Season So Far

[coolonetoo]

Three weekends are in the books. About 20% of the season. The results are easily split into two categories:

5-1 vs. three teams with a combined record of 6-24.
1-4 vs. two teams with a combined record of 20-1.

So how good are the Huskers? It's hard to say. They've taken care of business against teams that look to be not so hot but struggled against some that appear are in the good-to-great category. If this continues we can expect a year-end resume similar to the basketball team's. And we don't want that.

I'm still quite concerned about the injury-depleted bullpen but I'm optimistic the young guys will improve as the season goes along and that Jake McSteen can return at some point. 6-5 is a decent start, especially compared to what recent years have held. Hopefully, Thursday is the start of a nice roll since we finally get some home cooking.

 

[sklarbodds]

So far it's been less than what I had hoped. OSU is really really really tough though and didn't really expect to beat them. After the first two weekends I thought we were right where I expected to be.

While @Wichita State is a tough matchup and taking 1 of 3 actually is somewhat understandable, I didn't like the way they tore up our pitching and that's concerning.

Pitching depth is absolutely a concern. We are really missing some of our best arms right now.

 

[k9_r]

I'm taking that win @ Wichita St and running to the bank with it. Now if WSU has another stinker season like last year (28-30 after a 7-0 start), I won't be having any nest egg in the bank worth much but we'll wait and see. Nevertheless, that was a good win for the guy's frame of mind and so much better than getting swept. Need to build on that.

5-1 record vs so-so competition is good but the way Oregon St dismissed us (establishing our spot in the pecking order) points to just why we didn't sweep those so-so teams. The too early book on us says we are good but miles and miles from elite status. No surprise there, right?

Could we have beaten Oregon St in a game three? Uh, no.

There is a huge difference in the way Oregon St beat us and the way Wichita St did. Really, there was no point in the Beaver games where we were in it. Simply outclassed.

The games in Wichita were different. Three grand slams is not just quirky, it's un-freaking-real. Won't be looking for that to happen again anytime soon.

The way that first one went over the wall off the bat of a .176 hitter who went 5-21 all of last year at a juco told me to sit back and eat my Crackerjacks. The baseball gods were toying with us. Not something I'm gonna worry about.

What pleased me is that our boys wouldn't let another stupid grand slam beat them in game three. Down 7-2 they came back the very next inning and tied the game. So much for that four bagger.

Worry about the depleted pitching staff in this upcoming home stand. Good news: That's nine winnable games. Bad news: That's nine games in eleven days. Yikes!

Also worry about Indiana and a surging Big Ten. We got work to do.

 

[saluno22]

What pleased me is that our boys wouldn't let another stupid grand slam beat them in game three. Down 7-2 they came back the very next inning and tied the game. So much for that four bagger.

Adding to it... they came back twice: down 7-2 and then 9-7, and had the fortitude to come back and win! They could have easily folded given how the first two games went.

Hopefully a sign of better days ahead for this team!

 

[RobsterMobster]

I agree with most in this thread and I am trying not to get too high or too low right now. My worry comes from how we hit with runners in scoring position and our lack of a bullpen (partly due to injuries). Our team batting average is .229 which may be the worse I can remember in awhile. The bright side is it has steadily been going up but unfortunately the RISP average has stayed the same.

I am still not sure how Erstad approaches the psychological side of the game but something seems to be missing when a batter is up with ducks on the pond. Hard to know why unless you are able to stand in that dugout. I think they need someone from the outside to watch and offer some feedback. You'll notice some nepotism with volunteer coaching hires which isn't a bad thing nor abnormal but an outsiders thoughts would be beneficial.

Pitching has many problems and injuries don't help. Not going to lie I have never really been a Silva fan. I always felt his pitchers digressed throughout their career more often than not. Exceptional talents like Alvarado and Bummer do well regardless but you don't win regionals with your lone ace but rather your 2, 3, and 4 guys. KState from a few years ago was a great example.

I remember guys like Ott or Rodrigue that were not great talents but still progressed enough to be serviceable Saturday and Sunday guys. While Komine and Jaba got the accolades those previous guys are what won us day 2 and 3 of a regional. We just seem to be lacking the progression and many talents tend to plateau as their careers progress.

With that said, Erstad'd teams do find a way to get that fire in the middle of the year which is why we have made a regional 3 of the last 4 years. The reason we don't win them may have more to do with what I mentioned previously. Just get the same feeling I've had the previous few seasons is all.

 

[huskerbaseball13]

Three weekends are in the books. About 20% of the season. The results are easily split into two categories:

5-1 vs. three teams with a combined record of 6-24.
1-4 vs. two teams with a combined record of 20-1.

So how good are the Huskers? It's hard to say. They've taken care of business against teams that look to be not so hot but struggled against some that appear are in the good-to-great category. If this continues we can expect a year-end resume similar to the basketball team's. And we don't want that.

I'm still quite concerned about the injury-depleted bullpen but I'm optimistic the young guys will improve as the season goes along and that Jake McSteen can return at some point. 6-5 is a decent start, especially compared to what recent years have held. Hopefully, Thursday is the start of a nice roll since we finally get some home cooking.

Not very hard to say. We are not good. But that likely could have been answered before the season started. The depletion of the pitching staff really hurt and we have a coaching staff that appears to be very average on the recruiting trail. The good news is that we are having to use some young arms before they are ready which should hopefully speed up their development. It’s looking like a win the Big Ten tournament type of year assuming we make it to Omaha. Hopefully by that time we have a few arms step up and our offense doesn’t do the Erstad disappearing act in the postseason.

 

[saluno22]

Not very hard to say. We are not good. But that likely could have been answered before the season started. The depletion of the pitching staff really hurt and we have a coaching staff that appears to be very average on the recruiting trail. The good news is that we are having to use some young arms before they are ready which should hopefully speed up their development. It’s looking like a win the Big Ten tournament type of year assuming we make it to Omaha. Hopefully by that time we have a few arms step up and our offense doesn’t do the Erstad disappearing act in the postseason.

Eddins and McSteen can't get back soon enough.

 

[gunNrun]

Season so far...
this thread was posted 4 games or 3-1 ago.
My answer is the same now as it would have been then...
I admit, I bit my tongue even though I enjoyed the conversation.

This team is better now
than it was at the same point last season.

2017 Huskers were 5-8 (2 games cancelled)
and just losing the series to Western Carolina @ Haymarket.
I'm not worried about building RPI just yet. Go B1G.
My gripe would have been more toward...
- constant line up changes
- player position changes, building continuity
- batting order
But after seeing changes at the start of game 3 with Wichita St.,
I wanted to wait and see a Home series before commenting.
Then that Thursday debacle happens and you wait for the next game.
I like where the 2018 Huskers are as a team right now.
Who doesn't want a 15-0 or 12-3 record right now? Understandable.
Pitching issues happen every year. I like where our bats are.
Everything is still on the table for this team including building resume.
Last season, Huskers were looking to play Northern Colorado,
to help build some confidence. These are not the same Bears!!!
Midweek rotations are still a work in progress.
but if the Huskers keep playing this style of ball...
I think I might enjoy a game or two at the end of the season
GBR

 

[k9_r]

12-9, RPI 82. Mega pitching problems makes one wonder how it would have gone with Luensmann, Eddins, Palkert all healthy and taking their regular rotation.

Cleary we've been terribly inconsistent everywhere, at the plate, on the mound and in the field. Hitting has been the best of the three. First two weeks we average just .216 but it's been .294 in the games since then. We've seen better but that's not too bad, .294 is good enough for a top 40 spot in the BA rankings. Sadly, those first two weeks drags us down to the 128th spot.

One thing I think we can say about the season so far - gonna have to make big noise in the B1G b/c we haven't done it yet.

A 12-9 start isn't good and I wonder if there are 23 wins left on schedule for us. We need some major improvement on the diamond just about everywhere.

 

[RobsterMobster]

Great post @k9_r

Oddly enough my Last post in this thread is still my same feeling now. Sure injuries and inexperience have hurt us but 7 of our 11 veteran pitchers have an ERA of 4.0 or higher. That is the main issue that concerns me.

Sure a batting order of lower lineup hitters doesn’t help but even when we score 8 runs we feel unsure of a victory.

 

[huskerbaseball13]

Three weekends are in the books. About 20% of the season. The results are easily split into two categories:

5-1 vs. three teams with a combined record of 6-24.
1-4 vs. two teams with a combined record of 20-1.

So how good are the Huskers? It's hard to say. They've taken care of business against teams that look to be not so hot but struggled against some that appear are in the good-to-great category. If this continues we can expect a year-end resume similar to the basketball team's. And we don't want that.

I'm still quite concerned about the injury-depleted bullpen but I'm optimistic the young guys will improve as the season goes along and that Jake McSteen can return at some point. 6-5 is a decent start, especially compared to what recent years have held. Hopefully, Thursday is the start of a nice roll since we finally get some home cooking.

I can still answer this for you. We are pretty terrible. Pitching injuries aside...this is the west 1-9 I can remember. Erstads ability to recruit should be questioned over and over again.

 

[kaz36]

Nebraska's RPI currently sits at 89 on Warrennolen.com.

Here is where NU ranks in each category:

Category: NCAA rank
Hitting
Batting Average: 163
Runs per game: 106
Home Runs/game: 187
Slugging %: 211
Sac Bunts: 116
On base %: 145
Stolen bases/game: 263

Fielding
Fielding %: 135

Pitching
ERA: 139
HBP: 152
Hits allowed/9 innings: 216
Strikeout/walk ratio: 199
Strikeouts/9 inn: 273
WHIP: 174

There is literally nothing there to be encouraged about as the season goes on. Yes, there are pitching injuries that has caused some young guys to throw, but most of the vets are struggling also. It is year 7 of Erstad and we get numbers like this? Anyone who wants to say that a conference championship last year shows a positive trend needs to look at the post season records the last 3 years. 1-6 in the conference tourney and 0-4 in the NCAA tourney with 3 of the 4 losses coming to Yale, Holy Cross and Western Carolina.

 

[k9_r]

Nebraska's RPI currently sits at 89 on Warrennolen.com.

Here is where NU ranks in each category:

Category: NCAA rank
Hitting
Batting Average: 163
Runs per game: 106
Home Runs/game: 187
Slugging %: 211
Sac Bunts: 116
On base %: 145
Stolen bases/game: 263

Fielding
Fielding %: 135

Pitching
ERA: 139
HBP: 152
Hits allowed/9 innings: 216
Strikeout/walk ratio: 199
Strikeouts/9 inn: 273
WHIP: 174

There is literally nothing there to be encouraged about as the season goes on. Yes, there are pitching injuries that has caused some young guys to throw, but most of the vets are struggling also. It is year 7 of Erstad and we get numbers like this? Anyone who wants to say that a conference championship last year shows a positive trend needs to look at the post season records the last 3 years. 1-6 in the conference tourney and 0-4 in the NCAA tourney with 3 of the 4 losses coming to Yale, Holy Cross and Western Carolina.

Not that you're wrong b/c you're not wrong but, gotta say, there is no universe where I don't salute a conference championship.

 

[gunNrun]

So those are the post season numbers over the past 3 years....
Man, I've been looking for those. They keep hiding them from me.
Thanks!

Well looking at the past 100+ years of Nebraska Baseball history...
Besides a 7 year span, and throw in a couple years for good measure,
Husker Baseball has historically been an average team, at best.

Dave Van Horn is never coming back!
Nebraska Baseball is only a stepping stone job,
for any other serious candidate you want to name out there.
And if think Nebraska can just throw $$$ and get whoever they want...
Will Bolt, Rob Childress, the other Oregon St coach, whoever...
and that they are just going to live here forever with the rainbows and unicorns,
and build a baseball dynasty for us to wallow our greatness in.
Again... why would they???
Because there is better money and better opportunities elsewhere.

Again, Nebraska Baseball is a stepping stone job.
So the question becomes...
Would you rather be hiring a new head coach every couple years?
- nothing guaranteed, either leaves for better job or fired for poor performance.
or
Would you like a guy who really wants to be here, but only makes a Regional appearance every other year?

Because that's the options on the table for this program.
You can argue whatever side you want until your blue in the face...
I'm going to go watch some baseball
and cheer on the Huskers regardless.

 

[RobsterMobster]

So those are the post season numbers over the past 3 years....
Man, I've been looking for those. They keep hiding them from me.
Thanks!

Well looking at the past 100+ years of Nebraska Baseball history...
Besides a 7 year span, and throw in a couple years for good measure,
Husker Baseball has historically been an average team, at best.

Dave Van Horn is never coming back!
Nebraska Baseball is only a stepping stone job,
for any other serious candidate you want to name out there.
And if think Nebraska can just throw $$$ and get whoever they want...
Will Bolt, Rob Childress, the other Oregon St coach, whoever...
and that they are just going to live here forever with the rainbows and unicorns,
and build a baseball dynasty for us to wallow our greatness in.
Again... why would they???
Because there is better money and better opportunities elsewhere.

Again, Nebraska Baseball is a stepping stone job.
So the question becomes...
Would you rather be hiring a new head coach every couple years?
- nothing guaranteed, either leaves for better job or fired for poor performance.
or
Would you like a guy who really wants to be here, but only makes a Regional appearance every other year?

Because that's the options on the table for this program.
You can argue whatever side you want until your blue in the face...
I'm going to go watch some baseball
and cheer on the Huskers regardless.

To be honest, I have to disagree with a lot of what you say. It is only a stepping stone job if we allow it to become one. I’ll still watch the games but I plan on calncelling my season tickets and stopping by my donations if we don’t have a goal of being nationally relevant. Money is not the issue. Fan and administration acceptance is.

To each there own I guess, I just can’t agree with that mentality. Having expectations doesn’t mean we still won’t root for them to win. There seems to be an odd viewpoint that having high expectations is a bad thing.

If the AD agrees with your mentality then I’ll just listen to the games on the radio and buy a ticket when I feel like going. But my intention of being a season ticket holder was to host regionals again. This off season will tell us what we can expect from NU Baseball I’m guessing.

Top 10 facilities and top 10 in attendance means more than you give it credit for.

 

[RobsterMobster]

Not that you're wrong b/c you're not wrong but, gotta say, there is no universe where I don't salute a conference championship.

The title was nice and I enjoyed it immensely, but it didn’t propel us forward unfortunately.

 

[kaz36]

To be honest, I have to disagree with a lot of what you say. It is only a stepping stone job if we allow it to become one. I’ll still watch the games but I plan on calncelling my season tickets and stopping by my donations if we don’t have a goal of being nationally relevant. Money is not the issue. Fan and administration acceptance is.

To each there own I guess, I just can’t agree with that mentality. Having expectations doesn’t mean we still won’t root for them to win. There seems to be an odd viewpoint that having high expectations is a bad thing.

If the AD agrees with your mentality then I’ll just listen to the games on the radio and buy a ticket when I feel like going. But my intention of being a season ticket holder was to host regionals again. This off season will tell us what we can expect from NU Baseball I’m guessing.

Top 10 facilities and top 10 in attendance means more than you give it credit for.

Well said.

 

[k9_r]

The title was nice and I enjoyed it immensely, but it didn’t propel us forward unfortunately.

No it sure didn't.

My deal is this, there are very few things I can say about today's Husker baseball with real conviction, namely...
- Erstad is not on a DVH trajectory and
- Erstad is not on a Mike Anderson trajectory.

So then what? Is he on a Tom Osborne trajectory? Second best conference record in his six year tenure with one 1st place finish, a number of 2nd place finishes and one 8th place finish (in 1976 Osborne finish 4th in an eight team conference).

Osborne trajectory? Hell, I don't know but I see parallels and I certainly saw the clamoring for Osborne's job which nearly succeeded in firing him. Pretty sure that would have been a mistake.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not pushing that comparison. The 70s was a loooooong time ago and football and baseball are two very different animals. And there are details in the comparison which deny it's value. Still, I have no idea how it will all turn out but if Erstad repeats that Osborne track it would not surprise me.

No idea what's going to happen this year but feeling confident we're not going to win the CWS. However...
2015 - Virginia did win the whole enchilada. Finished the regular season 33-19 (15-15 in conference) and then went 1-3 in the goofy ACC tournament. Somehow all that so-so baseball turned into sweeping both the regional and super regional. The rest is history. Go figure.

I can see everyone's point. I'm disturbed by this season's results so far. But baseball being baseball, I'm just going to wait until the season is over before knotting the noose.

 

[RobsterMobster]

No it sure didn't.

My deal is this, there are very few things I can say about today's Husker baseball with real conviction, namely...
- Erstad is not on a DVH trajectory and
- Erstad is not on a Mike Anderson trajectory.

So then what? Is he on a Tom Osborne trajectory? Second best conference record in his six year tenure with one 1st place finish, a number of 2nd place finishes and one 8th place finish (in 1976 Osborne finish 4th in an eight team conference).

Osborne trajectory? Hell, I don't know but I see parallels and I certainly saw the clamoring for Osborne's job which nearly succeeded in firing him. Pretty sure that would have been a mistake.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not pushing that comparison. The 70s was a loooooong time ago and football and baseball are two very different animals. And there are details in the comparison which deny it's value. Still, I have no idea how it will all turn out but if Erstad repeats that Osborne track it would not surprise me.

No idea what's going to happen this year but feeling confident we're not going to win the CWS. However...
2015 - Virginia did win the whole enchilada. Finished the regular season 33-19 (15-15 in conference) and then went 1-3 in the goofy ACC tournament. Somehow all that so-so baseball turned into sweeping both the regional and super regional. The rest is history. Go figure.

I can see everyone's point. I'm disturbed by this season's results so far. But baseball being baseball, I'm just going to wait until the season is over before knotting the noose.

I've thought about that as well but the big difference I see is T.O. had a willingness to change early and often. Whether it was strength and conditioning, style of offense/defense, or even finding better assistants. Erstad has not changed his approach much, if at all. He has more talent than other teams in the conference and as long as the league isn't great he will win his fair share of games.

I think the better comparison is to Bo regarding his staff hires (and GA hires) and still finding a way to be somewhat decent most years within an ok conference, but irrelevant on the national stage. Only thing is the Big Ten is weaker than Bo's Big 12 or Big Ten.

I don't agree with those who say fire the guy even though he won a conference title last year. When to move on is the tricky part. I don't think he will get us to the next level though. What bothers me most is I don't think he really wants to. Hence why our assistants remain the same, kids that played for him are the GA's, and our strength and conditioning expectations in the off season is from the Mike Riley playbook.

When I talk to scouts and others in the know I feel less confident. One scout told me they hope to draft a pitcher before Silva has had them for four years. This same guy scouted Max Sherzer back in the day before he was a household name at Missouri so I trust his opinion. he said he likes Erstad but thinks he would do much better with a team that was already established developmentally, much like a general manager. Reminded me of Bo's teams in 2009-2010 when all he had to do was schematics because the talent was already there.

You are 100% right that there is still a lot of season to play though. So other than banter and worry they still have their shot to improve and prove us all wrong. I just don't see it happening on a consistent basis. But I wouldn't be upset at all to hit on all cylinders like Virginia did a couple years back.