Anxiously awaiting the Fighting Erstads season

[HuskerHacker]

I am so excited about this coming season. I look at the schedule and admittedly see the difficulty but... I also have a sneaky feeling that we will all be pleasantly surprised. I think we are more likely to game better in actual 3 and 4 game series then in tourney plays where we only play the same team once.

 

Erstad, Bolt and Silva have this program aimed with high expectations and lofty goals. It's in this that has me so... freaking excited. I believe the sker's will shine this coming season and several players will have break out seasons.

 

Ugh... will the first pitch ever arrive?

[HuskersNC949597]

Can't argue with the results on the recruiting trail so far; the coaching staff is making me very confident in the next few years. Consistency in the pitching staff will help in the near term, it seemed like they were really trying hard last season to find out where guys fit in for at least half of the season if not longer. They should know what they've got by now. And it won't hurt if Niederklein and Hirsch are back to 100%.

[flatwaterfan]

I think Hirsch is going to be our Friday guy. I agree there will be less experimenting as far as roles with the tough non-conference schedule that we have.

[HuskerHacker]

I disagree and fully expect to see some shuffling. Don't under estimate the incoming talent especially the pitching staff that has 2 true change up slingers with low 90's speed.

[HuskersNC949597]

Some shuffling is normal, but I think the weekend starters will be more solidified than last season (meaning it won't take until the last 4-5 weeks of the season to fix your weekend rotation). Kubat was great, and Hirsch did well until the soreness from Tommy John surgery caught up with him in the second half of the season.

[HuskerHacker]

Hirsh's health is one reason I expect to see a diversified pitching rotation. Also, bummer had a very solid summer while working on off speed pitch location. Then add in our young guns and one has to think nothing is set.

[HuskersNC949597]

Bummer has always been mentioned as a potential Friday guy, wouldn't surprise me too much if he took that spot and ran with it. Josh Roeder looks ready to close games; if Nebraska had solidified the closer spot before last season, they would have easily won the Gonzaga series.

[HuskerNationNick]

I am excited for the season to begin. I am even more excited for the tough non conference schedule! If we get through our schedule with 2-3 losses, we should have a good RPI. I don't follow B1G Baseball much, but we should have a legit shot in winning our division or even conference right? I could very well be wrong.

[HuskerHacker]

I think getting through the non-conference schedule with a .675 winning % will be a huge success but realistically I'm expecting about a .575% which is very much acceptable.

 

Here's the schedule with a random "optimistic" guess at predicted wins in red: (16 - 14)

2013 Nebraska baseball schedule

at CSU Bakersfield

at CS-Fullerton (DH)

at CS-Fullerton (DH)

at USC

at Texas

at Texas

at Texas

New Mexico

New Mexico

New Mexico

Northern Colorado

Northern Colorado

at Louisiana Tech

at Louisiana Tech

at Louisiana Tech

at UC Irvine

at UC Irvine

at UC Irvine

at CS-Fullerton

at CS-Fullerton

at Kansas State

at Kansas State

Creighton

Arkansas

Arkansas

Kansas State

------------------

at Creighton

Oklahoma State

Rutgers

-------------------

at Creighton

 

I think the weekend of the Ameritas Classic in Omaha (Creighton, Okie St and Rutgers) will be hugely telling in how well prepared we are for post season play. I expect all 3 of those teams to be in the post season talk and if we can sweep that tourney I'd feel extremely strong about our chances at making regional play.

[flatwaterfan]

I think Hirsch will be the Friday guy because of how he did in Fall ball. He was very effective with his new pitch according to the paper. I was very impressed with DeLeon and it will be interesting to see what they do with him. He could be a closer or a weekend guy. He's got some pop. Roeder looks like a guy with good control and could be the closer too or a setup guy. Should be fun.

[clyde40]

The program is definitely headed in the right direction. Hopefully soon I'll be able to cheer for the Huskers in Omaha.

[flatwaterfan]

I have been thinking about the weekend rotation and we could very well end up with 2 starting LHP. I'd pitch Hirsch on Friday and I think Kubat wins the Sunday job. I would like to have a RHP in the mix and would pitch him on Saturday. Who do you go with? DeLeon or Pierce or Hander? I'm thinking DeLeon at this point if he doesn't close. I like Hander's off speed stuff but since he is recovering from hip surgery, I would rather bring him in relief. Pierce is a hard one to figure. He's a bit sporadic so I am thinking maybe relief is his spot as well have him start midweeks. I like Bummer in midweek too. I like Vogt and Niederklein in long relief. I like King in relief. Not sure about the other new kinds. Howell might be a midweek starter against some of the easier teams.

 

Thoughts?

[Huskball]

Kubat had some good success in his Friday starting role and was probably our most consistent at the end of the season. Wouldn't you leave him in his Friday night role, help the team get off to a good start each series as that was an issue for us early last year. If it isn't broke, don't fix it type of thing...

[flatwaterfan]

Kubat had some good success in his Friday starting role and was probably our most consistent at the end of the season. Wouldn't you leave him in his Friday night role, help the team get off to a good start each series as that was an issue for us early last year. If it isn't broke, don't fix it type of thing...

 

True, that's a good point. Just thought Hirsch performed well of late and he is in his last year. I am thinking he is going to be tough.

[Nexus]

Roeder intrigues me most of all the new pitchers coming in. We need a consistent closer this year.