I said it a couple of years ago and everyone jumped on me.
Why is it acceptable for our baseball program to invest significant funds to extend coaches contracts and upgraded facilities and still have a team that cannot compete with ranked opponents.
How many years of winning just enough to maybe lose in a first round regional series - and never advance any further - is okay?
Outside of 2014, UH Baseball under TW is the same song every year - MEDIOCRITY AT ITS BEST.
I always watch early season results, when we keep losing to the lower tier schools I know we aren’t very good, the day we start dominating Tx St, Utsa, A&M Corpus Christi, type schools, that’s when I know we are gonna have a great season, but not this year AGAIN
Against A&M last night we gave them 11 free rides. 8 walks and 3 Hit by Pitch. You are not going to win games with the level of pitching. I would rather see the team other team not the cover off the ball than constant walks. Another negative is your defense gets worse because they lose focus from all the walks. Throw strikes. Make the other team beat you and keep you fielders alert and active because they know the pitcher is going to throw strikes.
The Pitching Coach needs to do his job. He needs to be working on the pitchers mechanics and mental aspect of pitching. Pitchers need to know you work out wildness from working on your mechanics and the mental approach of pitching at practice and in the bullpen. You get pulled quick in a game if you don’t throw strikes.
Walk, walks, walks, or hit batters, pick your poison. Last night Coogs gave up 8 walks and hit three batters. Pretty tough to win against anyone with those numbers. And not the first time this season either. Very disappointed in the development, or lack of it, in our pitching staff. Something needs to change. Maybe the pitching coach?
That is one bad game. By what you guys are saying about 15% of all of our walks this season came last night. That could be a bad night. That could be the plate umpire. As a pitcher, I can tell you sometimes you throw strikes and umps just don’t call it. Since I didn’t watch I can’t comment on that game specifically, but some umps couldn’t call my curveball and some couldn’t call my sinker. Don’t get too caught up in one games walk numbers. Looking at the aggregate we aren’t a horrible team control wise, but our pitching doesn’t look as good as in years past under Whitting.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you, I just want to clarify. Baseball is a weird sport. Losing a single game doesn’t tell you much. However, we should be regularly taking series from the teams you mentioned mixed in with the occasional sweep.
Bored this morning and did a quick look at the pitching staff…interesting. 15 games.
Top 3 Pitchers in inning pitched------60 innings, 16 walks
Rest of staff (primarily relief)----------83 innings 56 walks
I didnt break it down, but add in 27 hit batters total, that’s a lot of baserunners
Like all stats, can always be looked at and categorized in different ways and be much more concise in terms of situations, etc., but in my opinion, kind of gives a picture of where the problems lie. The numbers are approximations, should be accurate within an inning pitched, but didn’t total by decimals.
The numbers in comparison to our opposition aren’t that bad, it looks more situational than anything.
Don’t know if “mediocrity” is the right word, or “inconsistent.” Either way, the coaching staff has got to figure it out. If not them, well, the next group must do so.
We get pitching one day, but not the next. We get hitting one day, but not the next. And the pitching doesn’t seem to match up with the hitting. That’s a sign of inconsistency. That trait will kill you every time.
I was thinking this watching the game last night. It will be a very interesting weekend in Norman. We need to start winning series against these big teams.
Not just last night. I think we walked 23 Longhorns in that 3 game series. UT scored 6 runs without the ball leaving the infield. We lost Friday night on a run that was forced across by a walk. I sure hope Pitching improves as the Season moves on. Go Coogs!
Which would be extremely disappointing if that’s how his tenure should end…I loved the hire when we announced him and thought he would be our version of schlossnagle and lead us to to a couple CWS appearances.
I remember that it was fun watching Coogs when Coach Anderson was here. After the other UT poached him, the seasons have not been as exciting, as a whole. Pitching is EVERYTHING.
It’s baseball - whole different animal that’s why some schools want to up scholarships to create haves and have nots. Can’t load up on depth so talent is spread out more.
JD,I totally agree. Baseball has been major disappointment since Whitting has been here.Every year there is excuse,we are young or,next year .One year preseason ranked 5th and did not finish even ranked. When we hired him many TCU people were happy to have him removed from their program. Think they were right. It’s all about results and I have seen NONE!
I disagree. Whitting has had us consistently as one of the top programs in the American year in, year out. 4 of 6 years in the NCAAT, 4 of 6 years with over 40+ wins. I am concerned with the decline in our pitching staff over the last few years but Whitting imo, has earned a bit of patience from the fan base.