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I'll be very happy when this season is over. It's been a tough year offensively, defensively, and with pitching. I hate to look ahead prematurely but I feel we're not losing much at this stage in the game. We're losing 5 Seniors and it's unlikely we lose a Jr to the draft. Throw in 1-2 transfers and I would assume we'll have 7 open slots for next years squad. The elephant in the room is terrible pitching so has anyone heard of who we're looking at to begin to build it up? I hate it that baseball recruiting isn't as mainstream as basketball and football so you never really know. Greenwood, Cabot, Searcy, Arkadelphia all have good teams this year. Anybody know who we may be looking at for next season?

I'll hang up and listen

Like you said, baseball recruiting is impossible to follow, especially if you're not at the elite level and sometimes even with with several of their recruits drafted and signing just before school starts in the fall.

I have no idea who's coming in to help, but based on ERA (obviously not wins and losses since Wild's leading in both categories), we're losing two of our best pitchers in Pritchett and Wild. And Brewer is sitting at #5. So, the problem with the staff is that those guys that ARE returning have had subpar or awful seasons.

Pritchett is only hitting .273, but he's also played a lot of time at short.
Throneberry rebounded from an awful start to the season to get his average back up to .300. So, we're losing a two-way player and our starting CF.

There's plenty of opportunity for guys to step in or come in and play. Having said that, you'd think that same opportunity was available for the guys on the roster this season and most just haven't taken advantage of it. We've had two freshman contribute positively - Ethan and Ethan. Harris has slumped at the end of the season, and McKinzie didn't have any opportunities early because he was hurt. His ERA is tops on the team, but he's given up a lot of hits in his 24 innings (a WHIP of 1.79 and OBP against of .375) - neither are terrible, but he's done a good job of keeping the runs down with so many people reaching base.

I've rambled on enough. I just love talking about baseball I guess.
The point I was trying to make is that there are a ton of people that should be coming back and only two position players to replace. If those replacements are going to come from young guys currently on the roster, I don't know who.

well said and I agree whole heartedly. I just remember last year we at least had Harris on the radar as a guy we were looking at and was hoping the same would hold true this year. One thing I do hope to see more of in the future is good freshmen and sophmore classes. Don't get me wrong - JUCO guys are great and when you've got an opportunity to get a good one you jump on it. But I would like to see a baseball PROGRAM. Let's get a nucleus of guys and build and recruit around their strengths....not just bring in 8 JUCO pitchers and an OF. If that were the case I would rather see someone we can mold in 4 years get a chance over someone we only get 2 years with.

However, I would take the baseball version of Larry Hart for a couple of years. Coach Clark has some holes to fill plus move up a couple of notches.

Trey, to add a little more to McKinzie's story. I've been a little disappointed with the amount of hits he's given up but, like you, feel that he's done a good job for a freshmen in terms of keep runs down. He's been brought in from the pen in a lot of situations with the hitter ahead in the count, bases loaded (Wichita State, SE La), runners on second and third.

And, his worst two outings of the season, in my opinion, were against Northwestern La. He couldn't find the strike zone and his velocity was down. I was there and knew something was up. Turns out I was right. He is out for the remaining series due to the same problem with his throwing elbow from earlier in the season.

Don't give up Bear fans. I truly believe that the young ones on this team have a chance to be solid.

"Don't give up Bear fans."

To paraphrase Winston Churcihill....never, never, never, never, never, give up...