Lady Vols Softball

#5,326
#5,326
SGMVols said:
You have to get on base before you can steal, and that’s easier said than done against Fouts
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I think Montana Fouts will be a senior in 2022 and we don't play Alabama in 2022, so we hopefully won't have to worry about her in 2023 when Ally will be a redshirt senior according to the article in Justin's World of Softball. Hopefully Fouts won't have another year of eligibility beyond 2022.
 
#5,327
#5,327
SGMVols said:
You have to get on base before you can steal, and that’s easier said than done against Fouts
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Fouts is fantastic but she's not exactly invincible. She has moments where she loses focus and looks rather average, especially when she just tries to throw it hard right over the center of the plate as opposed to trying to actually spin the ball, too. Afterall, she lost to FSU and gave up six earned runs to a team that hit like .250 on the season in the WCWS semis. She has a way to go in terms of being a player that will lead them to a NC. Thankfully for Bama they have a very, very good backup in Kilfoyl, who actually had a nearly identical ERA to Fouts last season but works much more under the radar.

As for Ally at Bama, she'll be replacing Hemphill in the lineup, so good luck with that. At least Bama is used to a catcher who can't throw out baserunners, because Hemphill couldn't and neither can Shipman. However, Bama will sorely miss Hemphill's bat and being able to get on base. This season Ally's BB/K ratio was horrible at 4/17. Bama's hitting lineup was basically built around Hemphill. They had some decent hitters but she really made their lineup.
 
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#5,328
#5,328
volman128 said:
I can't see how the boyfriend angle works when she wound up in ... Alabama. She didn't have the friendships to sustain her staying here so she goes to a team where she knows nobody? That doesn't make a lot of sense. If you mean that JT leaving meant she didn't have to put up with whatever she didn't like about UT anymore, I guess you would be correct, but who's to say she wouldn't have wound up leaving anyway? After all, he left first. It's not like Ally being a UT was enough for him to stay.

Maybe a combination of her ACL injury with COVID and JT leaving just soured her on being her in general. And playing in Madi's shadow can't be an easy thing, no matter how much she downplays it. Ally, for various reasons, didn't do a whole heckuva lot here. She was injured after starting off well her first season, started out very well in 2020 and then COVID, and then struggled the majority of this season. But I don't see how you can look at her comments about 'mental health' and not assume she's leaving because of the atmosphere she experienced her, whether it was the coaches, her teammates, or not wanting to be near her family.
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She wasn't close to anyone on the team from what I was told. JT leaving was a huge factor in her looking elsewhere because of her feeling alone . I do agree with you, she didn't do alot here and didn't live up to the expectations. But there was two differences between Ally and Madison, work ethic and leadership. One earned it and the other from what I was told never did but expected it. I do think many are surprised that it was Alabama but if JT was her only connection to TN or reason for being here then I stand by what I was told.
 
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#5,329
#5,329
jeebie said:
I think Montana Fouts will be a senior in 2022 and we don't play Alabama in 2022, so we hopefully won't have to worry about her in 2023 when Ally will be a redshirt senior according to the article in Justin's World of Softball. Hopefully Fouts won't have another year of eligibility beyond 2022.
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I've got bad news for you: she and Shipman were in the same high school class. Everyone got their 2020 season back, remember? They'll leave Bama together and she will also get an extra year in 2023.
 
#5,330
#5,330
jeebie said:
I think Montana Fouts will be a senior in 2022 and we don't play Alabama in 2022, so we hopefully won't have to worry about her in 2023 when Ally will be a redshirt senior according to the article in Justin's World of Softball. Hopefully Fouts won't have another year of eligibility beyond 2022.
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With it being a Covid year would she still have 2 years and Ally to.
 
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#5,331
#5,331
Majors said:
Depends on how you read into it. It was definitely not a glowing article but does more harm than good if you're looking to recruit against TN right now. But seemed to me her personal life wasn't in line and that translated over to the field. It has been documented that the culture is not a healthy one for one reason or another to a few players who have left in recent years.
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Bottom line is when you have players who are getting a lot of playing time and are starters who are leaving, it's a red flag. And it's been happening for a long time. It's honestly not a big secret in the softball world that we don't have the greatest culture here. I don't like Alabama but look at their program and ours and the difference in culture and atmosphere couldn't be more stark. Murphy is definitely a players' coach and Karen is, well ... Karen. Not to mention the atmosphere at their games.
 
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#5,332
#5,332
volman128 said:
I've got bad news for you: she and Shipman were in the same high school class. Everyone got their 2020 season back, remember? They'll leave Bama together and she will also get an extra year in 2023.
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I was hoping that wasn't the case. Thanks for clearing that up.
 
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#5,333
#5,333
volman128 said:
I've got bad news for you: she and Shipman were in the same high school class. Everyone got their 2020 season back, remember? They'll leave Bama together and she will also get an extra year in 2023.
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I guessing the transfer from Texas Tech will have 2 years left then.
 
#5,334
#5,334
volman128 said:
Bottom line is when you have players who are getting a lot of playing time and are starters who are leaving, it's a red flag. And it's been happening for a long time. It's honestly not a big secret in the softball world that we don't have the greatest culture here. I don't like Alabama but look at their program and ours and the difference in culture and atmosphere couldn't be more stark. Murphy is definitely a players' coach and Karen is, well ... Karen. Not to mention the atmosphere at their games.
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I agree with that wholeheartedly. When you look behind the curtain there are issues that need to be addressed, but even addressing the internal/culture isn't a quick fix. No program is perfect, but you have to be more Pat Murphy, Torina and Marissa Young mentality in regards to relating to todays kids. It is my hope with Megan on-board and the two new asst. coaches the re-evaluations of the program are already underway internally. Even coaches like Candrea and Hutchins changed as they game changed or as they got older. Believe Karen is an outstanding coach, but has to put the lawyer mentality away and get back to recruiting the right kids vs. travel programs/rankings.
 
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#5,338
#5,338
Majors said:
Speed with Lair and power/inf depth with Keene and Gibson. Lair will be interesting to watch, game changer but comes in with a reputation that will need to be addressed. Again, you want her on your team. Olivia Underwood, back up type, mid-week game to get reps. Simpson will be a project, mid-week with Underwood in non-conference games, right now I would say she is the number 4-5 in rotation. If she moves to #3 then good for her but one she passed is probably out the door knowing Pickens is coming in too.
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What kind of reputation? Bad attitude? Poor sportsmanship?
 
#5,340
#5,340
Majors said:
Fills two needs, experience and proven experience.
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But it is really good experience? She had nearly a 5 ERA as a Covid junior this year. I’m not sold that she’s going to be good enough to reduce our dependence on Rogers in the postseason (if we even make the NCAAT…)
 
#5,342
#5,342
Majors said:
Speed with Lair and power/inf depth with Keene and Gibson. Lair will be interesting to watch, game changer but comes in with a reputation that will need to be addressed. Again, you want her on your team. Olivia Underwood, back up type, mid-week game to get reps. Simpson will be a project, mid-week with Underwood in non-conference games, right now I would say she is the number 4-5 in rotation. If she moves to #3 then good for her but one she passed is probably out the door knowing Pickens is coming in too.
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Simpson should at least be better than McCachren. She could be better than Bender, but that depends on which version of Bender we get.
 
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#5,343
#5,343
SGMVols said:
But it is really good experience? She had nearly a 5 ERA as a Covid junior this year. I’m not sold that she’s going to be good enough to reduce our dependence on Rogers in the postseason (if we even make the NCAAT…)
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I'm not sold, either. That ERA is downright bad. But we shall see. It could be a result of Texas Tech being horrible this season.

The last time we got a transfer from Texas Tech it was Gretchen Aucoin, who wasn't much of a pitcher (walked a ton of batters her first season and didn't pitch at all her second season after Moss was on the team) but wound up being a decent but not great hitter.
 
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#5,344
#5,344
volman128 said:
I'm not sold, either. That ERA is downright bad. But we shall see. It could be a result of Texas Tech being horrible this season.

The last time we got a transfer from Texas Tech it was Gretchen Aucoin, who wasn't much of a pitcher (walked a ton of batters her first season and didn't pitch at all her second season after Moss was on the team) but wound up being a decent but not great hitter.
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It’s a valid concern. But if she can give us the innings Turner had without the mental makeup of Turner then she’s done her job. We don’t need her to be Ashley, we just need her to help rest Ashley. Proven experience is valuable right now for what we need.
 
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#5,345
#5,345
volman128 said:
Simpson should at least be better than McCachren. She could be better than Bender, but that depends on which version of Bender we get.
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Here’s my concern with Simpson and it goes back to seeing her two years ago. Didn’t stand out and watched her pitch in a pool game. 2 innings 2K, 2022 from TN played the same team 3 innings 7K. This is TN recruiting in a nutshell. That was two years ago, so much has changed for the better for Simpson I’m sure. But the TN kid has gone to another level since then too.
 
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#5,346
#5,346
Majors said:
Here’s my concern with Simpson and it goes back to seeing her two years ago. Didn’t stand out and watched her pitch in a pool game. 2 innings 2K, 2022 from TN played the same team 3 innings 7K. This is TN recruiting in a nutshell. That was two years ago, so much has changed for the better for Simpson I’m sure. But the TN kid has gone to another level since then too.
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How did she do with producing ground outs and/or pop ups?
 
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#5,347
#5,347
Majors said:
Here’s my concern with Simpson and it goes back to seeing her two years ago. Didn’t stand out and watched her pitch in a pool game. 2 innings 2K, 2022 from TN played the same team 3 innings 7K. This is TN recruiting in a nutshell. That was two years ago, so much has changed for the better for Simpson I’m sure. But the TN kid has gone to another level since then too.
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ive heard really really good things about simpson. I expect her to be a big part of the pitching rotation this season. It’s not like we have a number 2, so rn they all will work this summer to fill that roll. May the best girl win.
 
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#5,348
#5,348
volfan__18 said:
ive heard really really good things about simpson. I expect her to be a big part of the pitching rotation this season. It’s not like we have a number 2, so rn they all will work this summer to fill that roll. May the best girl win.
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Seems she’ll have the opportunity.
 
#5,349
#5,349
MS_LdyVols_fan said:
How did she do with producing ground outs and/or pop ups?
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That game I went back and looked, gave up 1 hit, 2K in two innings. Her current summer stats are concerning right now after looking at them, giving up a lot of hits, runs in very few innings.
 
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