They just pitched a little bit better than we did this time. We couldn’t get the bats going all weekend. Hate it for the guys who are leavimg. Beth and I said our prayers last night like we always do and I prayed for the guys who are now moving on to the pros.Want them to achieve all the success they deserve. Such a hard working group of guys. So proud of them. Prayed for Tony (man, he will be missed), Yaz, Zo, Connor, Conrad and Spence. They were fantastic student-athletes for us, and very proud of what they accomplished. Hope they all either got their degree or are close to finishing up and will get their diplomas. And I hope they’re all playing in the big leagues in the next three or four years. But if that doesn’t work out, any of them could be fine professionals in other fields whether it be business, law, teaching and coaching or any endeavor they want to pursue.
This team just didn’t have the go to power guys that we had in 2011. Yaz, Connor and Conrad were very good hitters, but we didn’t have the Westlakes, the Espositos or the Casalis; the guys who were sure fire run producers. I love all the guys that played on this team; it was a special group that accomplished a lot. But we just didn’t have those consistent run producing guys. One thing I was very proud of all weekend was our defense. Vinnie Conde played some awesome short and Spence made a couple of fantastic throws to get runners trying to steal second. Vince made excellent tags as well. I like Vince as our shortstop next year; he just keeps getting better and better. He didn’t have exceptional range this year, but he became a very solid shortstop for us. Excited to see Vince play next year. Xavier Turner at third is going to be a fantastic player for us. He can hit and he can play some defense. Z is clutch. Excited about Z next year. Man that ball Zander hit yesterday, I thought it was a popup. But he’s strong as a Sherman Tank and that thing hit the top of Memorial. Wow, what power. Zander looks like our first baseman next year and he could be a 15-20 homer, 65-70 RBI guy for us. Love John Norwood as our center fielder next year. He was considered the best athlete on the team along with Tony. Man, he can cover some ground in the outfield, has a good arm and looks like a good hitter and base stealer. That catch he made in left center was superb. Excited about John. Kyle Smith can bring us some power and play some pretty good left for us next year. Like Kyle’s power, batting average and run producing potential. Rhett Wiseman looks like he’ll give us great play in the outfield or as a DH next season. Like Rhett’s bat a lot. Haven’t seen him in the outfield to know enough, but will find out from Corbs when things settle down.
And Carson Fulmer looks like our Friday Night guy next year. Wow, what a warrior, He reminds me a lot of Sonny Gray with his bulldog attitude on the mound. What a competitor. Carson is bringing it 95 and is just a figther. I love the guy. He’s going to be a prolific pitcher in the SEC and nationally for us for at least the next two years. Great stuff. Very excited about Carson. Tyler has all the tools to dominate next year; he just needs to get his control down. I still believe in him. Know the talent is there. He had a great year (14-1), just struggled a little bit finding the plate at the end of the season, particularly yesterday. Maybe it’s just a small mechanical adjustment he needs to make in his delivery. Know he can get it worked out. Brian Miller will be back. Expecting even bigger things from BMill.Preif will be back to give us another starter along with T.J., who struggled this year, but has excellent talent. Jared Miller, Steven Rice, who really came on at the end of the year, and Adam Ravenelle will be back, so we’ll have very good arms. There are others too.
I looked at our recruiting class and we’ve got a good group coming in. At second base, we’ve got to fill Tony’s shoes, which are major shoes to fill. I don’t see any reason why Tony won’t be playing in the big leagues in the next three years. Dansby Swanson was hurt this year for a lot of the time, but he’s a good player. We’ve got an incoming freshman from Chicago, Ronnell Coleman, who’s built like Tony, and hit a ton the last couple of years, is a great base stealer, and sounds like a Tony replica. Boy I’ll miss that Tony, but proud of him for getting a shot at the pros. We’ve got 14 guys in the incoming class. Jordan Sheffield, a right hander pitcher from Tullahoma, Tn, is our crown jewel of the class. We’ve got to survive the and hope these guys don’t sign with the pros, but we’ve got three left handed pitchers coming in, two catchers, a couple of infielders, three first basemen, a couple of right hander pitchers, a couple of middle infielders and an outfielder. Looks like another stellar class put together by Corbs. Next year, we should be very good again; a real contender for Omaha. It’s going to happen. I just didn’t think we had enough power this year. We had an exceptional team, but just came up short against Louisville. Just didn’t hit our best. Still we won 54 games this year, 26 in the SEC, a conference record. The standard is just so high now for our baseball program, and that’s a good thing. Corbs has built a phenomenal program. I know we’re going hack to Omaha soon. Next year is definitely a possibility.
On the agenda this week are pro baseball and the U.S. Open. Brandt competing. Not sure if his game is where he wants it to be, but I know he has it in him. Mike Minor won again for the Braves yesterday. Mike went six, gave up six hits, one earned run with three walks and six K’s. Mike moved to 8-2 on the season with a 2.44 ERA. Having a phenomenal year. So proud of him. Pedro went o-for-three yesterday in the Pirates 4-1 loss to Chicage. Hit the ball very well his first time up. Sent the Cubs left fielder almost to the wall in left. Thought he had it. Pedro is showing signs of taking the outside pitch to left and that’s just maturation and more confidence at the plate. I believe Pedro is going to keep getting better and better. He has all the tools to have a very good year this year. His average isn’t where he wants to be, but the power numbers are good (13 homers, 34 RBIs). I know that Pedro can have a very good career in Pittsburgh. His bat is so good, he can help carry the Pirates to the playoffs this season with his run producing bat. Pedro played some terrific defense this weekend as well. Has all the tools.
Dave still on the shelf, but looking better and better for a return soon; maybe a week and a half. Ryan Flaherty is playing some for the Orioles. Not hitting it great, but doing OK. Mike Baxter was sent down to the Mets triple A club. They really didn’t give MIke much of a chance. He played pretty well when he got the opportunity. Will have more on our guys in the pros, both majors and minors, this week. Sam pitches tonight for Wilmington and Sonny pitches tomorrow night for Sacramento. Will find out more on guys like Esposito, Westlake, Casali, Anthony Gomez and others and have a report on Wednesday.
Tough weekend for our team, but excellent season, and the future is very bright next season and beyond that. Proud of Tony, Yaz, Connor, Conrad, Zo and Spence for getting drafted and for all they did for the program. Will be with them the whole way throughout their professional careers.
Starting to think a little football too. Excited about the prospects for next year. There is a ton of talent on James’s 2013 roster. Can’t wait.