I just spent the last few minutes pouring over college baseball stats.
I started comparing Miami’s offensive numbers to the rest of the country and it’s not pleasant. The Canes’ rank 201st out of 292 teams in Division-I in batting average; they are 139th in scoring and 130th in runs.
I talked to a few players and head coach Jim Morris yesterday. Every one of them pointed to offensive inconsistency as being the main factor in this team being up and down this year. Pitching-wise, things are about as good as you could ask for, but scoring runs remains an issue.
Personally I can’t explain the offensive woe either. I could muster up some convoluted explanation revolving around new bats, injuries, opposing pitching and some Santeria hex … but for what? I’ve been around Coach Morris for as long as he’s been at ‘The U’ and I can’t even count how many times I’ve talked to him regarding the road to winning titles and 3 always talked about the need for pitching and defense.
It’s easy to worry that bats might go quiet in the post-season, but there’d be a bigger issue if a starting pitching issue arose. Bats can find a way to come alive, but pitching can’t suddenly “materialize”.
Before I write some sweeping piece about this team not living up to expectations this season – or over the past few years – I’ll let this one play out. There’s still a conference and NCAA tourney which this team will be in, even if not in the confines of Alex Rodriguez Park.
I’ve heard all the chatter about this team not winning a title in a decade and to that I offer the reminder that Florida and Florida State are still title-less after all these years. You can’t be the best every year and there are a lot of contributing factors to this team not having won a championship since 2001. Remember, it was fourteen seasons between 1985 and 1999.
I’m happy that this team is nationally relevant and I’m happy that the Canes have seen the post-season 38 straight years. Maybe once the season is over we can get into the big picture, but now is not the time for that topic. Right now we focus on post-season baseball. Miami drew a really tough draw at the ACC Tournament — North Carolina, Virginia and Wake Forest — but when I spoke with Zeke DeVoss yesterday, he let it be known that this team sees it as an opportunity, not a challenge.
Tune in to Wednesday’s edition of allCanes Radio and let’s see where the next few weeks take the Canes. Here’s hoping I don’t have to write a “disappointed in this team” follow up anytime soon.
IN OTHER NEWS : I was saddened to hear that former UM football player and long-time supporter of all Canes’ sports Phil Tracy passed away last week.
I got to know Phil very well over the years and he was a staple at every sporting event where Canes were taking the field, court or diamond. This was a man whose life revolved around ‘The U’ and he’ll be sorely missed by many.
On behalf of myself and allCanes, rest in peace, Phil.