Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Four conference games does not make a season but Gators are currently ranked in the SEC 5th in batting, 9th in pitching, and 10th in fielding. Not a good look.

 

On the upside I really like Walsh’s at bats of late. She’s forcing pitchers to pitch to her instead of being immediately down 0-2.

 

I just don’t think sadly pitching is going to improve so batting has to and the defense absolutely has to be cleaned up. The defense probably bothers CTW more than the other issues.

 

I wonder what happened to Delbrey's strikeout stuff? Has anything fundamentally changed with her pitches? Or is the stuff still there and the call has been made to pitch to contact to keep her pitch count down until she builds back up stamina? She struck out 117 in 111 innings last season, compared to 23 in 43 innings this year. Then again, if that's not the case, with the Gator defense not being as good as it usually is, why aren't we looking for more strikeouts? I think the numbers actually say Hightower and Trliceks K numbers are down slightly as well.

As for the offense, I think Roe needs to be placed behind the plate in place of Longley. Longley has had her chance to prove herself and I just think Roe can outperform her at this stage.
CF Falby
SS Wallace
3B Echols
2B Walsh
RF Egan
C Roe
DP Pollard/Gigante/Wilkie
1B Goelz
LF Kistler

Defensive alignment's vary depending on who is DP that day, but I think that should be the lineup Coach Walton should put out there.

 

Yeah, I really do get it....just have to keep reminding ourselves the expectations need to be managed at times. I think we know this isn't a title team due to pitching, but they are dangerous much like last year. Hoping coach uses the season to figure things out for another postseason run.
For example. I know none of us love the Gigante cleanup experiment, but coach knows the loss of Goddard robbed a lot of power and he may be biting the bullet now so we have more options down the road. Historically he has played the long game and suffered a little pain during the regular season if necessary.

 

Agree Longley has had her chance, I doubt some of yesterdays passed balls would have gotten past Wilkie. Roe is pretty good behind the plate with exception of throwing runners out. I really like how Wilkie is in command behind the plate, shame her offense hasn’t ever taken off. Like Ocala said we’ve got a lot of highly recruited players that unfortunately haven’t met expectations yet. Also agree on CTW playing the long game, his teams usually peak at the right time. Still time for the team to gel. Go Gators!

 

Time for our Gators to take a deep look inside, and muster some fight. That was a rough outing last night, and how we respond today will more than likely be a fair portent of the remaining SEC Season.

 

This.

Well put.

Some in another thread have already written off the post season. The fat lady hasn't even warmed up to sing yet.

 

A few years ago when Longley kept her position at SS despite critical errors and abysmal AB's, the running joke was that she had compromising photos on CTW.

Especially given what seem to be obvious upgrades for catcher sitting in the dugout, it really is a head scratcher why she's still in the lineup.

I thought her defense was particularly poor last night, setting up so far in front of the plate that she couldn't reach back and tag the runner who scored. You have to give the runner a clear path to a portion of the plate; you don't have to give them a four-lane highway.

 

IMO the Lugo impact is a more fondly remembered because of the job she did at the very end....Va Tech and CWS.....for the 5 weeks prior to the Super Reg she threw something like 7 innings total, virtually no impact down the stretch. Came up clutch at the bitter end for sure.

 

Yup, not an all time great but steady and reliable, you knew what you were going to get. Can’t say that about staff this season unless you count no strike outs, 17 million foul balls and like praying really hard that things don’t implode quickly . But seriously a little run support would help the staff out and they need all the help they can get. Team effort and all that.

 

Helps to be batting in front of Charla.

 

But she built the bulk of those stats early vs cupcakes....as I said she was not a factor the last 5 weeks of the season up to Va Tech. Certainly she was invaluable early and late, but only about 25 of those innings were vs SEC and they were dispersed widely. The starts were early season vs Illinois St, JU, Villanoa, N Fl, Oakland, JMU....then our first 2 SEC series vs Miss St and TAMU (TAMU outing lost her spot in rotation). She got later starts vs FGCU and Ark and struggled in both. She had some effectiveness in-season relieving Delbrey, but Rylee should be able to replace those innings comparably IMO. I was a big fan of her, but we didn't get much the heart of the season....the segment we are entering right now.

 

Certainly have gotten some nice numbers on weaker part of the schedule so far(like last year), but to date everyone except Rylee has a better ERA and Whip than last season. It's looking like Rylee will almost throw what her and Natalie did combined last year (obviously only if she is effective). IMO what we need is Liz and Delbrey to get more 5+ inning outings vs the 3+ type outings we have seen too often. Rylee seems most suited for one time thru for a change of pace.

 

If this years team does not live up to expectations so what; it has been a great run and it is going to get better. Only four teams east of the Mississippi have ever won a WCWS and two of those were won by our Gators. This incoming recruiting class is arguably the best class ever assembled and I fully expect them to bring a couple of WCWS titles back to Gainesville. So sit back and enjoy the ride for it is going to be fun.