At Tennessee this weekend

[AppSt94]

I don’t care how good a team that you’re facing, the lack of hitting is a coaching issue. Either you recruited guys who can’t hit, or you failed to improve on existing skills, or you can’t provide an accurate scouting report.

[Yosef84]

I get it. We should have done better, but how 'bout let's give the guys more than one series before leaping to conclusions. We're literally just getting started. Kermit Smith is a proven winner, but nobody should expect an instant turn around.

[swva appfan]

They improved their hitting today and I did not know what to expect against TN in the first series of the season but I'm proud of em for keeping it close and not getting blown out all weekend. No I'm not an advocate for morale victories...

[hapapp]

We were one of worst hitting teams in the country last year. Hope this weekend isn't indicative of the season to come.

[HighPointApp]

I don’t care how good a team that you’re facing, the lack of hitting is a coaching issue. Either you recruited guys who can’t hit, or you failed to improve on existing skills, or you can’t provide an accurate scouting report.

Geez another the sky is falling post.

Relax, it’s a long season. No baseball team has ever gone undefeated at the college level.

[AppSt94]

I don’t care how good a team that you’re facing, the lack of hitting is a coaching issue. Either you recruited guys who can’t hit, or you failed to improve on existing skills, or you can’t provide an accurate scouting report.

Geez another the sky is falling post.

Relax, it’s a long season. No baseball team has ever gone undefeated at the college level.

You are correct. But averaging one hit every three innings gives you a good chance of going winless. Not saying we will go winless. But you have to hit to score and we don’t and haven’t been a hitting team, particularly against decent teams since Pollard.

[appfanjj]

Maybe, like with basketball, the sky IS falling. No, wait. With basketball, the sky HAS fallen.

[T-Dog]

We were one of worst hitting teams in the country last year. Hope this weekend isn't indicative of the season to come.

Indeed, it's looking more like a trend now. I hope its figured out before the season goes into the weeds.

[Stonewall]

Competing with an SEC team in any sport,given their relative resource advantages should not be discounted and from I saw we competed. Baseball in Boone has a special set of challenges but I’m hopeful because other schools have figured out how to build a winner with similar challenges.The Pollard years culminated in a “dream season” ,by our standards anyway. I want to get back there but realistically what I expect is improvement through the season ,and season to season , in a very tough conference perhaps culminating in a few years with another “Dream Season”.

[Arsenal App]

We have beaten Tennessee a few times in the past in baseball so it's not like it's impossible for us to defeat an SEC team. We've beaten Auburn and LSU too. Hell, we beat LSU in Baton Rouge by a score of 11-1 a few years back. We've finished dead last in the Sun Belt every year since we joined the conference. I realize our program will likely never have a year where we make the CWS but I'd at least like to be respectable and not a beat up chump.

[Chaz]

Our best bet is for every batter to stand as close to the plate as possible. That was pathetic. There’s no other way to describe the hitting.

[AppDawg]

We have beaten Tennessee a few times in the past in baseball so it's not like it's impossible for us to defeat an SEC team. We've beaten Auburn and LSU too. Hell, we beat LSU in Baton Rouge by a score of 11-1 a few years back. We've finished dead last in the Sun Belt every year since we joined the conference. I realize our program will likely never have a year where we make the CWS but I'd at least like to be respectable and not a beat up chump.

That was 7 seasons and 2 coaches ago. BJ (and CC) really did a number on our program... definitely left the cupboard bare when he finally departed. Pollard established a blueprint for how to win in Boone - BJ said, “hold my beer.” I get the sense Kermit is more in the mold of Pollard and working to reestablish that culture.

I will say, I was generally pleased with our pitching this weekend against a formidable lineup.

[HighPointApp]

If our pitching and defense stay consistent, our bats will come around.

I'm certain Coach is not "happy" with the hitting. Keep working hard, things will turn around.

[WataugaMan]

Agreed, we did stand our ground defensively, that's a positive. However, if points are not scored there's no way of winning. With an easier part of the schedule on the horizon, if hitting improves, things will get better.

[Oldlknapp]

Before we get too critical regarding the lack of hitting at Tennessee, you may want to take a look at this:

https://www.rockytopinsider.com/2019/02 ... l-in-2019/

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be anywhere near the plate when the pitcher is throwing 100+ mph!

[Arsenal App]

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be anywhere near the plate when the pitcher is throwing 100+ mph!

You gotta start somewhere, dude.

[Yosef84]

Just a reminder folks....this is year 2 of the rebuild. Kermit Smith's first year was a throw away because he had zero opportunity to recruit once he was hired. That's the nature of a spring sport. Last year he basically cleaned out and brought in 18 new guys. This year he talked about having more left handed hitters. He knows the issues and he's dealing with them but expecting a turn around in series #1 on year #2 is pretty unrealistic. The bats will show up. He is building the culture from the ground up. Trust the Cap! (yeah....pretty weak I know)

[WataugaMan]

Turn around? What do you mean by turn around? I don't believe anyone was expecting to win the series against Tennessee. Nor do I believe anyone is expecting to compete for a conference crown this season. However, being more competitive on the offensive side of the equation is not a lot to ask. Yes, it's early and Tennessee is no slouch, I'll give you that. With Gardner Webb and Manhattan on the horizon, hitting should improve. Once again, nobody is expecting a conference crown. But personally, I'd like to believe we're better than dead last. It's early, maybe I should take a short hiatus and check back later.

[Arsenal App]

Just a reminder folks....this is year 2 of the rebuild. Kermit Smith's first year was a throw away because he had zero opportunity to recruit once he was hired. That's the nature of a spring sport. Last year he basically cleaned out and brought in 18 new guys. This year he talked about having more left handed hitters. He knows the issues and he's dealing with them but expecting a turn around in series #1 on year #2 is pretty unrealistic. The bats will show up. He is building the culture from the ground up. Trust the Cap! (yeah....pretty weak I know)

The reality is that it's year three of Kermit Smith's tenure at ASU. He won't get a mulligan for his first season (at least he shouldn't). Smith's first two years on the job were pretty poor. Now I understand that he walked into an abysmal situation. Most coaches, if they lose in their first two years, can get by with blaming things on the previous regime and I'm perfectly okay with that. But in their third season the coach (no matter the sport) needs to begin showing progress less he/she start to lose the faith of the fanbase. I hope progress happens this season with Kermit Smith.

[Boone Goon]

People with no knowledge of the game see a box score and are now ready to comment like experts.

Fact: Kermit Smith is the best coach on App's campus.
Opinion: He could end up being the best one ever. (Better than Jerry, Mack, Bobby and Chris).