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Wake Baseball 2018

IAppreciateIt said:
Sucks because objectively we are an NCAA caliber team, and this weekend validates that almost playing Clemson even. The suspensions, lack of pitching depth and some bad luck have bit us. Not quite ready to throw away this year though. Peluse is the best Sunday starter in the ACC.
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Sorry, but objectively, NCAA caliber teams do not lose all these mid-week games like we have. NCAA caliber teams are at least 24-17 like UVa is with a 9-12 ACC record and not swept at home by Clemson. Even a non-baseball power like Pitt is 21-16 right now. We have a lot of freshmen that are playing and getting tons of experience. We lost a lot from last year's powerhouse team. We are just rebuilding right now. Nothing wrong with that. But to get to the NCAA's, you just can't lose most of your mid-week games.
 
Heh, Reff, you address what I view as a common WF fan characteristic. It seems to go like "since we've won a big game or two, or a big series, during the season, we're good enough to make the NCAAs". It typically ignores our actual record because, as happens with Wake traditionally, we often win a couple yet have a crappy record. Delusional fans appear to interpret this as our record not reflecting "our true ability" or merit, thus giving rise to the belief in "bad Wake Forest luck". I tend to see it as a form of LOWF excuse making. Anything to avoid saying we don't have a very good team/program. *ducks
 
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The baseball situation is different. The post should have read we were a midweek starter and a bit of experience short of being a postseason team this year. Nothing wrong with viewing this as a rebuilding year. Not the same as a rebuilding decade in basketball that has yet to show any signs of rebuilding.
 
Several takes could all be correct at the same time.

In the postseason, you typically get to rely on just your weekend starting rotation and a handful of key relief arms. In those type of contests, Wake has the ability to compete with and beat anybody.

Because of the midweek defeats to lesser teams, their tournament resume is such that entry is dependent on a miraculously flawless finish or an ACC Tournament Championship.

There are a lot of young guys getting valuable experience this season, and another great class coming in for next year. Though it's obviously a bit of a rebuilding year, the program is on the right track.
 
Turd Ferguson said:
The baseball situation is different. The post should have read we were a midweek starter and a bit of experience short of being a postseason team this year. Nothing wrong with viewing this as a rebuilding year. Not the same as a rebuilding decade in basketball that has yet to show any signs of rebuilding.
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Turd, baseball is on a far better upswing than basketball right now, given that we have had only one brief NCAA First Four game in bball in 2017in 8 seasons compared to 2 straight NCAA tournies for the baseball team including last year's Super Regional. But let's not forget about the hard times we were just on in baseball going back to our prior coach and his inaugural season of 2005 to the 2015 season for Coach Walter. During that time we had an over losing record in 11 seasons at 303-313 with only 1 NCAA appearance in 2007. I have to imagine Coach Walter was feeling some heat but seems to have now righted the ship with some much better pitching the past few years. We can only hope that our Top 15 class in basketball will start us back to the land of prosperity!
 
Pitching is the linchpin of defense in baseball. Wake has three really good starting pitchers, who pitch weekend games. Wake has a pretty good chance of winning any and all of them. Thus a lot of wins over some very good teams in the ACC. The pitchers who have been going in midweek games are not (hopefully yet) of that quality. Thus losses to some not highly rated out of conference teams. This year, with the youth at other positions, Wake has not been able to hit its way past some of these other teams, particularly when they throw a top pitcher against Wake.

Wake would be a dangerous team in the NCAA tournament because the format really requires only three excellent starters to win a bunch of games. Wake has those three.

Major league baseball is much the same. Teams need five reliable starters to win a lot of games and potentially, division title. Only need three excellent pitchers to win a world series, because of the spread out schedule of games. No back to back games in the playoffs and travel days in addition.
 
Deaconblue said:
Pitching is the linchpin of defense in baseball. Wake has three really good starting pitchers, who pitch weekend games. Wake has a pretty good chance of winning any and all of them. Thus a lot of wins over some very good teams in the ACC. The pitchers who have been going in midweek games are not (hopefully yet) of that quality. Thus losses to some not highly rated out of conference teams. This year, with the youth at other positions, Wake has not been able to hit its way past some of these other teams, particularly when they throw a top pitcher against Wake.

Wake would be a dangerous team in the NCAA tournament because the format really requires only three excellent starters to win a bunch of games. Wake has those three.

Major league baseball is much the same. Teams need five reliable starters to win a lot of games and potentially, division title. Only need three excellent pitchers to win a world series, because of the spread out schedule of games. No back to back games in the playoffs and travel days in addition.
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Agree. Add that, in addition to a deeper staff of experienced arms, last year's WF team had a lineup of elite experienced bats (most of whom are being paid to play baseball now). WF led the NCAA in homeruns last year. So, even when a mid-week starter had an off the game, the offense could pick up the pitching staff and bludgeon the Charlottes, Davidsons and Elons to high scoring mid week wins. This year's offense has some promising bats, but they haven't developed to the point where they can be counted on destroy mid-major pitching every time out.
 
Pilchard said:
Agree. Add that, in addition to a deeper staff of experienced arms, last year's WF team had a lineup of elite experienced bats (most of whom are being paid to play baseball now). WF led the NCAA in homeruns last year. So, even when a mid-week starter had an off the game, the offense could pick up the pitching staff and bludgeon the Charlottes, Davidsons and Elons to high scoring mid week wins. This year's offense has some promising bats, but they haven't developed to the point where they can be counted on destroy mid-major pitching every time out.
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Yes. This year's hitters are not last year's "Rake Forest" in run production and homeruns. Last year a 3 or 4 run deficit could be overcome in a good inning. So Wake winning like 15-12 could happen. Not so much this year.
 
LesJohns3D said:
Several takes could all be correct at the same time.

In the postseason, you typically get to rely on just your weekend starting rotation and a handful of key relief arms. In those type of contests, Wake has the ability to compete with and beat anybody.

Because of the midweek defeats to lesser teams, their tournament resume is such that entry is dependent on a miraculously flawless finish or an ACC Tournament Championship.

There are a lot of young guys getting valuable experience this season, and another great class coming in for next year. Though it's obviously a bit of a rebuilding year, the program is on the right track.
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Agreed. I was there for part of the game on Sunday and it hurt to watch them get smacked around like that. This team has some fight in it but as has been stated arlready on here, the mid-week losses and the suspensions seem to be too much. I think Wake will be just fine. My only gripe is that I want Wake to be in the tourney in the "down years" and it looks like it's a long shot right now. These kids are good just need a little more time I think. I'm excited about the direction of the program though.
 
LesJohns3D said:
Several takes could all be correct at the same time.

In the postseason, you typically get to rely on just your weekend starting rotation and a handful of key relief arms. In those type of contests, Wake has the ability to compete with and beat anybody.

Because of the midweek defeats to lesser teams, their tournament resume is such that entry is dependent on a miraculously flawless finish or an ACC Tournament Championship.

There are a lot of young guys getting valuable experience this season, and another great class coming in for next year. Though it's obviously a bit of a rebuilding year, the program is on the right track.
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Les do you feel like the new facilities have been helping with recruiting?
 
Wakefan77 said:
Les do you feel like the new facilities have been helping with recruiting?
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No question they have helped and will do even more so in the future as we get younger recruits in to see the facilities. Wake has also done more to supplement the 11.7 scholarships recently, much like Vandy, Rice and UVa have done for years.
 
warrenbat said:
No question they have helped and will do even more so in the future as we get younger recruits in to see the facilities. Wake has also done more to supplement the 11.7 scholarships recently, much like Vandy, Rice and UVa have done for years.
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Good to hear that Les. Is this across all Olympic sports showing part of the rise in performance all across the board? It was always going to be hard when a state school offering no scholarship at all is still cheaper than us offering a half scholly.
 
Deac alum Mac Williamson is KILLING it since being called up this weekend after reinventing his swing in the offseason. He also dominated ST and AAA.
 
deacdixieboy said:
Deac alum Mac Williamson is KILLING it since being called up this weekend after reinventing his swing in the offseason. He also dominated ST and AAA.
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Mac now has the same hitting coach in the off season as the Dodgers Justin Turner.
 
Bach starts out plunking the first 2 batters. There’s a reason why he has a 10+ ERA. Somehow got out of the first inning without giving up a run.
 
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