Softball Offseason

[VObserver]

The portal gives stars now too???

No, but some portal tracking sites do.

[MarlinMan3]

What are some of the timelines involved with portal moves.
Do they have to be here before class starts in august, could someone join in january? With or without attending old school as a student only?

[MarlinMan3]

Creager gave up 75 hits in 39 innings. Aly is looking for a veteran who can push for a weekend rotation spot.

If pitchers in general nowadays are supposedly way better, then why are rotations even needed, will a team ever go back to one pitcher pitching everything like some did in the old days

[Turbine]

If pitchers in general nowadays are supposedly way better, then why are rotations even needed, will a team ever go back to one pitcher pitching everything like some did in the old days

I hope not.

It worked great until Ashley Brignac had to pitch 5 games in 3 days.

[VObserver]

If pitchers in general nowadays are supposedly way better, then why are rotations even needed, will a team ever go back to one pitcher pitching everything like some did in the old days

I am not sure that pitchers are better in general. I am absolutely certain that the art and science of hitting has advanced significantly.

We also have a much better grasp of the idea of long term arm fatigue in pitchers; by season's end a pitcher like Coastal Carolina's Nicole Picone [who pitched 244 innings in 48 games] might lose 2-4 mph of velocity on her fastball.

By going to the 'staff' pitching rather than 'the pitcher' pitching, a team keeps its pitchers fresher for a playoff run.

It is very unlikely that the one pitcher concept will ever be common again.

[RoarMan]

There is no way to know era based only on number of hits, lol

I didn't make up her era. I looked it up on the Arizona State softball website. All you have to do is go to her stats. Just goes to show just because a pitcher can be successful in high school, she can't necessarily have success at the collegiate level. It happens all the time.

[Looney Lou]

Mallory Wheeler is not the only pitcher returning. Two outstanding pitchers were injured and never got to show their greatness. Lexie Delbrey has been injured since she got here in 2024. When she did pitch, she was in pain. Sage Hoover will be playing in a Texas College League this summer. She was "good to go" about 3 weeks before the end of the season but Coach kept her out rather than burn her year for 3 weeks of work. She is "the real deal". So, we have three excellent pitchers on staff. We really don't need to pick up a pitcher from the Portal. The ones we have are as good as it gets! Of course, a Sydney Berzon would be welcomed. Bailey Mackles, freshman pitcher from Slidell, LA will be coming in, but why Gerry Glasco recruited her is anyone's guess. And, Bethany Noble is here. That makes five pitchers, all healthy.

[JMV JustMyView]

Mallory Wheeler is not the only pitcher returning. Two outstanding pitchers were injured and never got to show their greatness. Lexie Delbrey has been injured since she got here in 2024. When she did pitch, she was in pain. Sage Hoover will be playing in a Texas College League this summer. She was "good to go" about 3 weeks before the end of the season but Coach kept her out rather than burn her year for 3 weeks of work. She is "the real deal". So, we have three excellent pitchers on staff. We really don't need to pick up a pitcher from the Portal. The ones we have are as good as it gets! Of course, a Sydney Berzon would be welcomed. Bailey Mackles, freshman pitcher from Slidell, LA will be coming in, but why Gerry Glasco recruited her is anyone's guess. And, Bethany Noble is here. That makes five pitchers, all healthy.

I disagree. Noble struggled and Mackles will most likely redshirt. She isn't ready to pitch to D1 batters. She has dealt with injuries and hasn't performed as good. We need one or two veterans pitchers because Delbrey and Hoover are coming off injuries and anything could happen. We need insurance if something happens.

[RoarMan]

I know we all expected more turnover; but we really are much closer to being our usual selves than it appears at first glance.

Adding the right 4 players from the portal would fix most of our issues.

A catcher, a 3B and an OF; all of whom can hit .300+ and deliver 15+ extra base hits and 30+ RBI, a Sydney Berzon, Peja Goold or Cece Cellura to add depth at the top for our pitching staff and for our returning players to perform as expected.

I'm not sure your first statement is true. I'm not trying to be critical, but, I am a stats guy and I don't believe stats lie. The stats are right there in black and white for everyone to see. Here's what stands out to me. There are six players currently on the team who saw a lot of playing time last year and will more than likely be back for 2026. Out of those six players, only one of them hit above 300. Combined, those six players had 24 extra base hits and a total of 58 RBI. Take out one player who had 31 RBI out of the equation and the other five players had a total of, are you ready for this? 27 RBI.

Can any of these players who did not hit .300 this year, hit .300 next year? Can any of these players get more than 15 extra base hits? Can any of the five players who combined for 27 RBI somehow miraculously each hit 30 RBI? So, unless somehow, these players are coached up and somehow improve at the plate, I see a very similar team on the field to what was on the field in 2025.

With Wheeler returning and Delbrey and Hoover at full strength, the Cajuns could have the best pitching staff in the SBC. The question is, will the offense provide enough run production to support the pitchers?

[VObserver]

You must be forgetting Smith's 43 RBI and 18 extra base hits... We are returning 102 of our 196 RBI from last season and 42 of our 78 extra base hits. The picture is not as bleak as you painted it.

I do agree with your assessment of the pitching staff.