Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

It is somewhat of a grind but it interests me, gives me something to do that is important to us, and I have the time to do it.
I'm also thinking about doing something that I think might be interesting for the upcoming season. I haven't really thought about how I would organize it. Plenty of time left. I keep a full scorebook for every game that is televised. Don't do it on radio only. I have probably at least five years of full books. I'm thinking it would be fun to pick one of the past years and match games up roughly by date and post a rather detailed look at the results of the game and a fairly full list of individual stats. Like a wayback machine. One problem....I do keep pitching stats during the season but I don't do it in the book and once the season is over, those get deep sixed. I guess game results for previous seasons are available on our main softball page and I could find the game pitching stats there?

 

These are, according to Softball Portal, coach's salaries. I don't know how accurate. According to this list Tim is the 6th highest paid coach. I have always thought Tim's salary with perks and incentives was more in the $600,000 range. Same might hold for the other coaches in the list where their base salary doesn't really reflect their total income. Rather than copy and paste several different posts, I'm just posting the link and you'll have to scroll down through it. x.com

 

What I'm thinking with the "wayback machine". Assuming prior season game summaries are available on the main Gator softball page, you could find out so-and-so went 2-3 with a run scored, rbi, walk and strikeout. But you don't get context. I could provide context, flow and meaning. Such as, "bottom of 2 and we're down 1-0. So-and-so leadoff and struck out looking on a 2-2 count. So-and-so followed with a clean single up the middle, went to second on a passed ball, went to third on a wild pitch and scored when so-and-so hit a 3-0 pitch to deep center for a sac fly. So-and-so then followed with a double off the right field fence but was stranded when so-and-so lined out to short". My books are comprehensive enough to do that. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to do with these stacks of books other than using them as a paperweight.

 

Lauren Staff’s first article:
Softball Announces Open Practice Details - Florida Gators

 

Can’t wait for the analytics

 

Chloe Evans is in charge analytics. This is her first job. I’m sure that CTW has confidence in her.

 

There’s an open team practice today 3:30-5:30 at KSP bring a canned good for entry. Excited to get a glimpse of the team with a lot of new faces.

 

Give us some highlights, if you can Sandy.

 

Will do although I believe Scrappy will be there as well and he is the highlightmeister.

 

I hope for her sake she isn't getting paid by the word count.

 

Buford blew out Westlake big time twice yesterday to, I think, win the Regional Championship and move on to the Georgia State Finals in Columbus. Both were at most five inning games...possibly four....I don't know. Caroline threw her second straight perfect game in the first game. Addison Rackley, the stud going to LSU, threw a shutout in the second game.

 

Emily...a young woman who earned my total respect over her career....on and off the field. Always in the game pulling for the team and never complaining she should get more opportunities on the field. Produced numerous times in big situations even with limited chances. A stud in my book:

 

Loved her from day one

 

A story I've told before but not sure here. So, I'm watching Emily play for the Vipers in a travel game. It was at the USSA main stadium in Viera and must have been the championship game of the tournament because, even though streamed, it had a full compliment of cameras including a camera from center field trained right on her as she hit. She actually screamed at the pitch as it came at her and then hit a frozen rope no more than 10 feet off the ground before it clanged off the center field fence. A couple feet higher and it would have gone to the next county. I was dumbstruck. Did I actually see what I just saw? Never before or since have I seen a batter scream at a pitch and then just simply ruin the ball.

 

No food collected today or next Wednesday, only when we play real teams. I brought food today and no collection.

 

I didn’t have a roster so just a few thoughts on the ladies I knew. Korbe hasn’t missed a beat and will be great this season. Mia was a disappointment, she couldn’t seem to catch any balls hit her way, Olivia had nine runs scored on her in one inning. Townson was fast on the bases and I’m looking forward to watching the tall senior pitcher.

as you can see from this post I’m not Sandy as I’m not really good at posting but thoughts from the cheap seats.

 

Sorry to post so late. I was at the ER with a friend. She is OK after a fall.

Today was a good look at what we will enjoy for the next few years.
This team has more quality players than I have seen since I have been watching since 2013.
New Comers
Rylee Holtorf played short and is a player.
Gabi Comia played 2B and had mixed results.
Layla Lamar was in RF some and did not get many chances.
Kara Hammock was the biggest surprise. She had control of her pitches. Her fastball is high 60's, and she has a 50 mph change.
Taylor Shumaker is fast and can cover the outfield well.
Kenleigh Cahalan played a solid 3B.
Katelynn Oxley is the real deal. She pitched very well with great control. She has high 60's and a 50mph change-up.
Townsen Thomas is as advertised with speed. One play that impressed me. The outfielders were having a tough time with the sun. She was in CF, and the ball was hit toward RF.
With her speed, she was able to call the RF off because her angle to the ball negated the sun.

Returners
Ava Brown pitched very well and had a couple of hits. She did make an error at 1B.
Brooke Bernard played some 2B with mixed results. The funniest part of the day, I asked her when she hit a homer who gave her the wedgie. She said the whole team would give it to her to pay her back.
Keagan Rothrock. pitched very well. She looks in better shape than last year. Her pitching was superb, with wonderful control. She batted once, but I do not remember what she did.
Jocelyn Erickson was Jocey. She was solid at catcher as usual and her bat was pretty hot.
Alyssa Hovermale played 3B and 1B. She had 1 error at 1B.
Mia Williams was disappointing. She started a SS, and also played some 2B. Her fielding was not stellar.
Liv Miller was rocked pretty badly. She gave up 9 runs in one inning. We are not giving up on her as SVP will work with her.
Reagan Walsh played mostly 1B and was on and off.
Cassidy McClellan played a good LF. We had heard that her career was over because of her injury. But she threw a dart from LF to 2B.
Kendra Falby was Kendra. She played great CF and beat out some bunts.
Kobe Otis was 4 for 4 and was great in LF.
Ariel Kowalewski caught the whole scrimmage and did very well. Since it was intrasquad, she caught. I pencil her in at 3B.
I am sorry about the lack of hitting highlights. There were no HR's except by CTW in outfield practice.
I'm having to get my mojo back.
Just be excited for this bunch. They will do some great things.
One of the best things of the day is that Mandy Softball was there. She said she really liked what she saw. She gets prettier every year.

 

Something I forgot to mention is Erin Koffel. Brittany says the ladies love her, and she is soaking up the culture.
The culture CTW has built is next to none.
Joelene, a former Grad Assistant, said she would have come to Florida if she had it to do over again.

 

I wrote this before Scrappy posted. I second what he says. My potential possible starting lineup based on in person observations of today’s scrimmage. Catcher Jocey. 1B Reagan and Ava played there thinking Ava with Reagan DH, 2B Holtorf, SS Cahalan, 3B AK 47. LF Korbe, CF Kendra, RF tbd Cassidy McClellan, Townsend Thomas, Taylor Shumaker, Layla Lamar all options. She who hits plays. And Townsend Thomas is very fast, like she should be in a race with Kendra and Skylar fast. This team is loaded and swings the bat! Pitching it’s Keagan, then Ava and Red Oxley, but surprise of the day was transfer Kara Hammock, literally a big presence on the mound (6’2”) with a great drop and change up. Seems like we may have a very good pitching coach in SVP. Don’t want to get too enthused but my orange & blue glasses can definitely see OKC! And it was so great seeing Mandy Softball there, is there a better representative of Gator softball than Amanda!