Pierce ?

p_town_horn said:
Is this the new normal for Texas?
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I compare the power hitting duo of Melendez and Zubia to Majewski and Ontiveros on the '02 team that won it all. There were individual big time hitters in the lineup on several of the teams in the 2000's and even some of the teams in the 2010's but having two guys like this is not common and yes it would be great if having several "bigs" coming to the plate became the norm.
 
p_town_horn said:
I cannot remember a Texas team ever having this much batting power. Most of our great success has been based on good pitching and fielding with solid, timely hitting and a bunch of small ball. I always considered LSU more of the power hitting team with mediocre pitching depth.

Is this the new normal for Texas?
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I agree. That was my point above - it's been a LONG time (at least in my feeble memory) that we've had this kind of size and power.

Local sports talk was discussing yesterday with regard to the Nevada series. They play the west coast style small ball Augie was known for and we seem to be morphing into more of the power style while maintaining the solid pitching and defense we've always been known for. I like it!
 
Pitch around Melendez and Daly and the Horns, yet again, are statistically very beatable. The rest of the team only hits .266

For comparison, that’s 7th in the Big 12.

Defense and pitching lead the conference, but you can’t win if you can’t score.
 
UT Horn Fan said:
Pitch around Melendez and Daly and the Horns, yet again, are statistically very beatable. The rest of the team only hits .266

For comparison, that’s 7th in the Big 12.

Defense and pitching lead the conference, but you can’t win if you can’t score.
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On the season Texas averages 6.9 runs per game while giving up 3.04. Maybe batting average wise they are "very average" but I feel very confident we will win a lot with this type of statistical matchup.
 
There have been quite a few years in the not-so-distant past when I was not very hopeful when most of the guys in the lineup were at the plate. It was a pleasant surprise when they hit the ball. All of the guys in the lineup this year have had enough success to make me expect something good to happen. And a few when I expect something really, really good to happen (looking at you, Melendez!). It's a very good feeling. Of course, we haven't faced the most difficult teams on the schedule yet. But so far this has been a very enjoyable year.
 
p_town_horn said:
I cannot remember a Texas team ever having this much batting power. Most of our great success has been based on good pitching and fielding with solid, timely hitting and a bunch of small ball. I always considered LSU more of the power hitting team with mediocre pitching depth.

Is this the new normal for Texas?
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I like it and hope it is a new norm. This sort of lineup production, combined with our 3 quality starters and some solid relief could go far in Omaha.

Speaking of small ball, Kennedy's bunting and speed look a lot like classic Gus Ball. Heck, his bunting to reach first for infield hits almost looks like classic Japanese baseball.
 
Pierce really has our guys working the count, so the opponent often pretty much has to put in a reliever around the 6th inning or so (due to high pitch count). Many college teams have pretty sketchy bullpens.
 
UT Horn Fan said:
Pitch around Melendez and Daly and the Horns, yet again, are statistically very beatable. The rest of the team only hits .266

For comparison, that’s 7th in the Big 12.

Defense and pitching lead the conference, but you can’t win if you can’t score.
Click to expand...
I haven't run the numbers, but I expect we have a higher than average number of walks (we really work the count, make them pitch to us, foul off a lot of balls, etc.), so our team OBP may be relatively high compared to our team batting average. Anyway, we've been putting up a lot of runs lately.
 
Thank you, Deloss, for staying on script and protecting our program from having the ugly truth revealed, which would have undoubtedly resulted in severe NCAA punishment if not the death penalty, and destroyed Gus' legacy.
 
There is no way the NCAA would give Texas the death penalty with no prior violations plus its TEXAS. This is a bunch of drama talk to cover for DDs botched handling of giving Coach Gus the broom.
 
UT Horn Fan said:
Pitch around Melendez and Daly and the Horns, yet again, are statistically very beatable. The rest of the team only hits .266

For comparison, that’s 7th in the Big 12.

Defense and pitching lead the conference, but you can’t win if you can’t score.
Click to expand...
Sure take out the best two and compare it to everyone else's full rosters. That makes sense. A guy I used to work with always used to explain his performance the same way. "If you remove these two really bad results, the rest of the results are pretty good."
 
The only "botch" was Gus not doing what he was told by his boss, and several BMDs. He flat refused.

AND, YES, THIS WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT THE DEATH PENALTY!

I liked Gus, and offered him a simple solution that would have allowed him to keep his job and nothing ever happen with the NCAA. HE ******* REFUSED!

Call me when you know the real story. Until you have the facts, I suggest you refrain from offering your opinion founded on an overwhelming lack of knowledge.

Deloss did what had to be done when Gus backed the program into a corner. When and if you find out what really happened, I suggest you send Deloss a note of apology and thank you for saving our program.
 
SabreHorn said:
The only "botch" was Gus not doing what he was told by his boss, and several BMDs. He flat refused.

AND, YES, THIS WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT THE DEATH PENALTY!

I liked Gus, and offered him a simple solution that would have allowed him to keep his job and nothing ever happen with the NCAA. HE ******* REFUSED!

Call me when you know the real story. Until you have the facts, I suggest you refrain from offering your opinion founded on an overwhelming lack of knowledge.

Deloss did what had to be done when Gus backed the program into a corner. When and if you find out what really happened, I suggest you send Deloss a note of apology and thank you for saving our program.
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Then it was Deron.
 
Just curious how long Texas will put up with mediocrity from baseball after the storied success of Cliff and Augie. Pierce is not even close to those guys and his record confirms that. Perhaps CDC will get the chance to upgrade baseball coaching as well.
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Yeah that did not age well.
 
Pierce has done a good job at Texas...But being consistent is the name of the game at Texas.. Conf championships and Regionals are expected but Omaha and Natl championships are what you are ultimately judged on..His first four yrs are 3 since last yr was lost has him on track to do good things... Time will tell if he is in Gus and Augies class...
 
Ut forever said:
Pierce has done a good job at Texas...But being consistent is the name of the game at Texas.. Conf championships and Regionals are expected but Omaha and Natl championships are what you are ultimately judged on..His first four yrs are 3 since last yr was lost has him on track to do good things... Time will tell if he is in Gus and Augies class...
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As much as I'd like our program to be what it was from, say, '75-85 ish when gus kicked ***, those days are gone forever. The SWC at the time was very good but College baseball was nothing like it is today. I remember TCU coming to Austin in those days, it was embarrassing. No change of unis, limited equipment, a really horrible home field in Goat Hills. IIRC, both teams had their locker rooms in Daniel Meyer Coliseum for baseball. It was a joke.

Everybody got better. Much better. In 79 we went 22-2 in SWC I think. We lost our 1rst game at ARK, then the last game in Collie Station, won 22 in between. Then dominated the conf tournament with ease. No way that happens again. Coaching elsewhere got much better, so did facilities and recruiting. From here on every week is a dogfight.
 
Echoing the above, thirty to forty years ago (when I was in college) the NCAA had a limited number of options for post season games. That all changed in the 90's and early 2000's as now just about every program has facilities that more than meet the minimum capacity, locker rooms etc. requirements. Take a look at what TCU, Baylor, Tech and even programs like Texas State have done with their facilities and you see a revenue neutral or even in some cases revenue generating sport that schools are willing to spend money on and that has increased the quality by a massive factor. Also don't undersell the Moneyball effect, a lot more kids who might have been third or fourth rounds picks out of high school go to college now knowing that their draftability and career prospects are higher and better after three years in college versus where their career might be after three years in rookie/Single A ball playing against guys much older and more developed.
 
Phil Elliott said:
Yeah that did not age well.
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That has not aged period. Pierce has had 2 good teams at Texas - two. Longhorn head coaches are expected to have elite programs - not teams. The jury is still out on him.

Heck, he's only been a D1 head coach for 10 years now, which IMO is why he should not be leading the Horns. Head coaches do not come to Texas to learn how to win at this level - they come here to continue winning. It's all about consistency over time and that is what made Gus and Augie two of the GOAT's.
 
Sorry, but Gus came from South San Antonio HS, which I think had ZERO NCAA Tournament appearances and an equal number of championships. Different time.

I shall agree that MY jury is still out on Pierce and that I am underwhelmed thus far.
His primary reputation was as Graham's top recruiter, and as soon as he left Rice, their recruiting went in the crapper.
 
UT Horn Fan said:
Pierce has had 2 good teams at Texas - two. Longhorn head coaches are expected to have elite programs - not teams.
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Augie's Texas teams didn't make it to Omaha until his 4th year (they went 2 and out). He didn't make it in his 5th year, but of course won a national championship in his 6th year. Pierce took Texas to Omaha in his second season (2 and out his first time, like Augie). If Pierce gets the team to Omaha this year, that would be 2 out of 4 years for him. Just curious, would that meet your standard of consistency?
 
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