2018 Husker Baseball

[huskerbaseball13]

On ‎3‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 3:34 PM, huskercwg said:

I am still holding out for consistency.  Can they consistently perform at all disciplines:  starting pitching, long relief, short relief, defense, base running, timely hitting, power hitting, and plate discipline.  Certainly a few of the categories are more important than others.  We are going to face better teams than what we faced this past weekend, can we do it when the pressure is on?

 

I hope you're not holding your breath.  As a program we haven't been consistent in all phases of the game for a long while now.  It doesn't appear that will be changing any time soon under Erstad.  My be an overreaction to a mediocre couple weeks but I'm afraid HB is correct.  Talent wise, this program just isn't in the right place.  For a guy who has never led a program before you would expect some early lumps on the recruiting trail but going into year 7 you would hope that the staff is seasoned enough to be able to identify talent and recruit to what they want to be.  I still expect us to win quite a few games this year as our schedule is mediocre, but barring some huge winning streak it's likely that we will need to win in Omaha to reach Regionals. 

[HB]

41 minutes ago, huskerbaseball13 said:

 

I hope you're not holding your breath.  As a program we haven't been consistent in all phases of the game for a long while now.  It doesn't appear that will be changing any time soon under Erstad.  My be an overreaction to a mediocre couple weeks but I'm afraid HB is correct.  Talent wise, this program just isn't in the right place.  For a guy who has never led a program before you would expect some early lumps on the recruiting trail but going into year 7 you would hope that the staff is seasoned enough to be able to identify talent and recruit to what they want to be.  I still expect us to win quite a few games this year as our schedule is mediocre, but barring some huge winning streak it's likely that we will need to win in Omaha to reach Regionals. 

 

A couple of things:  I'm not sure we even make it to Omaha, based on what i am seeing (I attend the games).  A key injury to our handful of legitimate  players or one more pitcher would be doomsday.    

 

My pessimistic report was meant more as a 2018 issue and not to be as critical of Erstad as stated by 13.     Winning a regular season championship last year buys more time from my perspective; I realize 13 will not agree.   I have also heard from some very knowledgeable baseball people that Erstad has figured out some things in recruiting and there is a dramatic change with the 2019-20 commits.    If we can get through this year better times are ahead.    Again, 13 won't agree and that is fine,   For me, I'm not interested in repeating over and over again that Tom hired an inexperienced guy, Ersty should have figured it out sooner, etc. and rehashing the past.  I haven't given up on Erstad,  which might seem inconsistent with my view of the 2018 roster (Note,  the pitching injuries are a 10-15 game difference, perhaps in having a more respectable 2018.   Some baseball people blame that rash of arm injuries on Silva, but that's a whole different discussion).     Inconsistent or not, so be it. 

[huskerbaseball13]

6 minutes ago, HB said:

 

A couple of things:  I'm not sure we even make it to Omaha, based on what i am seeing (I attend the games).  A key injury to our handful of legitimate  players or one more pitcher would be doomsday.    

 

My pessimistic report was meant more as a 2018 issue and not to be as critical of Erstad as stated by 13.     Winning a regular season championship last year buys more time from my perspective; I realize 13 will not agree.   I have also heard from some very knowledgeable baseball people that Erstad has figured out some things in recruiting and there is a dramatic change with the 2019-20 commits.    If we can get through this year better times are ahead.    Again, 13 won't agree and that is fine,   For me, I'm not interested in repeating over and over again that Tom hired an inexperienced guy, Ersty should have figured it out sooner, etc. and rehashing the past.  I haven't given up on Erstad,  which might seem inconsistent with my view of the 2018 roster (Note,  the pitching injuries are a 10-15 game difference, perhaps in having a more respectable 2018.   Some baseball people blame that rash of arm injuries on Silva, but that's a whole different discussion).     Inconsistent or not, so be it. 

 

I don't necessarily disagree, I'm under no assumption that Erstad is going anywhere soon barring him jumping to the MLB.  Erstad obviously knows the game very well and I think he would be great in the majors where he doesn't have to recruit and the talent is nearly developed by the time they reach the majors.  As for the upcoming years I'm not as optimistic as you only because we lose Schreiber this year and will likely lose Wilkening to the draft.  We also lose our Friday guy in Alvarado.  But, I think Tillotson still has a chance to be that guy in the future.  I would expect Altavilla to be back but without the two I mentioned there just isn't much meat to our lineup.  Recruiting/developing power hasn't been Erstad's forte since getting the job.  With that said, I know very little about our incoming recruits and any freshman on the roster outside of Hallmark who I think shows some talent but I don't expect him to be a middle of the lineup type guy. 

[HB]

1 hour ago, huskerbaseball13 said:

 

I don't necessarily disagree, I'm under no assumption that Erstad is going anywhere soon barring him jumping to the MLB.  Erstad obviously knows the game very well and I think he would be great in the majors where he doesn't have to recruit and the talent is nearly developed by the time they reach the majors.  As for the upcoming years I'm not as optimistic as you only because we lose Schreiber this year and will likely lose Wilkening to the draft.  We also lose our Friday guy in Alvarado.  But, I think Tillotson still has a chance to be that guy in the future.  I would expect Altavilla to be back but without the two I mentioned there just isn't much meat to our lineup.  Recruiting/developing power hasn't been Erstad's forte since getting the job.  With that said, I know very little about our incoming recruits and any freshman on the roster outside of Hallmark who I think shows some talent but I don't expect him to be a middle of the lineup type guy. 

 

Good points.   FYI, Hallmark had an absolutely terrible game yesterday.   Was completely lost at the plate.  Also struggled in the field, and Darin yanked him for Kleinke in the 6th.  Maybe it was just one game, but it didn't look good.   Outside of Schreiber, Wilkening, and Repinski, possibly Roskam, everyone is average at best.   And Repinski is a defensive liability, and a senior.   We are in desperate need of a talent infusion.   

[HB]

So of course today we get up 7-0 and have a grand slam....

[khoock]

1 hour ago, HB said:

So of course today we get up 7-0 and have a grand slam....

Being able to piggy bank some runs for games like yesterday would be nice ?

[hskr4life]

Just now, khoock said:

Being able to piggy bank some runs for games like yesterday would be nice ?

 

Yep.  I vote we go aggregate on series now!

[Huskerpapa]

[khoock]

Game canceled for today. Apparently they aren't gonna try for a DH tomorrow.

 

Probably a good thing for us anyway as we don't have a third arm to speak of rn.

[HB]

Too bad today's game wasn't cancelled also.   We are not a good team 

[HuskerActuary]

Wow. I bought all-session passes to the Big Ten Tournament when tickets went on sale a little while back. Is Nebraska even going to qualify???

[HB]

4 hours ago, HuskerActuary said:

Wow. I bought all-session passes to the Big Ten Tournament when tickets went on sale a little while back. Is Nebraska even going to qualify???

 

I have them as well.  And I'd say  NU participating is in question.  

[The Polish Rifle]

What's scary is I've heard effort questioned multiple times. I remember the radio guys saying it looked like they didn't look like they wanted to be there against Oregon St. Man if you can't get up for a top 5 team, who can you get up for.

[brfrad]

This team is flat out embarrassing, right now.  They can't pitch or field.  They are horribly inconsistent at the plate.  This is one of the worst baseball teams Nebraska has fielded in a long time.

[HB]

17 minutes ago, brfrad said:

This team is flat out embarrassing, right now.  They can't pitch or field.  They are horribly inconsistent at the plate.  This is one of the worst baseball teams Nebraska has fielded in a long time.

 

I think that is fair and accurate.  

[brfrad]

I turn the game on tonight.  Nebraska has bases loaded nobody out in the top of 7th, down by 7 runs, the runner gets picked off 1st base by the catcher.  Inexcusable!  That runner needs to be made an example, and pulled from the game.

[brfrad]

If I am Erstad, I call this team out.  This team is lacking effort, pitching, and fielding. We just got taken behind the woodshed by an average baseball team.  I watched the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.  There was zero effort displayed by this team.

[HB]

25 minutes ago, brfrad said:

If I am Erstad, I call this team out.  This team is lacking effort, pitching, and fielding. We just got taken behind the woodshed by an average baseball team.  I watched the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.  There was zero effort displayed by this team.

 

Schreiber and Alvarado have to be thinking "what the hell did I do?".   

[huskerbaseball13]

42 minutes ago, brfrad said:

If I am Erstad, I call this team out.  This team is lacking effort, pitching, and fielding. We just got taken behind the woodshed by an average baseball team.  I watched the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.  There was zero effort displayed by this team.

Perhaps Erstad needs to take a page out of Pelini’s handbook and point the thumb? I really don’t think our mediocrity as a program boils down to a lack of effort.  Maybe in just this game(I didn’t watch)...but our problems run much deeper it would appear. 

[Huskerpapa]

Hard to visualize how this team actually improves as the season moves forward. 

[hskr4life]

It's going to be a long long year.

[AuroranHusker]

Craptastic.

 

[mwm89]

15 hours ago, brfrad said:

I turn the game on tonight.  Nebraska has bases loaded nobody out in the top of 7th, down by 7 runs, the runner gets picked off 1st base by the catcher.  Inexcusable!  That runner needs to be made an example, and pulled from the game.

And embarrassing.  It's not like he has anyplace he can go, barring a hit.

[HuskerFever]

12 minutes ago, mwm89 said:

15 hours ago, brfrad said:

I turn the game on tonight.  Nebraska has bases loaded nobody out in the top of 7th, down by 7 runs, the runner gets picked off 1st base by the catcher.  Inexcusable!  That runner needs to be made an example, and pulled from the game.

And embarrassing.  It's not like he has anyplace he can go, barring a hit.

 

I suppose the dugout was an option for him.

[brfrad]

Another picture perfect day of pitching.  Please do not show any instructional videos of Nebraska pitchers, or fielders.  This team is the least fundamental team I have seen play college baseball.

 

Wow!!  I have never been more disappointed in a team.  21 runs in 2 games to an average low major team, with another 4 outs to go.  Out of the 20 games, you can probably count on 1 hand, the number of times they looked like a Div 1 baseball team.