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Next year baseball

shoeless

shoeless

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Solid season getting back to Omaha and being one of six teams left. Having Gino Dimare back is starting to pay off. No offense to Mercadante but he really hurt us and Gino is obviously building it back. I've been writing on this site for baseball as well as for some other sites for college baseball in general, and have really enjoyed it, but it has been tough to read this board at times. I really enjoyed this season. Figured with all the negative posts people have been so excited to post, we should actually look at next year instead. I'm hoping the negatives stay out of here and actually let a thread have a real discussion.

C- Collins. Obviously need another body here. Peter Crocitto is also a name to watch.
1B- Barr. Great season and he should only get better and hopefully stronger. He hit in front of a stacked lineup, which helped, but he should again next year.
2B- Open, with Iskenderian most likely gone, does Ruiz slide into this spot? Or do we look JUCO?
SS- Lopez. Undrafted Lopez is most likely back, although some juniors do sign as undrafted free agents. Could be big to return a senior SS.
3B- Open. With Thompson does this go to Michelangeli or do we go JUCO? Or freshman Roman Gonzalez?
OF- this is going to be a stacked outfield. Hayward, Abreu, Chester, Justin Smith, and hopefully Kep Brown, who has said he's coming but we all know how that goes. Brown would be a huge get. Eusebio is most likely gone.

Pitching should be solid, especially the bullpen who returns Cooper and Bryan Garcia. Woodrey comes back as does Beauprez, Danny Garcia, Sosa, Mediavilla, and then it will be interesting to see the development of Jesse Lepore, Andy Honiotes, Luke Spangler, and Keven Pimentel. We saw Lepore throw early in the season, even logged innings in Gainesville. Pimentel has already been pitching in summer leagues and has been very good. Hopefully Honiotes recovers even more from his injury. I like the pitching staff next year. I just hope we get more guys work so when postseason comes around we have more options. Arteaga sticks with his main core guys and when crap hits the fan we have been going to guys who don't have the experience.

Anyway, just some quick thoughts on next year. Go Canes.
 
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I personally think the only three sure losses from this year's team are Suarez, Thompson, and Isky. Suarez of course because he's a SR, and DT/Isky because of their draft slots. I believe Eusebio might stay. Either way, I think our OF, as you said, is stacked...he might be smart to go ahead and go pro, especially with the likes of Carl Chester ready to take over for him.

If something crazy happened that Lopez did sign as an UDFA, nbrewer22 posted on the 1st page of the MLB Draft thread that Kirvin Moesquit might be coming in after a season at Seminole State College...so that's a possibility of someone to take over. Best case is if Lopez stays, develops further, and we can pair him with either Ruiz or Moesquit up the middle.

I'd like to see us go JUCO to help at C. I'm not discounting Crocitto, just don't know what his potential is either offensively or defensively, so I'm dealing with evaluating him from a point of ignorance, just not knowing what he's capable of. If there's a JUCO catcher out there who is, say, as good as Kennedy defensively and offensively...I'd take him if he's OK with splitting time with Collins.

As for the pitching, I know the guys we didn't see a lot of this year like Lepore, Honiotes, Spangler, and Pimentel are supposed to be big-time arms, especially Honiotes and Pimentel. They could have both helped this season if they had been developed further/healthy. I think our Weekend rotation next season ought to be Woodrey/D. Garcia/either Mediavilla or Beauprez (if one develops into a SP). I think Mediavilla could be a horse of a Sunday guy, has the frame to eat up innings. So does Beauprez, but I like Mediavilla's consistency better. Either that, or we could hope for one of those younger arms to break through and take that Sunday spot.

Personally, I think they need to overhaul Sosa's mechanics. I know he gets tilt and some velocity from the way he leans and falls way off the mound...but it's obvious whatever he was doing late in the season isn't fooling hitters AT ALL. If, and only if, we can do that and help him be more consistent/deceptive with his pitches, can he possibly enter the conversation as even a midweek starter, IMO.
 
Moesquit would be huge, I just haven't heard it. Him at 2nd would be very nice. Suarez is actually still a junior because of injury but he's got to sign this year. Also agree on Eusebio, not sure if he signs but I kind of just want him too so we can get Chester, Kep, Justin Smith in.

Thanks for the response.
 
Romy Gonzalez will and should be our starting 3rd baseman kid is going to be a monster here
 
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Sounds good. I don't know much about him. What ya got? Have you seen him play?
 
Yes, Moesquit has already signed. I think Ruiz will be fine at 2B. He's gotten good experience sitting behind and learning from Hernandez and Iskenderian. At 3B I'm not so sure about Michaelangeli. I think it will be Romy Gonzalez's job to lose. I think a couple of late JUCO adds needs to happen. We need help at MIF and C. Also another left handed bullpen arm would be nice.
 
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The most obvious area of concern is starting rotation, which is pretty important. If our goal is to make it to the post-season, then we should be okay. But there's not a championship-caliber starting pitcher on the roster.
 
QueenOfSpades said:
The most obvious area of concern is starting rotation, which is pretty important. If our goal is to make it to the post-season, then we should be okay. But there's not a championship-caliber starting pitcher on the roster.
Click to expand...

That was a huge hole this year as well. There is no All American pitcher. To win it all next year that will be crucial.
 
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KM.jpg

Kirvin signing with Orioles
 
Guys like Lepore, Pimentel, Spangler, Honiotes, and Mediavilla were all considered big time arms coming out of high school. Let's hope they can develop. I actually like our pitching potential next year. I also like bringing back a guy like Woodrey who will be a senior and threw a great game in the College World Series. That is going to be nice experience to have. I never was a fan of Sosa being in rotation but he did well at times. Hoping someone beats him out. We need the light to go on for Beauprez who was also a big time arm out of high school.
 
I wouldn't count on Eusebio leaving. I've heard the opposite. Also David Thompson might not go either. I haven't heard anything about him but I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.
 
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Also, Kep Brown could be a legitimate option at DH with Collins catching. It would allow us to use his bat and keep our outfield intact.
 
wherrera8 said:
I wouldn't count on Eusebio leaving. I've heard the opposite. Also David Thompson might not go either. I haven't heard anything about him but I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.
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With another solid year, he could move up a few more rounds in the draft.

I don't even think he would have to match this year's stats in order to move up. He just needs to show that he's consistent.
 
RBhurricane87 said:
wherrera8 said:
I wouldn't count on Eusebio leaving. I've heard the opposite. Also David Thompson might not go either. I haven't heard anything about him but I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.
Click to expand...

With another solid year, he could move up a few more rounds in the draft.

I don't even think he would have to match this year's stats in order to move up. He just needs to show that he's consistent.
Click to expand...

I agree. He could also improve his defense and that will help. Heard there are some concerns and that he could be moved to outfield at the next level.
 
wherrera8 said:
RBhurricane87 said:
wherrera8 said:
I wouldn't count on Eusebio leaving. I've heard the opposite. Also David Thompson might not go either. I haven't heard anything about him but I wouldn't be surprised to see him stay.
Click to expand...

With another solid year, he could move up a few more rounds in the draft.

I don't even think he would have to match this year's stats in order to move up. He just needs to show that he's consistent.
Click to expand...

I agree. He could also improve his defense and that will help. Heard there are some concerns and that he could be moved to outfield at the next level.
Click to expand...


I see him as a future 1st baseman...I don't think he has the arm for OF (which is the concern for him at 3B).
 
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