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D1Baseball Weekly Chat: Post Opening Weekend
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Aaron Fitt
2:22
We shouldn't overreact to a dominant sweep of UNC Asheville, but I agree with you that Georgia did a nice job in the portal, and getting all that production from different guys (non-Condon!) is a good sign. Really wouldn't shock me if Georgia winds up being this year's version of what Kentucky was last year -- so many portal additions, and we had no idea what to make of them in the preseason, but have a real chance to surprise everybody. Now, I'm still not ready to predict that WILL happen, but I think it COULD happen. Nobody saw Kentucky coming last year, either.
Scott
2:26
Wrong CAA team ranked in your pre season poll?
Aaron Fitt
2:26
I actually have wrote and said on podcasts repeatedly since the fall that it felt like there were three Top 25-caliber teams at the top of the CAA, and I still believe that to be the case. I think it's a banner year for the league. But am I writing off Northeastern after losing two of three in Arizona in February? Hell no. Those New England clubs almost never come out of the chute great against teams in Arizona, California, Florida -- just look at UConn's sluggish start in 2011, when we had them ranked high, and then everybody jumped off the bandwagon. And at the end they won the Clemson Regional and gave the future national champion Gamecocks all they could handle in supers. Northeastern is going to be a force this year -- that roster is absolutely loaded. Doubt them at your own peril. But yes -- Campbell and UNCW are also very legit contenders. I like all three.
Mitchell G
2:31
What would be your prediction following opening weekend for the Clemson vs USC matchup in two weeks?
Aaron Fitt
2:31
Feels like one of the juicier Clemson-South Carolina matchups we've seen in a while. It turned out that both teams were very good last year, but at the time of their meeting, we did not know it yet. This year, I think everyone knows that both these teams are very good, and we could see some fireworks. I still like Clemson's pitching more, but I probably lean toward South Carolina's position player group, although I also like Clemson's group. Feels like a toss-up matchup.
Eags to the Top!
2:35
Sunbelt has 4 teams playing a 4th game today. USM has 8 games in 10 days. Whats your thoughts on packing the schedule this early? Looks like Coach Oz def added some fire power to the staff this year!
Aaron Fitt
2:35
It's an interesting strategy -- helps you get a lot of guys reps early in the year, which is probably good for figuring out the right roster combinations, and it also helps you limit your midweek load later in the year. You don't want five-game weeks in May. So yeah, I'm good with that kind of front-loaded scheduling approach -- might as well play lots of games while teams are fresh and energetic (although the flip side is your arms aren't in midseason form yet so you can't ask them to give you those longer outings, so you'd better be ready to use a lot of guys). And yes -- I really like the Southern Miss pitching staff this year, much deeper than last year, as Coach Oz said in the fall. I saw a ton of guys I liked in my fall stop in Hattiesburg. The key was they really needed Niko Mazza to step forward into that true ace role now that Tanner Hall is gone; Mazza has always had Friday night stuff, and he sure pitched like a Friday night ace on opening day, so that was great to see.
Derek
2:36
Is Brady Tygart going to have a better year than Hagen Smith? And should there be concern around Smith?
Aaron Fitt
2:36
I'm still betting on Smith. Obviously that first start was... less than ideal ... but I believe in that dude's insane talent and his track record. I think he'll be fine. (But I am also very high on Tygart this year, certainly).
Greg
2:37
Which is most surprising/disappointing: UCSB allowing 20 runs in their opening series loss to Campbell, Oklahoma State only scoring three runs in their two losses to SHSU, or Stanford scoring only 10 in their series loss to Fullerton?
Aaron Fitt
2:37
The Oklahoma State thing -- I was very high on their offense heading into the year, just wanted to see how the pitching would come together. And I'm still confident that the Cowboys are gonna score a ton of runs this year, but that was not the start I anticipated! As much as we love UCSB's pitching this year, it's been a rough offseason with their field all torn up, and they had to fly all the way across the country to take on a good Campbell team that always hits, so that result wasn't shocking, even though it was eyebrow-raising. And I already addressed Stanford; they're not going to be nearly as offensive as they were last year.
Jay
2:40
Dakota Jordan has next level power in that swing but a little concerned with him not staying away from the breaking balls off the plate. 2 Hr over the weekend…do you believe he will challenge for the most HR this season in the SEC?
Aaron Fitt
2:40
I don't think his approach is a finished product, certainly, but he actually was a lot more advanced last year than I suspected, and I think he'll continue to improve at a rapid clip, because he's so damn talented. Yeah, for me he'll be right in the thick of that SEC home run race.
Kyle
2:44
Which specific player impressed you the most this weekend? For me it might be Indiana’s Tyler Cerny. He hit really well and some of the plays he made defensively were bananas.
Aaron Fitt
2:44
I did like what I saw from Cerny, among a bunch of different Hoosiers, including Carter Mathison. I loved Sam Antonacci for Coastal -- I think that guy will play 14 years in the big leagues. And my guy Charlie Beilenson was just nails for Duke, in two separate extended relief outings. He'd be my pitcher choice from Baseball at the Beach.
FittsMagic
2:46
Wake Forest '24 vs. Rice '03: who has the better weekend staff
Aaron Fitt
2:46
I think Rice '03 is still the gold standard, three guys who were all top-11 picks, and performed like it that season en route to winning it all. I thought Wake Forest '23 gave them a run for their money, with a rotation full of All-Americans, fronted by Rhett Lowder. Maybe Wake '24 will surpass last year -- the addition of Burns is obviously prettttttty exciting -- but I'm gonna hold off before making a judgment that his year's rotation is better than last year's Wake rotation. It's just so absurd what last year's Wake staff did, leading the nation in ERA by nearly a full run, while playing its home games in THAT ballpark, in crazy offensive era. It's bonkers.
SadSpider
2:51
As a Richmond fan, it was bittersweet to former Spiders excel at top-25 caliber schools, with Jared Sprague-Lott at Arkansas and Alden Mathes at Clemson both going deep this weekend. Since NIL in baseball is not too prominent at smaller schools, should we be worried about mid-major programs being ripped apart by the transfer portal every summer?
Aaron Fitt
2:51
Unfortunately -- yes you should. And that stinks. But that's the reality we're going to have to live with now. I wish I had better news for you. I think mid-majors are just going to have to hope they can use the portal as a two-way street and scoop up some guys who didn't earn playing time at power-conference programs but still have the talent to make an impact at a mid-major if given an opportunity.
cool 1
Aaron Fitt
2:51
Guys, that's all we've got time for today -- thanks to everyone for the great questions, it's good to be back. See you next week!
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