https://godeacs.com/news/2021/1/18/d...-rankings.aspx
Similar story to the past two seasons which were both disappointing. Anyone have a scouting report? I know most of the team is back but seems like we have a huge lack of depth at infield with Poteet and Simoneit gone. I also don't see Merrifield on the roster.
Last edited by IAppreciateIt; 02-21-2021 at 01:35 PM.
Yeah, show me the rankings after we start playing games and then I'll care.
boorish ruffian
For whatever reason we seem to get the annual unc football hype in baseball. Wake me when we have mediocre pitching to go along with our state of the art pitching lab.
Is Walter still the coach? If so, we will be bad.
In 10 seasons at Wake, Walter is 303-281 (.519) overall and 132-171 (.436) in the ACC. He only has a SINGLE winning ACC season in 10 years and has only been to two NCAAs.
It is outrageous that he has not been fired.
He earned tenure when he donated his kidney.
This is probably true, and honestly it’s probably ok. He’s killing it fundraising, and as a result he will leave the program in much better shape than he found it.Originally Posted by WFU1977
This has to be his make or break year. It appears that Currie has a higher level of expectations over all sports than Wellman did. And the above just sucks. Especially if you consider the massive amount of talent that has come through this program and been drafted in those 10 years.
It's got to be put up or shut up time.
While I lean to the patient side, WF (more specifically big-time donors) have invested a huge amount into the program. WF's baseball facilities are second to almost no other college program. Over the last 5 years, WF has recruited on an elite level as well, and other than the 2017 season, the results have not matched the investment or the talent. Baseball is the most fluky of sports as far as the result to a specific game go, but because it's the sport where the most games are played (even on a college level), WF's overall record at the end of each year gives the fairest indication as to where a program is. WF should be a top 20 baseball (top 6 ACC) essentially every year, and for whatever reason, WF has not been close to that standard. With the returning players and the incoming talent, WF should be hosting a sub-regional (top 16) and knocking on the door to Omaha. Anything less would be another disappointing season.
Many of Wake's previous good teams have had one or more major holes. The weak spots haven't been the same every year.
ETA:
Wake has a self-imposed handicap that is particularly significant in baseball, generally not accepting junior college credits, hence making junior college to Wake transfers nearly impossible. Thus it is not possible to plug in a juco transfer junior in where a would-be senior has turned pro. So the replacement has to be a relatively inexperienced guy.
The major league draft system works against Wake because many academically qualified high school players choose junior college for baseball to get an extra chance at being drafted. Also, two years in juco even at full tuition etc. is likely less than 1 year of Wake on half scholarship.
Baseball scholarship situation doesn't help either. Because most baseball players are on fractional scholarship (I'll use half for illustration) parents etc need to come up with nearly $30,000 a year for their kid to go to Wake and be a "scholarship" baseball player. In contrast, state schools have much lower in-state tuition, less than $10k, so the family portion of a half scholarship is less than $5,000. That is a much more doable number.
Wake on a half scholarship is like buying a new median price car every year. State school on half scholarship is like getting a 10 year old beater car every year. much more doable.
Facilities will only go so far in building a quality team. It all starts with high level talent. And lots of it.
Last edited by Deaconblue; 01-22-2021 at 03:35 PM.
The 247 board has a lot of information if you are willing to look for it.
a poster who i think had inside info (can't recall who) had some thoughts about walter's general nervous / "master of panic" type demeanor that was pretty indicting as far as people leadership. but if we keep churning out decent teams, whether due to facilities or not, it's hard for me to complain, even if we do underachieve relative to our talent.
Last year's thread is eerily / hilariously familiar: https://www.ogboards.com/forums/show...-Baseball-2020
Last year's season abort pretty much has us at the same spot this year with just a little more skepticism.
Hope we live up to the hype this year. Pumped for baseball to start!
That was me, facilities are largely overrated IMO. If you’re picking your school based off whose weight room or locker room looks cooler on Instagram then your likely a dud anyway. All the best schools have good facilities. Why would an elite pitcher want to come pitch at wake little league dimensions when they can go pitch at Vanderbilt with a track record of results. Pitching is the main reason wake underperforms year after year. Eventually they are forced to use someone who mentally is fragile ends up walking 3 straight batters. I think that can be linked back partly to the uncomfortable environment Walter creates where one is never sure if they’re closed to being benched or whether the staff is happy with your performance. Historically Walters and staff also treats the high scholarship guys with much better warmth and commradarie so to say. This is especially true with the hitting coach. Therefore, when you throw the middle relief guy out there whose not sure whether he’s pitching for his job every time out there, it’s a recipe for eventually an utter collapse that happens every year.
walter really talking up the pitching on the official site article. more interesting is it sounds like freshman brock wilkin will play a lot, i assume at third base
I have a source saying the same about Wilken. Also says Minacci and McGraw are studs. And Lowder could be a weekday starter...
Deacs open with Northeastern on Friday at the Couch.
Fun facts about the Huskies:
- Their HC is Mike Glavine. Yes, he is Tom's brother.
- Northeastern is favored to win the Colonial Conference North Division.
- When the season ended last year, Northeastern was 10-5, which included a road sweep of South Florida and winning two of three at Florida Atlantic.
Bump to top... do we know starting pitchers for each day this weekend? Assume Cusick Fri guy?
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote