2024 Texas Baseball

[BillyGoatHill 4276]

16 hours ago, BachelorTrek said:

When will the 2024 schedule be announced?  

I'm curious to see how many more conference games there will be with all these new teams for this one-year Big12 baseball sendoff.

You most likely have another month to wait.

Texas Baseball tweeted out last year's '23 schedule October 27, '22.

Edited September 23, 2023 by BillyGoatHill

[NeverMarryAStripper 21780]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:49 PM, Hookem2147 said:

 

I wish the one in DKR looked like that during the games

[Hookem2147 20910]

Longggg post on OB with some practice notes from last Friday and how the roster is shaping up.

Spoiler

While it still feels like summer time in Texas, it is officially Fall at Disch-Falk Field as Texas Baseball is back at work, preparing for the 2024 season. Unlike last season when the entire roster felt brand new, the Longhorns return a core group of experienced players to build around as they look to once again reach Omaha after missing out in 2023 in heart breaking fashion.

While the Horns return the majority of their starting lineup, there will definitely be some new names to learn and players to replace, notably at Catcher, Centerfield and Right Field. The good news is that Texas brought in a large group of talented freshmen and bolstered it with some solid pickups in the transfer portal. Based on the talent on the roster, the expectation as always will be to contend for a Big 12 title and make a long run into the postseason.

Focusing first on who returns for the Horns, there is a reason for the high expectations. Offensively, Texas returns starters Peyton Powell, Porter Brown, Jared Thomas, Jack O’Dowd and Jalin Flores. In addition, Max Belyeu, Jayden Duplantier, Rylan Galvan, Cade O’Hara and Cam Constantine return. On the mound, the Horns bring back one of the best 1-2 starting combos in the nation in Tanner Witt and Lebarron Johnson Jr, both of whom decided to turn down 7 figure contracts to return to Texas. For Witt, his love for Texas and his belief that there is unfinished business were the driving forces, while Lebarron Johnson Jr comes back with the belief that he can improve his draft stock while also trying to erase the feelings from how last season ended. In addition to Witt and LBJ, the Horns return a number of arms from the bullpen in Andre Duplantier, Heston Tole, David Shaw, Cody Howard, Ace Whitehead, Charlie Hurley, Chase Lummus and Max Grubbs.

From a pure numbers standpoint, here is what Texas returns offensively in all categories, Runs (54%), Hits (55%), Home Runs (45%), RBI (55%), Total Bases (52%), Stolen Bases (43%), Bases on Balls (58%). Obviously the two areas that Texas will need to work on are Home Runs and Stolen Bases. Losing the trio of Campbell, Kennedy and Guillemette will not be easy to replace offensively, but much like when Ivan Melendez departed for MLB, Coach Pierce and the staff will look to a number of folks to replace their offensive production. There are high expectations of guys like Porter Brown, Jared Thomas, Peyton Powell and Jalin Flores, as well as Duke transfer Luke Storm to help replace the lost offensive pop.

Jared Thomas on his success last year:

"I like to go out there, I like to compete. I like to have fun, so one of the biggest things was going out and having fun again. Quit worrying about the results, go out and have fun doing what I know."

Jared Thomas on the potential move to CF:

"Powell and I joke about it, with me doing more work in the outfield, he gives me a hard time and says I miss you over there and its not going to be the same."

"It is a lot different than I thought it was to be. I haven’t stepped foot in CF or RF for a year and a half. Get back out there, taking some live balls, its a little different, but its a matter of me just getting comfortable out there. I can go play 1B in my sleep, so I want to be as comfortable in CF and RF that I am at 1B."

Looking at the pitching numbers, here is what the Texas pitching staff returns for the 2024 season: Starts (43%), Wins (57%), Appearances (58%), Innings Pitched (50%) and Saves (47%). These numbers are inherently skewed though as Tanner Witt did not play a full season, only making 6 total appearances and pitching just 10.2 innings. The losses of Lucas Gordon, DJ Burke, Zane Morehouse and Travis Sthele make up the bulk of the Wins, Appearances, Innings Pitched, Starts and Saves that were lost from last season. Assuming Tanner Witt can continue to rediscover the form that has made him one of the top college RHP coveted by MLB scouts and that LBJ can continue to operate at the same level as he did last year, the 2024 pitching staff may be more complete than last years squad based on the growth and maturity of guys like David Shaw, Max Grubbs, Charlie Hurley, Chase Lummus, Ace Whitehead, Heston Tole and contributions from someone like Cody Howard who is finally healthy and was pumping 95mph fastballs this summer. In addition, the staff brought in a number of guys in the transfer portal that will look to not just help round out the bullpen, but prove to be upgrades over the bullpen options from last year.
 

On Pierce defining pitching roles this Fall:

"Go back to 2021. Ty, Tristan and Pete would give us 6 or 7. Everybody knew it was Witt and he would get it to Nixon and if Witt wasn’t available it was Quintanilla. The establishment of that eases the mind of those guys [pitching staff]. Problem is you have to earn that establishment and I think that’s the problem of 2022/2023, really just getting those definite roles. Sometimes if you have too many numbers, we have a lot of numbers, you have to give those guys an opportunity to fight through some stuff. Goal is to be good early, great late, but I think there’s a lot of different combinations you want to see some things, then you establish that role that these are the starters and subs, everyone kind of catches their breath. So trying to get that established as quickly as possible is up to them but it's one of our goals."

LBJ on coming back for 2024 season:

"At the time, I didn’t expect to come back, of course it was just up in the air. I’m happy to be back, excited to be back. Just know what I need to do this fall to be great this year"

"Active rest is what I did this summer. Threw a lot last year, I’m not used to that, but active rest and staying in shape. Conditioning, just making sure I’m fit for a starting role"

"Working on the splitter this Fall. I want to get that down."

"Want the splitter for lefties. Want a pitch that goes away from them. My big hands, splitter works best for me."

Speaking of transfers, here is a list of the guys that are on the Fall roster and competing for spots. RHP Gage Boehm (San Jac), OF Casey Cummings (Chabot), RHP Grant Fontenot (McLennan), LHP Will Mercer (Notre Dame), RHP Will Rigney (Baylor), LHP Oliver Santos (Duke) and OF Seth Wechan (Penn). The other notable transfer is 1B Luke Storm (Duke) who is finishing his degree at Duke this Fall and will join the squad in January. The guys that will have the highest expectations will be Mercer, Rigney and Boehm as all are expected to play major roles on the pitching staff. Will Mercer is an experienced guy that can be the glue guy that helps bridge from starter to back end, Rigney is a guy that has had some injury problems during his time at Baylor, but when right, has the ability to be a front line starter as Texas saw last season, while Boehm is another bridge guy or back end guy for the Horns. The transfer pitcher that has me the most intrigued is Oliver Santos, as he was one of the top pitching prospects out of California and has big time potential. While he did not pitch at Duke as a Freshman due to injury, there is a lot of upside that can be tapped into and could end up being a major contributor in due time.
 

Coach Pierce on the potential move of Jared Thomas to CF:

"Another kid coming in as a transfer, I don’t think I can say his name yet [referring to Luke Storm]. We have options. We could move Jack in. Maybe get another bat in there or a speed guy. Schuessler when he isn’t catching, Borba is an option, Peyton can play if we have a guy that can really play 3B."

Finally, looking at the freshman class, which makes up 38% of the roster, there is undeniably a lot of talent and potential, but the spots are also limited. Entering the Fall, there are 47 guys on the roster and that number will grow by one once Duke transfer Luke Storm joins the squad in January, meaning there are going to have to be cuts. While that is the cold reality of college baseball, there are a number of guys that could have an immediate impact. Long term, this is a group of guys that with time and development can help set up the roster pipeline for the next 2-3 seasons. The two names to know immediately are OF Will Gasparino and Catcher Nik Sanders. Gaspo is a tall lanky kid from California with an outstanding toolset and the potential to be a day one starter in the outfield. The other notable name is Nik Sanders who had a quieter senior season, but he is a guy that can absolutely bop. I’ve been told that Nik has stood out from all the other freshmen early on and looked really comfortable at the plate. The biggest hurdle for Nik is going to be his improvement and consistency behind the plate. Outside of those two, the other position player that has a chance to get early playing time during midweek games is Dee Kennedy. Kennedy is an athletic short stop that moves well and has easy pop at the plate with more to come. Lastly, the group I am most intrigued by is the bevy of prep arms that the staff brought in. Hudson Hamilton, Hayden Morris, Easton Tumis and Cole Selvig are all guys that could see early action out of the bullpen as the staff looks to identify who can be counted on.

Practice Notes:

Here is how the lineups started for the practice scrimmage, but being a practice the lineups became very fluid and hard to take much away from how they started out.

Orange Team:
P - Lebarron Johnson Jr
C - Kimble Schuessler
1B - Cam Constantine
2B - Jack O’Dowd
SS - Jalin Flores
3B - Peyton Powell
LF - Oliver Service
CF - Jared Thomas
RF - Casey Cummings
DH - Blake Peterson

Grey Team:
P - Charlie Hurley
C - Rylan Galvan
1B - MJ Sweeney
2B - Jayden Duplantier
SS - Dee Kennedy
3B - Casey Borba
LF - Seth Werchan
CF - Tommy Farmer
RF - Porter Brown


Overall Thoughts:

One thing that stood out to me is the physicality of the team this season. Gone are the days of Stanford rolling in with a group all 6’2+ and Texas having just a couple of bigger guys. Coach Pierce and staff have recruited some big athletic guys and it definitely stands out. Last season, everyone talked about how Galvan stood out. This season, guys like Nik Sanders, Oliver Service and Dee Kennedy are just a few that really stand out.

Speaking of which, Jared Thomas and Jalin Flores have put on some good weight and look more filled out in their frames than they did last season. Even Jack O’Dowd looks more trim than he has in the past

While the move of Jared Thomas to CF is certainly a plus for him and the team as he continues to show more leadership, I still want to see how that could affect communications on the infield as he and Powell developed a close bond last season.

Another aspect was that communication and the infield were much improved on last year when it was essentially a brand new infield.

The biggest concern I have going into the Fall is at Catcher. Galvan, Kimble, Sanders and Service are all going to get a shot behind the plate in the Fall, with each bringing something a little different. Service is the most raw in terms of catching and getting accustomed to the pitching, but works hard and has great athleticism. Kimble is the most polished defensive catcher, but the bat still remains a question. Galvan needs more consistency at the plate, but certainly looked better with his framing and overall receiving. I have not gotten a chance to see Sanders catch yet outside of some drills, but those in the program said that he has work to do there.

Watching Dylan Campbell hit, the ball always just sounded differently off his bat. Whether it was BP or in a game, DC always stood out at the plate. I came away with a similar thought after watching freshman Will Gasparino take BP. Yes, it was just batting practice, but the ball absolutely jumps off his bat. He is able to get great extension, with quiet but fast hands throughout the zone. I need to see him against live pitching to really full evaluate how he handles pitches inside due to his height (6’6”), but the power is easy and evident. He hit a ball halfway up the batters eye in CF with absolute ease during BP.

PITCHERS:

Tanner Witt will not see bulk work this Fall as they continue to slow play his progression to make sure they can work on his mechanics and get him prepped for the season.

Ace Whitehead came to the coaches after the summer and said he wants to pitch only. It is an interesting choice as he has more upside in the field in my opinion, but he will certainly be called on out of the pen often

David Shaw continues his throwing program and will not pitch this Fall, but from what I have heard will be a go this Spring.

Heston Tole is still dealing with the shoulder impingement that forced him to shut things down during the NCAA Tourney, but at this juncture, it sounds like something he will have to work through and he will continue to pitch throughout the Fall.

Luke Harrison is not throwing this Fall as he continues his rehab from surgery last season, but expectation is that he will make an appearance around April.

Lebarron Johnson Jr came out pumping gas and according to the couple of scouts I talked to, he was sitting 96-97 on his fastball. The slider continues to be in the 85-87 range. His splitter continues to be a work in progress as he looks to have a true three pitch repertoire, but the talent is there, it is about reps, consistency and belief at this point.One other thing I noticed about LBJ was that his pickoff move to first was really good. In fact, it was the best I have seen from him, as he was able to get Gumbo out at 1B with a really sharp, fluid move. LBJ has come a long way in that regard as he could not hold runners at all when he first got to campus.
Overall, a really solid outing from LBJ and I am excited to see what he can do over the course of a season.

Charlie Hurley got the “start” for the Grey team and immediately ran into trouble as Jared Thomas hit an oppo taco no doubter to LF on the first pitch (a fastball) he saw. Powell followed that up with an oppo taco of his own after 4 pitches from Hurley. The good news is that despite the rocky start, Hurley settled in and overall looked good against the rest of the batters he faced, moving his fastball with cut and his breaking pitch around to keep guys off balance. Hurley will never overpower anyone with his low 90’s FB, but when he is able to command, he can use his length and natural run to keep batters off balance. Hurley will certainly continue to be in the mix if not favored to win the Sunday job.

Max Grubbs had some trouble commanding his pitches to start off but continued to battle after giving up a lead off walk to put up a zero on the board. Grubbs is a guy that competes hard and the biggest goal for him will be to continue getting reps and working on his command as his pitches have good shape and run to them. The big negative to his outing was not checking on Porter Brown at 2B who slid in to steal 3B, drawing the ire from the staff. Grubbs was able to make it close at 3B with a quick athletic move and good throw, but it was certainly a learning moment for the young man. While he is a Sophomore, Grubbs was not much of a factor last season and it will be important for him to do all the small things right to get more innings. Grubbs did bounce back with a strikeout of Nik Sanders and Grubbs let the opposing team know about it afterwards, so you have to like the mentality and fire he brings to the mound.

Will Mercer, the LHP transfer from Notre Dame came out and got Jared Thomas to strike out to his frustration, getting him to swing and miss on a fastball inside. Mercer’s fastball sat 92-93 with some good movement. Due to semi-closed stance, Mercer is able to hide the ball well and keep his pitch hidden for longer, making it tough on batters, especially left handed hitters. Peyton Powell, patient as always, was able to keep his bat in the zone and smoke a liner to the left side, but right to shortstop Dee Kennedy. Mercer then got Jack O’Dowd with a big swing and miss on a 93 mph fastball. Having seen him in person in Omaha against Texas A&M, I somewhat knew what to expect, but came away really impressed with what I saw from him and expect him to be a big piece of the pitching staff this season.

Andre Duplantier II is essentially the same Dre that we saw last season. His fastball sat in the high 80’s to low 90s with decent run. The biggest issue for Dre is being able to accurately locate that fastball and be competitive without showing too much to opposing batters. When the curveball is right, there is a big snap and it drops out, but when Dre does not get good break on his curveball, it is very hittable or ends up down in the dirt, which gave freshman Oliver Service issues at catcher, to the chagrin of David Pierce who sat him down to chat afterwards.

Heston Tole looks much the same as he did last season. He uses his height and length to come down hill and likes to pitch fast, using his rhythm to keep batters off their timing. The shoulder impingement will be something to watch as his mechanics did not appear to have changed any if at all, but he definitely has lost a tick or two of his velo and he was already a guy that sat in the low 90s. If Tole is able to work through it, he will definitely play a role out of the pen.

HITTERS:

Jared Thomas: JT spent the off season working out and rehabbing from a microfracture in his lower back that he suffered during the Big 12 tourney that nearly cost him the ability to participate in the NCAA Tourney. Thomas benefited from that time off though and has come back looking more filled out and most importantly with the same mindset that helped set him up for success last season. Expectations are obviously very high and he showed more pop and power from the left side as well. Thomas has also exhibited more leadership entering his sophomore year, even having some of the freshman stay with him while his roommates were away on summer ball assignments, helping their transition into college.

Peyton Powell: PP misses his buddy (Thomas) at 1B, but continues to be solid defensively at 3B and show off that hitting knack at the plate. Powell will come into the season with the expectation of being an offensive stalwart and while he likely won’t lead the team in HRs, he is certainly going to continue to be a guy that sets the plate and helps drive in runs. One other note on Powell is that he went out of his way to work with Sanders during infield practice to ensure he had the correct footing and be in better position to receive and then swipe tag a runner coming home. Great to see that kind of leadership from a guy that has patiently waited his turn, especially when he hasn’t spent a ton of time at catcher recently.

Jack O'Dowd: Jack spent the off season at home training, working out and enjoying some home cooking. His goal this summer was to get more athletic and improve his lateral movement as well as speed. Based on what I saw from him during practice, he certainly did that. He looked much more fluid and will be one of the defensive leaders on the infield for the Horns. Another added bonus is he has continued to show more power from the left side and better maturity at the plate.

Jalin Flores: During BP, Flores displayed better extension at the plate and a tick more power. During the practice, continued to reach a bit too much and needs to spend this Fall getting in as many reps as possible to work on his plate maturity, but he is a guy that has the talent and potential, it is just a matter of consistency.

Rylan Galvan: Got a hold of a splitter from LBJ and hit a screamer to the left side, but right to the shortstop. Galvan also hit a chopper deep down the 3B line, forcing a rushed low throw from Powell. For Galvan, the talent and potential is there, but similar to Flores, it is all about reps and being more consistent. Behind the plate, he looked much improved in terms of receiving the ball and framing pitches. I did not get a chance to see him make a throw down to 2B, but will be interested to see what improvements he has made there during the summer.

Kimble Schuessler: Kimble looked good behind the plate and is probably the most consistent receiver of the ball. The biggest concern is about the bat. Kimble in limited action did make solid contact, but both times were on the ground to the SS and 2B.

Porter Brown: Downtown Porter Brown looked just like he did last year. He has a super patient approach at the plate, drawing a walk and going deep in counts. Expectation continues to be that he will be one of the offensive leaders this season and potentially lead the team in HRs.

Jayden Duplantier: Gumbo appears to have a lock as the back up to Jack O’Dowd at 2B. Athletic and with a frame that has filled out a bit more, Gumbo showed a good approach in his at bat against Max Grubbs hitting a liner to the left side that Powell had to make a leaping catch to stop. Gumbo will certainly be a guy that gets regular playing time, especially during the mid-week games and is talented to play in a number of different positions.

Nik Sanders: LBJ fooled Nik on a slider just off the plate outside drawing a swing and miss in his first at bat. Nik then had another swing and miss against Max Grubbs in which Nik missed a fastball with good cut inside. While not the best day at the plate, Sanders is a guy that has impressed the staff from the moment he stepped on campus and according to several folks, appears to be a guy that is well ahead of his peers.

Dee Kennedy: Dee is a kid that has come in and impressed the staff with his athleticism and how fast he has picked things up. He competes hard and has a physical maturity to him. At the plate, Dee had two good at bats in which he hit a liner to Service in LF and then a hard grounder to Flores at shortstop. Really nice hand speed and strong core power through the zone. Defensively, Dee looked very comfortable at shortstop and believe he will be the primary backup at SS.

Oliver Service: A physical specimen that absolutely looks the part and had several scouts asking me who he was. It still remains to be seen where he ends up as he played both LF and spent some time at catcher during practice. Service has extremely strong hands and wrists with good bat speed. He struck out against Hurley and is still adjusting to college level pitching, but overall, there is potential to tap into. It also helps that every single person you talk to absolutely loves the kid. Service did have an issue catching cutters from Dre on a couple of occasions which Pierce pulled him aside to talk about, so he is quite raw from that perspective.

Cam Constantine: CC is a team favorite and a glue guy. He puts together decent BP sessions, but at the end of the day, he is a depth guy. Against live pitching he struggles to get his bat through the zone on time and on the same plane as the ball. He did strike the ball hard during practice off Mercer, but it ended up being a routine grounder to Casey Borba at 3B.

Casey Borba: Speaking of Borba, the heralded prospect from Cali hit a hard liner to Powell at 3B in his first AB against Charlie Hurley. In his second AB, Casey drew a walk against Duplantier. Borba may not get a ton of chances at playing time this season as he projects at 3B or possibly 1B, but he will definitely continue to get looks during the midweek if he can continue his mature approach at the plate. The one area in which I want to see him improve is his overthinking and double clutch when making throws to 1B, but that comes with experience and getting used to the speed of the game.

Tommy Farmer: The late signee from Cali absolutely looks the part at 6’3” 190lbs. Farmer definitely stood out during BP with a clean compact swing and decent power. Farmer moves well for his size as well, getting the start in CF for the Grey team. In his at bats during practice he drew a walk against Max Grubbs and hit a looping liner over the head of Powell at 3B off a Duplantier curveball for an RBI double. He is a guy that I look forward to seeing more of as he could end up being a steal of the class, having garnered much less recognition than others.

Max Belyeu: Max continues to display good talent and potential at the plate, it largely just comes down to reps. Getting reps is the biggest thing for Max right now as he just needs to be more consistent. The power is there and he has a good approach at the plate, but needs to continue to work on his timing and bat path.

Casey Cummings struck out in his first at-bat, not looking completely comfortable. He looked much better in his second at-bat, but did not have anything to show for it. Based on what I’ve heard, Casey needs reps and time to adjust to a higher level of competition, but the belief is that he can provide some depth in the OF.

Sam Ardoin is an athletic kid, but will need to work with Coach Couch to put on some more weight on his frame as he is much smaller than some of the other guys. He did look good at the plate though and while he came up empty, he made hard contact several times. During BP he consistently put in good swings. It was also great to see Danny Ardoin (father of Silas and Sam) at the park checking out things.

Blake Peterson was patient in his first at-bat and put a charge into a fastball left up, hammering it to left center, but it hung up and was caught short of the warning track. Blake is a young man that has really good potential at the plate.

MJ Sweeney: The first thing you notice about MJ is that he is big, like 6’8” 250lbs big. Sweeney does not lumber too badly though for a guy his size and played well defensively at 1B. Would like to see him position his feet better and be able to use his length to stretch at times, but that is something that will just take time. At the plate, MJ swung and missed on three straight pitches against LBJ. MJ has solid power, but with his length and size, it will likely take some reps to adjust to college level pitching.

Lane Allen: Another physically mature freshman, Allen has looked solid in practices at SS. While I did not get to see him there during the scrimmage, in the at bat I saw of him, Allen had really good patience against Duplantier, drawing a walk after holding off on several cutters that were close to the zone.

Seth Werchan: Seth is actually bigger than I expected him to be, but he moves well for his size. In the two at bats I saw, he hit a chopped to 1B off of Max Grubbs and later struckout when facing Duplantier, falling victim to a really nice curveball. As a mature guy, Seth represents a solid depth option for the Horns.

Notes of Interest from talking with Coach Pierce:

On being the pitching coach:

"Reinvigorated. Feels like he can get to know a pitcher better, read him better, know his makeup and whether he is ready. He will be better with them. So comfortable with the guys working with our position players. Tulo is back around, behind the scenes, Rod has the experience and Caleb has been a young coach coming into his own. He was good last year and love the way the players respond to them."

On being more hands on:

"Always tough, but revamped some things that we’re doing, spend more time and in our first week, we spent a lot of time on really building the routine. So many times you assume that players know what to do and come to find out they really don’t. Don’t take anything for granted. Took a step back on their conditioning for pre-throwing, band work and really laid out what I want them doing in their catch play, in long toss, their pull downs, flat ground into their pins and then build a bit better work ethic with that. With that, what they do post throwing as well. Post throwing is so important, but sometimes guys overlook that."

On having a lot of new faces:

"We really get into deprogramming guys a lot and just try to clear their minds and let them free up and understand the level that we work at and expectations of the standards."

On potential position change for Jared Thomas:

"We probably have some pretty good corner and infield options, so getting another bat in there, and I think JT has leadership abilities to play center. Its more about the personnel coming in and how we can adjust to put our best lineup out there."

On Witt coming back:

"Great that he is coming back because he needed the year, not that the draft situation didn't work out. Was not vulnerable or gullible about the draft and his age."

"Going to slow play him this Fall. Want to give him some time to really be able to go through the throwing process, throwing program. Get on the mound and get comfortable. Gotta understand this guy was coming out of rehab into playoff situational baseball, so what he did for his team was tremendous."

On not having to rebuild the infield:

"Neither is easy. Much easier training an outfield than timing and day to day with middle infielders. Dealing with not only timing but time and space but also work with each other and coordinating with pitcher and catcher. There’s a lot of moving parts in the infield. Its a little tougher, but we have good leadership in the middle of the infield right now with Jack and Flo still growing, but I like where he is and then you know the steps they made with guys like Peyton and Rylan and they things they did and their growth, but getting Schuessler back is huge. He was a big part of our team last year but never stepped on the field. If you look back at the West Virginia series last year, that is when they created their own identity. They were living in the shadows of 2022, living in the shadows of 2021 and then to really become 2023, you could see their growth and they showed it and they played really well in the postseason."

On calling pitches:

"I’ve been calling them for a while. I’ve been involved in the calling. I think more than anything what I’d like to see is our guys get a little more accountability of how to sequence pitching between pitcher and catcher. The more they can understand that and understand how to attack hitters, the less I have to do and I mean that in a sincere way, where they have the ability to know what's working for them that day, what they see from a hitter, what type of hitter it is."

 

[torre 1284]

Thanks for posting the article.    Who is the OB writer,  McComas left for Five Tool,  correct ?

Pierce mentions there are corner infield options,  but just not sure about Thomas going to CF.   He fielded .994 last year. 3 errors in 505 chances, wow !   And for a freshman brought energy and leadership.    But Pierce has a penchant for offense so wants a stronger power bat in the lineup.

A review of Duke indicates Storm played 1B, 3B, and DH, hit .258 with 13HR, fielded .932.     6'5" switch hitter.

Interesting that Max Belyeu after a great Summer did not start in the practice game.

 

[MuellerHorn 4176]

I'll be extremely optimistic about this team once I hear consistently positive updates regarding Witt's progression and SP arms 3-5. Until then, I'll maintain my composure.

[BachelorTrek 2925]

Stumbled upon this tonight -- Texas Baseball will (once again) be on 1300 AM KVET radio for this coming season.

https://texassports.com/sports/2013/7/27/sponsor_0727135359.aspx#ba

[YGIFS 19449]

SIAP:

https://www.statesman.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesman.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Flonghorns%2Fbaseball%2F2023%2F09%2F27%2Ftexas-baseball-season-2023-starts-jared-thomas-longhorns-lineup%2F70966699007%2F\

Anybody wanna cut 'n paste this if you're one of the last 7 paying subscribers to the Statesman.   I think there's Fall Ball schedule info in there..

[BachelorTrek 2925]

14 hours ago, YGIFS said:

SIAP:

https://www.statesman.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesman.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Flonghorns%2Fbaseball%2F2023%2F09%2F27%2Ftexas-baseball-season-2023-starts-jared-thomas-longhorns-lineup%2F70966699007%2F\

Anybody wanna cut 'n paste this if you're one of the last 7 paying subscribers to the Statesman.   I think there's Fall Ball schedule info in there..

Maybe they all canceled their AAS subscriptions.  Lulz.

[TrashMaster G 17379]

On 8/24/2023 at 10:49 AM, Hookem2147 said:

Fall Ball roster is up. Looks like a few more late walk-ons were added. Walbridge moved on which I expected and it looks like Grant Fahrlander, who was a walk-on catcher, also didn't return.

https://texassports.com/sports/baseball/roster/2023-24

Sam Ardoin?  Silas' little bro, I presume?

[TrashMaster G 17379]

On 9/27/2023 at 6:15 AM, YGIFS said:

SIAP:

https://www.statesman.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.statesman.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Flonghorns%2Fbaseball%2F2023%2F09%2F27%2Ftexas-baseball-season-2023-starts-jared-thomas-longhorns-lineup%2F70966699007%2F\

Anybody wanna cut 'n paste this if you're one of the last 7 paying subscribers to the Statesman.   I think there's Fall Ball schedule info in there..

Texas baseball notebook: Jared Thomas adjusts to new position after breakout at first base

Danny Davis

Austin American-Statesman

 

When baseball fans at Texas next see Jared Thomas, they may notice something different.

Thomas is still wearing the No. 9 jersey, and he has no plans on using anything other than Ray Wylie Hubbard's "Snake Farm" as his walk-up song. And after hitting .321 as a freshman, he will likely still be used atop the Longhorns lineup.

But when fall practices got underway for Texas last week, Thomas was focusing on playing the outfield. Thomas started 60 times at first base in 2023.

"I think it's just a matter of me just getting comfortable out there," Thomas said. "I've got a feeling right now in the back of my head that I could go play first in my sleep, so I want to be as comfortable in center or in right than I am at first so it's going to take a little bit of time to adjust."

 

As a freshman, Thomas proved to be a solid defender at first base. He committed only three errors and boasted a .994 fielding percentage. Texas also liked having Thomas at first because he was left-handed, and UT coach David Pierce previously noted that made it "so much easier to turn the double play, (or) on a pick to get inside the throws."

So why mess with a good thing?

 

Pierce said that opening up first base would allow the Longhorns to add a better offensive option to the lineup. Pierce wouldn't close the door on Thomas returning to first base, but he felt that "I think JT has leadership abilities to play center."

If Thomas isn't playing first base, UT may turn to redshirt junior Cam Constantine or freshman Casey Borba. Texas could also choose to start second baseman Jack O'Dowd or third baseman Peyton Powell at first base instead, and catcher Kimble Schuessler is another possibility.

Then there's Luke Storm. Pierce told reporters Friday that he's not yet allowed to talk about an expected addition to the roster, but signs point to Storm being that mystery player. Storm announced in July that he would transfer to Texas after spending the past three seasons at Duke. Storm hit 13 home runs with 51 RBIs as a junior. Of Storm's 60 starts for the Blue Devils in 2023, 18 were made at first base and 28 were at third base.

 

Pierce on new role, departure of Williams: Last Friday marked Pierce's first media availability since the 2023 season ended in June. That gave him the first chance to publicly address a significant change to his coaching staff.

This summer, it was reported that Woody Williams would not return to Texas after spending one year as the Longhorns' pitching coach. Pierce will now instruct the pitchers.

 

On Friday, Pierce said that "I have a pitching coach background. I've been our pitching coach from '06 through '18 by label, either as the full-time pitching coach at Rice or the pitching coach-slash-head coach (at Sam Houston State and Tulane and) all the way up through my first two years here. ... In my background, it's just hard for me to just let somebody handle it and do it. I just felt like it was the best thing for our players and the best thing for Texas. Those are kind of how I make the decisions is how does it work out best for the University of Texas and are we giving them our best effort by structure as well as our day-to-day work and are we putting our players in the best position? I thought Woody did a great job and such a fun person and it was a hard, hard decision, which all those are always tough. Sometimes timing is not the best, but I just felt like it was the right time and the right thing to do for our players."

Pierce also said this move helped the Longhorns add another offensive-minded assistant to the coaching staff. The Longhorns promoted Caleb Longley from his volunteer position in the offseason and brought Philip Miller back to a full-time coaching role. Steve Rodriguez is returning for his second year as an assistant, and former MLB all-star Troy Tulowitzki will be the program's director of player development.

 

Pierce wasn't concerned about juggling his duties as the team's head coach and pitching coach. He said that Chris Gordon, UT's director of hitting and pitching development, can't do any on-field coaching but can assist him with the day-to-day prep. Pierce added that he was looking forward to just focusing on the pitchers while letting his assistants handle the offense and position players.

"It really has been rejuvenating for me," Pierce said.

 

New wrinkle for LBJ: Fourth-year pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. revealed last week that he wants to work on throwing a splitter this fall. Johnson said he didn't throw that pitch much this past spring, but instead relied on his fastball and slider.

"(It's) definitely just for lefties. I want to be able to instead of having a pitch that goes into them, something that kind of goes away," Johnson said. "I can never really throw a good change-up. With my big hands, splitter is what's best for me. Just (having) that three-pitch mix to be able to have that starting role is key for me."

Johnson broke out during the 2023 season. Over 20 appearances and 13 starts, the 6-foot-4 right-hander went 8-4 with a 2.91 ERA. He earned a first-team nod on the Big 12's all-conference team.

 

Injury updates: Pierce said that the plan for pitcher Tanner Witt is to "slow play him all fall. We just want to give him some time to really be able to go through this throwing process, throwing program, get on the mound and get comfortable."

Witt missed much of the 2023 season as he continued to rehab the elbow he injured in March 2022. When he returned, Witt struggled to regain his form while Texas chased a Big 12 championship and went on a postseason run. Over six appearances and 10⅔ innings, Witt had a 10.97 ERA.

 

The Baltimore Orioles took a shot at convincing Witt to turn pro when they selected him in the 18th round of July's MLB draft. Witt opted to return to Texas.

Pierce was also asked Friday about the status of relief pitchers Heston Tole and David Shaw, who were injured at the end of the 2023 season. Tole was slated to throw in a scrimmage that day. Shaw won't throw this fall.

 

[Hookem2147 20910]

2 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

Sam Ardoin?  Silas' little bro, I presume?

Yep. Built nothing like Silas though. Middle infielder all the way and will need to hit the weight room.

[LTtxfan 48928]

https://thedailytexan.com/2018/07/17/ultimate-longhorn-baseball-fan-continues-to-cheer-on-texas/

 

I'll never forget sitting near "The Wild Bunch" vs cougar high at the Disch.

They were giving the coog fans behind their dugout hell, when one of the players girlfriends threw her drink on them.  A guy in "The Wild Bunch" retaliated by throwing a spit cup on her and all HELL broke lose including cougar high players coming into the stands.

I was just a kid, and my Dad moved us back, but it was incredible !!!  😂😂😂😂😂😂

Hook'em 🤘

Edited September 29, 2023 by LTtxfan

[BillyGoatHill 4276]

Sooooo, talked with one of the players (not gonna say who) at the Surly tailgate this Saturday and he said there could be a change for the fall ball schedule this year.

I hope this is wrong or at least heard it wrong, but he stated that a set roster (# of players) was needed beforehand if playing other schools (ie San Jac, Cougar last yr) and because of that Pierce was not going to have other teams come in due to the # of players we have right now and wanting to evaluate guys further.

I hadn't heard of that before, but maybe that is something new. Definitely wasn't that way when I was in school and playing, but I have the olds. So maybe this year more intersquad stuff + the Fall World Series. Guess we'll see in a few more weeks.

[MuellerHorn 4176]

On 10/2/2023 at 8:43 PM, BillyGoatHill said:

Sooooo, talked with one of the players (not gonna say who) at the Surly tailgate this Saturday and he said there could be a change for the fall ball schedule this year.

I hope this is wrong or at least heard it wrong, but he stated that a set roster (# of players) was needed beforehand if playing other schools (ie San Jac, Cougar last yr) and because of that Pierce was not going to have other teams come in due to the # of players we have right now and wanting to evaluate guys further.

I hadn't heard of that before, but maybe that is something new. Definitely wasn't that way when I was in school and playing, but I have the olds. So maybe this year more intersquad stuff + the Fall World Series. Guess we'll see in a few more weeks.

Forgive me, as this has been addressed before, but what is the roster limit this year (are there still COVID exceptions?) and how many does Pierce need to cut? I know it's a higher number than usual.

Edited October 5, 2023 by MuellerHorn

[BillyGoatHill 4276]

Roster limits for ‘24 have been increased to 40 players (we definitely have more than that) and a change from the 27 student athletes dividing 11.7 scholarships to 35. (The amount of scholarships should have been increased but wasn’t) and there still could be seniors ( not sure if we have any) that still could be eligible for a pandemic waiver.
Took that info from informedathlete.com but If some body knows more or has better info, chime in as I’m not the expert on this.

Either way, with still having 11.7 scholarships to divvy up, all the more reason to donate to the Texas One Fund (you can designate for baseball ️)and keep as many players here as possible.

[YGIFS 19449]

I think because the roster is set in 2023, but no intercollegiate play takes place until 2024...that this will be the last academic year/season that pandemic eligibility "+1 years" will be granted, right?  ^ that's a good site that BGH reference at first glance, will have to read through it later. But I read somewhere else reliable that certain sports that only hold regular seasons in 'Fall Semester' and then ones that span both semesters, and then ones that take place only in Spring semester have slightly varying rules on who gets an extra year at no penalty between 2023-24 an 2024-25 academic years.  It's gonna screw most with M&W basketball and swimming because of their schedules.  

But yeah, as far as raw roster numbers, the vast expansion is here to stay as stated above.  Whether the scholarship/NIL platforms can keep up with it, is another question.  Again though, we forget that 75% of NCAA Div I & II hardball programs don't really have that nice problem to have.  

[tx 3 putt 76159]

Fall schedule ?

[Levi 2576]

Yay

 

[bmbmd 1027]

27 minutes ago, Levi said:

Yay

 

 

[Levi 2576]

Familiar name 

[torre 1284]

Good Luck to him !

A check reveals he entered the portal in June,  signed with Ala in August,  Lake Travis alum.    Exhibition game vs Auburn.  Alabama was 3rd in the SEC last year in ERA.   He pitched 2 innings last year,  control issues.

[TrashMaster G 17379]

Please tell me the schedule is coming soon.

[YGIFS 19449]

I'll give the league office (shut up Donnie!) a pass here because there really are way more moving parts than there have been for the last 12+ years.  13 programs across 3 timezones with lots of travel considerations.  I honestly, and we all follow college hardball more than others, don't even know if we're sticking with 8 weekend series or possibly expanding that to 10?  But so many of the teams have marquee non-conf. weekend series and neutral site tournaments that I imagine it's a shit show.  The one LHF baseball guy I talked to at football the other day said they don't expect it until around mid-November in total.  I asked if they would release at last the non-conf. portion but he said that's also part of the holdup, programs having to reshuffle March and May non-conf. weekend shit.  

All that to say, it's weird that the FWS slate isn't out yet.  I know they're dialing back the public exhibition games against other teams (JuCo & nearby D-I), but kinda weird they don't just toss out those 3 intra-squad games.  They're always played well in advance of Thanksgiving break.  Which, SPOILER ALERT, is only 4+ weeks away.  And not like they're gonna play up until that Friday, so at least earlier in that week at the absolute latest.  But smart money says 3 games played over 4 days the week of 6-12 November.  

[HTXfan 25]

Last day of fall ball must be Nov 5 based on NCAA rules allowing max 45 days from start of fall practice Sept 22. So FWS, if on a weekend, must be first weekend in November.  B12 will be 10 conference weekends (like SEC and ACC), so 4 non-conf weekends, one of which is first weekend in March at Minute Maid.  Heard that home will be Baylor, OkSt, Kansas, BYU and TCU, with away being UH, UCF, KState, TxTech and OK.

[YGIFS 19449]

Damn fine first post.  I subconsciously remembered that 5/6 November date as some kinda hard stop.  I thought maybe we'd play after it for some dumb reason, but obviously it must come before according to the rules.  I think because I realized we won't play a FWS slate on a football home game weekend.  Maybe a Friday afternoon deal for folks coming into town early which would be fun as hell. Meaning maybe a Wed-Fri 3-game set (1-3 November).  They're not gonna play on Halloween just because so many families come out to those games.  And we're not gonna play on 28 October, with a home game.  Maybe you do 29 Sunday, 30 Monday, and 1 Wednesday?  Basically some 4-day window in which to get in the 3 games between BYU and K-State/5 November deadline?  Only other option I see is late next week (Wed-Fri or Tue-Thu), but it's getting pretty damn close to that, they may want to go ahead and annoucne that then?  But I do see why the delay, lotta moving parts with home games, holidays, and hard stop on fall ball games.  

LHN broadcast schedule, both live events like VB and softball, seems to indicate first few days of November.  But this is weird we're waiting this long...

[Cairn Horn88 8148]

6 hours ago, HTXfan said:

Last day of fall ball must be Nov 5 based on NCAA rules allowing max 45 days from start of fall practice Sept 22. So FWS, if on a weekend, must be first weekend in November.  B12 will be 10 conference weekends (like SEC and ACC), so 4 non-conf weekends, one of which is first weekend in March at Minute Maid.  Heard that home will be Baylor, OkSt, Kansas, BYU and TCU, with away being UH, UCF, KState, TxTech and OK.

Fall Ball games…Nov 2-6:00,Nov 3- 6:00, Nov 5 -1:00

[TrashMaster G 17379]

8 hours ago, HTXfan said:

Last day of fall ball must be Nov 5 based on NCAA rules allowing max 45 days from start of fall practice Sept 22. So FWS, if on a weekend, must be first weekend in November.  B12 will be 10 conference weekends (like SEC and ACC), so 4 non-conf weekends, one of which is first weekend in March at Minute Maid.  Heard that home will be Baylor, OkSt, Kansas, BYU and TCU, with away being UH, UCF, KState, TxTech and OK.

Of course they are fucking sending us to Houston. The Big XII is sending us to Houston in every fucking sport they can.

Fucking bullshit.

We'd better fucking destroy their football team this weekend.

Tilman Fertitta can suck my dick.

[petscii 1189]

A trip to Florida is fine with me.

 

 

[Hookem2147 20910]

On 10/17/2023 at 3:02 PM, HTXfan said:

Last day of fall ball must be Nov 5 based on NCAA rules allowing max 45 days from start of fall practice Sept 22. So FWS, if on a weekend, must be first weekend in November.  B12 will be 10 conference weekends (like SEC and ACC), so 4 non-conf weekends, one of which is first weekend in March at Minute Maid.  Heard that home will be Baylor, OkSt, Kansas, BYU and TCU, with away being UH, UCF, KState, TxTech and OK.

Top 5 teams in the preseason poll will almost certainly be TCU, Texas, OSU, OU and Tech in some order. So makes sense that we get those 4 and OU will probably somehow avoid TCU or some bullcrap. 

Home schedule may lack some juice assuming we just schedule soft around the Minute Maid weekend for non-conference play. Baylor, Kansas and BYU at home is yuck. 

[TrashMaster G 17379]

I was really hoping we'd be going to Utah so I'd have an excuse to make the trip.

[zlavydra 2116]

On 10/18/2023 at 12:50 AM, petscii said:

A trip to Florida is fine with me.

 

 

UCF stadium seems non-shitty: https://ucfknights.com/facilities/john-euliano-park

On the other hand, it's Florida.

[YGIFS 19449]

28 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

I was really hoping we'd be going to Utah so I'd have an excuse to make the trip.

Yeah a March trip to BYU would an awfully good excuse to ski.  So Is that 10-opponent slate for sure?  Obviously we can’t change it but want to make some

last time trips to some venues.  And want to invite some Kansas folks down for the series.  
 

also; I was today years old when I learned that the SEC tourney is always and forever on some shithole Birmingham exurb.  Great baseba but doesn’t seem easy to get to and a shitty place to spend 4-5 days 

[petscii 1189]

41 minutes ago, zlavydra said:

UCF stadium seems non-shitty: https://ucfknights.com/facilities/john-euliano-park

On the other hand, it's Florida.

Florida Keys is a a trip I've wanted to do for a while now.  See a rocket launch.  Etc.

[TrashMaster G 17379]

14 minutes ago, petscii said:

Florida Keys is a a trip I've wanted to do for a while now.  See a rocket launch.  Etc.

UCF is a long way from the Keys.

[zlavydra 2116]

8 minutes ago, TrashMaster G said:

UCF is a long way from the Keys.

People don't realize how much Florida there is, going north to south. Cincinnati is closer to my house (north ATL burbs) than Orlando. And it's a long way from Orlando to Key West.

In any case, I wouldn't be surprised if the other 3 non-conference series were all at home, or maybe one close road series (Rice?).

[YGIFS 19449]

Yeah, I didn't want to mess up his plans but while it's not Texas, Florida is a big state and hard to get through via automobile.  The drive from Orlando/UCF is about 7 hours.  I've done it multiple times (well, from nearby DeLand anyway).  And it's every bit of 7 hours unlike some google map estimates because once you get south of Homestead, you just can't do above the speed limit.  The volume just doesn't allow for it.  But it's a cool drive from there and you'll want to stop off at some of the lesser known Keys to eat/fish.  It takes a long-ass time to get around down there.  I've made the drive from DeLand/Daytona/Orlando area back to New Orleans and Texas a few times as well.  It's every fucking bit of 7 hours to get from that side of the state just to the Alabama state line, nevermind points beyond.  And that drive is pure ass.  Ugly as shit.  The beaches just south of IH-10 are actually pretty in the mid-Panhandle.  But you can't see 'em from the highway.  But if you do go to UCF, head to New Smyrna Beach.  It's just as close as Daytona and not as "Florida Man" as Daytona.  Much, much cleaner, quieter, and prettier.  If there's a shuttle launch, well that's a no-brainer.  

The rest of that road trip slate looks like ass, not doing K-State.  We'll probably continue to rotate with OU so no reason to make that Norman trek.  If Texas Tech is last series of the year, I'd do that so I can watch my niece graduate up there.  I guess, maybe make a "O&G business" excuse to hit up UofH series, at least Fri & Sat, but would rather just go to the non-conf. tourney there instead.  

Will be cool to host Baylor, TCU, and Ok-State one last time at the Disch.  As much I dislike those two program, and absolutely fucking hate Baylor with a passion...been some good baseball between us four over the years.  I think we take all series, or at least---we should.  

Any early word on SEC baseball scheduling?  I assume they'll do 5 home/5 away even when the two of us get there?  So we should be a lock to host Oklahoma and 4 more.  Ideal road trips would be @LSU (post-Lent), @Vanderbilt, @Arkansas (if only for the nearby spring fishing/hiking), and @Georgia (Atlanta/Athens is still a cool place IMO).  I guess maybe Florida if I can make a beach/theme park trip out of it with the family but all those spring break weekends from early March to early April would make it insufferable.  Maybe late April when nobody's really around there.  No desire to ever do trips to A&M, Miss. State, Auburn, Alabama, South Carolina, or Missouri.  Kentucky or Ole Miss may be a one-off temptation.  

[torre 1284]

1 hour ago, zlavydra said:

 

In any case, I wouldn't be surprised if the other 3 non-conference series were all at home, or maybe one close road series (Rice?).

https://riceowls.com/sports/baseball/schedule

 

Rice published their schedule this week.    No Texas,  will play Notre Dame, Stanford, aggy and LSU.

In spite of Pierce allegedly cancelling the traditional Stanford series,  note how Stanford schedules.   They hosted Rice and Tech last year (maybe a home/home),  played @ OU.  Played at the Round Rock Tournament in '21 and @ UTSA.  Maintain their recruiting footprint.   I and think others miss the Stanford series.   Will be interesting to see how the demise of the PAC12 affects their program.    

Edited October 20, 2023 by torre
spell check

[TrashMaster G 17379]

1 hour ago, torre said:

https://riceowls.com/sports/baseball/schedule

 

Rice published their schedule this week.    No Texas,  will play Notre Dame, Stanford, aggy and LSU.

In spite of Pierce allegedly cancelling the traditional Stanford series,  note how Stanford schedules.   They hosted Rice and Tech last year (maybe a home/home),  played @ OU.  Played at the Round Rock Tournament in '21 and @ UTSA.  Maintain their recruiting footprint.   I and think others miss the Stanford series.   Will be interesting to see how the demise of the PAC12 affects their program.    

I definitely miss the Stanford series.  Fullerton last year was a solid replacement. We should continue to schedule a series with a Cali team each year.

[zlavydra 2116]

2 hours ago, torre said:

https://riceowls.com/sports/baseball/schedule

 

Rice published their schedule this week.    No Texas,  will play Notre Dame, Stanford, aggy and LSU.

In spite of Pierce allegedly cancelling the traditional Stanford series,  note how Stanford schedules.   They hosted Rice and Tech last year (maybe a home/home),  played @ OU.  Played at the Round Rock Tournament in '21 and @ UTSA.  Maintain their recruiting footprint.   I and think others miss the Stanford series.   Will be interesting to see how the demise of the PAC12 affects their program.    

Rice scheduled some solid teams, and they get a Hawaii trip.  I might try to catch one of the Tulane games when I'm in Houston in March.  

We should absolutely maintain some sort of presence in California by making a yearly sojourn out there.

[YGIFS 19449]

That’s just what the Donners said…

[Herpa Derpa 6105]

1 hour ago, TrashMaster G said:

I definitely miss the Stanford series.  Fullerton last year was a solid replacement. We should continue to schedule a series with a Cali team each year.

Give me some Dirtbags and Anteaters.

[YGIFS 19449]

Aztecs, the Lumberjacks, the Beaches, the Warriors, the Matadors, the Toros, the Seawolves, the Otters, the Highlanders, the Gauchos, and the Banana Slugs.  Those two systems could learned us a thing or two in Texas.  We got what besides the Longhorns?  Buncha variations on Sand People, Aggies, and Cougar High School. 

[Levi 2576]

 

[petscii 1189]

1 hour ago, Herpa Derpa said:

Give me some Dirtbags and Anteaters.

We are overdue for a another burst of Rainbows...

 

 

[WBT 20397]

8 hours ago, TrashMaster G said:

I was really hoping we'd be going to Utah so I'd have an excuse to make the trip.

same

[msucolt45 3982]

Yeah a March trip to BYU would an awfully good excuse to ski.  So Is that 10-opponent slate for sure?  Obviously we can’t change it but want to make some
last time trips to some venues.  And want to invite some Kansas folks down for the series.  
 
also; I was today years old when I learned that the SEC tourney is always and forever on some shithole Birmingham exurb.  Great baseba but doesn’t seem easy to get to and a shitty place to spend 4-5 days 

Dude - SEC Baseball has been in Hoover for at least 15 years. It’s actually a pretty good location, just outside of B-Ham. Plenty of hotels and restaurants, and golf courses too (when Horns aren’t playing).

Plus it’ll all be on the SEC SEC SEC Network.

Hook’em!!!

[petscii 1189]

42 minutes ago, msucolt45 said:

Dude - SEC Baseball has been in Hoover for at least 15 years. It’s actually a pretty good location, just outside of B-Ham. Plenty of hotels and restaurants, and golf courses too (when Horns aren’t playing).

Plus it’ll all be on the SEC SEC SEC Network.

Hook’em!!!

Within 15 years, everything SEC will be in the DFW area..

[BachelorTrek 2925]

On 10/17/2023 at 3:02 PM, HTXfan said:

Last day of fall ball must be Nov 5 based on NCAA rules allowing max 45 days from start of fall practice Sept 22. So FWS, if on a weekend, must be first weekend in November.  B12 will be 10 conference weekends (like SEC and ACC), so 4 non-conf weekends, one of which is first weekend in March at Minute Maid.  Heard that home will be Baylor, OkSt, Kansas, BYU and TCU, with away being UH, UCF, KState, TxTech and OK.

No Sunday games with BYU, however you slice it (start on Thursday or doubleheader on Friday or Saturday) because the mormons don't play any sports on Sundays.

[BachelorTrek 2925]

11 hours ago, YGIFS said:

also; I was today years old when I learned that the SEC tourney is always and forever on some shithole Birmingham exurb.  Great baseba but doesn’t seem easy to get to and a shitty place to spend 4-5 days 

aka Hoover, AL -- until maybe the newcomers can moneywhip them into moving it from that shitastic venue.

[msucolt45 3982]

That’ll happen with our MLB venues in Arlington and Houston. Question is, why wasn’t it already in Atlanta? Geography of the SEC footprint put it in B-Ham, or just because that’s where the SEC office is?

Hook’em!!!