Rough start...

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Rough start...

I didn't assume that we would beat them. I just stated that I did not think of these 3 teams when I thought of good baseball teams. They may be decent programs, but I do not recall any of them playing in Omaha. Why would it be disappointing to lose to a South Dakota team if the South Dakota team was a "Good" program.

GOOD college baseball teams don't play in Omaha - ELITE college baseball teams do.

Would you consider Oral Roberts a good college baseball team the past decade? I sure would, and they have played in Omaha once in their history...it was in 1978.

[6-4-3 Jackrabbit]

Re: Rough start...

Just a reminder the Summit League is a one bid league no matter what a team does in their non-league schedule. The Rabbits need to get outside and play. Be ready for the Summit League season and the conference tournament - in Sioux Falls. No need to panic. Just get the games in and get the arms ready for early April. Go Rabbits!

[SouthernJack]

Re: Rough start...

Two wins in their last two outings. The bats are beginning to wake up up from their winter slumber. Two more outstanding pitching performances. Both Treinen and Bougher have thrown well in their two starts. Still far too many errors, averaging three per game.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: Rough start...

3-8. I'm admittedly not a big follower of college baseball, but should our record be better than this?

Didn't we return nearly everyone from last years team?

What's the deal thusfar?

Like I said, I struggle to keep track of the baseball team, so I have no clue what's going on, but I guess I figured we'd be better than 3-8 so far.

[6-4-3 Jackrabbit]

Re: Rough start...

Just a thought from the bleachers. The team might be struggling with the bat changes for 2011. Some of State's best hitters just aren't hitting yet. The team was built around offense and thus far they're not hitting. Along with that Trevor V. hasn't performed late in the games like he did in 2010. Then add in the facts that they've played good competition and only get outside when they're playing games. It all adds up to a 3-8 start. There's a long way to go!

3-8. I'm admittedly not a big follower of college baseball, but should our record be better than this?

Didn't we return nearly everyone from last years team?

What's the deal thusfar?

Like I said, I struggle to keep track of the baseball team, so I have no clue what's going on, but I guess I figured we'd be better than 3-8 so far.

[76Rabbit]

Re: Rough start...

Through 11 games last year the Jacks scored 93 runs. This year through 11 they have scored 42. The bats likely have something to do with that but all teams are using the same bats. Last year was the perfect storm, everything came together....this year that is not the case so far. We are short on starting pitchers(anxious to see Marcus take the mound), not scoring runs like last year and have committed more than double the errors we had at this point last year. Not a good combo. Gonna have to get the bats going and score a lot of runs if we are going to succeed this season.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: Rough start...

I'd love to get to my first Jackrabbit baseball game this year (I say this every year). I wish my schedule fit their game times better.

I wasn't sure I bought all the "new bat" talk, but it's hard to argue with the runs scored numbers, huh?

Also, it's hard to understand why this same team is committing so many more errors.

It's a bummer to see the team get thrown off the good groove they had going last year.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Rough start...

I'd love to get to my first Jackrabbit baseball game this year (I say this every year). I wish my schedule fit their game times better.

I wasn't sure I bought all the "new bat" talk, but it's hard to argue with the runs scored numbers, huh?

Also, it's hard to understand why this same team is committing so many more errors.

It's a bummer to see the team get thrown off the good groove they had going last year.

What's with the "new bat" thing? Back before aluminum bats,everyone used wood bats.There wasn't a "new bat" issue.Everyone uses the same bat,so get this "new bat" thing out of your head and start hitting the d*** ball!

[propar80]

Re: Rough start...

But...wouldn't the change to "duller" bats give advantage to pitching or I'm sure in NCAA baseball's case, the bigger schools who get the better pitcher's, especially in depth?

I think this was Ritchie's beef. But then again, is anyone surprised that the NCAA would give another advantage to the BCS conferences and hide it as a "safety" issue?? OK I'll take my tin-foil hat off now.

Go Jacks!!

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Rough start...

What's with the "new bat" thing? Back before aluminum bats,everyone used wood bats.There wasn't a "new bat" issue.Everyone uses the same bat,so get this "new bat" thing out of your head and start hitting the d*** ball!

I believe the bat barrels have a smaller diameter thus making it harder to "square" the ball up.

As stated earlier the pitching is just not that great on this team. If you look at the scores last year they out-slugged a lot of teams. That's not happening this year and I would guess part of the reason is the new bat rules.

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Rough start...

I believe the bat barrels have a smaller diameter thus making it harder to "square" the ball up.

As stated earlier the pitching is just not that great on this team. If you look at the scores last year they out-slugged a lot of teams. That's not happening this year and I would guess part of the reason is the new bat rules.

Okay, not a baseball playere here and not trying to be a smartass. I am missing something.

Wouldn't the bat thing almost be to our advantage if we have great hitters? Also, wouldn't it make the gap between good pitching and poor pitching less of a factor.

Thanks for taking the call, I will hang up and listen.

SUPERBUNNY

[RabbitObsessed]

Re: Rough start...

Okay, not a baseball playere here and not trying to be a smartass. I am missing something.

Wouldn't the bat thing almost be to our advantage if we have great hitters? Also, wouldn't it make the gap between good pitching and poor pitching less of a factor.

Thanks for taking the call, I will hang up and listen.

SUPERBUNNY

My guess is that brings great hitters back closer to average hitters, shortening the skill gap.

Only a guess though.

[76Rabbit]

Re: Rough start...

The new bats don't have the pop the ones used last year had. This team is built with power hitters and very poor speed. Thus, what would have been a HR or 3B last year is now a double or a single and we can't play the small ball needed to get the runs in. I don't agree that the NCAA deliberately made the change to benefit the larger schools. It is definitely a safety issue and as the parent of a pitcher......we like the change.

[joeboo22]

Re: Rough start...

I think that the change needed to happen, for safety purposes as well as adjustment to the pro's. However I didn't like how they implemented it, I wish they would have said in 2 years or something. If the NCAA made a change with football and said that no passes beyond 20 yards down field, well my guess is football programs would sign more TE's then speed receivers. However at the same point if you are a good baseball player you should be able to transition to these composite bats, add that with the warming up and getting a custom to the bats I think that the team will be all right.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Rough start...

I watched all three games down at Creighton, and couldn't believe how much shorter hits were (for both teams of course). I'm with 76Rabbit...last year, a number of the fly balls hit in the Creighton game would have been homers. And we are short on top-line pitching. Treinen pitched very well for six innings in the middle game, but Vermuelen just didn't have the touch on his pitching that he had last year. In all of this scenario, it is still early for our guys, who never practiced outside before suiting it up against teams with 7/8 games under their belts. And Creighton is pretty darn good and is off to its best start ever under their current coach (there eight years). Against Nebraska on Tuesday, it looks like Kolton Emery (our freshman from Rapid City) had things under control for four or so innings and then they got to him.