(SB) Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Supposedly, today will be Red's first appearance on the mound. I'm sure we all wish her great success. Since rick is by far the best talent evaluator on this board, I'd be curious as what he thinks about Red's potential. As we all know he hit a grand slam when it comes to Taylor.

 

Don’t get Rick started on Red, it’ll be a similar evaluation as Taylor!

 

Not one person has remotely suggested anything of the sort regarding on field performance. What are you even talking about? If anything the expectations are are almost unanimously thru the roof (edit....until you posted complaining about the core power group hitting)

 

Walsh is the only one really scuffling. I don't really consider Ava part of the "core" and she's hitting about like last year. Mia is producing multiple times what she did previously....everyone else is productive. "Major red flags" and "going to be a long season" with the numbers being put up is an interesting take.

 

I have no worries about Reagan, she’ll get out of it. And when she does, it’ll be in a big way. Many of her big contacts have just missed the foul pole and several of them have been hit exactly to the fielders. They’ll start falling in.

 

Batting .375 against the quality of competition they've faced to this point is well below expectations and their potential. Combine that with shaky #2 pitching and many more fielding issues than usual and there's reason for concern.

It's okay to notice when things aren't going perfectly, it doesn't make one a bad fan. I support the team financially and in person cheering loudly at every single home game.

This team has not come close to its ceiling yet. I expect them to gel, but if they don't, league play is going to be rough.

 

I totally agree. She is hitting the ball pretty well but unfortunately it has been directly at people.

 

Actually it's not well below expectations....we've mixed in younger players and gotten them reps, and run ruled a large number of the opponents.
Discuss the second tier pitching, worry about errors.....but to say the hitting is "major red flags" is a stretch of epic proportion.

 

We're just going to have to agree to disagree here. They're hitting .372 after yesterday's game. They hit .390 in pre-SEC play last year against significantly better competition. And the only younger players who've gotten significant PT are Comia and Shumaker. Last year they were playing MORE freshmen (AK, Brown, Williams) and working in key newcomers (Erickson, Otis). You'd expect them to be doing better this year with the returning production, not worse.

They've been playing mostly tomato cans and while they are winning, often handily, I think they can be much better. It's not a stretch at all.

 

I agree. When Ocala speaks people listen.

 

Significantly better competition?? The schedule is virtually identical......Michigan, usf and other lesser state schools, bunch of bad teams, a little west coast flavor, and a couple of games vs a quality WCWS type team. Certainly isn't a "significant" difference.
Backups have about 70 at bats....approx 20% of the team total. That's a decent amount. Last year breaking in Otis and Erickson, this year Holtorf and Cahalan. Last year 3 freshmen getting serious reps, this year two.

But ultimately the few points difference is largely because UF racked huge hit numbers vs Colgate (19) and Bethune (15)....usually those blowout games produce 11-12 hits. Overall everything is pretty static, as one would expect.

 

Different people enjoy sports in different ways. I like detailed analysis of the team and I don't think pointing out where they have room to improve is a problem.

I am enjoying the season and as I've said, I fully support the team. Please don't police my fandom.

 

I think there has been plenty of analysis and discussion of issues. Walsh slow start, Ava inconsistent in the circle, and especially the poorer defense than we are accustomed have been discussed extensively. I just don't think anyone else sees major red flags with the hitting....that's a bridge nobody but you has crossed

 

The E.F. Hutton of Softball.