2020 Cowboy Baseball

[Ptak'sNewspaper]

Who do you think will end up DH'ing

If Sifrit's improvements translates to games, I think McCusker will see a lot of time at DH. With Sifrit, Trenkle, and Cabbiness you could potentially have the best defensive outfield in the conference, maybe the nation.

If Sifrit doesn't earn a lot of time in LF, then I would imagine the DH spot could go to Thompson, Hewitt, or Robertson depending on how the infield battles shake out.

 

[#1 Pokes Fan]

I agree on Taylor. He showed some flashes but just never could be consistent. Of course, being a catcher with the yips doesn’t help.

Any word if Taylor transferred out or just stopped playing?

 

[Ptak'sNewspaper]

Ventura was maybe the best overall player in college, but I'm sticking with Incaviglia as the best hitter.

It's an interesting debate. It's arguable that Ventura accomplished the most impressive hitting feat in the history of college baseball. But, when you look at the overall numbers that Inky put up, it's absolutely insane. By the numbers, no question that Inky was the best college hitter to ever live.

 

[Jostate]

It's an interesting debate. It's arguable that Ventura accomplished the most impressive hitting feat in the history of college baseball. But, when you look at the overall numbers that Inky put up, it's absolutely insane. By the numbers, no question that Inky was the best college hitter to ever live.

I was there for most of Ventura's streak, including the Bedlam game in the Big 12 tourney where it was going to end if not for extra innings. We got extra innings, extended the streak and won the game. I really miss those Big 8 tourney's. I also remember the streak ended on a game where he got on due to an error. Could have gone either way.

People who don't remember think Inki was a Home run / strike out kinda hitter. He wasn't. His batting average his junior year was about .470 with a conference record number of walks. He was basically a HR / walk / fly out kinda guy. I remember feeling let down if he got a single.

 

[Levi Moyers]

If Sifrit's improvements translates to games, I think McCusker will see a lot of time at DH. With Sifrit, Trenkle, and Cabbiness you could potentially have the best defensive outfield in the conference, maybe the nation.

If Sifrit doesn't earn a lot of time in LF, then I would imagine the DH spot could go to Thompson, Hewitt, or Robertson depending on how the infield battles shake out.

From what I have gathered by reading and talking to people. I hope the infield works out like this.
1b Garcia
2b Polvich
SS Morrill
3B Jake Thompson
C Mathis
Also Josh had talked to Spiegel was coming on before he got sick last year I wonder what kind of bat he has.

 

[NattyPoke]

From what I have gathered by reading and talking to people. I hope the infield works out like this.
1b Garcia
2b Polvich
SS Morrill
3B Jake Thompson
C Mathis
Also Josh had talked to Spiegel was coming on before he got sick last year I wonder what kind of bat he has.

I hope Mathis has gotten some confidence back at the plate. He’d still be at LSU if he could’ve hit at all. They loved what he did behind the plate (though he wasn’t great at throwing out base runners). I think he hit around .125. I know most teams will do with less production with the bat if they are great catchers (Collin Theroux) but it’d be nice to not have a big hole in your lineup at the bottom. He’s a great kid so I’m hoping he gets it figured out!

 

[NattyPoke]

Roster has been updated. Notable names missing:

Jake Taylor
Jake Northern
Jaden Woodson
Gage Gaunt


Sad to see Taylor go, and I was hoping we would be able to keep Woodson too, but probably looking for more playing time. I think Gaunt ended up at Seminole State.

Still pretty funny to see Student Assistant Robin Ventura. Can you imagine walking in to your Statistics class and seeing the greatest or second greatest (see earlier in this thread) college hitter of all time sitting there?

 

[NattyPoke]

Still pretty funny to see Student Assistant Robin Ventura. Can you imagine walking in to your Statistics class and seeing the greatest or second greatest (see earlier in this thread) college hitter of all time sitting there?

Who else would move out whoever was sitting next to him to beat him down with “good old days” baseball questions?

 

[Ptak'sNewspaper]

I hope Mathis has gotten some confidence back at the plate. He’d still be at LSU if he could’ve hit at all. They loved what he did behind the plate (though he wasn’t great at throwing out base runners). I think he hit around .125. I know most teams will do with less production with the bat if they are great catchers (Collin Theroux) but it’d be nice to not have a big hole in your lineup at the bottom. He’s a great kid so I’m hoping he gets it figured out!

Holliday has mentioned he was much more confident at the plate during the fall. They were able to improve Bryce Carter at the plate so hopefully they can do the same with Mathis.

 

[keystonecowboy]

Can you guys imagine being Vic Romero right now?

Vic is having the time of his ever loving life. We used to go play a fair bit of golf together, and still talk fairly often. Such a good dude.

 

[crimsonhater]

Batting development is usually a mix of correcting something and confidence. Things like bending knees or bending more at the waist or lifting elbow higher all play a role in the trajectory of the swing. With top 1% resources and MLB hitting connections I bet our team slaps the ball around this year. Hitting is contagious and the HR/K mentality is hard to keep consistent for 50 games. Going back to gap hits and getting away from the Simpson/Boone long over swings will help this team. Great blend of MLB upperclassmen and some young hammers. Should be a fun ride!!!

 

[Ptak'sNewspaper]

D1Baseball released their Oklahoma State preview today. I'm not a subscriber but I did see they are projecting Polcovich at 2B, Thompson at 3B, and Osmond & Campbell as the #2 and #3 starters. With this set up, I really really like our bullpen.


Any news on the health of Tucker Elliott, Zach Cable, and Ben Leeper? I thought I had read somewhere that they were held out of the fall games vs Arkansas and Vandy due to some arm soreness or something. I hope all 3 are rested and good to go.

 

[The Poke]

Anyone going to Frisco this year? We went down a couple of years ago and enjoyed the 3 day round robin. If you need to convince your wife the IKEA next door should close the deal.

 

[NattyPoke]

Anyone going to Frisco this year? We went down a couple of years ago and enjoyed the 3 day round robin. If you need to convince your wife the IKEA next door should close the deal.

My son and I will definitely be at all Poke games and even take in a few of the others. We have season tickets for the Frisco RoughRiders. It’s a great ballpark to watch baseball. If you’re on the fence about going I’d encourage you to go. Hoping the weather is good.

 

[MustangPokeFan]

@osubaseball) January 14, 2020

Ventura was maybe the best overall player in college, but I'm sticking with Incaviglia as the best hitter.

Pete was the best college HR hitter in history. Ventura the best college “player” in history! Incredible we had them at the same time along with a whole roster of studs!

 

[Jostate]

Pete was the best college HR hitter in history. Ventura the best college “player” in history! Incredible we had them at the same time along with a whole roster of studs!

I would dare to drop the HR and just say best hitter, again .464 batting average his junior year. Pete did to the HR records what Barry did to rushing records.

 

[SanditeCowboy]

Great timeout by Coach with 45 seconds left in the half.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[MustangPokeFan]

I would dare to drop the HR and just say best hitter, again .464 batting average his junior year. Pete did to the HR records what Barry did to rushing records.

You can definitely make that argument and you may be right. Nobody loved watching Pete more than I did. He's without question the greatest power hitter in College Baseball history and it's not even close. With the game on the line and down to your last at bat, I'm going to have to go with Ventura. I watched a sidearm throwing flame thrower from Miami fan Pete and send us home in a year where we were possibly the best college baseball team in history with 60+ wins. Ventura couldn't touch him on HRs or power but he still holds the highest single season and highest career batting average at OSU. Check it out:

NCAA.com: Ventura is the best player in Oklahoma State history, a three-time First Team All-American who was named The Sporting News Player of the Year twice and won the Golden Spikes Award in 1988. He holds program records for career batting average (.428), hits (329), runs (300), set an NCAA record with a 58-game hitting streak, and he ranks second in school history in doubles (71), home runs (68), RBI (302), total bases (608), and career slugging percentage (.792). He is a member of both the Oklahoma State Hall of Fame and National College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ventura was an other-worldly talent from the moment he stepped foot on campus, batting an OSU-record .469 with 21 home runs and 96 RBI with an .846 slugging percentage and .587 on-base percentage. He was good for a .390-plus batting average, 100-plus hits, at least 20 home runs, 90-plus RBI, at least 60 walks, and an on-base percentage well over .500.

As a junior, when he won the Golden Spikes Award, Ventura hit .391 with 26 home runs and 96 RBI, a .766 slugging percentage, .530 on-base percentage, 61 walks, 96 runs and 11 game-winning hits.

You may win this debate since Pete is after all the College Player of the Century. However, this is the best quote on Pete I've ever read and it was damn sure accurate:

NCAA.com: Incaviglia set five NCAA records, four of which were single-season marks set in 1985, when he hit 48 home runs, knocked in 143 runs, compiled 285 total bases and produced an absurd 1.140 slugging percentage. He hit .464 that season with 21 doubles, 80 walks and 98 runs. He was once intentionally walked five times in one game against Wichita State, which shows just how feared of a hitter he was in college.

I would put our NCAA.com all-time team against any other school in history that's for sure.

1. Jeff Guiel (1996-97) – Outfield
2. Monty Fariss (1986-88) – Shortstop
3. Robin Ventura (1986-88) – Third base
4. Pete Incaviglia (1983-85) – Outfield
5. Jimmy Barragan (1985-87) – First base
6. Tyler Mach (2006-07) – Second base
7. Michael Daniel (1990-91) – Catcher
8. Rusty McNamara (1995-97) – Outfield
9. Dennis Livingston (1982-84) – Pitcher
Gary Ward (1978-1996) – Coach

 

[Jostate]

He was once intentionally walked five times in one game against Wichita State, which shows just how feared of a hitter he was in college.

I would put our NCAA.com all-time team against any other school in history that's for sure.

1. Jeff Guiel (1996-97) – Outfield
2. Monty Fariss (1986-88) – Shortstop
3. Robin Ventura (1986-88) – Third base
4. Pete Incaviglia (1983-85) – Outfield
5. Jimmy Barragan (1985-87) – First base
6. Tyler Mach (2006-07) – Second base
7. Michael Daniel (1990-91) – Catcher
8. Rusty McNamara (1995-97) – Outfield
9. Dennis Livingston (1982-84) – Pitcher
Gary Ward (1978-1996) – Coach

Maybe that 5 walks in 1 game is part of one of my memories. If I remember right he walked 7 times in a row over the course of a couple of games. It started raining in one game. I guess the pitcher thought that might help him, so he got cocky and pitched to Pete, which resulted in a HR.

I could go either way on the best hitter debate but I demand Dascenzo be included on the all time OSU team.

 

[NattyPoke]

https://www.ncaa.com/news/baseball/...cted-lineup-and?amp&__twitter_impression=true

More good reading from ncaa.com about our baseball team. They’re projecting 2 Freshman in our weekend rotation. I’m so ready for some Cowboy baseball!