Arkansas series could be baseball teams Fla. wake-up call.

Discussion in 'The Tiger's Den' started by MiketheTiger69, Apr 12, 2004.

  1. MiketheTiger69

    MiketheTiger69 Founding Member

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    Just as when the fb team lost to Fla. and everybody figured the season was lost, so too is everybody giving up on the bb team now. While Smoke is certainly no Saban, I think this team has enough talent and hopefully enough leadership to overcome this weekend.

    I think that just as the fb team overlooked Fla. with a freshman qb and a losing record, the bb team looked at the Hogs as an easy opponent what with them not winning against us in 11 games and them being unranked. I don't know what, if anything, Smoke did to address this before the series but I think the players need to take it upon themselves to step back and examine just what it is they want to accomplish for the season and decide if they want to put forth the effort necessary to achieve it. I thnk they can and will.

    Let's not forget we also have the Skipper and I don't think he will hesitate to step in and give the boys some motivation and remind them of who they are and what they represent-LSU baseball!


    :tigbas: :geaux: :tigbas: :geaux: :tigbas: :geaux: :tigbas: :geaux:
     
  2. tygertail

    tygertail Founding Member

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    God, I hope your right. Getting swept at home is embarrassing
     
  3. BB

    BB Founding Member

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    That was a tough weekend for Tiger Baseball - However, if it was going to happen, I think it happened at a good time. I feel very strongly that we will see a vast improvement in fielding and base running down the stretch. Hopefully, this series sweep will allow for 2 very important things to happen:

    1. A true leader will emerge and put this team on his back when we need it
    2. The team will discover a degree of focus that will finally complement their immense talent as a team and their exceptional abilities individually

    I read that we haven't lost all 3 games in a weekend series at home to an SEC team since 1988! That is incredible. We have some tough series ahead and I'm just glad we got slapped when we did - it would have been much worse to see this in mid May...
     
  4. Beaux-Bo

    Beaux-Bo Founding Member

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    Wake up call or not, we played piss poor fundamental baseball this weekend. For that matter we have played poor fundamental baseball the last few weeks.

    Ground balls between the legs with the bases loaded, thrown out at the plate twice (for not touching the plate), bobbling easy double play balls... This is not the LSU baseball program I am familiar with. Everyone has bad weeks but when the wheels fall off you need to get back to basics. Maybe juggling the infield is to blame, maybe taking the last few opponents lightly is to blameā€¦ Bottom line is baseball is a game that requires attention to details and it is clear this team has not figured that out yet.

    Someone better step up and step up soon our we will be on the road for a Super Regional.
     
  5. rookie

    rookie Founding Member

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    While the Kansas series was fairly early last year, they did sweep at Alex Box and they were not a good team last year. That series reminded me a good bit of this past weekend. Every break went the other way.
     
  6. goldengirlfan

    goldengirlfan simple man

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    :tigbas: Random thoughts on the Arkansas trainwreck.........

    As a fan (not to be confused with an expert), my primary concern entering the season was the infield, especially the middle infield. A first round pick is difficult to replace in the middle. My fears have been realized. Hopefully, they'll come around. If not, our fortunes won't get better.

    Like everyone else, I hoped Mestepey would regain dominant form. That hasn't happened.

    I can't comment on the "leadership" among the players. Absent a view into the locker room or a personal relationship with a player or coach, I don't know that it's fair to say there is no leadership. Only they really know. But, if it needs fixing, somebody better step up.

    The baserunning mistakes were disappointing. No excuse.

    It is going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to win the west without a great deal of help.

    :tigbas:
     
  7. captainpodnuh

    captainpodnuh Baseball at da Box

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    If Smoke would leave the middle infield alone, these guys would be more comfortable, and their bats would follow. I know there were some injuries early in the season that saw Hebert in for Horwath, but Gill played excellent last year at second. I think this moving around the infield is hurting us.

    Also, now Smoke plans to move Nacc to 2nd. Not sure if that puts Gill on the bench, or Horwath or Hebert. Smoke needs to quit messing with these kids minds by movng them around in the field and the batting order let them play some baseball. Whoever heard of a guy playing D-1 ball that can't hit a certain kind of pitcher. Nacc showed him by hitting a couple of homers early in the season off pitching he supposedly couldn't hit.

    The boys will come around when Smoke quits messing with a good thing.
     
  8. red55

    red55 curmudgeon Staff Member

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    Skip showed us how it is done and Smoke showed us last year that he understands. The key to gettting to Omaha is peaking at the right time. Tournament time that is. Getting swept is bad, but this is the time of the season to take your losses if you're going to have them. Smoke is still experimenting with pitchers and players.

    Chemistry is still developing on this team. They are hitting .327 but are not consistently getting clutch plays. Look for the Tigers to peak at SEC Tournament time.
     
  9. G_MAN113

    G_MAN113 Founding Member

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    I couldn't have said it better, Red. I've seen ALL of Skip's National
    Championship teams hit rough patches like this. It builds character, and gives them a sort of frame of reference. After all, you're not going to win
    EVERY time out...you need to learn to overcome the losses you do incur over the course of a season. In fact, I usually hate to see them enter the postseason on a tear, for the simple reason that there are very few 12-15 game winning streaks. Better to lose the season-ender or in the SEC Tourney than to lose in the Regionals or Supers.
     
  10. TigerWins

    TigerWins Founding Member

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    Horwath is always a gametime decision because of his shoulder injury ... Smoke is not rotating him with Hebert for the fun of it, it's out of necessity. If Horwath was 100% healthy, this would be a non-issue.

    You mentioned you never heard of a D-1 guy not hitting a certain kind of pitcher ... well, Skip platooned players his entire coaching career based on leftie vs rightie matchups. They even do that in MLB. Naccarata struggles against lefties, so he can't be an everyday starter ... Will Harris hits lefties really well, so he needs to be playing.

    As for Gill, I'm not sure how it matters who is playing around him when it comes to catching a ground ball or making a throw to 1st ... he has one of the lowest fielding % on the team. He also had one of the lowest fielding % last year.
     

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