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D1Baseball Weekly Chat: March 31
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Aaron Fitt
12:32
Midseason projections are coming out this week! We'll be Nerdcasting tomorrow to sort out the field.
cool 1
Marty
12:34
Any way a CUSA team can host a regional? WKU-DBU winner?
Kendall Rogers
12:34
DBU could certainly host, but with an RPI of 29 at the midseason mark and the 'high RPI' teams all but gone from the weekend schedule, the margin for error won't be great for the Pats the rest of the way.
Matt M
12:35
Has the game passed Tim Tadlock by?
Kendall Rogers
12:35
I definitley don't think the game has passed Tim Tadlock by just yet, but it's abundantly clear that Texas Tech has gotten away from its roots a bit. This is a program that was built on high-flying, powerful offenses, and I just feel like Texas Tech has lost its identity to some degree from an offensive standpoint. I also think the Red Raiders have struggled on the mound for a few years now. I really like Tad but at some point, you have to look at the program in the mirror and figure out what the weak links are and deal with them. I think that time has come ... once and for all.
Chester
12:36
Who has been the most disappointing team outside of A&M to start this season?
Kendall Rogers
12:36
Would have to go with Florida. I do think the Gators have a chance to finish a little stronger with a much more manageable schedule, but this is a team sitting there with one conference win through three weekends. And it's a team expected to be a national title type of contender.
Pokes Fan
12:40
Ok State’s season is on its last heart beat it would seem. Does this team have what it takes to turn it around or is this a lost season? And for a program that hasn’t had a year like this in awhile, are there any long term consequences to a year this disappointing?
Kendall Rogers
12:40
The season isn't over by any means, but sitting at dead last in the Big 12, you better win that series against Kansas State this weekend. The really weird thing about OSU is that the talent is there to be ultra dangerous if it can just find a way into the postseason. Some of the losses so far this season have been perplexing. As for the program as a whole, anytime you have a really weird off season like this one, you need to evaluate and calibrate your program.
Guest
12:41
How many Big 12 teams still have a chance of hosting?
Kendall Rogers
12:41
There are about 4-5 teams you could legitimately say are in the mix at the midseason mark. When the dust settles in May? I'd say one or two will end up being in the mix.
ACC
12:42
How would you stack up the top 5 in the ACC? Further, how many host spots could you see the conference getting this year?
Aaron Fitt
12:42
FSU and Clemson feel like they have separated themselves just a little bit as the class of the ACC, but then it feels completely wide open. I still believe North Carolina will wind up in that top tier because they are just so talented on the mound. Virginia turned things around in a loud way this weekend, and I still expect those guys to make a furious second-half run and get into that top five in the league. Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech have both done some great things and deserve to be in this consideration, and we'll see how much staying power they have -- they both might very well prove to be top-five teams in the league as well, but I need to see them sustain it longer before I buy in completely. I really like the way Duke is trending, and then you've got Louisville and NC State and Wake Forest (who will bounce back -- VERY talented roster there) and Stanford -- I could see any of those teams making an Omaha run if they play up to their potential in June. As for hosts, I feel like 5 or 6 is the answer.
Kevin R
12:45
Who is your current Top 3 for SEC POTY and SEC Freshman of the Year?
Aaron Fitt
12:45
For POY right now, I think I'd go with Justin Lebron, Jared Jones and Ryland Zaborowski, with Brent Iredale and Andrew Fischer right there in the hunt too -- hard to separate that top five for me, I think it's wide open. For FOY, I'd look at Levi Clark, Derek Curiel and Tyler Bell (given his defensive value as well as his offensive production), with Brendan Lawson right there as well.
FSUBsB
12:46
Is Alex Lodise a legitimate golden spikes candidate?
Aaron Fitt
12:46
Gosh, he's hitting .466, ranks 11th in the nation in OPS, while playing great defense at a critical position, shortstop. We're halfway through the season -- I think you've got to take him seriously as a GSA candidate!
Tanner
12:47
Is Clemson being punished for beating Nationally Ranked teams in back to back weeks? Can't imagine you keep Texas behind them after last week and jump them after this one.
Kendall Rogers
12:47
Tanner -- No one was punished. Clemson merely just stayed where it was. No increase, no drop, which is pretty common for a week like that. The biggest thing about those two teams is this: 1) I think Texas is slightly better than Clemson overall. I've seen both teams. 2) I think Texas' consistency needs to be rewarded. It has been excellent the last few weekends. Both really good teams, but that's where our heads are out at the moment.
Shane
12:48
UCLA seems to have found its groove after a tumultuous and injury-plagued 2024...are the Bruins of Westwood back?
Aaron Fitt
12:48
Sure seems like it! Love how consistent they've been so far, have not lost a weekend, just keep trucking along. Roch Cholowsky has emerged as a superstar -- our guy Patrick Ebert has a feature on him coming out this week, so keep an eye out for that. But yes, I am in on UCLA as a regional host and a potential Omaha team.
Aaron Fitt
12:48
OK gang, KR will take you to the finish line. Thanks for another great batch of questions; see you next week!
JT
12:49
Where will the D1 boys be attending this weekend? Kendall I assume you're in ATX?
Kendall Rogers
12:49
I'll be there for the Saturday game for sure. really looking forward to seeing Georgia since I've already seen the Longhorns a few teams. Ultra impressed with what the Bulldogs have done offensively so far this season. Intrigued to see UGA's pitching stacked up against UT's.
Garvey
12:50
Similar to the Miss State question, could the Aggies move on from Earley in season? They desperately need to get something going now..
Kendall Rogers
12:50
A&M will not move on in the middle of the season. As I said on X, though, I do believe that if things trend the current way they are, they will reevaluate things at the end of the season. Frankly, I don' think there's anyone, including Michael Earley, who would be surprised by a change if things continue down the current path. Mike is a great dude and a very talented hitting coach, but this season is the measuring stick. No ifs or buts about it.
Garvey
12:52
Kendall, who is on your shortlist for coach of the year at this point in the season?
Kendall Rogers
12:52
Taking Tony off the list for a second:

Dave Van Horn
Wes Johnson
Jim Schlossnagle
John Savage
Benny Orloff
Rob Vaughn
Pete Hughes

-- those all come to mind right now.
Brendan
12:53
Not to nitpick rankings, but how close was Virginia Tech?  They win back to back ranked series' including over a Wake team that was dropped out.  Are the Hokies for real?
Kendall Rogers
12:53
They certainly looked for real over the weekend. I was able to watch the series finale on ACCN. VT was very close to making it in, but with comparable resumes, it was very difficult to take Georgia Tech, who narrowly lost the Clemson series, out of the rankings, only to put in a team over it that the Jackets won the H2H series on the road in Blacksburg a few weeks ago. VT is right there in the mix though -- it was team 26.
Brendan
12:54
Are we headed towards another poor record / safely in the field season for Florida?
Kendall Rogers
12:54
I'm not entirely sure how Florida gets to 13 wins in the league right now. Perhaps if that happens we have something to talk about, but I don't think Florida is in dangerous of going one game above .500 right now with a 19-11 overall record.
Eric Simmons
1:01
What is up with UCSB?
Kendall Rogers
1:01
ES -- pretty simple for the Gauchos. Tyler Bremner and Jackson Flora have not been great as of late. For instance, Bremner has an ERA north of five in the Big West,and Flora has an ERA approaching seven in the Big West. That's an issue for a team relying heavily on those guys.
Patty
1:03
Is Oklahoma's non-conference SOS going to hurt them when all is said and done? Really sneaking up on them.
Kendall Rogers
1:03
Unlikely unless the Sooners start to sputter in the SEC. As long as you win a lot of games in the SEC, that non-conference SOS is not going to matter.
Austen
1:04
Chances Baylor makes a post season run? Big 12 gets hardly any love, but they're not out of it yet IMO.
Kendall Rogers
1:04
BU is in a pretty good spot right now with an RPI of 37, a solid overall record and a pretty solid overall resume. Obviously will need to finish the season strong, but will certainly be in our midseason projections.
Joe
1:52
Can any of the 1-8 teams in the SEC turn it around at this point? How many coaching changes do you think we are looking at in the next few months for these programs?
Kendall Rogers
1:52
Florida is the team with the best chance of turning things around. The rest I am pretty ho-hum on having the ability to do so. A&M's biggest issue is the remaining schedule is incredibly difficult.
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