Rice scouting report

[GoneGolfin]

_ Sounds like they aren't the team that's beat us up in midweek games recently. Hoping for a gem from Oz. _

No, they are exactly the team that beat us up in the midweek games recently ... specifically last May in Houston (plus they have their best arm (Mike Ojala) back and healthy). Rogers handcuffed us and Matt Evers finished us off in that game.

HoustonCajun was so frustrated I thought he was going to run onto the field.

Brian

[cajuns56]

_ Abe Gonzales is their best and most consistent bullpen guy. Good pitcher, but not dominant (definitely not a David Aardsma). Has been used in the closer role some this year.

Graham wanted to groom freshman Tyler Duffey for the closer role. But this has had mixed results. He has the power arm ... typically about 91-94, but must continue to improve the changeup.

Brian _

another interesting point..there second best player is Rick Hague..He had the highest batting avg. on the Team USA team last summer..Before this season started he was projected to be a sure first round pick in this years draft..I think he was feeling the pressure because he had a horrendous start to the season..He has settled down the last month or so and is really hitting the ball well now..He finished with a .352 avg. with 14 hr..We need to be extra careful with Rendon and Hague..Those 2 are the heart of this team offensively

[HoustonCajun]

_ No, they are exactly the team that beat us up in the midweek games recently ... specifically last May in Houston (plus they have their best arm (Mike Ojala) back and healthy). Rogers handcuffed us and Matt Evers finished us off in that game.

HoustonCajun was so frustrated I thought he was going to run onto the field.

Brian _

Your're right. Rice really made us look bad. In fact, every time I saw UL play in Houston vs. Rice or UH the last few years, we have looked really inept. The question is, which UL team will show up in Austin, the one that just lost the two games in the conference tournament or the one that ran off so many wins in the second half of the year? Here's hoping its the latter and we have a successful tournament.

[GoneGolfin]

_ another interesting point..there second best player is Rick Hague..He had the highest batting avg. on the Team USA team last summer..Before this season started he was projected to be a sure first round pick in this years draft..I think he was feeling the pressure because he had a horrendous start to the season..He has settled down the last month or so and is really hitting the ball well now..He finished with a .352 avg. with 14 hr..We need to be extra careful with Rendon and Hague..Those 2 are the heart of this team offensively _

I really like Hague. He has struggled some defensively this season, but has the right frame for the position (SS), a strong arm, is fast, and carries a big stick. Catcher Diego Seastrunk is part of the heart of this team offensively (and otherwise) as well. Seastrunk (.377, 9HR) is a four year starter and was used at 3rd base his freshman and sophomore years before making the change to Catcher last season (I think this is part of the reason he struggled a little offensively last season). He has fully made the adaptation to the position.

There are a number of other very good bats in the Rice lineup. Jeremy Rathjen has some pop in his bat. This team is closing in on triple digit HRs and hitting .327 because they have a complete lineup that can score runs in bunches. They have, however, struggled at times against pitchers with good sinking action on their pitches. Think of Scott Copeland (Copeland really frustrated the Rice hitters Saturday night). Because of this, if Osborne has his good stuff and the Cajun offense does not go into a shell, we can compete.

Brian

[GoneGolfin]

There are a number of other very good bats in the Rice lineup. Jeremy Rathjen has some pop in his bat. This team is closing in on triple digit HRs and hitting .327 because they have a complete lineup that can score runs in bunches. They have, however, struggled at times against pitchers with good sinking action on their pitches. Think of Scott Copeland (Copeland really frustrated the Rice hitters Saturday night). Because of this, if Osborne has his good stuff and the Cajun offense does not go into a shell, we can compete.

Brian _

I think that pre-game analysis summarized it.

Wayne Graham also mentioned Scott Copeland in the postgame.

Brian