Baseball- The good, the bad & the ugly

[Jerry K]

Texas baseball took it on the chin this weekend at Minute Maid going 0-3 for the weekend against LSU, Texas State and Vanderbilt. 
 

The Good- the offense got bad on its horse after the LSU game scoring 21 runs in the last 2 games. 

The bad- Horns pitching staff allowed 31 runs and serving up entirely too many cookies giving up 7 home runs on the weekend. 

The ugly- 20 strikeouts Friday night against LSU.  Lost a lead late against Texas State Saturday followed by a monumental collapse today against Vanderbilt losing 14-11 after racing out to a 11-3 lead. 

Coach Pierce has historically turned things around after slow starts to the season. Only this year he doesn’t have much time with the Aggies coming to town Tuesday followed a trip to Lubbock next week to start conference play. This is probably his biggest challenge yet. Hopefully this weekend will light a fire in the team, most importantly the pitching staff. 

We’ll see. 
 

 

[ClubWhatever]

Bad - 5 errors

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

@Blake Munroe thoughts?

pitching was UGLY giving up 31 runs, blowing an 8 run lead and falling to Texas St is terrible. Another season and another poor showing in a major league ball park. Texas sure knows how to embarrass themselves  in these settings. 0-6 the last two years I believe. Talk me off the ledge Blake.

Edited March 3, 2024 by CoachBobbyFinstock

[TTown]

Don't know enough on baseball to comment on Pierce and his future. What I do know is going to the SEC is going to be much tougher in most sports than the Big 12.

Football, baseball for sure, track for sure etc. Ready to see how we respond in all the sports, but gonna be brutal in quite a few of them compared to the Big 12 imo.

[cmk4pres]

Well time for Spring football.

[cmk4pres]

39 minutes ago, CoachBobbyFinstock said:

@Blake Munroe thoughts?

pitching was UGLY giving up 31 runs, blowing an 8 run lead and falling to Texas St is terrible. Another season and another poor showing in a major league ball park. Texas sure knows how to embarrass themselves  in these settings. 0-6 the last two years I believe. Talk me off the ledge Blake.

I'm just tired of the "it's early in the season" excuses. Its early for all three teams we played this weekend and play aggy this week who is rolling 

[John Moore]

I do not feel great about Texas baseball's outlook in the SEC

[horns96]

Who is the pitching coach again? 🤔

After that good start against the early schedule fodder, I hope that staff was humbled by this weekend.

 

[Jerry K]

Just now, horns96 said:

Who is the pitching coach again? 🤔

After that good start against the early schedule fodder, I hope that staff was humbled by this weekend.

 

Lol Coach Pierce is still trying to figure out what arms he has and doesn’t have. To be fair It’s not uncommon to see teams at a “work in progress” stage early in the season and this has been Coach Pierce’s MO. Problem with this year is he has a lot less time to figure out solutions before facing tougher competition again. 

There are a couple of early signs of concern with the pitching staff for me. Charlie Hurley has regressed from where he was last year. David Shaw was supposedly much improved and while he’s not any worse than last year I don’t see that he’s any better.  

[ClubWhatever]

35 minutes ago, Jerry K said:

Charlie Hurley has regressed from where he was last year.

He wasn't that great last year.  It's early but his ERA and BAA are actually down from last year.  He's performing about as expected.

[ClubWhatever]

45 minutes ago, Jerry K said:

David Shaw was supposedly much improved and while he’s not any worse than last year I don’t see that he’s any better.

I think Shaw is being misused.  He's not a closer.   He's a one inning setup guy.  That said, I agree he doesn't look better after the injury.  His velocity seems to have lost a tick and slider not quite as sharp. 

[Jerry K]

4 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

He wasn't that great last year.  It's early but his ERA and BAA are actually down from last year.  He's performing about as expected.

I hear his numbers are not going to tell the whole story. He got a lot better at the end of the season. In a radio interview last fall Coach Pierce even commented on the number of pitchers returning and already having his weekend starting rotation in place with LBJ, Witt and Hurley. I think even Coach Pierce is surprised at his performance so far this year. 

[Jerry K]

Just now, ClubWhatever said:

I think Shaw is being misused.  He's not a closer.   He's a one inning setup guy.  That said, I agree he doesn't look better after the injury.  His velocity seems to have lost a tick and slider not quite as sharp. 

Yes sir I agree 

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

2 hours ago, cmk4pres said:

I'm just tired of the "it's early in the season" excuses. Its early for all three teams we played this weekend and play aggy this week who is rolling 

Agree

[cmk4pres]

2 hours ago, Jerry K said:

Lol Coach Pierce is still trying to figure out what arms he has and doesn’t have. To be fair It’s not uncommon to see teams at a “work in progress” stage early in the season and this has been Coach Pierce’s MO. Problem with this year is he has a lot less time to figure out solutions before facing tougher competition again. 

There are a couple of early signs of concern with the pitching staff for me. Charlie Hurley has regressed from where he was last year. David Shaw was supposedly much improved and while he’s not any worse than last year I don’t see that he’s any better.  

Hurley as your #2 was always going to be a problem. He should be your Tuesday starter 

[MBHORNSFAN]

I was out all 3 games. Complete disaster.  Pierce is not the answer long term. Our pitching talent is awful. 

[ClubWhatever]

39 minutes ago, MBHORNSFAN said:

I was out all 3 games. Complete disaster.  Pierce is not the answer long term. Our pitching talent is awful. 

"Awful" is a bit much.   It sure doesn't look good as it should be at Texas right now.  Injuries have been part of that (some happened too late to react in the portal).  Youth is also a factor, as the guys who have to step in the for the injured guys are young.   But yes, some of the guys don't appear good enough to win with.

[MBHORNSFAN]

 

4 minutes ago, ClubWhatever said:

"Awful" is a bit much.   It sure doesn't look good as it should be at Texas right now.  Injuries have been part of that (some happened too late to react in the portal).  Youth is also a factor, as the guys who have to step in the for the injured guys are young.   But yes, some of the guys don't appear good enough to win with.

Dustin summed it up quite well.

 

 

https://twitter.com/DustinLMcComas/status/1764396132929528001?t=mAeWoTpJJp4CR1gj6mVRQg&s=19

Edited March 4, 2024 by MBHORNSFAN

[ClubWhatever]

2 minutes ago, MBHORNSFAN said:

Dustin summed it up quite well.

 

 

https://twitter.com/DustinLMcComas/status/1764396132929528001?t=mAeWoTpJJp4CR1gj6mVRQg&s=19

I agree with everything he said.  He did not say it's awful.   It's a notch below the top programs which is unacceptable for Texas.   This year, whiffing in the portal has as much to do with injuries and people quitting as it does with neglect.  And anyone is free to give a large donation to the TOF and tag it for baseball.

[GoHorns1]

22 hours ago, John Moore said:

I do not feel great about Texas baseball's outlook in the SEC

Texas is a middle of the pack SEC baseball program. 

[MBHORNSFAN]

On 3/4/2024 at 1:27 PM, ClubWhatever said:

I agree with everything he said.  He did not say it's awful.   It's a notch below the top programs which is unacceptable for Texas.   This year, whiffing in the portal has as much to do with injuries and people quitting as it does with neglect.  And anyone is free to give a large donation to the TOF and tag it for baseball.

 

More awful pitching tonight.  Flat out embarrassing 

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

Embarrassing loss. Run off the diamond by A$M in Austin. 
 

A$M money whipped an elite coach in Schlossnagle and got him. The difference is significant. 

Texas “settled” for Pierce. I don’t get it and Texas is the baseball powerhouse. 

[cmk4pres]

We now have a baseball problem 

[ClubWhatever]

1 hour ago, MBHORNSFAN said:

 

More awful pitching tonight.  Flat out embarrassing 

We gave up 5 earned runs.  We dropped a routine fly ball that led to 2 runs.   This is against a team that's hitting .330 and scoring 10 runs a game on the year.   Not awful.   Average.  We have a bullpen full of jags.

[CoachBobbyFinstock]

8 hours ago, ClubWhatever said:

We gave up 5 earned runs.  We dropped a routine fly ball that led to 2 runs.   This is against a team that's hitting .330 and scoring 10 runs a game on the year.   Not awful.   Average.  We have a bullpen full of jags.

The bullpen is disappointing. We miss Morehouse. Pierce is the pitching coach….

Edited March 6, 2024 by CoachBobbyFinstock