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Players for next year

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baseballfanatic

1st Team
Oct 30, 2008
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Forgive me for this guys, but I've been bored out of my mind.

The first part of this thread is to update the list of who all is not going to be here next year.

These guys have signed with their MLB club. These are the ones we know.

Of the players:
Josh Rutledge
Jake Smith
Ross Wilson
Jimmy Nelson
Tyler White
Jason Townsend

Recruits:
Matt Lipka
Wes Mugarian
Reggie Golden

Is there anyone I've left off?

Now the list of players who are leaving the team for whatever reasons:
(These are all speculations. There has been no "official" word, but it seems common knowledge)

Kent Meyer
Danny Collins
Matt Taylor
Chris Smelley

All of the above is meant to give us a greater understanding of who will actually be on the team next. We'll have the incoming signees:

RHP-Jay Shaw
1B/3B-Austen Smith
RHP/C-Case Nixon
RHP/INF-Cary Baxter
OF-Jeremiah Tullidge
C-Ladson Montgomery
LHP/1B-Patrick McGavin
INF-Jared Reaves (JUCO)

In addition to whoever we sign during the late period... Which you can never find anything about.

Plus, pitchers remaining from last year:

LHP-Taylor Wolfe
RHP-Nathan Kilcrease
LHP-Adam Morgan
RHP-Tucker Hawley
LHP-Jonathon Smart
RHP-Trey Pilkington
LHP-Adam Windsor
RHP-Brett Whitaker
RHP-Troy Sutherland
RHP-James Tullidge

Plus, the current outfielders:

OF-Taylor Dugas
OF-Andrew Miller
OF/C-Brett Booth
OF-David Kindred (Hopefully)
OF/INF-Jon Kelton
OF-Brandt Hendricks

And finally, the infielders:

C-Brock Bennett
INF-Allen Dye
INF-Josh Sanders
INF-John David Smelser


So as for next year's team. We have to find a 3rd starter, which is an every year occurrence. Hopefully one of the younger pitchers, such as Wolfe/Hawley/Windsor/Pilkington can step up into that role. We need to lock down the closers role. I think Hawley would be pretty well suited for that, really came into his own near the end of the year, throws hard. If we don't HAVE to have him in the rotation, I would like to see him at closer.
Here's how I'm seeing the rotation next year:

Friday-Nathan Kilcrease
Saturday-Adam Morgan
Sunday-Taylor Wolfe
Mid-week-Jonathon Smart/Adam Windsor
Closer-Tucker Hawley
Bullpen-Brett Whitaker/Trey Pilkington/Troy Sutherland/Jay Shaw
I'm not sold on the Mid-week guys yet, we could see the freshmen pitch heavily there.

We also have to find a 3B/SS/2B/1B for next year. We've got 4 INF guys returning, but I think a couple of the incoming FR will push for playing time. I think the infield looks like this: (First string/Backup)

C- Brock Bennett/Brett Booth/Ladson Montgomery
1B-Patrick McGavin/Jon Kelton/Austen Smith
2B-John David Smelser/Jared Reaves
SS-Josh Sanders/Jared Reaves
3B-Austen Smith/Cary Baxter

The outfield is pretty much the most solid part of our team this year, returning everybody who saw significant playing time.

CF- Taylor Dugas
LF- Jon Kelton/Brett Booth
RF- Andrew Miller/Brandt Hendricks

As far as the batting order goes, it's looking like we may not have the power we had even last year unless some guys come in on fire this year. We'll have to off-set that by hitting for high averages, smart base-running, timely hitting.

CF-Taylor Dugas
LF-Jon Kelton
DH-David Kindred
3B-Austen Smith
2B-John David Smelser
1B-Patrick McGavin
RF-Andrew Miller
SS-Josh Sanders
C-Brock Bennett

Can all of that change? Sure. It's all speculation right now. After fall practice I may have to re-visit everything.

For those of you who actually read everything and made it this far, I applaud you.
 
Last edited:
Nice post. A couple points:

- I prefer Hawley as a starter if he can do it. I think in the college game your starters are more valuable. Now, if the depth ends up being better on the mound than I expect it to be just looking at things right now, then maybe you move him to closer. I do think he would do well at closer, but I also think he could do well starting.

- I think Booth will find a spot in the batting order regularly and I expect him to be much improved.
 
Great post, and thank you for really laying it out there for those of us are continually confused by the 'art' of college baseball roster-building.

I agree that Hawley was pretty impressive this year and I can easily see him being a weekend guy. Conversely, Wolfe just seemed to struggle from the beginning and I really don't remember him having any sort of strong outing at all once we got into the conference.

Our outfield and Bennett should be strong. The rest of the team? I am just going to try and be positive. We play in the toughest league in the country, and I don't think our incoming class is going to blow anyone away, but by and large Alabama baseball almost always seems to find a way to be competitive, so I am just going to hope for the best.

rtr
 
Bama210 said:
You really think Reggie Golden will play for us next year?
Click to expand...

No that's why I left him off my "depth chart." Stranger things have happened, but I just don't see a situation where he doesn't sign and enrolls in school that first day. I'd love to be wrong, but I'm not holding my breath.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
Reggie Golden - 2nd round - I certainly don't see him forgoing the $$$ and the opportunity. I don't think we will see much information on Reggie, until we get closer to the August deadline.
 
Reggie will hold out until the August 15th deadline and then sign with the Cubs. Chris Smelly has left the team and dont be surprised if some young arms come in thowing gas.. Nixon will not pitch at all his freshmen year, but will be avail to catch if needed. Ladson Montgomery will compete day 1 for the starting catcher spot because of the left handed stick. This freshmen class is no joke, word is it could very well be ranked top 5 recruiting class in the nation
 
Where did you hear Chris left the team? I know he's getting married soon. Also, why isn't Case Nixon going to pitch?
 
RoyDMercer said:
Reggie will hold out until the August 15th deadline and then sign with the Cubs. Chris Smelly has left the team and dont be surprised if some young arms come in thowing gas.. Nixon will not pitch at all his freshmen year, but will be avail to catch if needed. Ladson Montgomery will compete day 1 for the starting catcher spot because of the left handed stick. This freshmen class is no joke, word is it could very well be ranked top 5 recruiting class in the nation
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Roy. Sucks to hear about Chris. I had high hopes for him. He just couldn't find his stick. I'll update the OP to include your info if you don't mind. I had nothing to go on with the incoming freshmen, except what stats were reported on rolltide.com. Ladson's stats were really impressive. I just couldn't put a FR in the lineup at a place where we have a "solid" upperclassman. That's why the only freshmen I "predicted" to start were at the corner INF spots, where we essentially don't have anyone.

By young arms, are you talking incoming guys, or last year's FR class?

Bama210 said:
Where did you hear Chris left the team? I know he's getting married soon. Also, why isn't Case Nixon going to pitch?
Click to expand...

Case had TJ surgery I believe. I was basing my "predictions" on him being 100% by next season, which is a little too optimistic probably. Hopefully he will have a full recovery.
 
Love the Ping said:
Nice post. A couple points:

- I prefer Hawley as a starter if he can do it. I think in the college game your starters are more valuable. Now, if the depth ends up being better on the mound than I expect it to be just looking at things right now, then maybe you move him to closer. I do think he would do well at closer, but I also think he could do well starting.
Click to expand...

I would not be disappointed with him in the rotation. It was a tough decision for me to not "want" him in the rotation, but ultimately what decided it for me was remembering all those late-inning losses a few years back because of not having a quality closer. If Hawley becomes a starter, who do we have that we could rely on coming into a close game to shut it down. Jake Smith is gone, Peanut's a starter, and I couldn't come up with anybody else, so I went with Hawley. Hopefully a few guys can improve enough to where they can compete for that spot and we can move him to the rotation. (Which is ultimately where he'll end up for us IMO)

It's a good thing I get paid to make those tough decisions huh?
 
I don't think Case Nixon pitched this year for his school, so he might be available. I love Brock Bennett and all he's worked to overcome, but he's not really an elite catcher. He can hit 9th and we'll still do well if we have 8 guys in front of him who are pretty good.

I don't understand the lovefest for Smelser, who's nothing more than a singles hitter who strikes out a lot. If Josh Sanders started for 2 years at JSU, didn't play at all in 09, had to redshirt this year for transfer reasons, then something's up. We don't need to base our success on Jacksonville State rejects. So, I'm hoping that Jared Reaves is an impact player and that we've signed a few guys this spring/summer who haven't been announced yet, but can help.

I'm also hoping Kelton can be a .360 hitter with 7-8 HRs at least. He'll probably have to be if we want to be good.

I think the pitching staff will be fine, but not sure who fits what holes except Peanut-Morgan on Fri-Sat. Just counting on improvement there, though.
 
Zona said:
I don't think Case Nixon pitched this year for his school, so he might be available. I love Brock Bennett and all he's worked to overcome, but he's not really an elite catcher. He can hit 9th and we'll still do well if we have 8 guys in front of him who are pretty good.

I don't understand the lovefest for Smelser, who's nothing more than a singles hitter who strikes out a lot. If Josh Sanders started for 2 years at JSU, didn't play at all in 09, had to redshirt this year for transfer reasons, then something's up. We don't need to base our success on Jacksonville State rejects. So, I'm hoping that Jared Reaves is an impact player and that we've signed a few guys this spring/summer who haven't been announced yet, but can help.

I'm also hoping Kelton can be a .360 hitter with 7-8 HRs at least. He'll probably have to be if we want to be good.

I think the pitching staff will be fine, but not sure who fits what holes except Peanut-Morgan on Fri-Sat. Just counting on improvement there, though.
Click to expand...

Well Zona, you can put me into the Smelser fan club :), he was hitting over .300 when he went down (along with our momentum during the season) and he was 6-7 in the stolen base department. Singles hitters are't all bad. Imagine him hitting in the 2 hole with Josh in the 3 followed by Josh, Wilson, then Smith this year. Talk about having a chance to really score some runs. With the way Dugas got on and followed by Smelser and the big bats......what could have been. Or put him in the 9 spot and let him get on in front of Dugas then the big bats.....
 
young guys throwing gas that can help out of the pen early and yes there is two freshmen that could work into the closer role. McGavin from Spanish Fort or Shaw from Russell Co. Also, I think guys like Pilkington and Windsor will really step up and help the pitching staff. I heard Pilk is touching the low 9s and Windsor is up to the upper 8s with good stuff this summer.
 
RoyDMercer said:
young guys throwing gas that can help out of the pen early and yes there is two freshmen that could work into the closer role. McGavin from Spanish Fort or Shaw from Russell Co. Also, I think guys like Pilkington and Windsor will really step up and help the pitching staff. I heard Pilk is touching the low 9s and Windsor is up to the upper 8s with good stuff this summer.
Click to expand...

Well, that is good news. Time will tell. Velocity is one thing, location is another though with the latter being the most important.
 
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