Baseball vs JU, Tue 3/19, 6:30 pm

That used to really bother me, watching the Gators drop early season, midweek games to midmajors that simply weren't on our level. And it happened every season under Sully. Then I realized we were typically going with our lower rotation pitchers in those games to get them experience (while opponents were going with their best), and once we got into the SEC schedule we were going with our upper tier. It's a long-game, big-picture approach.

 

I wonder if Sully just shrugged the loss off in locker room and breaks it down like a scrimmage to look for improvement, or gets upset, or somewhere between after losses like this.

 

The latter

 

Nobody uses their weekend starters for midweek games. Stetson, UNF, JU, USF, UCF, FSU. They ALL play in conferences and save their 3 best starters for their weekend series. They, also, will not overuse their primary bullpen guys during midweek games. They, like us, maybe want to give them some work to keep them sharp, but want them fresh and ready for the weekend. So the excuse that other teams use their best against us, while we save our best for the weekend just isn't true. Sully does use midweek games to give a couple of bench guys a chance to start and give some bullpen guys an opportunity to prove themselves for more consideration in conference games, but it's usually in situations where there's still some competition for positions and roles - like Russell in LF and Shelnut at 3rd, Donay at DH, etc. But JU had 3 of their better hitters out of the lineup due to injury and they still beat us. Last year we only lost 2 midweek games all season. This year we've already lost 4. Conference games, obviously, matter more, but midweek games are important for a lot of reasons as well.

 

I only picked up the game in the middle innings and JU seemed to want it more than our guys- until we woke up from our slumbers in the 9th with a mild rally... too little too late. Not encouraged by how this team often seems to sleep walk through some innings, especially in mid-weeks. 8 losses at this point in the season is very disappointing and those who say it is all about the SEC record - well that's true if you win 18-20 games but if you only win 15 or 16 and wind-up with 20+ losses that does not play well for getting a top 8 seed. All games matter and when losses mount up it will reflect in the seeding. Then there is the adage…losing like winning is contagious.

 

I don’t follow roster changes from one year to the next but what is different between this years team and last years team? I know we don’t have Wyatt Langford but who else did we lose? Sorry if this has already been answered before.

 

Besides Wyatt Langford we lost BT Riopelle (starting catcher and our team leader), Brandon Sproat-SP, and Hurston Waldrep-SP, and our starting SS Josh Rivera, and Colby Halter our starting 3rd baseman. I’m sure I have unintentionally missed some players in backup roles as well as relievers.

 

Deric Fabian, who was doing well for Auburn to start the season. Matt Prevesk, who was hitting over 400 leading off for UCF and did very well against us. Nesbitt and Tejada. Tejada is a cancer, but Nesbitt could have possibly helped our bullpen some. I’m sure there’s more than that too that I’m missing.

It is what it is. Not enough pt to keep everyone happy. We brought in some very talented freshmen that we all hope will adjust soon and start to make up for some of those losses. We’re already into SEC play now though and still have quite a few question marks on the bump, and in the bottom of the batting order.

 

Phillip Abner is gone from the bullpen, too. Derec Fabian is starting at Auburn and doing well and Matt Prevesk is starting at UCF and last a saw he was leading them in hitting. A bunch of bullpen pitchers transferred out as well, forcing more reliance on freshmen. Major turnover in the team from last year.

 

It would be interesting to say the least to know how many times Sully has muttered under his breath “this ain’t the city league and your son’s not an allstar”…..

 

We lost 3 senior leaders in Colby, Josh, and BT. We lost 2 good pitchers in Brandon and Hurston- while they weren’t really elite by Gator standards, we’d kill to have them this year.

The good news is we have a lot of young talent, both pitching and hitting. They just might not be fully developed this season… but what we really need is for them to develop some leadership.

I’m not willing to run some of them off the team just yet, as I’m sure some other posters look forward to doing.

 

I was hoping Yost or Wilkins would shine and push for playing time in the OF and also was hoping Mummau could gets some PT in the infield this season, but it doesn't look like it so far.
Would be nice if one or two of the youngsters got hot and could help the bottom of the order.

 

You don't replace that much talent and we certainly didn't replace it. See a lot of talent in the freshmen pitchers and some young position players who may be a year away.

 

That or how much hair has he pulled out trying to figure out how to keep a team together in this new NIL/portal era. You nurture guys for two or three years, then they leave and go get paid to play at another school right when the guys above them head off to the draft, and you’re left sorting out what to do with all these freshmen.

 

Yost and Russell have gotten some opportunities, but haven’t done anything with them yet. At this point in the season, I ‘m not sure we’re going to see much of Brookins or Mummau. Those are a couple guys a lot of us wanted to see at least a couple times.

 

Interestingly, Sully mentioned in the post game last night that they are working on getting Landon Russell some opportunities on the mound to "see if he can help us out".

 

You are 100% on point @paidinfull. I know individual opinions don’t mount to squat—but IMHO this NIL is the end of college sports as we have always known and loved them.

I also think that the transfer portal should have the iron clad rule of a one time use only per student athlete. I understand change of heart but I wonder just how big a part entitlement plays in all the transfers. I came up in the time of commitment, pride, and hard work.

 

On the mound? The guy couldn't throw it to his cut off man from 125 ft in short left field? Does he throw a knuckleball? Maybe I'm missing something here but I didn't see any arm strength from the three throws he made from left field.

On another note.....we have too many free swingers. These are led by Thomas and Donay. Bottom half of order has to put the ball in play. What is also hurting us is Kirkland and Heyman have been inconsistent.

 

LOL JD you have to stop holding back and go ahead and tell us how you really feel - Sully mentioned he has a good arm and a good slider. I googled it and he did throw some at the Juco level.

 

Unfortunately, I think the NCAA has thrown their hands up on transfer restrictions. They haven’t even lost the lawsuit yet, and have already said there will be no restrictions in 24-25 other than you have to move during the windows. After two years of free for all, I don’t see them tightening it back up.