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Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Discussion in 'GatorGrowl's Diamond Gators' started by ocalaman, Feb 20, 2022.

  1. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    If you can stomach it, go to the portal thread. Everybody, most in the SEC, are just pounding the portal. Except us.
     
  2. candymanfromgc

    candymanfromgc Moderator VIP Member

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    Makes NO sense to me.
     
  3. candymanfromgc

    candymanfromgc Moderator VIP Member

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    Are you really going into a season with 14 players? That is rediculous but seems where we are heading.
     
  4. apkgator

    apkgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Do you really think that will happen lol?
     
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  5. paidinfull

    paidinfull GC Hall of Fame

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    Seems about as likely as starting the football season with 50 players like some folks were losing their shit over in December.
     
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  6. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    I can see us with 17 at the very least. 2 more pitchers and 1 position player. I hope we get more, but I'm trying to see it from the perspective of players leaving other school and wanting to go where they can be a starter. More than likely, I see the Gator lineup on opening day as: Hovermale at 3rd, Williams at SS, Wallace at 2nd, Walsh, Brown or Goelz at 1st, Rothrock or Brown pitching, Wilkie or Kowalewski catching, Falby, Pollard and either Goddard, Kistler or Goelz in the OF and Goddard, Walsh or Brown as DP. A stud outfielder could grab a spot in RF, but I just don't see another position player beating out the talent we already have. And coming in as a potential #3 or #4 pitcher is not enticing to any quality pitcher. NIL issues could have something to do with it, but I can see the box Walton is in. However, he MUST bring in at least 2 pitchers or next year could be a disaster in spite of all the talent.
     
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  7. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    While I agree with most everything in that, someone needs to explain Oklahoma to me, and some of these other places such as Arky that just pound the portal. OU is, of course, with a loaded roster every year and that doesn't stop transfers. I always thought Gasso's heavy use of the portal would discourage high school recruiting but it doesn't seem like it. NIL money at OU could be a factor. Arky has a good roster, Deifel recruits well, and they still get a bunch of transfers. Why is UF any different? And, yes, I know as well as anyone (perhaps more than most as I spend the time watching them) the talent level of our incoming kids. But, they are still freshmen making the jump from elite travel to the SEC. That remains a big jump and I tend to simply believe we should give them a chance to show what they can do rather than continually turn the team over to them before they even hit campus.
     
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  8. LTG61

    LTG61 GC Legend

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    And those fans were proven correct by a 6-7 season.
     
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  9. theemaxpower

    theemaxpower Junior

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    I don't see you having Rothrocks's bat on the lineup. She's comparable to Brown and I would find a place for her bat. If Ava and Keagan have bats as good as I've heard I would find a place for their bats. That is just my opinion though.
     
  10. apkgator

    apkgator GC Hall of Fame

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    Lol, I don't think you understood the post
     
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  11. paidinfull

    paidinfull GC Hall of Fame

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    Not even a little bit. The season hasn’t started so they haven’t won or lost any games. The roster is also full and not anywhere close to 50.
     
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2023
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  12. scrappygator

    scrappygator VIP Member

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  13. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    If you can figure out what USA Softball does most of the time you're a better man than me. For instance, with a short 15 person roster, they consistently cut Savannah Jaquish, a high average and high power hitter, who is a multi-faceted player who on a short roster can catch or play any infield position. Never made any sense whatsoever.
     
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  14. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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  15. rickjs1

    rickjs1 Premium Member

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    You beat me to it. That would be my thought. She simply declined. She is clearly better than virtually everybody on the team and she has been with USA National before which usually is a ticket for a repeat.
     
  16. scrappygator

    scrappygator VIP Member

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    It may be family or personal, but I would not think academics. She is starting a master's this fall.
    Also, look on EIS tracker for May 23rd for Otis.
     
  17. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    I didn't mean academics in a bad way. I meant maybe she had some courses she wanted to take over the summer or had already signed up to get a head start on her Masters.

    I'm not paying for EIS. I just get the free content. I went back through Justin McLeod's twitter feed to May 23, and THERE IT IS! Thanks.
     
  18. orangeblue77

    orangeblue77 GC Hall of Fame

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  19. orangeblue77

    orangeblue77 GC Hall of Fame

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    Skylars softball days are far from over and team USA will always be there but you only get one senior season.
     
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  20. ocalaman

    ocalaman GC Hall of Fame

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    Very true. And sometimes even the elite players just need a break from the grind.