2019 Cajuns Baseball Lineup???

[Dad04]

Let's get us some more of those outliers, eh?

I'm all for that. We have not exactly hit the recruiting jackpot lately.

[ManAboutTown]

outlier

Tros was a Deggs recruit.
Look at what happened to him post Deggs...

[Dad04]

Actually, Trosclair went from LSUE hitting .348 and .409, to UL 2015-2016, post Deggs, hitting .338 and .277. So he declined too. A 32% drop in BA from 2014 to 2016.

Dude is killing it in AA this year, tho.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe....asp?ID=194265

[Rougarou]

Actually, Trosclair went from LSUE hitting .348 and .409, to UL 2015-2016, post Deggs, hitting .338 and .277. So he declined too.

Dude is killing it in AA this year, tho.

http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe....asp?ID=194265

He showed some power with UL that he did not in JUCO if I remember right though.

[ManAboutTown]

Anyone with expectations just hate themselves.
We have 1 or 2 proven D1 bats on this roster.

We have very average proven pitching at the D1 level. Even Gunner is an unknown. Jack Burk the same. Dalton the same.

There is literally nothing you can hang your hat on as a club going into 2019.

[Dad04]

He showed some power with UL that he did not in JUCO if I remember right though.

His slugging percentage went from .484 to .689 at LSUE, then .635 to .468 here. Not been above .458 in proball.

[LifeTimeCajun]

Idk what makes everyone think JUST because we have guys returning , that will make them much better offensively. Cantrelle will be the exception to the rule. Stover didn’t get any better. Lafluer didn’t get any better. Spears didn’t get better. Lott surely didn’t get any better. I said the same thing last year...we brought back guys who hit .200 and they not going to just miraculously turn into .300 hitters. So...is it the system? Or is it talent?

[Dad04]

Idk what makes everyone think JUST because we have guys returning , that will make them much better offensively. Cantrelle will be the exception to the rule. Stover didn't get any better. Lafluer didn't get any better. Spears didn't get better. Lott surely didn't get any better. I said the same thing last year...we brought back guys who hit .200 and they not going to just miraculously turn into .300 hitters. So...is it the system? Or is it talent?

Cantrelle looks like the most talented player, will get bigger and stronger. He is the only returning player with any projectable upside in my feeble eyes. The rest of the roster is not talented enough that simply eating, sleeping, breathing and hitting BP makes them better every day.

[GeauxLouisiana]

Anyone with expectations just hate themselves.
We have 1 or 2 proven D1 bats on this roster.

We have very average proven pitching at the D1 level. Even Gunner is an unknown. Jack Burk the same. Dalton the same.

There is literally nothing you can hang your hat on as a club going into 2019.

So should expect a 3rd year of no postseason play? Just need to know if I shouldn’t be disappointed again at this time in 2019.

People need to read MAT’s post again and really think long and hard if the future of the program is in good hands right now. Completely unacceptable to have 2019 be a team of unknowns at the D1 level.

[RaginDave]

Now granted I am a glass half full guy, but I like at least 1/2 of what we return next year hitting wise.

Lahare and Bourgeois are both plus .300 hitters coming back with some pop. Neither had huge HR power but both were very capable doubles plus hitters. Combined they had 26 doubles, they were 1st and 3rd on the team in that category and combined 7 HR's. I know that sucks but they were 3rd and 6th on the team there, Lahare had 4 triples which led the team. They were the most consistent hitters throughout the year and both have great speed. Lahare has to get better at stealing bases, but is very good on the base path from 1st to 3rd and 2nd to home. Gavin was our best base stealing threat. Add to that what I believe is the best upside player on the team in Cantrelle, who finished with a BA of .287 and that is only because he had such a horrendous 1st half. That gives you three proven .300 hitters, all with speed and pop in their bats. At least double to the gap power, and they all handle the bat well and run very well. They are all three better than average in the field and remember their is a good chance that we are moving Gavin out of CF to his natural LF position.

Kasuls is very good at 2nd base and only hit .250, but I perceive him as a .275 hitter with some pop and decent speed and SS range at 2nd base. So that gives you 4 solid players on the field from last year.

I believe at catcher we will be very good. McKinnon will hit better that .188 and gained tremendous experience this year, plus will not be expected to play every day which I think hurt is offense and defense, getting Monica back and adding the other catcher and we will have some good options.

So worse case senario we are as good last year at the top as we were this year and we won 37 games.

The X factors are these on offense:

Todd Lott, he has to hit like he did late in the year all year next year, he gives us options at 1B and DH. If he hits .260 all year, it is better than what we had from him this year. He was awful and could not get on the field to hit or play D. I think that changes next year. So that is 6 positions that we are either better or the same as last year, all of which were strong accept C this year. The difference will be DH/1B. We lose Kennon, who was very good for us and showed what he can do at 1B late in the year. I am hoping that Templet fixes that situation and we at least have similar production there.

I believe Dexter Jordan will be on campus and will be very good very quickly, similar to Cantrelle, struggle early and get it together once he sees D1 pitching for a while.

So while not in any order of hitting because this should change:

SS Cantrelle
LF Bourgois
RF Lahare
2B Kasuls
DH or 1B Lott
3B Templet/Windham
C Monica/McKinnon
CF Jordan
DH Breaux/Lochridge/Windham/Lott and others

My biggest question will not be the offense but pitching. Let's say that Gunner comes back and is Gunner. My assumption is that Dalton is the Saturday guy and we will figure out Sunday, possibly a health Burke. But we have nothing in the pen that I love, we do have a lot of young quality arms that pitched alot this year but have to get better.

Laumont
Batty
Perrin
Cox
Williams