2017 Baseball Season Thread

[Purp]

I would agree that we have a lot more depth on this team than we did on the 2011 squad.  We also don't have an ace like 2010 Purke.  You can dream (nightmare) up a bunch of parallels---Traver is always an injury risk, is Janczak really that good for a whole season, will lodolo be as advertised, what if baker and skoug get hurt, etc., will our middle infield still be error-prone, etc.  But the nightmare scenario is not what we're talking about.  On paper, this team should be hosting a super regional.  Get someone at home and find a way to win a series.  Omaha is gonna Omaha--so I'd never say national championship or bust.  But anything less than hosting a super would be a real disappointment.  

I think the defense up the middle is the only question mark on this team. Even then, I feel good about it and the depth at those positions. This team could absorb a key injury or three and still be excellent. Last year we barely got Traver back, lost Luken on the mound, and had a host of other issues with the staff. We also had the Wanhannen sophomore slump. There were a lot of challenges to last year's group getting to Omaha, but they found their way there. They can figure it out again.

The key, as stated earlier, is getting hot and healthy at the right time. That's where Schloss comes in. He's a master at that.

 

[Purp]

Anything less than undefeated is unacceptable

I'm already on record wanting a 0.00 ERA and 1.000 team BA as well. A mere undefeated season seems like a low bar.

 

[jake102]

Because they all got hurt and we had no pitching depth. Completely different team this year IMO.

 
 

2011- Purke Winkler Maxwell all got hurt by seasons end

A thousand things have to go well to make it to Omaha and win...mainly health & playing well at the right time of year.

Stay realistic

 
 

Pitching depth this year as at least double 2011. We have like 6-7 guys that would be weekend starters for most programs.

 
Is Howard, Lodolo, Janzack really better than Purke, Maxwell, Winkler?

 

[Opintel]

Got my seats - and, in lot 13W.  Too excited for the season to start.  :smile:

 

[Purp]

 
 
 
 
 
Is Howard, Lodolo, Janzack really better than Purke, Maxwell, Winkler?

Not sure that's what they're saying. It's that the 3 guys behind Howard, Lodolo, and Janczak are better than the guys behind Purke, Winkler, and Maxwell.
 
Edited b/c apparently my phone thought I meant Parker instead of Purke.

 

[FrogsMcGee]

Key word depth. Those three were great but what did we have behind them?

Traver, Howard, Janczak, Horton, Lodolo, King, Wymer, Henderson. I'm not an expert, but based on recruiting profile of the unknowns I think all or at least almost all of those names could slip into weekend roatation on more than 3/4ths of P5 programs.

 

[cdsfrog]

haha unlock the code

 

[hometown frog]

I can almost hear Zac Brown's 'Chickenfried' over the PA now.... Ready to get into this season!

 

[LezzGetFroggy]

Did anyone else notice the bats in that .gif?
 
They all seem to be customized. Luken's says "Bakeshow" on it. Skoug's has a Horned Frog logo on the end cap. Elliot's says, "310," which upon further research, is the area code for Los Angeles, where happens to be from. 
 
Pretty cool. 

Love the switch from Easton to Demarini and from what I've heard the players do too. The gloves and bats I have seen are like pieces of TCU art.

 

[Pharm Frog]

Will enjoy the ride as I have every season. And, last week I got the offer to renew my Big12 conference tournament seats from Bricktown Ballpark.

 

[frogforlife]

Hope we arn't as disappointed as we were with the FB team not living up to preseason predictions.

 

[Moose Stuff]

2011- Purke Winkler Maxwell all got hurt by seasons end

A thousand things have to go well to make it to Omaha and win...mainly health & playing well at the right time of year.

Stay realistic

Winning a national title IS a realistic goal. If it isn't realistic for this team then it isn't realistic for anybody.

 

[Gary's Shirtless Revenge]

The goal for this team almost every year is a trip to Omaha.
 
This year is no different.
 
The difference is the expectations... Omaha is more of a MUST, than a goal, given the opportunity this team has.
 
Once you get there, it's tournament baseball. You can't predict ball. It takes equal parts talent and luck to win a National Championship in baseball, we haven't had enough of either in year's past.
 
This year, the talent part should be there 100%... We just need a few things to fall our way.

 

[The Frog to be Named Later]

11-1. Oh sorry wrong thread

 

[TCUdirtbag]

Here's the official CBN Poll. 
Frogs are preseason #1:
http://baseballnews.com/collegiate-baseball-2017-pre-season-poll-12-19-16/

 

[tcumaniac]

Baseball is a tricky sport. Takes more than just being good to win it all. Should be a fun ride. Can't wait for this season! 

 

[GoFrog Yourself]

Surprised we're the only big 12 team to crack the top 25. Okie state and tech should be competitive once again, and that WVU team that got hot at the end last year is mostly, if not all, coming back. Texas has talent once again but that hasn't meant anything the past few years

 

[Purp]

Surprised we're the only big 12 team to crack the top 25. Okie state and tech should be competitive once again, and that WVU team that got hot at the end last year is mostly, if not all, coming back. Texas has talent once again but that hasn't meant anything the past few years

I think WVU should maybe be picked #2 in the conference and I agree that the Pokes and rAIDers should be good again.  Hopefully our conference slate won't be a drag on our RPI as it has been in recent years. 

 

[stbrab]

Baseball is a tricky sport. Takes more than just being good to win it all. Should be a fun ride. Can't wait for this season!

Agree...really looking forward to this season!

 

[f_399]

Here's the official CBN Poll. 
Frogs are preseason #1:
http://baseballnews.com/collegiate-baseball-2017-pre-season-poll-12-19-16/

 
Bittersweet.
 
Historically, how many pre season #1 in this poll made it to the CWS and/or win it all?