Longhorn Baseball Fall News and Notes

[mav]

Pierce has to fill the pipeline, and get some buzz going in the recruiting circuit now

Thank you for the insightful, excellent comments,  joey  !    I think your quote above is a good summary.

I have these concerns:

Presently, I count 40 players on the roster meaning 5 will be cut by January (4 if Kody takes a medical redshirt ?).    This has also happened in the past.   It was interesting that Zubia decommitted from Tulane to follow Pierce so obviously he will be added.

As with any coaching change,  there is always the possibility of dissension between the upperclassmen vs the freshmen.   Gurwitz and Cantu as leaders,  along with the coaching staff,  will have a challenge.

It seems that you have to be very careful in early recruiting,  not exactly knowing what your needs will be and how to distribute the 11.7 scholarships.  What looks bad is if you have to pull a previous commitment.  It is my understanding that occurred with a member of the 2016 class ​

for an unverified reason.    But that is not a good scenario or image for Texas Baseball. 

Also,  there are only 2 catchers listed on the roster (Cantu/McCann).   Perhaps there is another player that has catcher experience,  but I was hoping another catcher would be added, even from the juco ranks.   It appears we will not have an experienced bullpen catcher like in the past which is a concern.   Those guys are an important part of the team. 

 ​

 

[joeywa]

Cuts happen every season and with most programs. Shouldn't be an issue here.

Regarding the catchers, I would not be too concerned.

My 2-cents: They can always get a walk-on or kid that doesn't make the official roster to be the bullpen C. He just won't travel with the team. McCann and Cantu will handle the duties on a regular basis, and one will act as the BP C on the road trips. While I absolutely agree this is an important position, I am 100% confident in this staff to manage this situation.

 

[joeywa]

Horns win 5-4 in 10.

Texas 5/6/2

USA 4/6/2

WP Morgan Cooper

LP Nicholas Pretto

Boswell Walk-off RBI double plates Gurwitz for the W.

Rand, Denny, Gurwitz & Mathis each with hits. Boswell had two hits.

Mathis had a 3-run dinger.

 

[Tex Longhorns]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Texas vs. USA Baseball Observation[/SIZE]

 

[joeywa]

Texas vs. USA Baseball Observation

Positives:

Cooper - Command was a B, with a overpowering fastball. Did not use offspeed pitches.

Henley - Command was a A. Composure was a A. Reminds me of JD Smart and Jake O’Dell

Mathis - He’s going to be a top 12 round pick next year.

Boswell - The most polished hitter Texas has. He will go early in the draft as well

Gurwitz - Some MLB Team will pick him up late in the draft and get a steal. The dude is good.

Negatives:

Coaching Staff Grade: D

Besides Cooper and Henley the pitchers look like crap. Very inconsistent without good velocity.

No hitting philosophy. Coach Pierce talks a good game to the media but it's obvious that there is not the philosophy on hitting. If you take out Mathis, Boswell and Gurwitz everyone else is swinging and missing wildly. It’s like if you swing as hard as you can you will start. Todd, Reynolds and Sosa swung and missed at most pitches they saw and they weren’t even close. Coach Pierce talked about a bat control move runners over and drive the ball in the gaps. Where is that??? The players say there is no philosophy !!!!

The Defense was horrendous and not Texas like. Coach Pierce went against Coach Garrido and started Travis Jones at SS. It was an embarrassment !!! Coach Pierce also played David Hamilton at 2nd Base. HE’S AN OUTFIELDER !!! Can you say Curtis Granderson. But Hamilton’s parents insist he play in the infield, Coach Pierce caved in. Texas has 3 middle infielders its very very simple. Baker, Gurwitz and McNicholas. Gurwitz is the only one that saw action. Coach Pierce this is the University of Texas, where Spike Owen, Bill Bates, Koby Kerlin and Seth Johnston played. Look at Oklahoma State Coach Pierce… Donnie Walton and JR Davis. You have McNicholas and Baker.

Bottom Line - Coach Pierce and his rag tag assistant coaches are in above their heads. I saw a downgrade in every aspect of the University of Texas Baseball Team. This is not Sam Houston State, Tulane or even Rice.

Here’s your lineup Coach it’s not rocket science !!!!

Gurwitz CF

Boswell 3B

Jones 1B

Mathis RF

Baker SS/2B

Hamilton DH

Cantu C

McNicholas SS/2B

Rand LF

I take it you were at the game?

 

[mav]

Oltorfian  -  your post is like my nightmare being true !     

Are you sure about Hamilton  ?    He played infield in hs, correct  ?   If fact,  I hoped he would compete for SS but saw he played 2B.   He was a Nicholson recruit which may be concerning.   Baker did not play.  Injury  ?    You are right about the middle infield.   Have to be strong up the middle. 

Boswell seems to be more comfortable at 3b which relates to his improved hitting.   With Kody injured,  Pierce is trying to find a SS.   Travis Jones did play SS in hs but does not seem to be athletic enough for any D1 fielding position (1b/of)   Never understood why he doesn't try to pitch.   Has the arm and physical traits.    Just looks like a pitcher.

The box score verifies your hitting observation.   6 hits, and 10k's  (Cantu/Jones twice)   Tulane hit .248 and .253 as a team under Pierce.  But I think led the NCAA in HR's which is why he probably wants to bring in the fences. 

Bottom Line - Coach Pierce and his rag tag assistant coaches are in above their heads

This was my concern about the hire.   But when you do not have an AD,  it is what it is.  A competent AD would have someone vetted in advance knowing that Augie's contract would not be extended and possibly shortened. 

That said,  let's give more than 1 Fall game and about 7 days practice before we erect the cross for the crucifixion. 

Note:  As I type this,  UH is leading Team USA 8-2 after 6.

 

[joeywa]

Damn folks, let's slow the roll here. 

• Team USA did have a pitcher that was throwing straight heat out there. 
• The guys did have a small thing called a round trip to Houston and back prior to taking the field in Austin due to weather. 

I'd say for the first outing, they played just fine.  Sure there are going to be things to work on, but sheesh, talk about jumping the shark.  It's the first scrimmage.  They've only been practicing together for a couple of weeks. 

Settle down. 

 

[Johnstark23]

Damn folks, let's slow the roll here.

• Team USA did have a pitcher that throwing straight heat out there.
• The guys did have a small thing called a round trip to Houston and back prior to taking the field in Austin due to weather.

I'd say for the first outing, they played just fine. Sure there are going to be things to work on, but sheesh, talk about jumping the shark. It's the first scrimmage. They've only been practicing together for a couple of weeks.
Settle down.

But joeywa joeywa joeywa it's the first fall ball game of the year that we won.... the sky is falling the shit storm is forming Pierce sucks, the sky is falling

 

[Donald Boyles]

Pierce has to fill the pipeline, and get some buzz going in the recruiting circuit now

Thank you for the insightful, excellent comments,  joey  !    I think your quote above is a good summary.

I have these concerns:

Presently, I count 40 players on the roster meaning 5 will be cut by January (4 if Kody takes a medical redshirt ?).    This has also happened in the past.   It was interesting that Zubia decommitted from Tulane to follow Pierce so obviously he will be added.

As with any coaching change,  there is always the possibility of dissension between the upperclassmen vs the freshmen.   Gurwitz and Cantu as leaders,  along with the coaching staff,  will have a challenge.

It seems that you have to be very careful in early recruiting,  not exactly knowing what your needs will be and how to distribute the 11.7 scholarships.  What looks bad is if you have to pull a previous commitment.  It is my understanding that occurred with a member of the 2016 class ​

for an unverified reason.    But that is not a good scenario or image for Texas Baseball. 

Also,  there are only 2 catchers listed on the roster (Cantu/McCann).   Perhaps there is another player that has catcher experience,  but I was hoping another catcher would be added, even from the juco ranks.   It appears we will not have an experienced bullpen catcher like in the past which is a concern.   Those guys are an important part of the team. 

Andres Sosa has been working at catcher and at 3rd, while Austin McNicolas has also been working as a catcher(He did during his Sr. year of HS) and also at 2nd. McNicolas has been spending a ton of time in the batting cages as well as Sosa and Austin Todd. Some of these freshman are going to push the upper classman for playing time.

Patrick Mathis has been crushing the ball. Players are really enjoying the fresh blood and attacking the ball. They are still working on the small ball..

 

[Juan]

 

[joeywa]

Here are a few more from tonight's RBI Austin Event:

Coach Pierce with Reckless Kelly at tonight's RBI Austin Event

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Coach Garrido on how much he misses baseball

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Augie and Coach Pierce

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Big shout out to the Streets for their generous donation!

 

[Juan]