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Missouri 7, Bama 3- Attendance comments

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ptw1961

1st Team
Dec 8, 2011
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That loss today may hurt their chances to make the NCAA tournament-needed to sweep Missouri with having to play at Vandy next weekend. (will be hard pressed to win one of those againt the 42-6 Commodores). Would be good for this young team just to have the experience for the future. Winning a regional would be asking way too much-but good experience none the less.

It is amazing to me how all aspects of this program have simply fallen off of the map- I know the issues and obstacles and I will not repeat any of those here now. Watched the game on TV last night and attended today's game. The attendance last night was just embarassing. It is really magnified when you watch other SEC games on TV and see the crowd and support. 6000-9000 fans at LSU, Texas A & M, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Miss. St. and South Carolina. And the best team in the league in Vandy. Those stadiums, crowds and overall support are very impressive.

Anyone have Bill Battles direct e-mail address? Would love to start a campaign to try and help this really sad situation. I know that Bama will support a winner (they always have). I remember the great crowds and attendance under Coach Wells in the late 90's and early 2000's. That can return- but boy it is going to take some monumental efforts from the PTB.

Just wish it was better- have always enjoyed Bama Baseball.
 
fans know Mitch can't bring us a winner. Mitch-management at its finest today, of course our own players screwed themselves up as well like when Moore got picked off 2nd base. Should have kept Shaw in - the 2nd single he gave up was a bloop that Salem should have caught, and would have had he not taken a step backwards first.
 
Not sure about Roberts in the leadoff role. Fourteen games since moving to the top of the order and nine times Roberts has led off a game by swinging at the first pitch, four of them resulting in weak popouts. What's odd is that later in games, when not leading off innings, he's been much more patient and productive. His overall numbers have remained about the same since taking over the top slot, with the exception of RBIs: not getting to hit with many runners on base when behind the bottom of this lineup.

Need to win tomorrow and hope to somehow steal one in Nashville. More garbage like we saw today, and the season might as well be over.
 
The apathy towards the baseball program is also reflected here- nobody cares to comment anymore. And there are some really great baseball fans on this board who have cared a great deal about the program. Again, complete apathy all the way around. Team is close to losing again today which will all but end any post season hopes.
 
ptw1961 said:
The apathy towards the baseball program is also reflected here- nobody cares to comment anymore. And there are some really great baseball fans on this board who have cared a great deal about the program. Again, complete apathy all the way around. Team is close to losing again today which will all but end any post season hopes.
Click to expand...

That's precisely the problem - nobody expects to win anymore.

Today, we escaped with a dramatic win over a team that is 16-30 on the year, and the players celebrated with another dogpile. It's one thing to be excited with a walkoff, but the dogpile just makes you look like you've never won anything before. And with this team, that's true. Just a reflection of how far this program has fallen in recent years. Imagine if the football team gave Coach Saban a Gatorade shower and fans stormed the field after a win over Kentucky. Pretty laughable, right? Well, that's where our baseball program is right now. A pervasive "loser mentality".

When the last Omaha-caliber Alabama team clinched the SEC Championship at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in 2006, there was no ridiculous dogpile. Just handshakes; business as usual. Those guys knew they hadn't won anything yet. They had pride. They were in it for something more. We haven't had a team with true senior leadership like that one since.

This team may very well back its way into a regional as a #3 seed and this coaching staff will probably be rewarded with contract extensions, prolonging this era of mediocrity.
 
I missed the Friday and Saturday games because I was out of town umpiring a high school state semi-final series. (That's why there have been no comments from me ptw1961.) I was at today's game though. My question is this: How many people realize just close we came to being swept by Mizzou? One more hit by Mizzou in the 9th Friday and we lose that one. If Mizzou's third baseman makes the play on a tailor made double play ball with one on and none out in the 9th and we probably lose today. That's how close we came to being swept at home by a 16-30 team. And we celebrate with a dogpile? A dogpile? Being excited over a win is great. We should be excited over every win no matter who the opponent is. But a dogpile? A dogpile should happen only after winning the final game in Omaha. Never after a win over a 16-30 team. What will we do if we actually manage to somehow win one next weekend at Vandy? Rip up home plate? If a win over Mizzou is worth a dogpile, a win over Vandy is worth it.

No, I am not suggesting that we should actually break out the shovels if we win one over Vandy. I am just trying to point out that, as Jojo said, our program has sunk so far that we now believe that a win over a mediocre team deserves the same kind of celebration as a college world series win deserves. I would really like to say more, but if I expressed myself in the language that I would like to use, the moderators would delete my post and probably ban me from the forum.
 
Without getting in a peeing contest with a drunk, let's congrats to the improvement made this year. By this time last year the team was history, now some say we are gonna back in a regional as a three seed. By the way getting to a regional, anyway possible is the only way to have a chance to win a regional. I watched close yesterday and nobody poured Gatorade on none of the coaches. Call me crazy but I enjoyed the win, dogpile and all.
Lets look at a few things
team is hitting better.
pitching has fell off.
defense is steady.
coaching has gotten better as the year has passed.

Some are down to complaining about dog piles, hats on or off coaches, senior leadership, and the old standby the coaches.
i like the dog piles, hats on or off, the seniors and the coaches.
the things you don't like and I like have us in the sec tourney and backing in to a regional.
for y'all former all American all star players and coaches that's called progress.
 
Is qualifying for a 12-team tournament out of 14 teams and "backing into a regional" something to be overly proud of? I agree with you that progress has been made from a year ago, that is an undeniable fact. However, comments like these:

"We talked about it prior to the game today. This is why you come to Alabama, this is why you play the game -for big games like today."

are going to draw ire here and simply point back to the fact that baseball at Alabama is willing to accept mediocrity. If Gaspard does not make any changes this off-season, expect the criticism's to only grow louder.
 
Qualifying for Hoover and backing into a regional IS progress over last year, which was about the most pitiful season this program has experienced in the modern era. You are right that that's not saying much, but it is saying something, and at least for now, I would rather be encouraged than go down the road of being negative at all times.

If we could just win one this weekend this season would look much brighter to me. I know that's asking a lot, but it's baseball, and funny things happen in baseball. I am not ready to give up...yet.

rtr
 
Really, Jojo? You think this team can somehow back its way into a regional? Can I have some of what you have been drinking? I ordinarily agree with what you say, or at least can understand it. But I don't see how you can think we will back into a regional. We are sitting at 13-13 in the conference heading into Vandy. Most likely, we will leave Nashville at 13-16. I certainly don't see us winning more than one which would have us at 14-15. If that happens, for us to end the season at .500 in the conference, we will have to go 3-2 in Hoover. Do you honestly think that going 3-2 in Hoover, or even winning one at Vandy is realistic? Our pitchers better bring their A games so we can win some 2-1 games because I just don't see our offense mustering much against Vandy's pitching this weekend nor do I see us winning 3 in Hoover. I have been wrong before and I hope I am wrong now, but I just don't see it.

Bench, if what I have seen this year is your definition of progress, I would hate to see the opposite. We will most likely go into Hoover as the 9 seed. Getting to Hoover only because they expanded the field isn't progress in my opinion. For us to back into a regional, we better hope that every conference favorite wins their automatic bid. If not, we are in trouble. Again, I have been wrong before and I hope I am wrong now. If we can somehow manage to get a bid, with our pitching, we could make some noise if we can manage to find a way to score a few runs.
 
Those many consider as experts (Kendall Rogers and Aaron Fitt) say Auburn is on the bubble for getting a regional bid. If Auburn is on the bubble, you don't have to be drunk to think that Alabama has a good shot at getting a regional bid. But, then again, I am one that would say you might be drunk or otherwise impaired if you can't tell that this year's team as a whole is vastly improved over last year's team.
 
If you want to get rid of Gaspard, then its better we don't make a regional. A miracle run to Omaha would save his job.
 
Vastly Improved? Let's look at the numbers. Last year we played 55 games. We have played 53 so far this year. Offensively it is a mixed bag. Team batting average has dropped from .259 last year to .258 this year. On base percentage is up from .336 to .344. Home run production is up from 20 to 24. We hit 69 doubles last year and have the same number this year. Triples are down from 15 to 6. Run production is up from 251 to 276. Strikeouts are down from 338 to 331 and walks are up from 166 to 191. Slugging percentage is down from .347 to .344. Hits are about the same -- 464 last year to 461 this year. RBIs are up from 227 to 244. Last year we grounded into 37 double plays and have hit into 42 this year. Last year's team had 49 sacrifice bunts as compared to 34 this year. Last year we had 44 stolen bases in 63 attempts (69.8%) compared to 50 of 75 (66.7%) this year. No, there is no vast improvement in offense this year.

Our improvement, as I have pointed out, is in pitching. Team ERA is down from 5.07 to 3.45. Last year we gave up 511 hits compared to 456 this year. Last year, opponents scored 307 runs and only 223 this year. Last year, our pitching staff struck out 344 while walking 233. This year, strike outs are up to 388 and walks down to 213. Doubles decreased from 93 to 76, triples dropped from 11 to 8 and home runs have dropped from 35 to 21. Finally, teams batted .278 against our staff last year as compared to .257 this year. Helping these numbers is an improvement in team fielding percentage from .969 last year to .976 this year.

The stats clearly show little to no improvement in overall offense but a nice improvement in defense and pitching. Most people just look at the win-loss record and assume there has been a marked improvement in our team's play. The record is considerably better overall (21-34 overall and 9-21 in the conference last year compared to 31-22 overall and 13-13 in the conference this year). The improvement in our record may be more as a result of our schedule than out improvement. For example. Last year, we played South Carolina (49-20, 18-11 in the SEC) and Kentucky (45-18, 18-12 in the SEC). This year, we dropped them and added Texas A&M (27-24, 11-15 in the SEC) and Missouri (16-30, 8-19 in the SEC). We went a combined 0-6 against South Carolina and Kentucky and have gone 4-1 against A&M and Mizzou.

Yes, I am happy that we have a better record than last year. Yes I hope I am wrong and that we sweep Vandy and make a deep run in both the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Even if we do, our performance, especially on the offensive side, is not "vastly improved."
 
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bench said:
Without getting in a peeing contest with a drunk, let's congrats to the improvement made this year. By this time last year the team was history, now some say we are gonna back in a regional as a three seed. By the way getting to a regional, anyway possible is the only way to have a chance to win a regional. I watched close yesterday and nobody poured Gatorade on none of the coaches. Call me crazy but I enjoyed the win, dogpile and all.
Lets look at a few things
team is hitting better.
pitching has fell off.
defense is steady.
coaching has gotten better as the year has passed.

Some are down to complaining about dog piles, hats on or off coaches, senior leadership, and the old standby the coaches.
i like the dog piles, hats on or off, the seniors and the coaches.
the things you don't like and I like have us in the sec tourney and backing in to a regional.
for y'all former all American all star players and coaches that's called progress.
Click to expand...

Typical bench, missing the point completely. Of course nobody poured Gatorade on the coaches, genius. If you had actually read and comprehended the post, you would have understood that that was an analogy. There was no complaint about senior leadership; it was intended to highlight how strong it was on the '06 team.


"coaching has gotten better as the year has passed." Really? How so, bench? That statement implies that something was wrong with the coaching earlier in the year. What were the problems and how have they addressed them and "gotten better"? You've maintained all along that the coaching has been nothing short of phenomenal, so I'd like to know how you believe there could have been any room for improvement. Please enlighten us.

Glad that you're content with mediocrity, though. Obviously you weren't around when this was one of the premier programs in all of college baseball, so naturally, your expectations are lower. But heck, Maybe if we can steal a win in Nashville (doubtful), the team will do as bamajake says and rip up home plate after the dogpile, and they'll let bench join them.
 
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hard to believe that there are some people who post here that think Mitch, Andy, etc., are quality coaches. Wells never let this program get this bad, not even close. The SEC record in 2004 was bad, but we lost a bunch of 1-run games that year. I'm more optimistic about the future, even under Mitch, than I was at this point last year but this coaching staff's ceiling is a low 2 seed, no matter what type of Taj Mahal improvements we get. Unless Mitch does the right thing and reassigns Andy and brings in a legit assistant coach like Bunn used to be.
 
I would like to extend a sincere apology to jj & zz for being a fan and supporting the team and coaches we have, I'll do the same next year. I could be like the fat old men that complain about everything but I am not that way. The one good thing about a dogpile is that you do one after a win, that's a good thing. People who have never played this game of baseball at a high level fill out a scorecard, look at stats and complain after the game. Let me point out one instance where real coaching is different that stat coaching. In the game Sunday - 9th inning runners at 1st & 2nd, Salem at the plate. Everyone at the stadium is hollering bunt, he does not get it down. Then what do you do? Everybody was saying "make bunt with 2 strikes", but the man that had to make the call let him swing away and it worked, but he could have struck out or hit into a double play. The coach wanted the runners to advance so he felt like Salem, based on his play lately would get the ball out of the infield and move the runners. It worked, that's how baseball is played, decisions are made before the play, not after.
some want to compare this team to the glory years of the past, that is not an exact science, the equipment is different, the scholarships are different, the coaching is different. How would the 2012 giants compare the the Yankees with mantle and Maris? We will never know, but you can compare statistics and you still won't know.
i understand that some people just don't like the coaches and there is nothing the coaches can do to change that.
I wish the team well at Vandy and hope the do well in the sec tourney. I hope they get in a regional. The only thing I know is that every time bama suits up I am going to be 100% for them all to succeed. Rtr
 
bench said:
I would like to extend a sincere apology to jj & zz for being a fan and supporting the team and coaches we have, I'll do the same next year. I could be like the fat old men that complain about everything but I am not that way. The one good thing about a dogpile is that you do one after a win, that's a good thing. People who have never played this game of baseball at a high level fill out a scorecard, look at stats and complain after the game. Let me point out one instance where real coaching is different that stat coaching. In the game Sunday - 9th inning runners at 1st & 2nd, Salem at the plate. Everyone at the stadium is hollering bunt, he does not get it down. Then what do you do? Everybody was saying "make bunt with 2 strikes", but the man that had to make the call let him swing away and it worked, but he could have struck out or hit into a double play. The coach wanted the runners to advance so he felt like Salem, based on his play lately would get the ball out of the infield and move the runners. It worked, that's how baseball is played, decisions are made before the play, not after.
some want to compare this team to the glory years of the past, that is not an exact science, the equipment is different, the scholarships are different, the coaching is different. How would the 2012 giants compare the the Yankees with mantle and Maris? We will never know, but you can compare statistics and you still won't know.
i understand that some people just don't like the coaches and there is nothing the coaches can do to change that.
I wish the team well at Vandy and hope the do well in the sec tourney. I hope they get in a regional. The only thing I know is that every time bama suits up I am going to be 100% for them all to succeed. Rtr
Click to expand...

I don't think supporting the team and thinking the coaches are doing a "good" job are mutually exclusive. For example, I go to the games, cheer for the team, pull for the players to do well, listen on the radio when I can't be there. But I don't think we can ever take the "next" step with this coaching staff. So I support the team, but don't think the coaches are doing a "good" job. And I think you're generalizing with the "fat old men that complain" bit.

And who the heck would keep saying "make bunt with 2 strikes?" I'm not a fan of SAC bunting in the first place, but that at-bat was a situation for it. However, once you get 2 strikes it becomes complicated. We needed two runs or we walk out of there with a loss. Most of the time, managing a baseball game has to do with minimizing the potential for "bad" plays. Yes, it worked out and Salem got a hit, but what happens if that ball gets hit to SS? That's a double play and essentially kills any momentum we had going for us to tie/win the game. The worst thing Salem could do in that situation was ground into a double play, which would've been MUCH MUCH MUCH worse than Salem striking out on a foul bunt.

That said, Salem is one of the better hitters on the team, and regardless of the "how" or "when," for us to tie/win the game, we needed hits, so I don't think it was a "bad" decision to let him swing away instead of bunt with 2 strikes, it just wasn't a "great" call, except in hindsight with it working out how it did.
 
For what its worth, I didn't want to bunt Salem, however, I understood the decision to do so and was supportive of doing it. When he got to strike two, the situation changed. It was time then to swing away. I do not fault CMG for his decisions during that at bat. I do fault him for staying with Castillo for more than two batters when it was obvious to everyone at the stadium that Castillo didn't have his stuff working. Fortunately, the Mizzou third baseman kicked a double play ball and we pulled it out.

I do support the players and the team. I cheer for them every time I am at the game (which is more often than not for home games) and will continue to do so. I just do not believe that this progrem has made enough progress to justify staying on the same course. And, no, I am not an old fat man who has never played the game. As a player, coach, umpire or youth league administrator, I have probably witnesses in excess of 5,000 games. Throw in the games that I have been at as purely a spectator and the number is probably around 8,000 plus.

Oh. By the way, the stats that I was comparing this year's team to ... last year, not from the glory days. I agree that the game has changed since then. Maybe we need a hitting coach that will coach our players how to hit the way the game is played now and not how it was played then.
 
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