this years talent

knoxville's finest · 01-12-2008, 02:20 PM

does anyone know how good the team is this year. Im sure the coaching is better.

bb man · 01-12-2008, 05:09 PM

I got a chance to watch a couple of the fall series games. I was impressed with what I saw. There seems to be a good mix of last year players and new recruits. Last year outfielder Siminic has been moved to second base so I could see us starting an all freshman outfield unless they move Siminic back. The Lyles kid from Jackson is awsome as well as P.J. Polk, Kendrail Davis, and Jarred Frazier. Cody Brown should tye down 3rd base and Gomez and Lockwood at 1st. The catcher situation is going to be strong with Gomez and newcomers Blake Forsyte and Matt Hamaker, both who can stroke. One of these three I figure will be the DH in games. Lima will most likely start at short stop and newcomer Cody Grisham will back him up and can also fill the slot at second if Siminic goes back to the outfield. As with most clubs, the pitching situation remains the answer. Lockwood, Hernandez, and Simpson, along with newcomersw Steve Crnkvoich who transfered in from the University of Illionis, Joey Rosa and D.J. Leffler were all impressive during the series. There are still a few in the stable like Wiltz, Stone, Powell, Morgado and Everett. Each of these had their moments as well. I am just not sure who the Fri, Sat and Sundays will be. All in all I think the team as a whole is going to surprise people and I am sure they are under estimating the team since Raliegh was just hired and he had to hodge podge a team together in a few weeks bringing in unknows. I think he got some gems in some of them and time will tell. Just a few days over 40 until we see,

knoxville's finest · 01-12-2008, 05:54 PM

Good reply. I only have two concerns. 1. Can the entire lineup put the ball in play? 2. How strong the pitching staff will be?

tdtnvols2004 · 01-12-2008, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bb man

I got a chance to watch a couple of the fall series games. I was impressed with what I saw. There seems to be a good mix of last year players and new recruits. Last year outfielder Siminic has been moved to second base so I could see us starting an all freshman outfield unless they move Siminic back. The Lyles kid from Jackson is awsome as well as P.J. Polk, Kendrail Davis, and Jarred Frazier. Cody Brown should tye down 3rd base and Gomez and Lockwood at 1st. The catcher situation is going to be strong with Gomez and newcomers Blake Forsyte and Matt Hamaker, both who can stroke. One of these three I figure will be the DH in games. Lima will most likely start at short stop and newcomer Cody Grisham will back him up and can also fill the slot at second if Siminic goes back to the outfield. As with most clubs, the pitching situation remains the answer. Lockwood, Hernandez, and Simpson, along with newcomersw Steve Crnkvoich who transfered in from the University of Illionis, Joey Rosa and D.J. Leffler were all impressive during the series. There are still a few in the stable like Wiltz, Stone, Powell, Morgado and Everett. Each of these had their moments as well. I am just not sure who the Fri, Sat and Sundays will be. All in all I think the team as a whole is going to surprise people and I am sure they are under estimating the team since Raliegh was just hired and he had to hodge podge a team together in a few weeks bringing in unknows. I think he got some gems in some of them and time will tell. Just a few days over 40 until we see,

Great post and welcome. Hope you stick around. I didn't get to catch any of the fall games but from your analysis, we should be decent this year. I am excited to see what Raleigh will do with this team.

corona1898 · 01-13-2008, 07:56 PM

I guess we will have an early test when we take on Texas on Feb 29.

corona1898 · 01-13-2008, 08:13 PM

So.........who are the power hitters in this line up?

bb man · 01-13-2008, 10:56 PM

So far as who the power hitters are, that remains to be seen. As the fall went Griffin, Lima, Brown and Siminic lead the teams so far as stats. New comer Matt Hamaker hit two bombs. The games I saw, there were several players that hit with power. I don't think this team will be known for it's hitting but more for defense. I look for them to keep runs down and score with a mixture of timely hits, small ball and lots of speed. Don't know how this will pan out for them, but I do think that in what I saw, the team as a whole from top to bottom can hit. Lima stroked the ball well with alot of deep shots as well as new comer Josh Lyles. As I said before, this kids the real deal in all phases of the game. One thing you gotta remember is that these kids hit like they did useing all wood. No aluminum. I think we will see an even bigger differance when they swing then the steel bats. I really do think people are under estimating this group. From what I hear, they will be the best in shape club in the SEC so far as conditioning, They're on the streets of Knoxville most every days running somewhere. Raleigh I think will also have a group of STUDENT ATHELETS, something I think he was brought in to do. The club should have a better GPA than previous ones and this will allow scholaships to be kept and thus get better players in years to come.

corona1898 · 01-17-2008, 08:36 PM

I thought the line up would be stacked with power based on the thread in this forum called Gorilla Ball. How did the kid Thurber play?

bb man · 01-17-2008, 11:03 PM

Thurber isn't at UT yet. Accoding to the release about him he is a signee for next season. He attends a HS in New York and according to the article I read on him, should give the team a boost in power for the coming years.

tdtnvols2004 · 01-18-2008, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corona1898

I thought the line up would be stacked with power based on the thread in this forum called Gorilla Ball. How did the kid Thurber play?

I think that Coach Raleigh wants to play a more Gorilla type ball game, but after he recruits the guys that he needs to play that type. Don't think that he can play that type ball with the lineup we have this year, but maybe in the near future.

hunterab · 03-10-2008, 02:38 PM

how's going to step up after Lofton is gone? Tyler Smith?

TennesseeFan07 · 03-10-2008, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdtnvols2004

I think that Coach Raleigh wants to play a more Gorilla type ball game, but after he recruits the guys that he needs to play that type. Don't think that he can play that type ball with the lineup we have this year, but maybe in the near future.

agree