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Wake Baseball 2018

The highest rated pitcher among WF's incoming recruits is Ryan Cusick from Massachusetts. He is 6-6 225. Throws gas. Problem is that he could get drafted. If an MLB team does not snag him, he has talent to be very good. FWIW, another WF recruit, Grant Lavigne 1B-3B from NH is one of the best HS power bats in the draft. He is expected to go in the first 5 rounds (unless he sends the signal that he won't sign). If WF is able to keep both those two in the fold (along with a good freshman-rising soph group), WF should be pretty strong next year (assuming no surprise suspensions). Also, WF young arms struggled this year, but a lot of college baseball players make a big jump between their freshman and sophomore. I would not write off next season yet.
 
When you have to win your first game in the ACC Tournament to have any chance to advance, you pitch your best pitcher (whoever it may be) in the first game. Not too hard to figure out. As for the season,when you lose as much talent as WF did from last year, you really can't have 3 of your few experienced upper classmen getting suspended for better than half the season. It certainly puts the rest of the team in a position where they are likely to fail, and they did.
 
We saved our best pitcher when we shouldn't have this year, and we used our best pitcher when we shouldn't have in 2016, when we threw Parker Dunshee in Game 1 instead of saving him for the shot at #4 overall Texas A&M, who promptly beat us 22-2.

Pick one or the other, Walter!
 
Have no idea why people are so hung up on Walter starting Peluse against L'ville and Roberts against Duke.

WF had to win both games to advance to the semis. Roberts was going to start one and Peluse the other one. Peluse pitched into the 8th inning and beat L'ville during the regular season (Peluse also beat Duke). Roberts dominated Duke during the regular season (8IP 2 runs 8Ks). Duke is the higher rated team and obviously, Walter felt that Roberts had a better chance to beat Duke a second time than Peluse did.

Most importantly, as stated above, WF's offense scored only 4 runs in 22 innings against L'ville and Duke in the tournament; so, who started each game ended up not mattering as the offense failed to provide enough support in both games to win.
 
Pilchard said:
Have no idea why people are so hung up on Walter starting Peluse against L'ville and Roberts against Duke.

WF had to win both games to advance to the semis. Roberts was going to start one and Peluse the other one. Peluse pitched into the 8th inning and beat L'ville during the regular season (Peluse also beat Duke). Roberts dominated Duke during the regular season (8IP 2 runs 8Ks). Duke is the higher rated team and obviously, Walter felt that Roberts had a better chance to beat Duke a second time than Peluse did.

Most importantly, as stated above, WF's offense scored only 4 runs in 22 innings against L'ville and Duke in the tournament; so, who started each game ended up not mattering as the offense failed to provide enough support in both games to win.
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This

in the 3rd inning vs. UL, we had bases loaded, nobody out, our best hitter at the plate facing a freshman pitcher - he grounded into a double play

in the 8th, we had 2nd and 3rd, 1 out, down 5-2, tying run at the plate - and the pitcher struggling to throw strikes (two walks and a balk in the inning) - and our preseason AA candidate pops out on the first pitch
 
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Pilchard said:
The highest rated pitcher among WF's incoming recruits is Ryan Cusick from Massachusetts. He is 6-6 225. Throws gas. Problem is that he could get drafted. If an MLB team does not snag him, he has talent to be very good. FWIW, another WF recruit, Grant Lavigne 1B-3B from NH is one of the best HS power bats in the draft. He is expected to go in the first 5 rounds (unless he sends the signal that he won't sign). If WF is able to keep both those two in the fold (along with a good freshman-rising soph group), WF should be pretty strong next year (assuming no surprise suspensions). Also, WF young arms struggled this year, but a lot of college baseball players make a big jump between their freshman and sophomore. I would not write off next season yet.
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Matthew Wyatt Beddow seems to be a stud also and he doesn't have much of a draft risk.

https://www.perfectgame.org/Players/PlayerProfile.aspx?ID=421759

2017 National Showcase Jun 16, 2017
PG Grade: 10
Matthew Wyatt Beddow is a 2018 RHP/1B with a 6-3 205 lb. frame from Camp Hill, PA who attends IMG Academy. Big and strong athletic build. Up tempo delivery with plenty of energy, rears back and throws hard. Fastball very steady at 90-92 mph, mostly straight, generates some plane and throws his fastball for strikes. Curveball has nice depth and some bite with 12/6 shape, lands his curveball for strikes consistently and to both sides of the plate. Slider flashed sharpness and can be uses as a swing and miss pitch out of the zone. Didn't observe a change up but already has a solid three pitch mix. Good student, verbal commitment to Wake Forest.
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Another sport, another championship via the transitive property. UL vs FSU play today. We beat both of those losers.
 
So what is the verdict on Walter at this point? I know last year was special but he has been above .500 in the ACC once in eight seasons.

I don't really follow baseball so I'm just curious re: the general consensus. Not picking on the guy, but the overall record raises some questions.
 
My view on WF sports is that if you don't win consistently you're doing nothing that prior WF coaches haven't done. Most of the time, veteran teams tend to win more than young teams. So historically Wake teams win in year four then drop back to the bottom half and don't threaten again until possibly again in year four. Yawn. Nothing we haven't seen. The definition of historical competitiveness.

So I'm not impressed by last year in isolation, even though it was a strong team and went fairly far. Give me a Wake program that can win back-to-back-to-back etc.
 
inspectah said:
So what is the verdict on Walter at this point? I know last year was special but he has been above .500 in the ACC once in eight seasons.

I don't really follow baseball so I'm just curious re: the general consensus. Not picking on the guy, but the overall record raises some questions.
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Recruiting is much stronger. We made back to back NCAA appearances before this year including one game from the CWS. That's as close to the CWS as wake has gotten in 40 years, so that is a notable achievement, IMO.

He isn't on the hot seat right now. Of course its a what have you done for me lately profession so he needs to get back to the tourney soon.
 
Hey, look at that, my account was approved. OK, sorry for the double post. Won't happen again.

Just thought I'd throw that story on here. Next year should see a return to "Rake Forest", and I think Peluse/McSweeney/Shuster/Fleming/Witt should form something of a decent pitching staff.
 
Moved my musings to the NCAA Baseball thread
 
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