This thread has entertained many non softball conversations throughout its life. It will survive. I didn’t think the generic post I made about an NIL contract was going to turn into what it has either.
Yep - I'm actually the one who started this thread in February 2022. Enough of us real softball fans to keep it going all this time.
Taylor Shumaker has been named Orange County (California) female player of the year. I think covering all sports. I also stumbled across a Max Preps headline on an article that won't load for me but the lead was "Is Taylor Shumaker the Best Hitter in the Country". Esperanza’s Taylor Shumaker is the Orange County Girls Athlete of the Year – Orange County Register.
https://youtube.com/shorts/va3nOCNnFA0?si=3FKewp4KpnrNeQyA Here is my effort to help rickjs1 share video report on “Is Taylor Shumaker the Best Hitter in the Country?”
I'm so looking forward to reports from fall practice to see how the competition for starting positions shakes out. Of course, fall performace will only be a starting point for the practices that lead up to opening day and then opportunities players get once the pre-conference season starts. Talent will be abundant in Gainesville.
I have said before that Taylor has a build similar to Skylar. Actually, I think she is a little bigger. Our roster shows Skylar at 5'10". I think I read somewhere that Taylor is 6'1". Not sure that's correct but she looks bigger to me in the many videos I have seen.
They are talking high school ball. While I won't argue that high school ball in Southern California isn't really good, evaluating Taylor against high school players is not remotely fair to the kids she played against. I pay much more attention to the elite level travel she plays and she is equally as dominant there and that is what truly impresses me.
Is there any legs to a rumor I saw about Dobbins leaving and a former alabama pitching coach replacing her?
Batbusters played two yesterday. Taylor went 5-6 with 4 runs, 1 rbi, 1 double, 2 walks and a home run. She's hitting leadoff so her rbi totals will never be what they could be if hitting third or fourth. Similar to when we hit Amanda leadoff at times. For the season so far she is 25-34 (.735) with 23 runs, 10 rbis, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 6 walks and 2 home runs. Here's the dinger:
Taylor will get more support from her Gator sisters when hitting a dinger than her travel Batbusters teammates, plus a well deserved “wedgie”.
Question... but don't kill me: Even though she is Jason "White chocolate" Williams' daughter... our 2b couldn't hit at all. It was an automatic out every 2nd or 3rd inning. Are we looking to upgrade there in the portal?
She struggled at the plate....but she was a top 3 national recruit and I think the staff feels like she will figure it out. They had options this past season and for the most part kept putting Mia out there, IMO she will be fine.
Haven’t a clue on that rumor. I guess you could say, with Charlotte needing a new HC, and what Chelsey accomplished this season with Freshmen pitchers, they might look for interest from our pitching coach. I would expect they’re familiar with her as well from her previous stint. Charlottes previous coach (now at South Carolina) was a former pitcher there, and a pitching coach in her coaching climb.
I do think Mia will have to make the sophomore jump. I don't think hitting .160 will keep her on the field in 2025. Just how long that rope is will have to be determined by Mia's play.