The Book: 2004 Baseball

[biged05]

Hey man, they came out great. Even after the 5 pitchers of beer we split throughout the day, the late pictures were all awsome. Oh by the way we made it home. I have to say it was a great day, Awsome weather, cold beer, great game, and a basketball win last night...boy I can't wait to move back.

[RaisingCajun08]

I was supprised how well the pictures came out myself. That was the best time I have had at a baseball game in a long time. GO CAJUNS !!

[USLJim]

To RaginCajun08:

Thanks for the pictures, they turned out great and I do appreciate them. Now to figure out how to print them.

[USLJim]

Gentlemen, I was also there and have helped in putting on fan day for Coach Rob, Lots of people show up and get the souvenirs, autographs, and free food and stay a little while and leave. You have to understand staying at the ball park from 11 am to 5 pm is a long time for little kids and older people, only the die-hards will endure the weather. This is an obersavation which I have noticed over the past three Fan Days. I figure there were 2000 people there for Fan Day, all in total. For Ron Guidry and Paul Bako to show up was Awesome and then there were all the other fan favorites. Gill, Massiatte, Devy, and Dohlman( who by the way could not play either), and so many others. It was great and it is only gonna get better.

[NewsCopy]

Experience, depth key for Cajun catchers

This is the third of a four-part series of stories on UL Lafayette’s 2004 baseball squad. The Ragin’ Cajuns open their season Friday at 6:35 p.m. against Sam Houston State. Today: The Catchers.

LOUISIANA La. — There’s no substitute for experience behind the plate, and Louisiana’s 2004 baseball squad has that. But what the Ragin’ Cajuns also have is catching depth, probably more so than at any time in modern-day history.

Two returning starters, two highly-regarded newcomers and a fifth player that scouts want to see get more catching action ... it’s almost an embarrassment of backstop riches for coach Tony Robichaux.

“We have a way to rest these guys some now,” Robichaux said. “We can spread out the duties, and by the end of the year our catchers will still have legs and still be fresh.”

Senior Ryan Core stepped up offensively at the end of the 2003 season and ended up earning second-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors. He hit .297 with five homers, 13 doubles and 25 RBI, most of those numbers coming in the latter half of his initial Cajun season.

“He really had a good fall,” Robichaux said of the former Delgado standout, “and he’s better behind the plate and understands our system better now. We knew eventually he’d hit, and he knew he had to get better as a catcher. He’s a much better overall player now.”

He’ll need to be to stay high on a catcher depth chart that also includes the consistent Justin Morgan, junior college products Adam Massiatte and Brandon Montemayor and freshman Jeffries Tatford.

Morgan has started 32 games behind the plate over the past two seasons, and the son of former Cajun backstop Jamie Morgan has earned a reputation as one of the league’s and the region’s best defensive catchers. He’s also earned the trust of the Cajun coaches.

“It’s always nice when guys behind the plate are well respected,” Robichaux said, “and Justin is that. He’s one of the hardest workers on the team. We’re going to use him a lot, definitely in the later innings because he has great tempo and understands our pitching system almost better than I do. We know nobody’ll be able to pick up our signs.”

The name Massiatte is synonymous with Cajun catchers after Danny Massiatte helped will the 2000 squad to the College World Series. Adam, Danny’s younger brother, carries many of the same traits, according to the Cajun staff, but didn’t join the squad until the spring semester as a mid-term transfer.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[Turbine]

Great points, it was still cool of them all to show

[ned2a]

I am a new poster, a UL(USL)ulumni, season ticket holder, and long time fan of cajun baseball. I have two small children that look forward to fan day. The players and their attitudes towards my children (autographing their arms, shirts, and any articles of clothings)was outstanding. Nothing but high quality players with great morals and bright smiles on their faces.

In my opinion, a GOOD turnout was on hand. I arrived slighly late (12:15) to keep my children out of the cold weather, thinking that the autograph line would be short, but it definitely wasn't. Which I take it as good turnout since all autographs couldn't be signed in the allotted time (11:30 - 12:45).

I, like a large alumni population, could not keep small children in the cold weather any longer.

Keep the positive observations about Fan Day as the priority.

AS a side note: Maybe Corey Coles should have used a wooden bat insted of aluminum during his UL days at "The Tigue". Man, he had some shots in the home run deby.

[NewsCopy]

This is the final of a four-part series of stories on Louisiana’s 2004 baseball squad. The Ragin’ Cajuns open their season Friday at 6:35 p.m. against Sam Houston State. Today: The Pitchers

LOUISIANA La. — Half of University of Louisiana's pitching staff has collegiate experience — some a little, some a lot — entering the 2004 season.

But coach Tony Robichaux knows that, especially as the season progresses, the Ragin’ Cajun baseball squad will need contributions from new faces if they’re going to find success.

“We’re very solid position wise,” Robichaux said, “so we’ll go as far as our pitching grows up. I think we’re going to score runs, we just have to grow up on the mound. We have enough pitchers to get it done.”

The loss of multi-year lettermen Andy Gros, Jordy Templet and Corey Coles depleted the squad’s experience, and puts a lot of pressure on a pair that emerged as stalwarts last year — righthanders Kevin Ardoin and Kraig Schambough.

Ardoin became the opening-night starter in Sun Belt Conference play, squaring off against league opponents’ top hurlers and compiling a 5-5 record and a 4.03 ERA. Schambough, meanwhile, was both a short and long reliever, making 25 appearances with a 3.79 ERA and four saves along with a 4-1 record.

Schambough was the biggest part of a bullpen that helped UL go 23-0 when leading after seven innings.

“Kevin’s definitely our number one starter going in,” Robichaux said. “He’s been consistent and he has the advantage of having another year in our system.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[Mac]

For those of you with children playing ball, these guys have a camp in the Acadiana area from Nov - Feb. Visit devey.ca for details

[NewsCopy]

Robichaux’s club develops chip on its shoulder as season begins

LOUISIANA La. — Rodney Dangerfield has nothing on UL Lafayette’s baseball team.

No respect for either one.

Dangerfield pulls at his red tie and gets put down by his peers. The Ragin’ Cajuns tug their red belts and get ignored by league coaches and national voters.

Four different national college baseball polls have been released — Collegiate Baseball magazine, Baseball America magazine, USA Today Sports Weekly/ESPN and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

One lists 25 teams, one lists 30. The remaining two list other schools receiving votes that didn’t make their list, going down 57 and 58 places when the “others receiving votes” are included.

In none of the four do the Cajuns even rate a mention. Nowhere, nada ... even in those that go nearly 60 deep.

In the Sun Belt Conference’s preseason balloting of the nine league coaches, UL Lafayette got one first place vote out of nine. If past history is any indication, that vote came from Cajun coach Tony Robichaux.

All of those voters may have missed this time, especially if the Cajuns’ pitching jells.

“I really like where this team is,” Robichaux said. “We’re going to play good defense and we’re going to score a lot more runs. We’ll go as far as our pitching grows up, and I really believe they’re going to be a solid group.”

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[Oldman]

as you all know too well, we have alot of people,places,things,and area working against us, having said that,let me say this, i have confidence in our coaches staff, and what they can and will do, so, the only way to remedy this is to go out there and win and i think we will. so the saga begins, wait til you hear the rest of the story..............

[Turbine]

.......Paul Harvey

His initials are P.H. which this year will stand for Pure Hitting, and Pitching Hallmark