu]

Let's see how this finishes out. We have a chance to increase our number of wins, both overall and in conference play from the 2015 season. Now it sure is easy to improve when you fallen off as we have, but with Gorham and Schmid pitching as they have the last two months, the sky is the limit. As JTApps alluded to, we need to have everyone come back, and that is very tough in college baseball.

If we fail to reach 20 wins this season and next, I'd say that BJ won't coach a sixth season.

[T-Dog]

Atwood and McCann are the lone seniors. Then the juniors that could be drafted are Bauk, Vernon and possibly Brill, who is medically redshirting and possibly DeVrieze are Schaeffer. Everyone else is a junior who isn't getting drafted, sophomores or freshmen.

[tjpappy]

This season has been. confusing for me. Some big wins over ranked opponents, strong home stands of late, but poor overall record. I have attended several home games in latter part of the season, but I am NO baseball expert. For those who have followed the team closely this season, what gives?

[T-Dog]

We were young and very bad to start the season, but have gotten much better. We've won three of our four home Sun Belt series, one against first-place South Alabama, but have had trouble winning on the road. In the last month, we had two bottom 9th leads at Troy, a bottom 11th lead at Georgia State and were tied 1-1 in the 8th on Sunday and lost all four. Disappointing, but better than earlier in the season when the team was getting blown out.

[tjpappy]

Also, I know this is a baseball thread but if baseball has struggled, softball has fallen off the map. A couple of years ago they were doing pretty well, albeit in the So Con. This s year has been really tough against all levels of competition,- losing 16 stright including losing a pair to NC Central a team we had never lost to in 10 or so prior games and whose record is about 8-42 with those last two wins.

[Saint3333]

We were young and very bad to start the season, but have gotten much better. We've won three of our four home Sun Belt series, one against first-place South Alabama, but have had trouble winning on the road. In the last month, we had two bottom 9th leads at Troy, a bottom 11th lead at Georgia State and were tied 1-1 in the 8th on Sunday and lost all four. Disappointing, but better than earlier in the season when the team was getting blown out.

This team goes as the starter pitcher goes. I'm still not convinced Billy is a good manager, we are winning games because our pitchers are better not because of in game adjustments.

[WVAPPeer]

In game adjustments are minimal in baseball. Most baseball teams succeed because of starting pitching.

[asu66]

Also, I know this is a baseball thread but if baseball has struggled, softball has fallen off the map. A couple of years ago they were doing pretty well, albeit in the So Con. This s year has been really tough against all levels of competition,- losing 16 stright including losing a pair to NC Central a team we had never lost to in 10 or so prior games and whose record is about 8-42 with those last two wins.

Yeah, this should be in the Olympic Sports folder, but I digress. Coach Savage arrived on the App scene and found the cupboard almost empty. Her team carried a roster of 18 players this season; with 13 of them being either freshmen or sophomores. Our team was/is very, very young.

By most accounts, Savage is recruiting well, but the adjustment to the Sun Belt isn't anywhere near complete. The Sun Belt is the #7 softball league in the NCAA. The SoCon was the #17 NCAA softball league this season. We still have a few SoCon "level" players on our roster. We also have a relatively weak pitching staff. Savage has to recruit better pitchers--and now. That'll be the key to next season versus the Sun Belt.

[Saint3333]

In game adjustments are minimal in baseball. Most baseball teams succeed because of starting pitching.

Disagree. Pollard would win 10 more games a year with this team.

[WVAPPeer]

In game adjustments are minimal in baseball. Most baseball teams succeed because of starting pitching.

Disagree. Pollard would win 10 more games a year with this team.

Disagree all you want however after spending 15 years as a head baseball coach I do know more about this item than you ---

[AppDawg]

In game adjustments are minimal in baseball. Most baseball teams succeed because of starting pitching.

Disagree. Pollard would win 10 more games a year with this team.

Disagree all you want however after spending 15 years as a head baseball coach I do know more about this item than you ---

Starting pitching does play a significant piece. However, BJ's achilles has been his mismanagement of the bullpen. He has no feel for when to make a change, inevitably leaving a pitcher in 2 or 3 batters too long. It's why we have lost so many games after the 7th when leading or tied over his tenure on the mountain.

[bigdaddyg]

In game adjustments are minimal in baseball. Most baseball teams succeed because of starting pitching.

Disagree. Pollard would win 10 more games a year with this team.

Disagree all you want however after spending 15 years as a head baseball coach I do know more about this item than you ---

Starting pitching does play a significant piece. However, BJ's achilles has been his mismanagement of the bullpen. He has no feel for when to make a change, inevitably leaving a pitcher in 2 or 3 batters too long. It's why we have lost so many games after the 7th when leading or tied over his tenure on the mountain.

Baseball is a sport where hindsight is always about 20/20. It is easy to say that a manager left a pitcher in for a few batters too long- not making any excuses. I have seen many instances where it appeared that a pitcher probably needed to be pulled but got his stuff together and either pitched his way out of a jam or simply got a couple of batters out. I agree that baseball is mostly about pitching. My favorite team for 40+ years has been the Reds. They are proving this year that without a bullpen you can't win at the Major League level. My take on baseball is that, for the most part, it is a collection of individual talent. You can bring in a pitcher from another team tomorrow and put him on the mound. There needs to be some chemistry with a pitcher and catcher to a degree and the middle infielders need some familiarity but for the most part it just comes down to talent. If this team has the talent but under performs that falls back on the coach. If this is just a young, inexperienced team the coach needs to catch a break. If the team is losing due to dumb coaching decisions there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

[T-Dog]

Last year was really bad with leaving pitchers in too long. And it was constantly happening.

Jones has been better about it this year, especially since he's tried to limit the pitches thrown by the freshmen starters, but there have been moments of two batters too long.

[Saint3333]

In game adjustments are minimal in baseball. Most baseball teams succeed because of starting pitching.

Disagree. Pollard would win 10 more games a year with this team.

Disagree all you want however after spending 15 years as a head baseball coach I do know more about this item than you ---

I will, you don't lose 400% more games after leading through the 6th than you do winning games after trailing after the 6th simply due to pitching. Billy has made many adjustments late in games that have cost the program wins, there can be no doubting this. In game adjustments include pulling a starter before they run out of steam, selecting the right pitcher in relief, manufacturing runs, etc. Anyone that says adjustments are minimal in baseball isn't paying attention, those decisions and the timing of those decisions can be huge. I believe you've claimed not to follow App baseball, it is showing with posts like this.

[WVAPPeer]

Well Saint if you would go back and read exactly what I have posted you will not see any references to APP baseball nor Coach Jones, only basic baseball understanding - Of course, being an accountant I guess allows you to not only know more than those who have actually played and coached the games, but to be a mind-reader as well --- !!!

[Saint3333]

I'll try not to insult your background as a former head coach, but feel free to take shots at mine.

My advice if you'd like to continue on the topic about APP BASEBALL is to take an interest in other App sports, follow the program and you'll understand everyone else's position. Funny that everyone else agrees with my inexperienced take on Billy's tenure here.

Anyone that has followed the program knows the importance of the in game moves Billy has made and the impact it has had. You can talk about generalizations all day, we are talking about a specific set of circumstances (which you admit to having no knowledge of).

Can I get a copy of your resume so I know which subjects I shouldn't engage with you on, the list is getting fairly long?

[AppGrad78]

Funny that everyone else agrees with my inexperienced take on Billy's tenure here.

No, Saint. Not everyone agrees with you.

[Saint3333]

I know you tend to agree with WV, which part don't you agree with?

[AppGrad78]

I know you enjoy running contrary to anything WV says, but to answer your question, I disagree with your criticism of Jones for his in-game management of the bullpen. You can fault Jones for not recruiting Sun Belt-caliber relievers, but I find it ridiculous that you and a few others on here purport to know precisely when to make the call to the bullpen. Hindsight being so convenient. Obviously we've struggled in late innings, but a baseball manager is only as good as his personnel. Billy Jones will get a lot smarter and his late-game maneuvers will become a lot more successful when he has better personnel to support those moves.

[AppDawg]

Since I have been critical of BJ's decisions, I'll bite. First it's not hindsight. When he has a pitcher on his 125th pitch in the 7th inning and he sends him back out in the 8th, thats poor management. (Maybe not a current year example, but definitely happened multiple times in prior years).

When a reliever is brought in during the 5th and goes through the line-up once, in a save situation you bring in your closer. You don't run the reliever that has already thrown to 9 batters back out there so they opponent can get a second crack at him - this has failed BJ many times and an example of poor management.

When a starter is getting up in the pitch count again over 100 pitches, and he has a wild pitch and walks the leadoff man with 4 straight pitches you pull him then. You don't wait until he has walked another batter or two and put your releiver in a near impossible situation to get out of with no runs scoring. That is poor management.

Each of these scenarios have played themselves out over and over like a broken record with BJ at the helm. A big part of managing is putting your relievers in position to succeed. BJ has a tendecy to put them in situations when there is no margin for error time and time again. This leads to many losses in late and close situations.

I'll also add, this trend started when BJ was at the helm during the SoCon days,
So I disagree that it is related to the lack of SBC talent.