Returning players and recruiting class

Discussion in 'Baseball' started by aUTfan, Aug 30, 2021.

  1. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Yeah. I agree--that 3rd starter is up in the air.

    DuPlantier showed flashes of greatness, but he would lose all control at times and completely blow the game. If he gets those issues worked out (easier said than done), he could end up our best pitcher by the time he's done here. He has the nastiest breaking stuff. Zane is a heat thrower, an inning eater, and a work horse who gets the job done against the sort of competition we usually face mid-week. Can he successfully make the jump up to weekend starter against the top competition this year? Maybe. Maybe not. I hope he does. Like you said, some of the new guys may challenge for starter positions.
     
  2. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    I also want to see what pitcher O'Banan can do. He redshirted last year. He came with lots of accolades from high school in Central Texas.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  3. aUTfan

    aUTfan 2,500+ Posts

    Zane pitched Sunday, I didn’t get to watch a lot of it cause I was looking up the jersey numbers and trying to get the positions noted. He might have been one of the pitchers that hit 95.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  4. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    2 from the Woodlands area (Oak Ridge and Grand Oaks). Why is Oak Ridge listed as Conroe and Grand Oaks as Spring? Both HS are in Conroe ISD.
     
  5. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    Looking forward to Denny’s breakfast special on Tuesday evening.
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  6. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    DuP was serving them up last year.

    I expect much better this year.
     
  7. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    Hoping it’s only the senior citizen discount this year.
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  8. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    upload_2022-10-25_15-19-36.jpeg
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  9. aUTfan

    aUTfan 2,500+ Posts

    I’ll be at the beach this weekend, will anyone be going by the game Sunday to report?
     
  10. aUTfan

    aUTfan 2,500+ Posts

    I’m thinking anyone that didn’t pitch last weekend will probably pitch this coming weekend.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  11. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    And San Jac may be just as good competition as UH.

    San Jac = gold standard of JC baseball
     
  12. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Building for the future with some serious power:

    Klayton Bolkema
    from Davenport, Iowa
    5'11"
    255 lbs
    Class of 2024
    1B and OF
    Left handed Power Hitter

    Apparently, he also plays on a US Elite New Jersey private team.
    Batting avg 0.536.
    OPS 1.507 :confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:

    And he's a Defensive Tackle on the football team.
    Won a home run derby contest in a big league park.

    Tagged "The Brazilian Bomber".

    "Hits from even-based stance with leg lift trigger, separates well, barrel tilt into load, big time power pull-side with intent in swing, lifts and separates, can really drive the ball when barrel gets out front. Primary outfielder, clocked up to 78 mph on throws, looked solid at 1B as well, good feet with balance to footwork, clocked up to 77 mph across the diamond from there. Good student."



    [​IMG]
    Prep Baseball Report - Player: Klayton Bolkema
    Klayton Bolkema Class of 2024 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA
    https://twitter.com/bolkemaklayton
     
  13. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    More on left handed power hitter Klayton Bolkema---The Brazilian Bomber!!!

     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2023
  14. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    2025: bring in the right field wall at the Disch.
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  15. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Collin Valentine
    LHP
    Class of 2022
    Valentine is on campus and should see some game action in relief this year

    The skinny on Valentine as a recruit was just that--he's too skinny.
    Reports are that he's gained 15 or so lbs of the right kind of weight, is stronger, and is now throwing a fastball in the upper 80s. His breaking stuff, movement, and precise control were never in question. Now he's bigger, stronger, and can throw faster--he's not just a "project." It's nice to have another competent young left handed pitcher in the pen--you know, someone that can reliably come out of the pen throwing strikes. Good scouting by the staff.

    "Long and lengthy build with plenty of room to fill out as he continues to develop. Primary pitcher, has a longer arm action from a high three-quarters slot. Comes set with lower hands, meticulous as he separates....

    ...Throws two separate breaking balls. Curveball has a 1-to-7 shape with some good depth and developing bite....

    ... Slider has a 10-to-4 shape and sweeps across the plate. Slider is the better out pitch of the two, tough look for left-handed hitters."




    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2023
  16. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    More Max Grubbs—

    From an interview with the Dallas News when they named him player of the week after whipping rival Arlington High:

    “The overall part I was most proud of was throwing strikes, because I take pride in not walking people. Thirteen strikeouts is not bad.”

     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2023
  17. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    More reports saying Zane Morehouse’s continued improvement as a pitcher since last year has been impressive. Zane throws 95+ mph fastballs. He showed up real well in Fall Ball.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  18. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    Any reports yet on the Denny’s special?
     
  19. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    I figure DuPlantier will challenge for the #3 or #4 starter spot. It appears that Zane has the lead for the #3 spot, but we’ll see how it goes. Both have very good stuff.

    For 2023, I don’t think Coach will be as patient as last year with pitchers who walk multiple men in an inning or give up grand slams.

    Last year’s absurd offense could dig us out of big pits dug by careless pitchers. This year, our offense should be good, but we can’t expect to match last year’s offensive production. That’s not realistic.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  20. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    You can't really tell much from this, but Just Baseball online is listing Tanner Witt as one of the top 10 RHPs for this year. The article is from last week--Jan 6, 2023. If Witt is back this year, that's a game-changer. I just hope he heals up and rehabs fully. No major rush.

    Top 10 Right-Handed Pitchers in College Baseball
     
  21. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    2023 Pre-Season College Baseball All-American Team
    1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams.

    http://baseballnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2023-NCAA-Div.-I-All-American-Team-Jan-2023.pdf

    Collegiate Baseball 2023 All-Americans - Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

    Lucas Gordon is the Rodney Dangerfield of college baseball--no respect. His performance last year merits at least a 2nd Team All American slot. He had by far the lowest ERA of any starting Big 12 pitcher... And the Big 12 provides better competition than all but one college baseball league.

    Also, keep an eye on both Campbell and Kennedy for post season awards, though there's nothing for them here in the pre-season.

    Meanwhile, in Knoxville, the two Chases will be mowing them down again.

    And Hunter Elliot of Ole Miss is real good. That dude is a gamer. When the big game is on the line, he shows up and mows them down. He's another one of those guys who could stand a trip to the Wooten Barber Shop though... :beertoast:

     
  22. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    A VERY early Bleacher Report mock 1st round draft for next year has Tanner Witt going 14th to the Baltimore Orioles... Yeah, he's really, really good.

    Jason Wiggins RHP Arkansas would go 16th to the Boston Red Sox in this prediction. We may face Wiggins in Game 1 in the Arlington tournament.

    Braden Taylor 3rd base TCU would go 23rd to the Seattle Mariners in this projection.

    They've got Sykora going 28th to the Houston Astros. If we can't get Sykora for a year or two, then maybe the Stros or Rangers can get him...
     
  23. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    I saw an interview with Witt. The “journalist” speculated that Witt might not play at the beginning of the season, but might enter games by sometime around May. Witt seemed to go along with this speculation.
     
  24. aUTfan

    aUTfan 2,500+ Posts

    Oh come on...... New season, great pitching coach now. Not saying it won't happen early in the season but I suspect things will get figured out early in the season.
     
  25. mchammer

    mchammer 10,000+ Posts

    Hard to forget a century’s worth of grand slams in one season.
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  26. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    DuP’s got plenty of the hot sauce—no doubt about it. But he’s got to master his control this year. If he can do that, then MLB scouts will take notice. Based on Fall Ball, it looks like Zane will start out as a weekend starter. But if DuP performs well consistently, he could end up a weekend guy.

    I don’t think our coaches will be as forgiving as last year of pitchers who keep taking the mound showing lousy control. If DuP goes out there loading up the bases with walks and punching the Denny’s Grand Slam frequent diner card, I think he’ll mostly remain on the bench. But if he shows good control, the sky’s the limit for DuP.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2023
  27. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    And pleas send Sthele back to the locker room when we’re at bat to sit in a calm room with a relaxation therapist or a masseuse or something, playing some soothing Inya music on low volume. He seems to be wound a bit tight on the mound. Dude’s got the arm though. That’s for sure.

    :beertoast:
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2023
  28. aUTfan

    aUTfan 2,500+ Posts

    Pierce for sure deserves the criticism but Woody doesn't. I'm still pissed at Pierce over last years performance and loss of talent. Even though we made it to Omaha, there was some serious underperforming last year from the bullpen and that all falls on Pierce. We lost a very talented closer because of it and Im sure there were some other transfers that Im forgetting.
     
  29. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Some tidbit summaries from some Inside Texas and D1 Baseball folks:

    - Dylan Campbell: best (non-pitcher) player on the team, probably hitting in the 3 hole, will hit for power, average, and has good speed.

    - Jalin Flores: may start at 3B or SS. Fielding and bat are way ahead of his age.

    - Jared Thomas: starting at 1B. Good power hitter.

    - Daly: may start at SS or 2B. (Chop's comment--he batted well over .300 two years ago)

    - Tanner Carlson: will contend for time at SS and 2B. (Chop's comment--a guy with a real high career batting average; would like to work him into the lineup frequently)

    - Guillemette: will start at C. Galvan and Payton Powell will see time at C.

    - Jayden DuPlantier, Cade O'Hara, and Jack O'Dowd will all contend for time in the middle infield (Chop's comment--Jack "O'Dinger" O'Dowd will be in the starting lineup, at DH if nowhere else. He'll likely hit 15+ homeruns this year, maybe a lot more.)

    - Max Belyeu: will see a lot of playing time somewhere. His bat is solid.

    - OF is Campbell, Kennedy, and either Brown or Whitehead (with both of these last two seeing lots of time).

    - LBJ's fastball is now hitting up OVER 100mph!!! (Chop's comment: the angle from a tall, long-armed pitcher makes it seem even faster, and harder to hit; LBJ's problem last year was frequently throwing it low and in the dirt.). New speculation is that LBJ will be tried as a starting pitcher!?!? (could be weekday, or weekend).

    -
    Zane Morehouse showed much better control in the Fall. He's real good. (Chop's comment: Zane will likely be our #3 or #4 starting pitcher)

    - Other starting pitchers might include: Chuck Hurley, Andre DuPlantier, Kobe Minchey (Freshman), and Travis Sthele. (Chop's comment: go ahead and pencil in Chuck Hurley as our #2 or #3 starter)

    - Hard to say when Tanner Witt will be ready. Speculation from multiple folks is sometime from March through May.

    -
    New coaching staff (assistants) are using a lot more analytics on D than we've ever seen from a Texas team. They're moving the IF and OF a lot based on opposing batters tendency. (Chop's comment: Our analytics isn't exactly that of the Houston Astros--but it looks like we'll be shifting the defense around a lot.)

    - The schedule is tough

    :bevo::bevo::bevo:
     
  30. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    • Like Like x 1

Share This Page