Just numbers after 12 games

[CAJUNJUDO]

If it makes you feel any better....
Tulane only has 1 win against a team with a winning record (Ole Miss)
LaTech only has 3 (all against Arkansas State)

Cajuns have 4 wins against teams with winning records.

[Turbine]

We have been recruiting with the rendering and construction of the stadium for years and it’s been complete for 2 years now.

I agree.

The carrot of a soon to be new stadium is a stronger recruiting tool than an actually new stadium.

Every player on this team was recruited to a new stadium.

[CajunRage]

If it makes you feel any better....
Tulane only has 1 win against a team with a winning record (Ole Miss)
LaTech only has 3 (all against Arkansas State)

Cajuns have 4 wins against teams with winning records.

So all of this comparing to other teams around us brings an interesting debate. Admittedly, I have only watched our team play. Probably the same for most of you. Is it OK to just look at wins and losses compared to other teams and their opponents, or should we expect better baseball in general. I don't know how the teams struggling that CajunT posted about or the teams winning like SMD posted have actually played in their first handful of games this season. I know our team made errors, made baserunning mistakes, couldn't make contact with a runner on third, etc. Are some of you of the mindset that no matter what the struggles are, comparing records and opponents is good enough to justify where we are? I'm asking a serious question here. I see Texas sweep LSU and get ____ed because we easily could have swept Texas. We easily could have won 2 of 3 or swept SHSU. Play good baseball and we are in the top 25 right now nipping at Coastal's heels. We are talented enough to go toe to toe with the top programs as we saw the first weekend of the season. So I am truly curious about some thoughts here. I expect good baseball from game 1 and don't feel like every season should be "figuring it out" the first few weeks. Others may not.

[CharlieK]

I agree.

The carrot of a soon to be new stadium is a stronger recruiting tool than an actually new stadium.

Every player on this team was recruited to a new stadium.

what's the problem....shuffles deck.....





our stadium is too new......

[CajunT]

So all of this comparing to other teams around us brings an interesting debate. Admittedly, I have only watched our team play. Probably the same for most of you. Is it OK to just look at wins and losses compared to other teams and their opponents, or should we expect better baseball in general. I don't know how the teams struggling that CajunT posted about or the teams winning like SMD posted have actually played in their first handful of games this season. I know our team made errors, made baserunning mistakes, couldn't make contact with a runner on third, etc. Are some of you of the mindset that no matter what the struggles are, comparing records and opponents is good enough to justify where we are? I'm asking a serious question here. I see Texas sweep LSU and get ____ed because we easily could have swept Texas. We easily could have won 2 of 3 or swept SHSU. Play good baseball and we are in the top 25 right now nipping at Coastal's heels. We are talented enough to go toe to toe with the top programs as we saw the first weekend of the season. So I am truly curious about some thoughts here. I expect good baseball from game 1 and don't feel like every season should be "figuring it out" the first few weeks. Others may not.

I posted only as an example of other teams with similar talent are also struggling to win games early on. Southern Miss took 2 games from Miss State, but haven't played consistently since. SLU hasn't been as good thus far this season as they have been in the past, Houston is also struggling. Now none of that has anything to do with our struggles, but it just illustrates that a number usually good programs are also making adjustments and searching for answers early in the season.

I agree with you that as bad as the first two weeks of the season were, you could see we had chances to win a number of those games. And from my prospective the Cajuns should still be the favorites in the Western Division of the SBC.

Two signs give me hope this team we improve during the SBC schedule. The first is we do have some power in the lineup and the Cajuns will have opportunities to play in smaller parks on the road. When you can hit the ball out with occasional power, you have the opportunity for bigger innings. Secondly, this team has good speed on the base paths that we can put constant pressure on the opponents defense and pitcher.

The one major concern I have is the obvious lack of depth in the bullpen at this time. Our starters will be fine, provided they remain healthy during the season. Both Blake and Jacob Schultz have shown well early.Michael Leaumont and Brock Batty have been solid as well in their roles thus far. After that, we have more questions than answers starting with Austin Bradford trying to work through Labrum problems in his throwing shoulder and Brandon Young who is probably done with a UCL elbow tear.

That brings us to Jack Burke who has not been the same pitcher since his freshman season. I'm not certain he will come back from his latest health battles, but it would be huge for this team if he could help in some reduced role in the bullpen. That leaves us to the young freshmen arms of Stone, Cook and Savoy that are still huge questions at this point of the season. The first two have been inconsistent at best thus far this season.

Like you I've seen many of the things you posted and that is what gives me some hope that this team will be in the fight for the Western Division title this season. Are we as good as Coastal Carolina this season, my early answer is no. But there is time to turn the corner starting tonight against Loyola Marymount.

[CajunRage]

I posted only as an example of other teams with similar talent are also struggling to win games early on. Southern Miss took 2 games from Miss State, but haven't played consistently since. SLU hasn't been as good thus far this season as they have been in the past, Houston is also struggling. Now none of that has anything to do with our struggles, but it just illustrates that a number usually good programs are also making adjustments and searching for answers early in the season.

I agree with you that as bad as the first two weeks of the season were, you could see we had chances to win a number of those games. And from my prospective the Cajuns should still be the favorites in the Western Division of the SBC.

Two signs give me hope this team we improve during the SBC schedule. The first is we do have some power in the lineup and the Cajuns will have opportunities to play in smaller parks on the road. When you can hit the ball out with occasional power, you have the opportunity for bigger innings. Secondly, this team has good speed on the base paths that we can put constant pressure on the opponents defense and pitcher.

The one major concern I have is the obvious lack of depth in the bullpen at this time. Our starters will be fine, provided they remain healthy during the season. Both Blake and Jacob Schultz have shown well early.Michael Leaumont and Brock Batty have been solid as well in their roles thus far. After that, we have more questions than answers starting with Austin Bradford trying to work through Labrum problems in his throwing shoulder and Brandon Young who is probably done with a UCL elbow tear.

That brings us to Jack Burke who has not been the same pitcher since his freshman season. I'm not certain he will come back from his latest health battles, but it would be huge for this team if he could help in some reduced role in the bullpen. That leaves us to the young freshmen arms of Stone, Cook and Savoy that are still huge questions at this point of the season. The first two have been inconsistent at best thus far this season.

Like you I've seen many of the things you posted and that is what gives me some hope that this team will be in the fight for the Western Division title this season. Are we as good as Coastal Carolina this season, my early answer is no. But there is time to turn the corner starting tonight against Loyola Marymount.

Is finishing 2nd overall out of the question in your opinion? Winning the West doesn't help our postseason chances if the divisions play out like last year. If we don't win the tourney, we need to finish 1-2 with Coastal and hope they win the tourney. That would be a minimum to be on the bubble, IMO.

[Cajun90]

Is it OK to just look at wins and losses compared to other teams and their opponents, or should we expect better baseball in general. .

How about both??

Baseball is a game of stats and for some of us that is half the enjoyment of the game. Billy Beane proved just how much stats matter in the game. It certainly isn't the entirety of things though because stats are just part of the picture.

Tony has stated numerous times during the year that he will use the first part of the season to figure things out if he feels like there are holes. Other coaches go out with the attitude that they are going to try to win games at all cost. Even if that means overthrowing a pitcher etc.

The injuries are a definite concern this year but I'm more optimistic this year than I was at the same time last year. And that has nothing to do with the stat lines right now. Just something about this team that makes me believe the mindset has improved.

[CajunT]

Is finishing 2nd overall out of the question in your opinion? Winning the West doesn't help our postseason chances if the divisions play out like last year. If we don't win the tourney, we need to finish 1-2 with Coastal and hope they win the tourney. That would be a minimum to be on the bubble, IMO.

Right now, I don't see us beating Coastal Carolina but things can change by tournament time. Winning our division is a matter of seating in our own tournament, that is my expectation for this team and nothing less.

[CajunJeaux]

So all of this comparing to other teams around us brings an interesting debate. Admittedly, I have only watched our team play. Probably the same for most of you. Is it OK to just look at wins and losses compared to other teams and their opponents, or should we expect better baseball in general. I don't know how the teams struggling that CajunT posted about or the teams winning like SMD posted have actually played in their first handful of games this season. I know our team made errors, made baserunning mistakes, couldn't make contact with a runner on third, etc. Are some of you of the mindset that no matter what the struggles are, comparing records and opponents is good enough to justify where we are? I'm asking a serious question here. I see Texas sweep LSU and get ____ed because we easily could have swept Texas. We easily could have won 2 of 3 or swept SHSU. Play good baseball and we are in the top 25 right now nipping at Coastal's heels. We are talented enough to go toe to toe with the top programs as we saw the first weekend of the season. So I am truly curious about some thoughts here. I expect good baseball from game 1 and don't feel like every season should be "figuring it out" the first few weeks. Others may not.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable to expect good baseball from game 1....as you stated, we could’ve swept Texas and SH and be sitting nice and pretty right now...with that said, you have to understand that is why you catch flack for consistently bringing out the pitchfork against Robe...outside of silly mistakes, we would be Top 25...that tells me Robe has this team positioned correctly...I don’t think you understand how far we could potentially fall when we’re so close to being a Top 25 team, should we miss on a replacement hire

[CajunAlum10]

I don’t think you’re unreasonable to expect good baseball from game 1....as you stated, we could’ve swept Texas and SH and be sitting nice and pretty right now...with that said, you have to understand that is why you catch flack for consistently bringing out the pitchfork against Robe...outside of silly mistakes, we would be Top 25...that tells me Robe has this team positioned correctly...I don’t think you understand how far we could potentially fall when we’re so close to being a Top 25 team, should we miss on a replacement hire

Well said.

Constantly battering Robe just turns into white noise after a while. If you have zero patience from day 1 on a young team, then you prob won't ever be happy with whoever the replacement hire would be. Let's let this season play out fully.