(SB) OGT-Florida at Tennessee 4/23/2023 7:00 pm SECN

It sure isn't, it's why the saying 'Wait for this next great recruiting class' rings hollow, wait for them to do what? not get developed?

 

I'm more worried about some people recruits or otherwise fleeing the program because of the current state if the program and where it is heading

 

Thomas and Bosch need to go ASAP. How CTW let us get into this state is beyond belief. Why bring in all of this talent to be coached down?

I know we got outbid for Storako, but there were other decent pitchers out there. Supposedly, she was given 50K and a new truck by OK.

 

CTW asked Charla if she was out. Charla said she slid under the tag, thus no challenge.

 

Cmon....recruits see playing time. They are probably chomping at the bit to get here. The program is fine...it's a rough year due to a perfect storm of bad pitching but that has clearly been addressed with recruiting

 

I would argue it is not a one year anomaly. Pitching has been falling off since Rocha left, and hitting has been anemic overall for some time. That being said hitting has been less of an issue this year, but pitching has left even large leads at risk. Hopefully CTW can bring in some top notch assistants that can maximize all this wonderful talent arriving over the next couple years.

 

The bloom has fallen off TW's rose. I think he is embarrassed to face the media since his fellow coaches picked hin to win the league and he is going to finish somewhere in the bottom third.

 

Speaking of pitching, what is going on with Delbrey? She hadn't pitched in 3 or 4 games and then comes in yesterday, throws 4 straight balls and goes rght back out.

 

In my opinion Lexi has a confidence issue. How much of that is amplified by her Fall surgery/rehab is unknown. I long for the day when our pitchers can’t be rattled off the mound, and actually welcome the challenge of hitting their spots against the best hitters.

 

I'm aware of the Alex Storako situation. But Walton shouldn't have placed all his eggs in 1 basket, if that's what he did. Regardless of NIL issues, he's ultimately responsible for roster management and there were probably 50 good pitchers who transferred over the summer and fall and he failed, for whatever reason, to land any of them. And there was no high quality pitcher in last year's recruiting class either. Just about every ranked program has a quality transfer pitcher on their roster. Why not UF? This season is basically last year's staff, minus Lugo, with a diminished Lexie Delbrey, an Elizabeth Hightower who's regressed and a Rylee Trlicek who hasn't been developed since her freshman year, the COVID year in which she was emerging as just as good or better than Hightower of Lugo. Tremendous credit goes to Tim Walton for what he's done in his 18 years at Florida, so when things turn south like they have this year, he has to take the blame. Hopefully, the 6 signees are the real deal and will turn it around for 2024, but that's asking a lot from true freshmen no matter how high their credentials. I think he still needs to find a quality pitcher in the portal after this season and maybe another position player or two as well. We're losing Hightower, probably Trlicek, Echols, Egan, probably Longley and who knows who else will transfer out? Coaching and player development needs to be addressed as well and I'll be very interested to see how Coach Walton handles the off season.

 

Yes, Walton is responsible for the roster makeup. No question there. But no, there were not 50 pitchers in the portal good enough to move the needle.....I'm not sure there are 50 impact pitchers period, much less in the portal. In hindsight he probably should have settled for an arm like Royalty that went to FSU. But I'm guessing he felt she wasn't a slam dunk impact. I think we need to realize you don't just snap your fingers and an impact portal pitcher hops aboard....lot of stuff at play in that regard. It would also be tough to sign an elite freshman pitcher knowing 2 superstars are already coming in the next year.
My total guess.....we made Okla City last year with an injured Hightower, an inconsistent rookie Delbrey, and spot help from Lugo. So it would be logical to think a healed up EH back for a final go around, a Delbrey with a year experience, and Rylee filling the Lugo role would actually be a better staff. IMO the big ?? was Rylee, and ironically she has exceeded my expectations. I certainly didn't forsee Delbrey being even more inconsistent and EH having her worst season in 5 years at UF.
Sometimes you hit a perfect storm and it sucks. Truth be told, given the pitching woes it's a little surprising we've won as much as we have.

 

Totally agree with going to the portal. A pitcher with experience and leadership qualities is a must.

 

Who is going to start for the Gators tonight?

 

I wish we would have made a big push for Lexi Kilfoyl when she left Bama last year - she's a local lady from Land O Lakes and is 12-3 with a 1.65 ERA for OSU so far this year with 95 strikeouts.

She would have certainly helped.

We need to make a big push this off season for Maddie Penta from Auburn. If she came on board it could bridge the gap to Keagan and Eva and Maddie would have a better chance to go to OKC with us than Auburn.

Anyone know Maddie's old travel ball coach?

 

The fact remains that THE University of Florida, last year named the #2 overall best softball program in the nation, should never find themselves with the lacking of pitching quality and depth that currently exists. And that's on the coach regardless of the reason(s), IMO.

 

Again, yes it is on the coach, always is. But I think one also has to look at the situation as a whole and all the factors. I feel it's a bit of a perfect storm.....if just one of EH or Delbrey was as expected, we would be in pretty good shape. To have them both go off the ledge is the backbreaker.

 

It's the samo samo. In fact, pitching has tailed off big time since our pitching coach went to OK. I have to wonder if CW still has a hunger to win it all. It' like a great player who gets a huge contract and then does just enough to get by.
CW has to know unless UF tanks, he's got a cushy job as long as he wants it. He can call the shots meaning keep his buddies around. IMO, there's no excuse for not having one or two great pitchers here at UF.
But having said that, our baseball team isn't much better with its own pitching problems. Its just puzzling how we can't find great pitching for both teams.

 

I mean, have you looked at the recruiting classes he has lined up? That doesn't look like a guy tht doesn't have a hunger to win it all.

 

Player development, to me, is a major issue. Rylee Trlicek was the #2 rated pitcher in her recruiting class. Lexie Delbrey was the #7 overall-rated prospect by MaxPreps and the consensus #2 pitcher in the 2021 class (behind only Jordy Bahl at Oklahoma). Avery Goelz was the #4 rated recruit in the 2020 class, 1st Team HS AA and Florida High School POY. We could go through other Gator players and their recruiting rankings over the last few years and see how many of them haven't grown into the players they were projected to be. I know there will always be hits and misses in recruiting, but still..... I'm very interested to see if and how currently high rated signees pan out. Kaila Pollard was the #3-ranked overall recruit by MaxPreps in the 2022 class. Keegan Rothrock, Mia Williams and Ava Brown are MaxPreps #1, #2 & #4 players in the 2023 class. Hovermale and Kowalewski are rated anywhere from the Top 20 to Top 40, depending on which ranking service you look at, and McLellan is having a stellar senior season. If we're going to get back to being a true national title contender, it's not only important that we sign some of the very best recruits out there, but the coaches have to develop them to continue improving to be the best they can be. IMO, that ain't been happening of late.

 

Do you think we have the right hitting and pitching coaches on staff for these recruits now?