UConn v. Harvard @ Winter Haven FLA

[Husky25]

I don't think Zapata will factor into the decision. He pitched okay, not great. Hit a batter in each of the first two innings. He also was not helped by his fielders. I thought I heard he did not have a K until late in the outing. UConn getting into Harvard's bullpen was key.

 

[huskymedic]

I don't think Zapata will factor into the decision. He pitched okay, not great. Hit a batter in each of the first two innings. He also was not helped by his fielders. I thought I heard he did not have a K until late in the outing. UConn getting into Harvard's bullpen was key.

@uconnbaseball: Final line for #UConn's Zapata: 6.1 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K. The freshman has allowed 0 ER and 5 H in 13.1 IP as a SP. #BleedBlue

 

[Husky25]

0 ER due to errors and the 2 walks were HBPs. I'd also like to see more K's in 6 innings.

As I said, he pitched okay not great.

 

[Husky25]

9-4 held up for the final score.

 

[huskymedic]

@uconnbaseball: Final score: #UConn 9, Harvard 4. Daniello: 3-5, HR, 3 RBI. Melley: 3-5, RBI. Sundberg: 3-4, 2 R. Sullivan: 2-4, 2 R, RBI. #BleedBlue

@uconnbaseball: Max Slade picks up his first win of the year after 1.2 scoreless out of the pen. #UConn moves to 9-8 on the year, has won five in a row.

 

[BBall2012]

Those last 5 wins were a must considering opponents had a combined 18-56 record. Big test will be USF series this weekend. Hopefully they will stay hot and continue right through this weekend. But the team is relying on a lot of young guys . I heard a Coach from another D1 program make a statement and it really got me thinking about UConn.. Coach said his philosophy is this: Recruiting is only one part of the equation.. The next step is when the coaches really earn their money and develop those players over (4) years. He said some coaches rely strictly on recruiting and expect those young guys to come in and be effective. If they don't see what they like instead of coaching them to get better and giving them opportunities the will recruit over them.. discard them, cut scholarships and force them out. When the bottom line is the coaches are unable to coach and improve the talent that they saw when they were being recruited. Look at this year's team all these young guys are playing and not many upper classmen is an indication to me that the latter is UConn coaching style. Obviously the goal is to recruit better and better players each year but it's also obvious many are not given opportunities to succeed and gain that experience. Midweek games will not decide whether you get a bid to the tourney or not. , especially when you play a week out of conference schedule. These are the games to get those players in that have struggled and need some consistent playing time instead of playing once every few weeks. Also make you much deeper come conference tournament time when a deep bench or bullpen is needed . The midweek games will only make the coaches record look better come review time at the end of the year. I have seen this over the past 4-5 years, Just my two cents.. any thoughts?

 

[ATLDYKA]

[Obviously the goal is to recruit better and better players each year but it's also obvious many are not given opportunities to succeed and gain that experience. quote]
I don't necessarily agree that this has been UConn's philosophy. They have a good core of young guys who are able to play early on because of the continued success of better recruiting due to our recent success. I think guys like Barnes, Springer and Mazzilli are signs that Penders is able to develop talent over the 4 years.

 

[Husky25]

Midweek games will not decide whether you get a bid to the tourney or not...The midweek games will only make the coaches record look better come review time at the end of the year. I have seen this over the past 4-5 years, Just my two cents.. any thoughts?

Unless they lose those mid week games...

I like everything else you say.

 

[Husky25]

[Obviously the goal is to recruit better and better players each year but it's also obvious many are not given opportunities to succeed and gain that experience. quote]
I don't necessarily agree that this has been UConn's philosophy. They have a good core of young guys who are able to play early on because of the continued success of better recruiting due to our recent success. I think guys like Barnes, Springer and Mazzilli are signs that Penders is able to develop talent over the 4 years.

Likewise, because of Barnes, Springer, and Mazzilli, I have more faith that Hill will improve as the year goes on.

 

[huskymedic]

http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-basebl/recaps/031814aaa.html

Game Notes
- Bryan Daniello's sixth-inning home run was his first of the year and the third of the sophomore's career. He also recorded season-highs with three hits and three RBIs.
- Jack Sundberg notched his third three-hit day of the year. The sophomore also stole two bases in a game for the second time in 2013.
- The Huskies stole a season-high five bases in the win.
- Andrew Zapata has allowed no earned runs and five hits in 13.1 innings pitched as a starter this season.
- After missing two games, Vinny Siena returned to the UConn lineup and drew a walk to extend his reached-base streak to 26 games, dating back to last season.
- UConn scored five runs and batted around in the seventh inning, marking the fourth straight game it has batted around in an inning. The Huskies also recorded their fourth straight game with at least 10 hits.
- Bobby Melley is 10-for-15 (.667) with seven runs and five RBIs over UConn's last four games.

UConn is right back in action tomorrow afternoon when it takes on Central Connecticut at Chain of Lakes Park Stadium. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.

 

[BBall2012]

[ I think guys like Barnes, Springer and Mazzilli are signs that Penders is able to develop talent over the 4 years.[/quote]

Good point.. I believe those guys have led to some of the better talent that would have went elsewhere to come to UConn. But those guys also started and played all (4) years.. basically I haven't seen many players that the coaches were able to develop under there wings over a period of a couple years then make their way into the lineup and be a key. So to me that is where there is a difference between being a recruiter and a coach to develop the talenet or just a recruiter.

 

[Husky25]

- Andrew Zapata has allowed no earned runs and five hits in 13.1 innings pitched as a starter this season.

I still think this is a flawed stat and needs to be reported in context. Zapata gave up zero ERs, but he was down 4-2 today. I know Hill had a couple errors, but it still indicates that Zapata has to be a tad more effective from the stretch. I think he will get there, but I just thought I'd make that observation. He was great last week, for sure.

 

[dbmill]

Those last 5 wins were a must considering opponents had a combined 18-56 record. Big test will be USF series this weekend. Hopefully they will stay hot and continue right through this weekend. But the team is relying on a lot of young guys . I heard a Coach from another D1 program make a statement and it really got me thinking about UConn.. Coach said his philosophy is this: Recruiting is only one part of the equation.. The next step is when the coaches really earn their money and develop those players over (4) years. He said some coaches rely strictly on recruiting and expect those young guys to come in and be effective. If they don't see what they like instead of coaching them to get better and giving them opportunities the will recruit over them.. discard them, cut scholarships and force them out. When the bottom line is the coaches are unable to coach and improve the talent that they saw when they were being recruited. Look at this year's team all these young guys are playing and not many upper classmen is an indication to me that the latter is UConn coaching style. Obviously the goal is to recruit better and better players each year but it's also obvious many are not given opportunities to succeed and gain that experience. Midweek games will not decide whether you get a bid to the tourney or not. , especially when you play a week out of conference schedule. These are the games to get those players in that have struggled and need some consistent playing time instead of playing once every few weeks. Also make you much deeper come conference tournament time when a deep bench or bullpen is needed . The midweek games will only make the coaches record look better come review time at the end of the year. I have seen this over the past 4-5 years, Just my two cents.. any thoughts?

Just curious, but can you name a UConn player who earned a decent amount of playing time during a particular season who was forced out of the program?

 

[dbmill]

"I would have thought he'd be back by now... Only doing stints as a pitch runner though. Heard on one broadcast he's been doing some fielding. No word on swinging of the bat that I heard."

I heard the earliest he may be back is the Cincy series and that series starts 4/11

That's what Chris Jones indicated the last time I heard him talking about Verdi during a WHUS baseball broadcast.

 

[dbmill]

I'm guessing Christian Colletti is starting tomorrow against Central, but I haven't seen an announcement.

Kay, Ruotolo, and Mahoney have gotten the vast bulk of the important innings out of the bullpen, when a game on the line. I noticed Max Slade and Radue got some work out of the bullpen today, and that they did well. These midweek games also serve a purpose of giving Penders a look at these guys (and Devin Over, for that matter) coming on in relief. At some point if Penders likes what he sees these guys in these games and gains more confidence in them, it might gain these pitchers more important relief assignments, particularly during weekend conference games.

 

[dbmill]

[ I think guys like Barnes, Springer and Mazzilli are signs that Penders is able to develop talent over the 4 years.

Good point.. I believe those guys have led to some of the better talent that would have went elsewhere to come to UConn. But those guys also started and played all (4) years.. basically I haven't seen many players that the coaches were able to develop under there wings over a period of a couple years then make their way into the lineup and be a key. So to me that is where there is a difference between being a recruiter and a coach to develop the talenet or just a recruiter.[/quote]

How about Tabakman and Marzi, the anchors of the weekend pitching staff? They did not pitch much at all during their rookie seasons, but they seem to have developed well under Penders.

 

[Yonick]

Slade & Over had not pitched much in their 1st 2 years. They both seem to be developing nicely now as bullpen contributors.
Speaking about players who don't play much in the beginning of their careers just look at Carson Cross. He redshirted his frosh season. Look what he did last season. Unfortunate injury this year, but, he should be the ace of next years young staff. Let alone a decent draft pick in 2015.

 

[dbmill]

Slade & Over had not pitched much in their 1st 2 years. They both seem to be developing nicely now as bullpen contributors.
Speaking about players who don't play much in the beginning of their careers just look at Carson Cross. He redshirted his frosh season. Look what he did last season. Unfortunate injury this year, but, he should be the ace of next years young staff. Let alone a decent draft pick in 2015.

I thought of Cross shortly after I posted about Tabakman and Marzi. It seems to me that the vast majority of UConn pitchers right out of high school don't immediately get put into key roles the way Kay and Ruotolo have this season. As for Zapata, it would not surprise me if he becomes a weekend starter soon if Ward continues to have his problems with throwing strikes.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

All the upper classmen have made contributions/played a lot save Testani. Verdi and Cross would be playing if not hurt.
Have to ask, is there any personal stake here?

 

[BBall2012]

No personal stake here...As I mentioned initially after hearing that Coach talk about his philospohy while suggesting others do it differently.. It got me thinking and it still reminds me of UConn coaches.. which is why I asked for other thoughts.. everyone making good points..

 

[Husky25]

Have to ask, is there any personal stake here?

No, but UConn is my Alma Mater, I have loved baseball for the better part of 37 years, games run about a manageable 2-2.5 hours, UConn is good (for a northern school, which also makes them a legitimate underdog with upside), and someone said last week that they didn't get any updates on baseball games other than the Boneyard.

I will try to apply my amateur expertise and help out as much as I can.

 

[dbmill]

I wasn't able to listen to the WHUS broadcast today, but my wife (a huge baseball fan) did. She just told me that Penders said in the post game interview that Colletti is starting tomorrow.

 

[BBall2012]

Here is a great link.. Top underclassmen in the nation along with schools committed to..
http://www.perfectgame.org/all_americans/2014/Underclass/HighHonorable.aspx

 

[Duncan Idaho]

No personal stake here...As I mentioned initially after hearing that Coach talk about his philospohy while suggesting others do it differently.. It got me thinking and it still reminds me of UConn coaches.. which is why I asked for other thoughts.. everyone making good points..

BB12,
Im wondering if it evolved that way in an effort to keep the program at high level following the super regional run.