Hurston Waldrep to Florida

Wow, what a pickup. Legit Friday night SEC guy.

 

Massive news. A closer is all UF really needs at this point. The closer could be on the roster already as a lot of those FR arms should get better but given last year’s results, bringing one in wouldn’t be a bad thing!

 

Great pitching pickup. We need more of these type arms in the program.

 

Boom!!!!

kid we’ve been talking about for two weeks. When I first heard this and posted about the possibility I was only hopeful. Now we are major players with this Friday night starter coming aboard. His stuff is all ++ and he’s changed our staff. IMO this was not only the number 1 starter in the portal but one of the top 10 returning pitchers in the college game.

 

Where do you experts predict hevwill be. FRIDAY, SATURDAY OR SUNDAY starter

 

Time will tell.

 

I agree. Neely has the ability to be the Friday guy but Waldrep obviously does too. Plus the question marks of Cags, Coppola, Ursitti, and others.

Predicting February at this point feels pointless.

 

Pointless, yes. But much more optimistic!

 

Not to take anything away from the Madduxfan thread but if you pop back over to my roster-lineup-tracker I've updated the lineup with all the pitcher's names and made a first attempt at the possible starters and relievers. At least you can see all the main players in one list.
Gator Baseball 2023 Roster Tracker/Lineup??? | Page 14 | Swamp Gas Forums
But taking Candy's challenge my guess here in July is Sully would start Neely on Friday as a returning pitcher that's proven himself already on the Conundrum Ballpark mound then go to Waldrep on Saturday as we start the season. It may change by SEC play but day one goes to the returning player. Sunday is too hard to tell but I've included the possibilities in my lineup tracker.

 

If I was forced to put money on a closer here in July I'd bet on Ellerts and/or Caglianone as names we haven't seen throw yet. None of the returning relievers showed any consistency to handle the closer role so I'm thinking outside the box.

 

87—

I understand wanting answers—I’m that way myself. I do have to say however that I would not expect Sully to engage Caglianone into anything like a closer’s role.

He is still in the middle of his throwing rehab protocol which calls for a specific type and amount of work each day to rebuild his arm, strength, and stamina. A closer’s work load is IMHO way too random to fit Cags into that position and get what you want for him in the long run.

 

You never know. Singer wasn’t great as a FR. Sproat wasn’t good as a FR. I would have lined Sproat up with anyone in the entire country in June. Obviously Singer turned out ok.

They were inconsistent and there isn’t enough swing and miss for me as the closer role often needs someone who enters in a jam in the 8th. High leverage. Abner might have the best stuff for it but his inconsistency is tough to project forward.

I am still quite nervous about the closer but May/June 2023 is a LONG way away.

 

They both learned to control the two seam fastball by no longer over throwing it and trusting movement over velocity. Singer was throwing 96 mph as a frosh with a ton of armside motion (and very little sink) and backed off to around 93 on his two seamer with better releases to get that late sink. It made all the difference. And developing a decent change up helped as well.

Sproat always had a rocket for an arm but he had to learn to spot his four seamer up in the zone and not try to just throw the ball past the batter. A four seamer belt high over the middle is not a good pitch. His two seamers late last season were awesome.

 

Spot on Lurk.

 

See that's why we still let you come out and play occasionally. As you know pitchers are not my thing. I was mainly looking at their body types as the big bulky hurler type players. As to Cags, I'm still hopeful he becomes a much better pitcher in May than when we start in February.

 

Friday. The day he walks on campus he’s number 1. He’ll have to prove it but it’s not often you get a top 10 transfer like this. He may be top 5 in pitchers returning to college.

 

Agree on what your said with Neely and Friday night. Makes sense as proven guy and returning Gator.

 

I like what your thinking here. Like to see Cags in set up role Ellerts as closer. Or vice versa. Lefferts was probably a top 3/4 JC starter in the country as record would show so could be a starter. By fall ball Cags will be 17-18 months removed ( I think) so I think he will be a real important part of our staff. I think Sully will start him slow to be safe but that’s just precaution/best practice. By SEC play he hopefully ( barring a setback) should be able to throw without a pitch count. Love to see Cags play 1b and come to the mound when needed.