2026 Baseball Mega Thread

[AppSt94]

Is the bunt called as a sacrifice or is it a choice due to defensive alignment? Bunting to a position player that is playing back forces hurried throws which can turn a dribbler into a double.

[AppinVA]

Tomorrow is a big one. Need to build momentum and send the seniors out on a high note. And for the staff , well it’s an opportunity to make their case .

Damn. Tough room.

[Bigdaddyg1]

Make their case for what? To keep their jobs with a 4th place team in a really good baseball conference and with a team approaching 30 wins? That case?

[311neers]

Tomorrow is a big one. Need to build momentum and send the seniors out on a high note. And for the staff , well it’s an opportunity to make their case .

Barring a horrid finish- feel like we could extend him with the demand of a p4 series (not sure if he can control that).
Oh, and give him some more money and see what he can do for 2-3 years. It’s beyond time to fund this program seriously and not have a bulk of it come from a players parent.

Need to retain pitching coach 100%. Kermit bunted and played small ball this year. Step in the right direction.

[311neers]

Fill the full schedule too. Go win as many as you have an opportunity to do such. Bound to have a snow/rain out or two.

[T-Dog]

Tomorrow is a big one. Need to build momentum and send the seniors out on a high note. And for the staff , well it’s an opportunity to make their case .

Damn. Tough room.

Yeah, there's been non-stop whining about the RPI and scheduling while we're 15-5 in our last 20 games.

Qualified for the Sun Belt Tournament today with 4 games to go.

I believe if we win tomorrow we clinch Top 6 and avoid the play-in round.

[JTApps1]

The staff should have more than earned an extension at this point. We're currently in 3rd place in the 5th toughest conference in the nation. One more win should lock up a top 6 finish and first round bye. Two wins will likely give us a top 4 finish. Now consider we have a low budget, one of the worst facilities, and the worst weather. We can't do anything about the weather but we can fix the budget and are supposedly attempting to improve the facility.

[T-Dog]

The staff should have more than earned an extension at this point. We're currently in 3rd place in the 5th toughest conference in the nation. One more win should lock up a top 6 finish and first round bye. Two wins will likely give us a top 4 finish. Now consider we have a low budget, one of the worst facilities, and the worst weather. We can't do anything about the weather but we can fix the budget and are supposedly attempting to improve the facility.

And didn't have an indoor facility in the offseason.

The bids for the hitting facility extension (into where the home bullpen is) are out so that should be next.

[JTApps1]

The staff should have more than earned an extension at this point. We're currently in 3rd place in the 5th toughest conference in the nation. One more win should lock up a top 6 finish and first round bye. Two wins will likely give us a top 4 finish. Now consider we have a low budget, one of the worst facilities, and the worst weather. We can't do anything about the weather but we can fix the budget and are supposedly attempting to improve the facility.

And didn't have an indoor facility in the offseason.

The bids for the hitting facility extension (into where the home bullpen is) are out so that should be next.

The lack of an indoor facility played a big role in our early fielding struggles. Baseball uses it a ton.

[311neers]

The staff should have more than earned an extension at this point. We're currently in 3rd place in the 5th toughest conference in the nation. One more win should lock up a top 6 finish and first round bye. Two wins will likely give us a top 4 finish. Now consider we have a low budget, one of the worst facilities, and the worst weather. We can't do anything about the weather but we can fix the budget and are supposedly attempting to improve the facility.

And didn't have an indoor facility in the offseason.

The bids for the hitting facility extension (into where the home bullpen is) are out so that should be next.

I heard the bid was for +-5,000 SF. Not sure if that was expansion of 5k SF or combined current and expanded indoor for 5k SF.

[AppSt94]

Tomorrow is a big one. Need to build momentum and send the seniors out on a high note. And for the staff , well it’s an opportunity to make their case .

Barring a horrid finish- feel like we could extend him with the demand of a p4 series (not sure if he can control that).
Oh, and give him some more money and see what he can do for 2-3 years. It’s beyond time to fund this program seriously and not have a bulk of it come from a players parent.

Need to retain pitching coach 100%. Kermit bunted and played small ball this year. Step in the right direction.

I know that you are big on playing a P4 series but do we know that he doesn’t want to? You have to have someone that wants to bring you in.

[AppSt94]

The staff should have more than earned an extension at this point. We're currently in 3rd place in the 5th toughest conference in the nation. One more win should lock up a top 6 finish and first round bye. Two wins will likely give us a top 4 finish. Now consider we have a low budget, one of the worst facilities, and the worst weather. We can't do anything about the weather but we can fix the budget and are supposedly attempting to improve the facility.

And didn't have an indoor facility in the offseason.

The bids for the hitting facility extension (into where the home bullpen is) are out so that should be next.

I heard the bid was for +-5,000 SF. Not sure if that was expansion of 5k SF or combined current and expanded indoor for 5k SF.

They are pushing out from the current facility down the left field line so probably combined.

[311neers]

Tomorrow is a big one. Need to build momentum and send the seniors out on a high note. And for the staff , well it’s an opportunity to make their case .

Barring a horrid finish- feel like we could extend him with the demand of a p4 series (not sure if he can control that).
Oh, and give him some more money and see what he can do for 2-3 years. It’s beyond time to fund this program seriously and not have a bulk of it come from a players parent.

Need to retain pitching coach 100%. Kermit bunted and played small ball this year. Step in the right direction.

I know that you are big on playing a P4 series but do we know that he doesn’t want to? You have to have someone that wants to bring you in.

Maybe other teams are just scared of the Apps! Pansies.

[AppDub]

Fans will always question some things coaching staffs do, but I agree that this groupings earned an extension. They continue to show growth.

[ASUFan4863]

I am in agreement that the staff has likely earned an extension. My three questions are:

1. Is the overall record more of a reflection of the talent or the schedule?

2. What are the goals/steps to make postseason play in the future?

3. What would an adequate extension look like?

[JTApps1]

I am in agreement that the staff has likely earned an extension. My three questions are:

1. Is the overall record more of a reflection of the talent or the schedule?

2. What are the goals/steps to make postseason play in the future?

3. What would an adequate extension look like?

My two cents...

1) The early season schedule definitely pads it a bit, but being 16-10 and 3rd place in this league proves we have talent. We also played well against Wake both games.

2) We need to tighten up the OOC schedule a touch but also not go crazy since we usually have less practice time than many teams. We also have to take care of business in the OOC games. Increasing our budget to build more pitching depth is a must if we want more midweek wins.

3) I think you add three years to the end of the current deal that runs through next season. That lets recruits know the staff will be here for most if not all of their time in Boone. We've got a good chance to finish in the top 100 RPI for the third time in four years so it's not just a one year fluke. Give them stability and more resources. The staff loves Boone, and they along with their players always represent the A well.

[BambooRdApp]

Just think what our conference record would be if we had a legit Sunday starter...

[311neers]

I am in agreement that the staff has likely earned an extension. My three questions are:

1. Is the overall record more of a reflection of the talent or the schedule?

2. What are the goals/steps to make postseason play in the future?

3. What would an adequate extension look like?

My two cents...

1) The early season schedule definitely pads it a bit, but being 16-10 and 3rd place in this league proves we have talent. We also played well against Wake both games.

2) We need to tighten up the OOC schedule a touch but also not go crazy since we usually have less practice time than many teams. We also have to take care of business in the OOC games. Increasing our budget to build more pitching depth is also a must if we want more midweek wins.

3) I think you add three years to the end of the current deal that runs through next season. That lets recruits know the staff will be here for most of not all of their time in Boone. We've got a good chance to finish in the top 100 RPI for the third time in four years so it's not just a one year fluke. Give them stability and more resources. The staff loves Boone, and they along with their players always represent the A well.

Amen.
3 year deal.
Replace ONE of the “weaker” series with a more difficult one (a fun travel one).

And please don’t get embarrassed by Western!

I sure hope we can retain Heath Blackmon- he’s done wonders for the arms.

[Stonewall]

It’s a tough business. Finish strong !

[ASUFan4863]

I am in agreement that the staff has likely earned an extension. My three questions are:

1. Is the overall record more of a reflection of the talent or the schedule?

2. What are the goals/steps to make postseason play in the future?

3. What would an adequate extension look like?

My two cents...

1) The early season schedule definitely pads it a bit, but being 16-10 and 3rd place in this league proves we have talent. We also played well against Wake both games.

2) We need to tighten up the OOC schedule a touch but also not go crazy since we usually have less practice time than many teams. We also have to take care of business in the OOC games. Increasing our budget to build more pitching depth is also a must if we want more midweek wins.

3) I think you add three years to the end of the current deal that runs through next season. That lets recruits know the staff will be here for most of not all of their time in Boone. We've got a good chance to finish in the top 100 RPI for the third time in four years so it's not just a one year fluke. Give them stability and more resources. The staff loves Boone, and they along with their players always represent the A well.

Amen.
3 year deal.
Replace ONE of the “weaker” series with a more difficult one (a fun travel one).

And please don’t get embarrassed by Western!

I sure hope we can retain Heath Blackmon- he’s done wonders for the arms.

I agree with everything you and JT have stated. The Blackmon hire has been a great one. Good assistants are vital but hard to find and hard to keep.