Baseball vs. Bama, Fri 3/17, 3:30 pm

#Blindspot. Isn’t Josh one I have a Blindspot for? I’d say I’m pretty good on those guys I have blindspots for.
I just remember the comments about him last year. Those Burn Shortstops are pretty good. Guthrie was pretty good too.

Robertson!!!!
I think some questioned him leading off recently if I do recall.

 

Is this your wordy way of saying you were wrong about conference vs overall? That's literally the only comment I made. Seems a little convoluted to discuss Guthrie and Robertson.
FYI...EVERYONE is thrilled with the way Josh is playing this season. And most were able to discuss the good and the bad in previous seasons...and yes there was good and bad. It's generally that way with all the players

 

The overfocus on the bad was concerning. Remember your blindspot comment?? Seems I’ve got it for some real good ones. Not sure that’s a blindspot by definition.

 

Well changing the focus off of Josh a minute, Robertson—as fast afoot as he is—really needs to go to base running camp……

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here but YOU have absolutely NOTHING to do with the success of any of these players. EVERYONE on here supports ALL of the players. Common sense should tell you Josh was underperforming the past couple of seasons - that's not people being hard on him that's REALITY. I am sure EVERYONE is happy for him and the way his season is going. It's not about YOU.

 

Where did I say I had something to do with their success?
There’s a poster here that made a comment about my blindspot for guys I root for. Those guys are pretty good.
Been rooting for Josh for 5 years.

I’d disagree with your assertion about Josh underperforming. Playing shortstop in the SEC is hard and the defense he played last year to go with a 9 home run year ain’t shabby. Wasn’t great but definitely not underperforming. He’s bee. Sully’s guy at short for a long time. I’ll trust Sully on that one.

 

He's hitting 418 this year, he hit 250 the previous 2 seasons. You don't think there is some underperforming? Or do you just think this year is a fluke?

 

I think Josh was a very solid player the last 3 years, but has made some offseason adjustments to his approach at the plate that are paying big dividends so far this year. He was projected before the season as a 4th or 5th round MLB draft choice. If he keeps pace with the way he's hitting the ball, getting on base, having quality at bats, etc.,
he could move up significantly, maybe into the 2nd round. I don't like the labels of underperforming or overperforming. Can we just say that he's matured this year into a team leader who is leading by example and has made great strides in bettering his offensive production over the prior 3 seasons?

 

Absolutely agree on all points. He was certainly solid the last 2 seasons, but there were things that needed improvement without question. To his credit he has stepped up and addressed the issues very successfully.

 

Other “chosen” players on his list have been guys like Brady Smith, Tyler Dyson, Kris Armstrong, etc. All guys that never really amounted to much. And how could we ever forget the man crush on Willie freakin Taggart. He’s like 1 for infinity and thinks he’s a big league scout now.

He also completely fails to understand the fact that all the “extra” criticisms of his chosen few have much more to do with him than the players.

 

I'll never forget the first homerun Josh hit in one of his first practices as a Gator in the fall. He wasn't nearly as big as he is now and he had all the hype coming in from IMG. He nailed one to deep center over the fence in front of the batter's eye at the Mac. Anyone with any awareness would know how hard it was to hit one straight out at the Mac where fly balls went to die. And here's this little scrawny kid that could hit it that far. Even Jud Fabian stopped the scrimmage to jump over the fence to retrieve that ball for Josh to keep. I think that power is starting to pay off.

 

Ben Specht comes to mind.

 

He won’t hit 418 for the year. What I know is it’s all clicking. Sometimes maturation, true growth, and it all coming together takes time. We’ve all seen it, where it all comes together. Josh spent his off-season taking those next steps and really focusing on what they involved. The differences are not so much his swing but his approach. Again, that comes from maturation.

Maybe you expect kids to be really good numbers wise early in their career. but gotta tell ya Wyatt Langford’s come around not so often. More are like Josh with it taking them time before it all comes together.

It’s no fluke, Josh is and always has been a great teammate, role model, and representative of our team and university. And those three things sir will always out weigh 254 or 418. Ask anyone on the team last year and they’d tell you about Josh and his value to the team. Heck, Sully has said it more than once.

 

Yes sir…all coming together.

 

Taggart/ I said his kids play hard for him. That’s it. One comment. That was 5 years ago and said one time. Funny that still comes up.
Interesting on Blindspot guys-
Rivera - wrong as guy is clearly pretty good

Nesbitt- As I’ve said w opportunity could prove his worth and he’s been really good in his one true opportunity.

Specht- Was a third team all American so I’d say that counts for something. Did end up not panning out for sure.

Brady/ nope your thinking of someone else.

Armstrong/ did like him and he didn’t pan out.

Dyson- liked him but he clearly regressed.

At worst I’m 3/5.

 

Agree w you 100% on under and over and agree that Josh was solid. As we all know, SS in the SEC is not easy and Josh has been our guy that has provided solid play for several years.

 

You love to create false narratives. Who is saying anything about Josh not being a really good SEC shortstop? No one! He has been a solid player on this team since he got here.
Who said Josh isn't a good teammate? No One
Who said Josh isn't a good leader on this team? No One

 

It's not about YOU . . . .it really isn't.

 

Love that you said “matured” when asked if this year was a fluke.

Were you on the board last year and the year previous to that? That’s where my comments go back to in reference to Josh. I felt some were a little rough on him. In fact one poster in this same thread in the past 48 hours said “ Josh underperformed his last two years”. Maybe you didn’t see that?

Another poster answered him saying Josh has been solid last few years and mentioned didn’t like words under and over performed.

 

Oh stop the whiny narrative, it got old about 2 years ago. Nobody was to hard on Josh.....everyone except you seems to understand these boards exist to discuss what is going on with the team (actually you understand it for every player except a chosen few). I could care less about the word underperform, but I absolutely think a third year player with the experience and skill set that Josh possesses should hit better than 254. It's really that simple....I thought he was more talented than we saw. And he is proving that every game this year.
I've always said I was hardest on Jud because my expectations were so high. That he hit 239 with 69 K's in year 3 baffles me to this day. Call tht whatever you like, but I don't feel we got the most from his high level of talent.