2025 Baseball Mega Thread

[BUTCH1991]

If bunting is not emphasized by the coaching staff then I can't get mad at the players for not executing. It's a fundamental/art that could and should be taught still. The coaching staff seems to be following the same trends as many others (analytics and power hitting - which seems to work for the most part)

As for the errors - this is starting to be pretty bad at this point. Can't use the excuse about not being outside enough at this point. Just bad fielding. Too many unforced errors

I may be wrong, but I think a lot of this can be put on the travel ball mentality. They're playing for glory and rings in those tournaments and you don't ever see those guys bunting. I think their skill set for bunting is very low when they get to college and there's not enough time to coach them into learning. Just my opinion.

[311neers]

Well, we just landed a 2026 LHP commit from Appleton, Wisconsin- no clue where to post this since it's pretty far out. Must be recruiting kids that like the cold or are accustom to it. Zang, Steensma, Oblen...etc.
Recruit solid kids from the midwest cold and let them play against Sun Belt comp in warmer weather.

[Appmountaineers19]

If bunting is not emphasized by the coaching staff then I can't get mad at the players for not executing. It's a fundamental/art that could and should be taught still. The coaching staff seems to be following the same trends as many others (analytics and power hitting - which seems to work for the most part)

As for the errors - this is starting to be pretty bad at this point. Can't use the excuse about not being outside enough at this point. Just bad fielding. Too many unforced errors

I may be wrong, but I think a lot of this can be put on the travel ball mentality. They're playing for glory and rings in those tournaments and you don't ever see those guys bunting. I think their skill set for bunting is very low when they get to college and there's not enough time to coach them into learning. Just my opinion.

I think you are mainly right. I feel though there's so much down time in college baseball and summer ball to hone the craft of bunting/skills needed. But I'm getting on the older and out of date side of this game unfortunately.

[AppGrad78]

Our inability to bunt and flubs in the outfield are potentially disastrous but let’s also recognize some of the things we’re doing well.

— We’ve been extremely aggressive in advancing a base when a pitch isn’t handled cleanly by the opposing catcher.
— Our base runners take an aggressive secondary lead but are also just as aggressive at returning to the base. Watch how sloppy/lazy some teams are and you’ll appreciate our approach.
— Our batters are generally pretty good at working deep into the count. We don’t have many one- and two-pitch at-bats.
— It feels like our batters are hitting the opposite way more frequently than in past years. (See Joseph Zamora, Braxton Church, all the young guys and even Kam Miller.)
— We’ve turned numerous long singles into doubles simply by hustling out of the box. (We’re top 50 nationally in doubles and that’s a major reason why.)

[teaasu76]

I have a small bone to pick and it may tie in to not being coached at the youth level about situational plays on defense. I was taught that if you had a runner in a run down you always ran him back to the base he came from with minimal throws made. We did part of that last night but made an un-necessary throw at the end. Runner was being run back to second from third, runner on first had moved up to occupy second base and a throw was made to second. Just keep the ball and make him occupy second with the other runner, tag both, one is going to be out!!!

[WVAPPeer]

I’ve been around a good bit of baseball. Seems like after high school much of the small ball aspect goes away. Hitting a ball is hard enough but bunting one that breaks has to be really tough. You have to wonder if the success rate would go up with a wood bat instead of composite. There is a proven reason why pros don’t use composite/aluminum bats.

With some pitchers with a wicked curve it can be - however generally speaking a curve ball is easier to get on the ground because it is already going downward - In a bunting situation I had my pitchers go with a fastball up - it was harder to get down and several times led to pop-up outs. I agree with you and others, the art of bunting takes a lot of practice and it irritates me when I watch college ball and even some MLB games where the guys can't get a bunt down.

[Saint3333]

Couldn’t quit us.

[AppDawg]

If bunting is not emphasized by the coaching staff then I can't get mad at the players for not executing. It's a fundamental/art that could and should be taught still. The coaching staff seems to be following the same trends as many others (analytics and power hitting - which seems to work for the most part)

As for the errors - this is starting to be pretty bad at this point. Can't use the excuse about not being outside enough at this point. Just bad fielding. Too many unforced errors

I may be wrong, but I think a lot of this can be put on the travel ball mentality. They're playing for glory and rings in those tournaments and you don't ever see those guys bunting. I think their skill set for bunting is very low when they get to college and there's not enough time to coach them into learning. Just my opinion.

From what I have witnessed with travel ball seems everyone gets glory and rings.

Congrats! You are the 1st place finisher in the losers bracket… in reality the 4th or 5th “best” team on a given weekend.

[BambooRdApp]

Beat The Stink!!

[Bootsy]

Those big innings have been kryptonite for App over the past few seasons. The errors are really frustrating, but I guess some of that is expected when you’re rotating kids through positions and trying to determine who fits where.

[311neers]

Black pants again. Thought those were just a one or two off but seem to be wearing them twice a week.

[311neers]

Why are we so injured?
Kramer can barely walk.

[AppGrad78]

Zamora runs like he has a rock in his shoe, too.

[BambooRdApp]

Does anyone know exactly what 42's injury is?

[311neers]

Better get the ball down. They’re going deep flies.

[311neers]

Only thing I like about Southern…they show the radar gun on TV. They could zoom out some though, feel like I’m watching thru a magnifying glass.

[AppGrad78]

Great tag by Church.

Credit Lichtenberger with a strong throw, too.

[BUTCH1991]

Only thing I like about Southern…they show the radar gun on TV. They could zoom out some though, feel like I’m watching thru a magnifying glass.

They're broadcast, minus announcers, it's much better than ours.

[BUTCH1991]

Great tag by Church.

Credit Lichtenberger with a strong throw, too.

Great tag by Church. As slow as we were moving, I though he would be safe.

[BUTCH1991]

Big K zone for the GaSo pitcher