Baseball Opened Spring Practice on Friday

[pmull]

I think our team will be much better this year. We are getting good recruits. CMG needs to prove he can develop them into SEC caliber players and compete for a SEC title. We need to get back to the point that we are not just making the NCAA Tournament but hosting regionals.

Alabama returns nine pitchers from last year's squad and also welcome back junior pitchers Tucker Hawley and Taylor Wolfe, whom missed the 2012 campaign following Tommy John surgery. The Tide returns 84 percent of its innings pitched from a year ago, which includes five players that started at least eight games in 2012. Highlighting the returners on the pitching staff are senior Charley Sullivan and sophomores Jon Keller, Spencer Turnbull, Taylor Guilbeau, Justin Kamplain and Jake Hubbard.

In addition to the returning players, Alabama officially welcomed the No. 4 recruiting class by Baseball America to the field. The incoming class includes two redshirt freshmen, two junior college transfers and 16 freshmen. The class is highlighted by 2012 MLB draftees; catcher Wade Wass, a junior college transfer, and freshman pitcher Ray Castillo and freshman infielder Mikey White.

"There are a talented group of freshmen on the team and the addition of a really good junior college catcher in Wade Wass," Gaspard added. "There are eight or nine freshmen that can make an impact at some point. It's a physical group that is mentally in a good place. We're not going to have to force feed them like we did last year, they should have time to develop in a more positive manner."

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[Leewillie]

Ummm...9 pitchers return from last year's team.

Not sure if that is good or bad.

Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Looks like we're addressing the catcher problem with a juco.

I hope we can find some bats with a little more firepower.

[pmull]

Ummm...9 pitchers return from last year's team.

Not sure if that is good or bad.
Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Looks like we're addressing the catcher problem with a juco.

I hope we can find some bats with a little more firepower.

I think returning 9 pitchers is good. Most of them were young last year. Two good ones are coming back from Tommy John surgery. I just hope we can find a closer. We struggled holding leads late in games last year.

[Leewillie]

Ummm...9 pitchers return from last year's team.

Not sure if that is good or bad.
Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Looks like we're addressing the catcher problem with a juco.

I hope we can find some bats with a little more firepower.

I think returning 9 pitchers is good. Most of them were young last year. Two good ones are coming back from Tommy John surgery. I just hope we can find a closer. We struggled holding leads late in games last year.

I hope you're right.  I don't mean to sound negative, but last years performance by the whole team was very dissappointing for me.

[Jamos]

Recently the baseball team was at Coleman signing autographs before a baskeball game and I must say that I have never seen that many players on the team. There must have been 40-50 players there.

Surely Gaspard can coach a few of them up this year to have a respectable team.

[ricky023]

I think we will have a good team for a championship run. I am believing the College World Series needs to sign the name Alabama on the packages.
Why you say?
Because these are Bama players and I think the Pride will bring them back in competition. RTR!

[Leewillie]

I think we will have a good team for a championship run. I am believing the College World Series needs to sign the name Alabama on the packages.
Why you say?
Because these are Bama players and I think the Pride will bring them back in competition. RTR!

I admire your optimism Preacher, but to be Champions requires talented players and great coaches. In recent years we've had neither.  I'm hopeful we can start the climb in that direction, but we've got a ways to go.

[pmull]

We were 21-34 last year going 9-21 in SEC play. That was our worst year in a long time. We need improvement in all areas including coaching.

I think we will have good starting pitching. Our starters were young last year and  did OK. They should be the strength of the team this year. We need to find late inning relief pitchers that can hold a lead. We lost too many games last year when we had the lead late in the game.

Hopefully we addressed the catcher position with the JUCO signee. Singles were like doubles last year because we could not throw anyone out.

Our defense is normally good but we have to find some power at the plate. We need to be able to drive the ball into the outfield gaps for extra base hits. An occassional HR would also be nice.

It is time CMG and staff step up and compete in the SEC. These are his players now. He has recruited well but he needs to prove he can develop them into SEC winners.

[ricky023]

I see your points by all. I know it is a long climb but with prayer I am sure optimistic that we will win those we should win and not loose like we did last year. RTR!

[pmull]

Wade Wass, our projected starting catcher and cleanup hitter, has broken his ankle and is expected to miss at least six weeks. Wade is a JUCO transfer who hit 23 HR's last year. Not only do we need his bat we need a starting catcher you can hold a runner on 1st base.

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[Jamos]

Crap, Gaspard needs to get himself another horseshoe because the one he's using now doesn't seem to have much luck in it. In many cases though a break will heal much quicker than sprains and torn tendons so let's hope he responds well to this injury.

I'm surprised that Booth is the only backup catcher, surely there is another on the team that has some experience behind the plate.

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