Comments on: Hawaii baseball feels the 2019 MLB draft

By: sackkabooya

sackkabooya — Tue, 28 May 2019 23:51:29 +0000

BTW I think the MBB team has a chance to be really good despite all the concern over recruiting, just depends on off season skills development of current roster They will not be as undersized (height and “skinniness”; Steptoe being their best player needed to be on the court as much as possible) game to game as last season. They have recruited an athletic wing (Madut). They have another athletic wing that might be ready to contribute (Hemsley). They still need an athletic “big” but I think got lots of options (the APR fit seems important to Ganot). He has less pressure to use guys he did not trust in (because they transferred). And he has two offensively exciting small guys coming. Just needs that athletic big to matchup and counter opponents. Plus he has two open scholarships to use or roll over for the “Flutie Effect” year. Anything is possible (good and bad) I guess. Anything.

By: sackkabooya

sackkabooya — Tue, 28 May 2019 23:12:48 +0000

I am a firm believer in the “Flutie Effect”. Once the Football team attracts more national viewers with its “style of play” more student/student athletes will “eye” UH as a destination. Every Athletic program has a chance to benefit especially Basketball and Baseball because a larger student body can more readily fill on campus venues and thus become an attractive recruiting tool. Depends on Football though. The “blueprint” Coach Rolovich laid out has been wonderfully executed. More to do with Culture (literally) than anything else. Seems that we are in the beginning of this “Flutie effect” already. Unbelievable now. Just got to get Ganot and Trapasso on board.

By: sackkabooya

sackkabooya — Tue, 28 May 2019 22:47:16 +0000

And Calicdan too…… They don’t seem overly stressed out and pressing so something else is the problem. Can win the Conference next season I think behind the strength of the (young and semi tested) returning pitching staff. One more power hitter maybe?

By: Stephen Tsai

Stephen Tsai — Tue, 28 May 2019 22:31:41 +0000

I think the outfield was thin entering the season, and it got worse once Fogel went down. And the infield really struggled after Maaki Yamazaki hurt his shoulder.
But, hey, Fogel, Demeter and Baeza are back, Scott, Duarte and Best had nice freshmen seasons, and Campos gets the red shirt taken off. Pitching should be OK. And they have a nice little recruiting class. Is that enough for the masses? Who knows. But I love baseball, so, hey, as long as there are garlic fries and Logan Pouelsen, I’m good.

By: sackkabooya

sackkabooya — Tue, 28 May 2019 22:06:45 +0000

The Rainbow Baseball team has seemingly had a lot of talent (purportedly) but has regretfully under achieved. This season was the most disappointing.

In (recent) past seasons there seemed to have been some reason for optimism for the program. There was a good mix of size, locally produced talent, and players of some acclaim that combined to make a solid (on paper) product. But something is missing. Something that the 80’s and 90’s teams had that Trapasso’s teams don’t.

I don’t really have an answer as to what it could be but it’s not as much to do with talent I think. It’s something else. Coaching style maybe? Too much humility? Not enough swag (confident “cockiness”) or emotion? I don’t know what it could be but Someone (Matlin?) has to figure out what the problem is and fix it.

I believe when all the pieces fall into its perspective places this team can win 30-35 games next year. From there the “sky’s the limit”. but the Program (with or without/or despite Trapasso) has to turn the “proverbial” corner first. When you look at the personnel it’s so possible. Just got to figure it out.

By: Stephen Tsai

Stephen Tsai — Tue, 28 May 2019 21:47:08 +0000

Burro Sabio:
The last I checked was, oh, 17 seconds ago. He said he’ll give me a call when he gets home. Sounds like he was driving. Or pretending to be driving.

By: Stephen Tsai

Stephen Tsai — Tue, 28 May 2019 21:44:54 +0000

Burro Sabio:
The last I checked, he was going to see about playing somewhere else.
Most likely, he probably will go on to graduate or law school. He’s a sharp guy.

By: Kanole

Kanole — Tue, 28 May 2019 06:09:30 +0000

Enough off coach Trapasso already. Mediocre teams are the norm nowadays. Not much interest in following the team this year. Time for a change!

By: burro sabio

burro sabio — Tue, 28 May 2019 03:31:24 +0000

Mr. Tsai, is Cameron Hayes going to play somewhere else next year, or is he going to pocket his degree and move on?

By: cappie the dog

cappie the dog — Tue, 28 May 2019 02:53:23 +0000

If you’re a free agent, you pretty much have one season to prove yourself. Jackson Rees did a nice job at staying alive. 0.40 earned run average.

That should be Kirby Yates’ ERA but the Padres manager brought Yates in twice to start the inning in a tied game, an unfamiliar situation, and gave up the wealth of his season’s earned runs.

I think Adam Fogel will be drafted.

I am so relieved that the season is over.