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Wake Baseball

HailToTheDeacons said:
From Thursday:

“Our goal is to win the thing,” coach Tom Walter said. “Our goal is not to go 1-2 and just win a game."

GJGE
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OK...here's my year-end summary and response to this quote. Your decision to yank Loepprich after the brain fart non-throw to 3rd was a decision that said you didn't want to win it, but rather embarrass him and the team. With the bullpen's track record you really thought you had a chance to beat A&M without him? How about a pat on the fanny and some words like, "Ok, you blew that but let's get our head back in the game and focus now that it's stopped raining." I'm convinced his rough start was directly a result of the rain and throwing the ball extra careful, hence the hits. Did Walter forget the gem he pitched vs Clemson and had the win except for Walter's bonehead decision to put in our relievers? Similar to your treatment of Freeman for your bad decision to walk the winning run vs N.D.

Sorry, just don't like the man. Has said some negative things to kids per the parents and I don't see him as a motivator or encourager. Just look at how the team played in their last game. You think they liked being out there after the A & M game? Clemson's coach took an embarrassing loss at home this year vs NC State and turned it around to win a 2-1 game on Sunday. Walter can't do this. It's just not his personality. Team did as well as did this year in spite of him, IMO. I've been in sports and I know the yellers and negative coaches are out there and some succeed. I just don't like them and I don't like what I see in Walter (Seems the volleyball team had enough of it).

I move we go another direction in baseball as well. My 2 cents.
 
Are you really comparing Walter to the ex-volleyball coach?
 
Trying to blame a 22-2 loss on coaching decisions is really a stretch. BTW, the score was 6-1 in the 4th with 1 out and a runner on 2nd when they pulled Lopperich; he had given up 8 hits in 3.1 innings. He wasn't fooling anyone. At that point, he had thrown 73 pitches; so, at best he might have gotten through the 5th, and instead of 14-2; it might have been 11-2. BFD.

Also, really don't get the comparison between State's 2-1 win over Clemson after a bad loss to the Minnesota loss yesterday. In baseball, you are only as good as your next starting pitcher (btw, it didn't seem like State's coach fired up the Pack offense if they only scored 2 runs off Clemson's Sunday starter). So, you think had Walter properly fired up Johnstone, he would have shut Minnesota down? Johnstone pitched how you would expect a #4 starter on a college baseball to team to pitch: 3 earned runs in 4.2 innings. Just hard to accept that it was Walter's attitude that caused Johnston to pitch to form. WF performed as expected. Split with Minnesota; lost at Texas A&M (where they are 32-5 this year). It's all hypothetical, but have hard time believing that Walter's "coaching attitude" caused the sub-regional result.
 
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My two cents worth. I think the problem is simply that we can't recruit the pitching necessary to do much better than we are doing. Simply put, two more Parker Dunshees this year and we would have been very good.
 
Pitching and defense are often times what separate good teams from elite teams in college. There are a lot of guys who can hit with metal bats. With that said, I really hope we do some soul searching on approach at the plate. We absolutely struck out way too much and were abysmal with runners in scoring position. You can't live and die by the long ball and still try to play small ball at the same time.
 
Deac65 said:
My two cents worth. I think the problem is simply that we can't recruit the pitching necessary to do much better than we are doing. Simply put, two more Parker Dunshees this year and we would have been very good.
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So the question begs to be asked. Does the Well-Man keep Walter or not. We have about eight seniors who will be departing and possibly up to three juniors who could leave early for the major league draft. It is really hard to say that next year or the year after is going to be any better than this non-title game and 1-2 regional year is it? If that is the case then it is time for a culture change from the Well-Man as we sink infinite dollars into our baseball infrastructure.
 
Walter is not going to be fired after WF qualifies for its first NCAA appearance in 7 years. That said, if WF is awful next year, Walter could be in trouble. Even without Craig, the lineup might be OK with Fairchild and Sheets in the middle of the order. Like all baseball teams, the key will be whether any pitchers step up.
 
Bones McKinney said:
So the question begs to be asked. Does the Well-Man keep Walter or not. We have about eight seniors who will be departing and possibly up to three juniors who could leave early for the major league draft. It is really hard to say that next year or the year after is going to be any better than this non-title game and 1-2 regional year is it? If that is the case then it is time for a culture change from the Well-Man as we sink infinite dollars into our baseball infrastructure.
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There's zero percent chance Tom Walter isn't the coach at Wake next year.
 
Can anyone explain why we hit worse with men on base? Should be the other way around since we should be seeing more fastballs, right?
 
TAMU is clearly the team to beat. Very bad draw for the DEACS.
 
Henry Chinaski said:
Unfortunately it also sounds like there is a zero percent chance we aren't terrible. Kidney is worth another year I guess.
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Pitching is always a question mark, but solid core with Fairchild and Sheets in the middle of the lineup. With Will Craig being a first-round draft pick, and the investments taking place in regards to facilities, the program is positioned well for sustained growth. Sad that more folks aren't happy with that.
 
80deac said:
OK...here's my year-end summary and response to this quote. Your decision to yank Loepprich after the brain fart non-throw to 3rd was a decision that said you didn't want to win it, but rather embarrass him and the team. With the bullpen's track record you really thought you had a chance to beat A&M without him? How about a pat on the fanny and some words like, "Ok, you blew that but let's get our head back in the game and focus now that it's stopped raining." I'm convinced his rough start was directly a result of the rain and throwing the ball extra careful, hence the hits. Did Walter forget the gem he pitched vs Clemson and had the win except for Walter's bonehead decision to put in our relievers? Similar to your treatment of Freeman for your bad decision to walk the winning run vs N.D.

Sorry, just don't like the man. Has said some negative things to kids per the parents and I don't see him as a motivator or encourager. Just look at how the team played in their last game. You think they liked being out there after the A & M game? Clemson's coach took an embarrassing loss at home this year vs NC State and turned it around to win a 2-1 game on Sunday. Walter can't do this. It's just not his personality. Team did as well as did this year in spite of him, IMO. I've been in sports and I know the yellers and negative coaches are out there and some succeed. I just don't like them and I don't like what I see in Walter (Seems the volleyball team had enough of it).

I move we go another direction in baseball as well. My 2 cents.
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Your personal views on Walter aside, Loepprich was terrible vs. AM. I would not necessarily have pulled him after that play but the game was over anyway. To be honest I think he should have been pulled earlier. Even the outs were striped. He did pitch great against Clemson and had some other solid outings ( at USC comes to mind first) but he didn't have it that game. Most of the other stuff in your post I can't speak on because I have no sources. I do think pitching has to be the absolute number one priority for the next few seasons. Even when the bats are cold, pitching, defense, and base running can win games.
 
rutmanchoo said:
Your personal views on Walter aside, Loepprich was terrible vs. AM. I would not necessarily have pulled him after that play but the game was over anyway. To be honest I think he should have been pulled earlier. Even the outs were striped. He did pitch great against Clemson and had some other solid outings ( at USC comes to mind first) but he didn't have it that game. Most of the other stuff in your post I can't speak on because I have no sources. I do think pitching has to be the absolute number one priority for the next few seasons. Even when the bats are cold, pitching, defense, and base running can win games.
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Loepprich wasn't great; but, Walter should have made the call to walk Boomer White. I don't think, though, that would have changed the outcome.
 
rutmanchoo said:
Your personal views on Walter aside, Loepprich was terrible vs. AM. I would not necessarily have pulled him after that play but the game was over anyway. To be honest I think he should have been pulled earlier. Even the outs were striped. He did pitch great against Clemson and had some other solid outings ( at USC comes to mind first) but he didn't have it that game. Most of the other stuff in your post I can't speak on because I have no sources. I do think pitching has to be the absolute number one priority for the next few seasons. Even when the bats are cold, pitching, defense, and base running can win games.
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It was probably Loepprich's worst outing, comes directly on the heels of perhaps his best outing. He just had command of absolutely nothing, even before the rain began to pelt him. I'm confident that made things worse, but it wasn't like he was killing it before then.
 
Yeah it was unfortunate but Loepprich really was just throwing glorified BP out there. Sinkers across the plate.

Will be interesting to see what happens next year. I would be surprised if it's equal to this year's team. I think Sheets and Fairchild will be good, but without pitching additions or improvement (or left-handed pitchers) it's hard to imagine this returning core making the NCAA Tournament next year. Hope I'm wrong.
 
RivalsLes said:
There's zero percent chance Tom Walter isn't the coach at Wake next year.
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Extension worthy then as the contract is up or close to it? If not then it shows no confidence for future recruiting classes but if so and we are worse as most assume next year then we have more money for Well-Man to be responsible for when hiring a new coach assuming he himself is still around. But finishing tenth in the Atlantic Coast Conference, barely making the NCAA's then going 1-2 is not exactly a ballbusting season, but just better than his other six seasons. If Crapple Hill actually beats State another game on the final regular season weekend we do not even have any of this discussion in all probability. We shall see where we go over the next few years with Couch money.
 
So, in summary, we've spent six years "rebuilding", proceeded to go 1-2 in the big dance and now will be rebuilding again. But, we have great facilities.

Sounds like a plan!
 
Got back today from College Station early this afternoon; not a bad drive since the rain was gone! Saw all 4 games on Sat/Sun, missing our opening Fri win. At the ball park from 2:30 PM until 1 AM Sat and from 2 PM until 11 PM yesterday. Was afraid I would jinx the Deacs by heading over, and I did, but glad I went. Great atmosphere except for all the rain and the debacle Sat night. Fortunately I was sitting around some nice Aggie fans. Did not see many WF fans except for some of the players' parents. Minnesota had a small but vocal contingent as did Binghamton. Talked to Drew's mom before yesterday's game; very nice lady. She said he made no excuses, fans didn't bother him (Aggie fans can be rather annoying to opposing pitchers), the rain didn't bother him, said he just didn't pitch good. I knew Aggies are quirky but learned a few more things that are unique in Aggie Land - the bubble machines that some fans hold to spew bubbles every time they score. Think some of them ran dry Sat night...:tear: Then they hold up their fingers trying to guess how many engines the UP freight trains have before they come into view beyond the right field fence. Some actually get excited when they guess right! Anyway, was very proud of our guys though, esp the way they handled themselves in a difficult environment. Just wish they could have played a bit better (and wish I'd gone over for Fri's game). No doubt A&M is 1 of the top teams and they are def looking for revenge vs TCU this weekend in the Super Regional...should be a good one.

I did come home with a souvenir: a Donnie Sellers' served up long foul ball from yesterday's Minn game. Hoping it's value increases over time...:thumbsup:

GO DEACS!
 
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