My take on the baseball team

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

Watching this team and this team always drop the first game of the SEC and playing against big crowds like Ole Miss and as of the end of April, this team will make it to the regionals, won't host it and won't move on from the regionals. They are not there yet. Maybe next year.

I really thought Mark Kingston could have a great year this year, but something is still missing and can't put my finger on it. I think it's leadership at the top of the AD. If you have a strong AD, I think the rest of the sports follow. Stacey has a very strong personality. Tanner used to have a strong personality on the diamond, but not in the office.

I wished Tanner had never left baseball, but I feel USC had their hands tied by back to back National Championship and a third chance to win it again. Tanner was looking to chance careers. Should have let him go to another school looking back and we wouldn't have AD leadership issues.

I like to see what Mark Kingston can do without Tanner as the AD..

 

[Gamecock122]

If Kingston is somehow allowing Tanner to hold him back from coaching the players out of a MASSIVE non-hitting fiasco then we need to fire Kingston this minute. I cant think of a single reason how Tanner has any cause for our collapse in hitting.

 

[rogue cock]

Wow....a totally new way of blaming Tanner for something. Next time try Tanner has employed Root Doctors to place roots on the teams to keep them from hitting.

 

[Baltcock96]

This is what I am seeing. Our hitter generally getting beat by plus pitching.

 

[Jbouton2]

This is what I am seeing. Our hitter generally getting beat by plus pitching.

I would never qualify as a hitting coach so I can only imagine what it takes to recruit good hitters. How it translates from HS and travel ball pitching which is what coaches have to make a decision.

Need to get back in the saddle starting next and start a new winning streak!

 

[rockingamecock]

Watching this team and this team always drop the first game of the SEC and playing against big crowds like Ole Miss and as of the end of April, this team will make it to the regionals, won't host it and won't move on from the regionals. They are not there yet. Maybe next year.

I really thought Mark Kingston could have a great year this year, but something is still missing and can't put my finger on it. I think it's leadership at the top of the AD. If you have a strong AD, I think the rest of the sports follow. Stacey has a very strong personality. Tanner used to have a strong personality on the diamond, but not in the office.

I wished Tanner had never left baseball, but I feel USC had their hands tied by back to back National Championship and a third chance to win it again. Tanner was looking to chance careers. Should have let him go to another school looking back and we wouldn't have AD leadership issues.

I like to see what Mark Kingston can do without Tanner as the AD..

Earlier in the year I thought we'd have a good shot at hosting a regional but not anymore. We're nothing more than an average team right now and really not much fun to watch. If we do get in I don't think they'll advance very far.

 

[gamecocksonly]

The lack of consistent hitting and always looking for the home run is what will keep us from regionals to super regionals, not Ray Tanner. If this team would hit for base hits and hit consistently I think this is a top 10 ball club week after week. It's frustrating the lack of consistent hitting and I don't know the case but hope the boys can fix it soon.

 

[rogue cock]

If I had to guess....our problem with hitting is the lack of or inability to stick with what the hitting coaches are teaching them. When a hitter struggles to adjust to what he is being taught, instead of sticking with it, he resorts back to the swing that got him there (similar to a golf swing). It takes a lot of discipline and patience to change or adjust your swing to stop bad habits that were successful for you earlier in your career....such as trying to pull every pitch, not shortening your stroke to make contact, etc. At this level and above, pitchers are good enough to exploit those bad habits and it is tough to try to learn another approach.....at some point it becomes mental.

 

[CockyDukey]

K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K,K

Your 4 hole hitter strikes out 7 times in 12 at bats.......Don't think Tanner is the problem....

 

[bucketdad]

Its beyond me that the better the pitcher we face the more resistant we are to smallball. Seems we get in to conference play and it gets put on the back burner far enough that we get rusty at it. And against the best of the best (friday pitcher) our smallball game is practically non-existent. What is up with that? IDK. Everything should be on the table 100% of the time... especally against good pitching. How about this, let's try assuming all the pitching we face will be good and let's be prepared to do what it takes to win and avoid getting into pissing contests when we can.

 

[Baltcock96]

Here are the facts. We are in an absolutely loaded league. Our schedule has us facing the beat in the country week in and week out. We are going to face struggles and our guys are not MLB players. The problem is all of our guys are doing so at the same time. The SEC is a gauntlet. Losing 2/3 to Arkansas and 3/3 to Ole Miss is bound to happen at some point in the season. Hitters will press when trying to make things happen. This pressing will result in taking bad at bats.

We are not alone in our struggles. Going into this weekend Ole Miss was struggling. We have 3 more weekends to get right. Go Cocks!

 

[searooster]

Earlier in the year I thought we'd have a good shot at hosting a regional but not anymore. We're nothing more than an average team right now and really not much fun to watch. If we do get in I don't think they'll advance very far.

So the consensus of this board is the Carolina wont make it past the Regionals. That is the single most encouraging news yet that we'll advance to the Supers and possibly beyond. Historically we outperform when our fanbase is most pessimistic.

 

[1SGgamecock]

It's that time of the season. By now, every pitching coach knows every batters weak pitch, so that is what every batter is going to get. The batter has to be able to adjust and get better hitting his weak pitch. At some point, you just have to swing for contact and hope for the best. Our team batting average is dropping like a rock. Beats me what going on. They'll figure it out eventually.

 

[bucketdad]

So the consensus of this board is the Carolina wont make it past the Regionals. That is the single most encouraging news yet that we'll advance to the Supers and possibly beyond. Historically we outperform when our fanbase is most pessimistic.

Sometimes the best baseball is played when a team believes its them against the world.

 

[1SGgamecock]

So the consensus of this board is the Carolina wont make it past the Regionals. That is the single most encouraging news yet that we'll advance to the Supers and possibly beyond. Historically we outperform when our fanbase is most pessimistic.

We haven't had great success since the pessimistic poster "ofcourse" left the board. We need him back

 

[rogue cock]

Its beyond me that the better the pitcher we face the more resistant we are to smallball. Seems we get in to conference play and it gets put on the back burner far enough that we get rusty at it. And against the best of the best (friday pitcher) our smallball game is practically non-existent. What is up with that? IDK. Everything should be on the table 100% of the time... especally against good pitching. How about this, let's try assuming all the pitching we face will be good and let's be prepared to do what it takes to win and avoid getting into pissing contests when we can.

Even in smallball, it is hard to lay off a good change-up or a well placed high fastball. You are almost hoping for a mistake pitch at that point.....and at some point you abandon what it being coached and swing the way it is more comfortable for you. You know this.

 

[world famous 3rd base hecklers]

How have our programs progressed under Tanner's leadership. I think Tanner cast a shadow of incompetence.

Football
Men's basketball
baseball
Swimming
Badminton
Volleyball

I do think Mark Kingston is a better coach than Chad Holdbroken, but I do think he is coaching in the shadows of Tanner.

 

[gr8spur]

How have our programs progressed under Tanner's leadership. I think Tanner cast a shadow of incompetence.

Football
Men's basketball
baseball
Swimming
Badminton
Volleyball

I do think Mark Kingston is a better coach than Chad Holdbroken, but I do think he is coaching in the shadows of Tanner.

You can get a scholarship to play badminton?

 

[Jbouton2]

Here are the facts. We are in an absolutely loaded league. Our schedule has us facing the beat in the country week in and week out. We are going to face struggles and our guys are not MLB players. The problem is all of our guys are doing so at the same time. The SEC is a gauntlet. Losing 2/3 to Arkansas and 3/3 to Ole Miss is bound to happen at some point in the season. Hitters will press when trying to make things happen. This pressing will result in taking bad at bats.

We are not alone in our struggles. Going into this weekend Ole Miss was struggling. We have 3 more weekends to get right. Go Cocks!

Well said, hope the coaches preach some version of this to the team!

 

[cockofdawn]

Here are the facts. We are in an absolutely loaded league. Our schedule has us facing the beat in the country week in and week out. We are going to face struggles and our guys are not MLB players. The problem is all of our guys are doing so at the same time. The SEC is a gauntlet. Losing 2/3 to Arkansas and 3/3 to Ole Miss is bound to happen at some point in the season. Hitters will press when trying to make things happen. This pressing will result in taking bad at bats.

We are not alone in our struggles. Going into this weekend Ole Miss was struggling. We have 3 more weekends to get right. Go Cocks!

Maybe. But it is what it is. It was the same in 2010 and 2011 the best conference on earth as well.

 

[bucketdad]

Even in smallball, it is hard to lay off a good change-up or a well placed high fastball. You are almost hoping for a mistake pitch at that point.....and at some point you abandon what it being coached and swing the way it is more comfortable for you. You know this.

It would be nice if they were comfortable at everything but yeah, at the very least, they need to do what's comfortable when they get two strikes on them. Smallball is pretty much off the table by then other than just putting the ball in play.
Since a big part of smallball is bunting, I'd say the odds of getting a change up with a runner at first are probably kinda small. And every time they show bunt they need to be expecting a high fastball and be ready to pull back. You're taking about good pitching for sure. I'd like to think we know hows and whys, I just dont get the reasons why we're so hesitant to implement. When we were less hesitant, we seemed better at it

 

[Baltcock96]

That team had chemistry played loose etc. Michael Roth was huge. It’s a process and we’ll get there. Maybe not this year or maybe. We have the talent to catch lightening in a bottle.

 

[rogue cock]

It would be nice if they were comfortable at everything but yeah, at the very least, they need to do what's comfortable when they get two strikes on them. Smallball is pretty much off the table by then other than just putting the ball in play.
Since a big part of smallball is bunting, I'd say the odds of getting a change up with a runner at first are probably kinda small. And every time they show bunt they need to be expecting a high fastball and be ready to pull back. You're taking about good pitching for sure. I'd like to think we know hows and whys, I just dont get the reasons why we're so hesitant to implement. When we were less hesitant, we seemed better at it

Not that I know a lot about analytics (before my time), but this is an area where it sounds as though it is changing (ruining) good old-fashioned baseball. From my understanding, analytics teaches against bunting....I know Clemson fans are pissed that Monte never, ever, allows bunting and he has completely adopted analytics. I think Kingston has gotten away from it in certain situations has it hasn't served him well on this level....this would be another area where he needs to get to old-fashioned baseball.

 

[bucketdad]

Not that I know a lot about analytics (before my time), but this is an area where it sounds as though it is changing (ruining) good old-fashioned baseball. From my understanding, analytics teaches against bunting....I know Clemson fans are pissed that Monte never, ever, allows bunting and he has completely adopted analytics. I think Kingston has gotten away from it in certain situations has it hasn't served him well on this level....this would be another area where he needs to get to old-fashioned baseball.

Agreed. I feel like we kinda have one foot in one foot out. Not sure that's a good place to be. Could be I guess. Cant let things get rusty tho.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

It seems the team is improving, recruiting is doing well...I say next year will be where we really turn the corner...He does need some hitters, though....

 

[searooster]

Maybe. But it is what it is. It was the same in 2010 and 2011 the best conference on earth as well.

The SEC on 2010 and 11 was nowhere near as good across the board as it is today, as evidenced by all of today's college baseball polls.

 

[hillstosea]

Agree with batcock. The hitters are pressing. What did Yogi Berra say? Something like hitting is 50% physical and 90% mental? That applies with this team. Swinging at bad pitches is part of it. Also, this team has a lot of new starters and freshmen. I think they will work through this and WILL host a regional. Lotta talent on this team. Just need to get some confidence back

 

[sgacock]

The SEC on 2010 and 11 was nowhere near as good across the board as it is today, as evidenced by all of today's college baseball polls.

2011- Florida, Vanderbilt and Carolina were 3 of the “Final Four” in the CWS. We beat UF for the championship. The East was the toughest division of College baseball ever seen.

missSt and LSU were ranked teams. Bama and UGA made the tourney.

 

[Legendary Cock]

I've got my well-documented issues with Ray Tanner as AD. But other than hiring Kingston (a topic for a WHOLE other thread), Ray is not to blame for our piss-poor plate approach, our sudden refusal to play any sort of small ball or to try manufacture runs or leaving in an ineffective Friday starting pitcher that hasn't won a game since MERCER.

These decisions and applicable responsibilities lay solely at the feet of Mark Kingston. Hopefully, he'll get back to what was winning before it's too late in the season.

 

[cockofdawn]

The SEC on 2010 and 11 was nowhere near as good across the board as it is today, as evidenced by all of today's college baseball polls.

Wrong

 

[king ward]

Here are the facts. We are in an absolutely loaded league. Our schedule has us facing the beat in the country week in and week out. We are going to face struggles and our guys are not MLB players. The problem is all of our guys are doing so at the same time. The SEC is a gauntlet. Losing 2/3 to Arkansas and 3/3 to Ole Miss is bound to happen at some point in the season. Hitters will press when trying to make things happen. This pressing will result in taking bad at bats.

We are not alone in our struggles. Going into this weekend Ole Miss was struggling. We have 3 more weekends to get right. Go Cocks!

You're being too easy on us. Our program is not keeping pace.

 

[Jon Snow]

Right now, I’d say our program is firmly behind Vandy, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Miss State. I’m not sure about Florida. Yeah, we got the early sweep, but they seem in a better place than we are now. So, that puts us barely in the top half of the league.

 

[searooster]

Wrong

The most recent rpi poll listed 4 SEC teams in the top 5 rpi. Can you recall a point in time in 2010 or 2011 where the SEC had 4 teams in the top5 of any poll?

 

[searooster]

You're being too easy on us. Our program is not keeping pace.

Translation of above... "You are not supporting my negative nellie position here."

2011- Florida, Vanderbilt and Carolina were 3 of the “Final Four” in the CWS. We beat UF for the championship. The East was the toughest division of College baseball ever seen.

missSt and LSU were ranked teams. Bama and UGA made the tourney.

We could well have 9 or more more teams make the tourney this year.

 

[king ward]

Translation of above... "You are not supporting my negative nellie position here."

Figuratively speaking, you were hearing Spanish, but I was speaking Portuguese. We only have the opportunity to play in one environment. So what if it's tough? We all knew it would be tough and indications are we aren't up to it.

 

[funkyckn]

If I had to guess....our problem with hitting is the lack of or inability to stick with what the hitting coaches are teaching them. When a hitter struggles to adjust to what he is being taught, instead of sticking with it, he resorts back to the swing that got him there (similar to a golf swing). It takes a lot of discipline and patience to change or adjust your swing to stop bad habits that were successful for you earlier in your career....such as trying to pull every pitch, not shortening your stroke to make contact, etc. At this level and above, pitchers are good enough to exploit those bad habits and it is tough to try to learn another approach.....at some point it becomes mental.

YESSS!!!!

 

[searooster]

Figuratively speaking, you were hearing Spanish, but I was speaking Portuguese. We only have the opportunity to play in one environment. So what if it's tough? We all knew it would be tough and indications are we aren't up to it.

Do you always give up so quickly at the first sign of adversity? As of now we are #16 in rpi in Warren Nolan's poll and #10 in Division 1 baseball's poll, with opportunity to move up with 2 more home series at Founders Field.

 

[king ward]

Do you always give up so quickly at the first sign of adversity? As of now we are #16 in rpi in Warren Nolan's poll and #10 in Division 1 baseball's poll, with opportunity to move up with 2 more home series at Founders Field.

No. Usually about the third sign. Evidently you haven't been watching.

 

[hillstosea]

No. Usually about the third sign. Evidently you haven't been watching.

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