He was so good that we turned around twice…and ended up going the same direction that we started.
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So Woody is the next sacrificial lamb ? Freaking clown show
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Yesman is going to tell us we don’t have the budget for him to pull up the numbers.
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Need more and better pitchers. Cant coach what you don’t have. Recruiting has to improve FIRST to have any hopes. I don’t know if that’s even possible at this point.
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Hard to get good pitching when you have guys rather be option 11-12 on a sec staff
Hard to consistently get good pitching when the pitchers know they are being recruited to a dumpster fire. With the red flags waving above this program, especially on the pitching side (staff turnover, TJ surgeries, lack of development etc.) you’ll be bringing in pitchers that need a place to land … forget about competing for the highly talented coveted types. Unfortunately, theres a lot of negative momentum in the program and the ship won’t be righted with the same skipper at the helm.
Football drops $15M to change HC when the ship sails on recruiting, but when the bow slips beneath the waves on the baseball program, the AD refuses to make a no cost change. Keep driving those coffin nails
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Specifically regarding TJ surgeries…
Look around at all upper levels of baseball (high school and up). The increase in Tommy John surgeries amongst pitchers is everywhere. It’s no worse at UH than anywhere else.
Google “rise in tommy john surgery” and read any of the hundreds of articles on the subject.
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When does the SS Whitt Excuse CruiseLine run out of coal ?
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I think it’s as simple as the fact that they have no idea who would be their pitching coach from year to year. Any top level pitcher going to a D1 college is expecting to get some manner of development. Unless the head coach is a known pitching guru (and ours definitely isn’t), the pitching coach is going to be the biggest factor in that decision.
Woody will attract some pitching prospects because of his pro career and his track record as a pitching coach at San Jac and UT, assuming that he’s actually involved in coaching, but that lack of stability is a factor.
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Doesn’t matter about coal, it hit an iceberg a few years ago and has been slowly sinking, even after trying to repair it.
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There are real reasons for wanting a new coach. TJ surgeries is not one of them.
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It is a lot worse at UH than it is at other universities laces. Considerably worse. You have no idea what you are talking about!
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The general public has no idea how bad the throwing “program” was at UH.
Hopefully with Woody that changes……you at least now have someone that understands how different throwing programs should be implemented.
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Baller I’m not as educated on the internal happenings of the team but my take is the pitchers are muscled up and max effort guys. This seems to be the trend right now. Verlander said it best that he opens his Instagram and sees videos of 10 year olds trying to max out velocity. Its dumb. A pitcher I really enjoyed watching in the regionals was the Debarry kid from Dallas Baptist. I recall he pitched 6 shutout innings against Arizona. He looks like he stays out of the weight room, sat mid to upper 80 MPH and is very whippy and low effort focusing on location and changing speeds. It was fun to watch. I doubt we would chase after a guy like that because he does not light up a radar gun.
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To be fair, almost nobody “chases” those guys unless they have a big frame, unfortunately. They end up on the mound through attrition because they throw strikes and stay ready.
Great post Lurker……spot on.
Some coaches like guys that get results……
Other coaches tell parents “ Every guy on my staff throws at least 90, mid 80’s is not someone we recruit”
And that isn’t just one coach….MANY coaches have said some variation of that idiotic statement….
Which is why kids have been programmed to hunt velo….and many high school coaches and showcase coaches have the kids in horrible throwing “programs” that tear up arms……and most parents trust coaches because they don’t know any better.
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I remember a game we won vs ut-austin years ago at old Cougar Field. The UH pitcher wasn’t overpowering, the catcher’s mitt wasn’t popping, but the ut hitters looked totally lost.
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Sounds like we threw a lefty.
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I’m not 100% sure, but I think it was Matt Beech, game 1 of a DH on 3/26/94, just over a month after his perfect game at LA Tech. So yes, a lefty.
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I can tell you straight up that is not what Huston is looking for. Even if they happen to get one of those players, like Debarry, they get rid of them after a year! They absolutely want the max effort guys and it is showing up in the training room every year. They had five UCL injuries last year in one month. Yes, everyone is having more arm injuries that they used to, but UH is way above the charts. They knew Schmitz had a UCL injury at the end of the year last year, but instead of making him stay in Houston to get his arm in check, they let him go back to Europe where he partied all Summer. He was obviously hurt this year and wasn’t the same pitcher. All they cared about was getting him somewhat healthy and have him max out in the weight room. The strength coach that they have is all about max effort, which isn’t good for baseball, IMO. I am not saying anything bad,about him or the job he is doing. He is doing exactly what they want him to be.
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