Post like this that create misinformation. HuskerHacker, your dislike for Anderson and the coaching staff in general cloud your judgment about the game and what really happened. I was at all three games this weekend, so let me point out some inconsistencies with your above comments:This series loss hangs on Anderwatson and his staff.
Newman returned to his predictable self and started throwing only first strike fastballs. Lemke was embarrassed. Anderwatson should be embarrassed with is lack of emotion over the Asche collision. Anderwatson I wonder, have you ever seen other coaches intention get animated and ejected in an attempt to fire up the team? (I forget, you and your team play like bots and refuse to deviate into the unexpected.)
Nice series loss there Anderwatson.
The University of Nebraska has spent a large amount of resources on this program and the resources continue to be thrown down the gutter. I won't apologize for my desire to have a baseball team that is both respected and feared. We've lost our "home field" advantage over the last three year performance. We can't compete with teams like Texas Tech, let alone TexA$$, Baylor and Oklahoma. I continue to hope for a sign of improvement but I continue to watch my hopes crumble and therefore I continue to hope this is the make it or break it year for Anderwatson. Either take us to regional play or get the pink slip.Things got heated when the first base umpire called junior designated hitter Matt Juengel out at first on a questionable call that ended the fourth. Childress trotted over to the base for some friendly banter with the ump, the result of which was Childress' ejection from the game. He exited Olsen Field to the raucous applause of the 2,486 fans in attendance.
"It was a play that I felt like he was safe and I feel like I've got to back our players up, especially ones that are hustling down the line and trying to keep the inning extended," Childress said. "That's about all I can say about that."
Series loss. Not just game 3 loss.1. Newman being to predictable because he is calling nothing but first pitch fastballs- first of all the kid has a 92-94 MPH fastball and Tech only had four hits in 8 innings. I will take that any day of the week. Second of all Keller was struggling with command of his slider. Two of Tech's 3 runs were lead-off walks...very important with these new bats to not walk batters, especially lead-off batters. Start off with strikes and this will open up the pitch selection, even though he was struggling with command of slider.Newman returned to his predictable self and started throwing only first strike fastballs. Lemke was embarrassed.
HuskerHacker, I have said before, if you want to talk baseball I am all in. If you want to talk about Coach Anderson, I will not participate.Your right, I wasn't at the game. I was going by what the broadcasters were saying on the radio and when schools through out winter work on machines throwing nothing but heat it becomes easier for hitters to catch up to a 92 mph fastball. (especially when they know its coming.) Pitch selection is vital and if a pitcher isn't allowed to throw off speed the outcome will be as was.
Yes, I am obviously anti-anderwatson. He's done nothing in his 7 years to indicate we should support him. (Sure, he is the only manager to have a CWS win but it came with Van Horn recruits and Childress as the pitching coach.) Why is it that Childress, in only his second year at A&M won the Big 12?
(see bio link http://www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/childress_rob00.html)
Simple, he knows how to coach and get the most from the talent he's given. Anderwatson on the other hand can't/won't. Players play the game, managers coach but... good managers make average players better. Great managers make good players great by getting the most out of each player and doing so in a manner that earns them both respect amongst their peers as well as the admiration and adoration from their players. Tell/show me one time (any post) where a husker player has come to the defense of Anderwatson. You can't. You will however, find several links to articles like this one:
http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/schaefer-celebrated-former-nu-baseball-coach-rob-childress-returns-to-lincoln-1.2242417
and.. this one: (note the result of Childress's friendly banter)
http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/schaefer-celebrated-former-nu-baseball-coach-rob-childress-returns-to-lincoln-1.2242417
The University of Nebraska has spent a large amount of resources on this program and the resources continue to be thrown down the gutter. I won't apologize for my desire to have a baseball team that is both respected and feared. We've lost our "home field" advantage over the last three year performance. We can't compete with teams like Texas Tech, let alone TexA$$, Baylor and Oklahoma. I continue to hope for a sign of improvement but I continue to watch my hopes crumble and therefore I continue to hope this is the make it or break it year for Anderwatson. Either take us to regional play or get the pink slip.Things got heated when the first base umpire called junior designated hitter Matt Juengel out at first on a questionable call that ended the fourth. Childress trotted over to the base for some friendly banter with the ump, the result of which was Childress' ejection from the game. He exited Olsen Field to the raucous applause of the 2,486 fans in attendance.
"It was a play that I felt like he was safe and I feel like I've got to back our players up, especially ones that are hustling down the line and trying to keep the inning extended," Childress said. "That's about all I can say about that."
I appologize for not making my point clear. I am not a big fan of writing, hence the poor writing skills. However, I would like to clarify my thoughts regarding Keller and the Nebraska pitching staff.Only caught box scores (life got in the way), but after reading reactions from multiple Husker sites, here are the summarized takeaways and most commented items from this weekend @ Tech:
1) Erstad is doing a good job with these kids. Better hitting than last year, though the bats are not as consistent as the coaches or fans would like. Considering this is his first year to work with them, Erstad is overall doing a good job so far.
2) As much as the bats have progressed, it appears that pitching may have regressed. Keller should have command of his pitches by now--as Turn2 pointed out, his slider got away from him, and folks elsewhere were not too keen on anything else Keller threw out there either. These are things that should have been hammered out by conference play--the fact that they aren't falls to Anderson.
3) All is not lost yet, but like Basketball, the tires on the bandwagon are threadbare and the axle is about shot. Nebraska baseball fans aren't too happy being 1-3 against what will be the middle children of the conference this season. And yes, I know the K-State game doesn't really
count...but in many ways, it does.
Honestly, if this team fails to make the tournament this year, Anderson should be gone. But, like our Basketball program, Dr. Tom will give Anderson more time than deserved to bring this program out of the ditch he drove it in to. Considering a few years ago Nebraska was revenue-neutral with baseball, was on the brink of making money with the baseball program (one of few Div-1 schools to do so), and our successful days were not too long ago, I would like to think Dr. Tom will pull the trigger quicker on upgrading the coaching for baseball than basketball.
But, as Dr. Tom has shown, he is compassionate towards his coaches--perhaps to the detriment of a sport that has experienced success in Lincoln and has shown it can drive revenue during what are otherwise throwaway summer months.