Softball Offseason

[Marvin]

I don’t think you can coach slappers to hit home runs.

Didn't a previous AA short stop from Mississippi begin as a slapper and transition into a really good power hitter?

[du42]

Davis has hit 5 homeruns this season as a slapper. The team overall couldn't hit many homeruns or extra base hits. We are losing two slapper type hitters. Glasco and his staff recruited the incoming players. How do you know the Cajuns will only sign three?

That comes straight from Coach Ali’s mouth in her interview with Foote

[VObserver]

I don’t think you can coach slappers to hit home runs. And we had a bunch of em this year and we are only loosing one so same o same o next year. I’m really disappointed in the lack of personnel changes…let’s face it, this was our worst team since the 90s and maybe longer. I don’t know anything about the incoming freshman nor who recruited them. But I do know that One of the reasons that Glasco left was he did not have the NIL money to get talented players to even visit here. Let’s hope we haven’t missed on any of the incoming freshmen because only signing 3 transfers is not enough…

We don't need to convert slappers into home run hitters; we just need them to swing the bat with enough authority to keep outfielders from essentially playing in the infield dirt instead of the outfield grass. All three of our returning slappers are definitely strong enough to do that. Also, we graduated two slappers, not one.

Among returning players, Emily Smith, Cecilia Vasquez and Lily Knox [as a group] are likely to provide 60+ extra base hits and 120+ RBI. Our remaining players had 28 RBI this season. Williams, Ardoin and Stutes produced 19 of the 28. All should have at least 50% more AB next season and a similar rise in RBI output to 30 or so. That puts us at 160+ RBI with returning players, assuming that Liscano and Norwood get 10 RBI between them.

If we can add 3 players who provide output similar to Smith, Vasquez and Knox, our RBI output should go up to around 280 [we had 196 last year]. That is a bit more than a 1 RBI/game improvement.

That is enough output to place us in the top 5 in RBI in the conference, rather than 10th. I expect our pitching to be somewhat better next season, as well.

I know I have an optimistic outlook, but none of my numbers are unreasonably so.

[RoarMan]

We don't need to convert slappers into home run hitters; we just need them to swing the bat with enough authority to keep outfielders from essentially playing in the infield dirt instead of the outfield grass. All three of our returning slappers are definitely strong enough to do that. Also, we graduated two slappers, not one.

Among returning players, Emily Smith, Cecilia Vasquez and Lily Knox [as a group] are likely to provide 60+ extra base hits and 120+ RBI. Our remaining players had 28 RBI this season. Williams, Ardoin and Stutes produced 19 of the 28. All should have at least 50% more AB next season and a similar rise in RBI output to 30 or so. That puts us at 160+ RBI with returning players, assuming that Liscano and Norwood get 10 RBI between them.

If we can add 3 players who provide output similar to Smith, Vasquez and Knox, our RBI output should go up to around 280 [we had 196 last year]. That is a bit more than a 1 RBI/game improvement.

That is enough output to place us in the top 5 in RBI in the conference, rather than 10th. I expect our pitching to be somewhat better next season, as well.

I know I have an optimistic outlook, but none of my numbers are unreasonably so.

One thing I am optimistic about is the pitching. With Wheeler returning and Delbrey and Hoover being at full strength, the Cajuns may have the best pitching staff in the conference. Wheeler improved tremendously last year. However, overall, the staff finished with a 3.79 era. That's the highest era in the history of the program.

So, regardless of the hitting and pitching woes of 2025, the team finished above .500 both overall and in conference.

Make no mistake about it. 2025 was a down year for the SBC. A way down year. Hopefully, the Cajuns will do the best job of improving in 2026 over all of the other teams in the SBC.

[JMV JustMyView]

That comes straight from Coach Ali’s mouth in her interview with Foote

Habetz said her plan is to add two, perhaps three, position players from the transfer portal. Also will add a pitcher. Looks like we will add at least four.

[JMV JustMyView]

Didn't a previous AA short stop from Mississippi begin as a slapper and transition into a really good power hitter?

Yep.

[JMV JustMyView]

We don't need to convert slappers into home run hitters; we just need them to swing the bat with enough authority to keep outfielders from essentially playing in the infield dirt instead of the outfield grass. All three of our returning slappers are definitely strong enough to do that. Also, we graduated two slappers, not one.

Among returning players, Emily Smith, Cecilia Vasquez and Lily Knox [as a group] are likely to provide 60+ extra base hits and 120+ RBI. Our remaining players had 28 RBI this season. Williams, Ardoin and Stutes produced 19 of the 28. All should have at least 50% more AB next season and a similar rise in RBI output to 30 or so. That puts us at 160+ RBI with returning players, assuming that Liscano and Norwood get 10 RBI between them.

If we can add 3 players who provide output similar to Smith, Vasquez and Knox, our RBI output should go up to around 280 [we had 196 last year]. That is a bit more than a 1 RBI/game improvement.

That is enough output to place us in the top 5 in RBI in the conference, rather than 10th. I expect our pitching to be somewhat better next season, as well.

I know I have an optimistic outlook, but none of my numbers are unreasonably so.

I don't think Ardion and Stutes will get 50% more at bats. Williams maybe.

[VObserver]

Williams only had 78 AB. I expect she will come close to doubling that. I admit an extra 50% for Ardoin [91AB to 136] and Stutes [70AB to 105] might be a stretch, depending on the players we bring in.

[JMV JustMyView]

Williams only had 78 AB. I expect she will come close to doubling that. I admit an extra 50% for Ardoin [91AB to 136] and Stutes [70AB to 105] might be a stretch, depending on the players we bring in.

91 to 136 and 70 to 105 isn't 50%

[Turbine]

91 to 136 and 70 to 105 isn't 50%

Yes it is