What happened to Cook?

[raginsaints]

Will Long is terrible. I see no reason for him to play. I'd take Greg's noodle arm over Long's 7 inch range anyday.

[Dad04]

_ It's broken because you have a temporary fix with Fontenot at SS. He has played well, but he does not have the arm for the position and 2nd base is his natural position. If Long can get healthy, then Bostick will join Rob on the bench with his .200 BA. _

I doubt we will see changes in an infield that has a SS batting over .300, a 2B who catches everything and does his job offensively. The team defense is ranked #2 in the conference in fielding. We were last in 2008. Last year we looked like UALR looked last week. Nobody wants to go back there.

Johnny Damon could never throw the ball across the room and still can't, yet there he is on TV day after day, year after year. We will see, but the job is GF's to lose imo, which means less than nothing by the way.

[TuffGuy84]

_ Ive been saying this for years now....recruit a top notch SS that can flat out hit and go get it. I know it is not easy, but this program is built on pitching and defense. Ive always had issues with Long, and I had issues with Fontenot last year. I think that Fontenot is a year older and has improved his game a bunch and has been a pleasent surprise at the plate. We manage to get great outfielders, catchers, and pitchers, but we havent had that stud SS in some time. Lambin was the last i can remember _

Jameson Parker in 2006 was the last very good shortstop we had.

[JMV JustMyView]

_ Micah Cockrell wasn't to bad, he hit for power, average, played great D, and was a weekend starter for a while on the mound. _

The coaching staff tryed Micah out on the mound a few times as a closer but he was never a weekend starter...

[TuffGuy84]

_ The coaching staff tryed Micah out on the mound a few times as a closer but he was never a weekend starter... _

Not true, Cockrell started 4 games and even had 1 complete game in 2005. Its even listed in the final stats for the year

http://www.ragincajuns.com/fls/15400...B_OEM_ID=15400

If I remember, we tried him out as a starter against UNO and used him a few more times that year.

[CajunT]

_ So the staff is expecting Long to improve from his .226 BA and .921 Fld% and a team leading 18 errors? Granted the fielding pct isnt horrendous despite all the errors, but still its a large qty of errors and would be 2nd to last this year and was about 4th or 5th from the bottom last year.

Bostick is currently at .206 with a .991 Fld%
Fontenot is at .304 and .927

I'm not saying Bostick should stay and I would bet that Fontenot's fld% would improve at 2B so its not unreasonable (also because looking at it, Fontenot's fld% was .895 last year.) Just seeing what you think about it _

So what you are saying is that kids can't improve from one year to the next? I'm well aware of his short comings the past few years, but you have the head coach and hitting coach stating that he was ready to have a break out year after his performance in the fall and early spring. I have to take their word for it, I don't see these kids every day.

Based upon last years sample, Bostick should be hitting over .300, he is not. You don't sign junior college kids to sit the bench. He was signed for his bat, and he is not hitting. If you didn't need the bat at second base, then why waste a scholarship and not play Hicks?

[CajunT]

_ When is Long expected back? _

Uncertain of the time line. It may change again depending on his treatment.

[CajunT]

_ I doubt we will see changes in an infield that has a SS batting over .300, a 2B who catches everything and does his job offensively. The team defense is ranked #2 in the conference in fielding. We were last in 2008. Last year we looked like UALR looked last week. Nobody wants to go back there.

Johnny Damon could never throw the ball across the room and still can't, yet there he is on TV day after day, year after year. We will see, but the job is GF's to lose imo, which means less than nothing by the way. _

Again, you are talking about last season. This is 2009 and the coaches stated that coach Trahan has helped Long with his hitting and during the fall he was the most improved player on the squad. The kid came out of high school highly touted. So while you disagree, I'm telling you what coach Rob stated last week. I'm going with the guy that has a World Series appearence.

[J-Town Cajun]

_ Sorry guys but Hawkins is not a 1st baseman. He has cost us before on defense and it will happen again. When Goulas returns to the field, I would play Keefer at 1st and Benzel at 3rd with Hawkins batting DH. The outfield should consist of Goulas in left, Olasin in center, and Smith in right. Whipple should be our 1st pinch-hitter off the bench and can play either 1st or OF, and with our versitile defense many players could easily switch around. So he could bat for Keefer, Benzel, any outfielder or even the DH. Fuslier could be the second pinch hitter or maybe Harst against lefties but Fuslier could also pinch run. Bowman needs to redshirt.

I am still not comfortable with Greg Fontenot at short (although his fielding % is ok and he is making most plays, he seems to bobble most balls hit to him and he has a 2nd basemen arm. I would like to see Long back at short and move Fontenot to second with Bostick used as a pinch runner, defensive replacement, and double switches. Long will add more pop to the line up.

I hope Harst can make it back to last year's form hitting the ball as he is very versitle playing OF, C, or 1st. Griffen's bat is very inconsistent and he will slump at times this year as he has trouble not striking out. Harst could be used as a pinch hitter here also. _

Like I said Hawkins will cost us at 1st base, he did it again tonight on a play he should have made which lead to some runs. He needs to DH and let either Whipple, Benzel, or Keefer play 1st. I hope Robe isn't playing the guy just to improve his draft stock at the cost of the team.

[ManAboutTown]

_ Like I said Hawkins will cost us at 1st base, he did it again tonight on a play he should have made which lead to some runs. He needs to DH and let either Whipple, Benzel, or Keefer play 1st. I hope Robe isn't playing the guy just to improve his draft stock at the cost of the team. _

Like I stated in an earlier post; It's a respect thing for Hawkins. He's being rewarded for his years of service, and major production for Robe. He's obviously not our best option at first base, but I don't really have a big problem with this. I'm a Hawk fan, so I'm bias.

[Just1More]

_ Uncertain of the time line. It may change again depending on his treatment. _

I heard from a former (recent) ball player that stays in touch with his friends on the team that Long is looking really good. You can never tell when a kid might hit his groove. You should have seen the progress a guy by the name of Ron Guidry made from start to finish in his playing days with the Cajuns. This forum would never have let him in the rotation... because they are absolutely positive that past performance is the only indicator of future performance.

[J-Town Cajun]

_ Like I stated in an earlier post; It's a respect thing for Hawkins. He's being rewarded for his years of service, and major production for Robe. He's obviously not our best option at first base, but I don't really have a big problem with this. I'm a Hawk fan, so I'm bias. _

I am a Hawk fan too, but as the DH. No player should be getting playing time on respect. You should earn it and what is best for the team should be done. If we are better on D with someone else and Hawkins DH'ing then so be it.