Men This looks like it will Penders toughest test in a while.

[Palatine]

The team is hitting .216 and the staff ERA is 6.14. Yes, the quality of opponents has been high. It is a long season, baseball fortunes are always subject to change. The team has yet to take field for a home game. But there is still a lot of California ahead.

It will be interesting to see what Penders can squeeze out of this group. There is talent at the top. How much depth can be developed over the season will determine the Huskies fate. But the early returns suggest Jimmy is going to earn his money this year.

 

[huskymedic]

The team is hitting .216 and the staff ERA is 6.14.

… and those stats were before this weekend (thru 3/6) - wait till they feather the weekend debacle in.

 

[Omahabound]

The team is hitting .216 and the staff ERA is 6.14. Yes, the quality of opponents has been high. It is a long season, baseball fortunes are always subject to change. The team has yet to take field for a home game. But there is still a lot of California ahead.

It will be interesting to see what Penders can squeeze out of this group. There is talent at the top. How much depth can be developed over the season will determine the Huskies fate. But the early returns suggest Jimmy is going to earn his money this year.

To this point, and to add on to a comment I made on another post, I think we’re seeing the downside of grad transfers and plug/play recruiting. Normally, he’s had a season or 2 at least( incl off-season) to familiarize himself and the staff with the recruits…I think the stats will begin to balance itself once finding the right combinations w/in the roster. Being the 8th season I’ve actively followed the program, the walks/strikeout issues are obvious. They seemed to be recruiting guys that throw strikes and can have good AB. Transfers you kinda get what you get. There’s not a lot of time to develop. Just an opinion

 

[Rdkid]

The concerning trend to me is the lack of growth year-over-year with pitchers. Kids who are upperclassmen who are no more serviceable than when they were freshman. Mostly because they have no better control, much less command. If you are a junior or senior and can’t throw your fastball for strikes in the one inning you’re called upon (sometimes during weekday competition), what are you doing on the roster? It is frustrating to watch but maybe part of a trend - that some of these kids can throw hard, but have no feel to pitch. I won’t name names, because I support and root for all of them, but there are 6-8 pitchers I have seen over the past two years especially who demonstrate little capacity to compete.

 

[businesslawyer]

Penders’ toughest test? Penders can’t pitch or hit for the team. Unfortunately, this season will be what it is no matter how good a coach Penders is. This isn’t football — you can’t “outscheme” a marginally better team.

Penders’ toughest test will be rebuilding a roster that has talent on it after this year is done.

 

[Omahabound]

Penders’ toughest test? Penders can’t pitch or hit for the team. Unfortunately, this season will be what it is no matter how good a coach Penders is. This isn’t football — you can’t “outscheme” a marginally better team.

Penders’ toughest test will be rebuilding a roster that has talent on it after this year is done.

I agree next season’s rebuild seems difficult.

This season is not lost by any means. Need a win and some confidence. A conference championship doesn’t need to be the way in. Gotta get one win vs UCLA/Irvine if not 2. Preferably Irvine. A few months ago I wrote that rain the middle of next would be benefit playing LIU/URI. Maybe they’ll be necessary to build on, idk. Take the win today

 

[Omahabound]

The concerning trend to me is the lack of growth year-over-year with pitchers. Kids who are upperclassmen who are no more serviceable than when they were freshman. Mostly because they have no better control, much less command. If you are a junior or senior and can’t throw your fastball for strikes in the one inning you’re called upon (sometimes during weekday competition), what are you doing on the roster? It is frustrating to watch but maybe part of a trend - that some of these kids can throw hard, but have no feel to pitch. I won’t name names, because I support and root for all of them, but there are 6-8 pitchers I have seen over the past two years especially who demonstrate little capacity to compete.

The control issues within the pitching staff the past 2 seasons are abnormal. I’m not sure what’s the cause…I’m more inclined to believe the grad transfers and portal are more the cause then actual development being lacking. I base that on the 6 previous seasons when it stood out to me how the Uconn pitchers, didn’t beat themselves thru walks. The issue lies on offense as well. Too many strikeouts and not working counts

 

[hardcorehusky]

Sullivan and Cooke have not improved and look to have taken steps back. Injuries, etc look to be in play there. Ellison hasn't improved either at least yet from last year. Afthim has improved, but his body of work is so small, you can't tell. Quinn has improved but not yet to a big spot.

We are only a few weeks in. Some guys hit their stride as the weather warms. McDonald knows what he is doing, he will get it figured out. The swings and misses and the batting approach seems to be all over the place and you can't move the line the way they are going.

 

[ATLDYKA]

The control issues within the pitching staff the past 2 seasons are abnormal. I’m not sure what’s the cause…I’m more inclined to believe the grad transfers and portal are more the cause then actual development being lacking. I base that on the 6 previous seasons when it stood out to me how the Uconn pitchers, didn’t beat themselves thru walks. The issue lies on offense as well. Too many strikeouts and not working counts

I agree with your last sentence. I have always been outspoken about our aggressiveness at the plate. I know it is the UConn way. But when you are struggling this much at the plate, I think showing more patience will help. There have been way too many innings this year where the opposing pitcher has had a less than 10 pitch inning. They are making things far too easy on the opposing staff. Need to work counts.

 

[MarkyMark]

The UCSB series they were overmatched by pitching. Can’t work counts. that pitching is polished, deep and will eat up inferior lineups. At the college level they can match anyone in the country for a weekend series.
-Ager (Friday starter) slotted to be a 3-5th rd pick in ‘24
-Brenman (Shpur hit the HR) slotted to be a 1st rd pick in ‘25

• sunday starter Gallagher was 8-0 in ‘22 missed last season with elbow surgery
• sat starter Gutierrez had been the ace of the staff and is a solid lefty

My big problem with them is you can have inferior talent but still play fundamentally sound baseball. They aren’t doing that. They don’t know how to bunt, errant pickoff throws, getting picked off bases, catcher throwing the ball around etc etc. that’s how you lose 9 of 10. And this part is on the coaching staff to fix now. No excuses. Coaching staff has accountability for this too they don’t get a free pass. Also lineup has not been optimized and needs further tweaks. Won’t repeat again.

By the way there’s a prevailing thought that this will turn and by EOY they’ll be fine because they‘re UConn. Right now no guarantee of that. I’m not sure they’re any good. Jury still out.

I’m heading down the westwood this afternoon and want to see a CLEAN game played. Fundamentally sound and let the chips fall. that’s all I want to see. Once again, we’ll see what happens and somebody needs to be the catalyst to make it turn.

 

[Omahabound]

The UCSB series they were overmatched by pitching. Can’t work counts. that pitching is polished, deep and will eat up inferior lineups. At the college level they can match anyone in the country for a weekend series.
-Ager (Friday starter) slotted to be a 3-5th rd pick in ‘24
-Brenman (Shpur hit the HR) slotted to be a 1st rd pick in ‘25

• sunday starter Gallagher was 8-0 in ‘22 missed last season with elbow surgery
• sat starter Gutierrez had been the ace of the staff and is a solid lefty

My big problem with them is you can have inferior talent but still play fundamentally sound baseball. They aren’t doing that. They don’t know how to bunt, errant pickoff throws, getting picked off bases, catcher throwing the ball around etc etc. that’s how you lose 9 of 10. And this part is on the coaching staff to fix now. No excuses. Coaching staff has accountability for this too they don’t get a free pass. Also lineup has not been optimized and needs further tweaks. Won’t repeat again.

By the way there’s a prevailing thought that this will turn and by EOY they’ll be fine because they‘re UConn. Right now no guarantee of that. I’m not sure they’re any good. Jury still out.

I’m heading down the westwood this afternoon and want to see a CLEAN game played. Fundamentally sound and let the chips fall. that’s all I want to see. Once again, we’ll see what happens and somebody needs to be the catalyst to make it turn.

The fundamentals you’re mentioning are exactly the reason I’m more inclined to think it may be recruit related more so then coaching. Only because the previous 6 seasons I’ve watched/listened, fundamentals were the strength. I agree it lies with the coaches at days end, but I’m not sure the time and access to teach or modify bad habits is realistic, from a coaching perspective. That’s why I mentioned another post pertaining to changing or reverting to more HS recruiting. I really don’t know, but that’s my guess as to where the focus on recruiting may go. I think the walks alone by the staff and the lack of working counts and wearing down pitching is really an issue. They can be aggressive but situationally aware. There’s a frosh who swings at the first pitch almost every ab…and almost every ab that it occurs the count reads 0-1! This is all unfamiliar to me as fan following them the past 7 plus seasons. Start with a win tonight is all they can do.

 

[MarkyMark]

The fundamentals you’re mentioning are exactly the reason I’m more inclined to think it may be recruit related more so then coaching. Only because the previous 6 seasons I’ve watched/listened, fundamentals were the strength. I agree it lies with the coaches at days end, but I’m not sure the time and access to teach or modify bad habits is realistic, from a coaching perspective. That’s why I mentioned another post pertaining to changing or reverting to more HS recruiting. I really don’t know, but that’s my guess as to where the focus on recruiting may go. I think the walks alone by the staff and the lack of working counts and wearing down pitching is really an issue. They can be aggressive but situationally aware. There’s a frosh who swings at the first pitch almost every ab…and almost every ab that it occurs the count reads 0-1! This is all unfamiliar to me as fan following them the past 7 plus seasons. Start with a win tonight is all they can do.

I’m referring to executing a pickoff throw, laying down a bunt, not getting picked off. That’s correctable stuff. Throwing strikes, working counts I’m with ya on. That’s not as easy a fix.

another thing Is all these returning guys look like the same (or less) players than when they left gainsville in June. Where’s the improvement? Who’s that on? I don’t see anyone who has made a step change. They all look the same at best (so far). To me that’s shared accountability with player/coaching staff. add to that the trio they lost you get these results.