BB: SLIAC: St Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[VideoDawg]

Keep the faith. I don't see stats on your pitching to back up what you think. Who are your best recruits and what are their stats?

[depew24]

I don't feel it's my place to start naming names or throwing stats out but I do have a very good idea about what the new additions have done prior to their time at Webster.

[VideoDawg]

If an annonymus site like this isn't the place to spell out the newcomers and stats then where is?

Maybe the stats aren't so great? Maybe your just blowing smoke? You certainly can tell us who you think are the top new players. Don't worry when your wrong we won't hold it against you. 

[depew24]

I will tell you right now that I am not blowing smoke up to you or anyone else. You will just have to wait and watch them roll in the SLIAC. I would spell it out in person. To me, I am not going to go around online behind an anonymous screen name doing things like that. Just watch this year and see. You don't just go from 6 outs away from the World Series to no good. Especially when you don't know the history of the pitching staff last year.

[VideoDawg]

I'm in a generous mood let me do your work for you. These are the new pitchers added to the roster.   

12 Bryce Law –P   R/R   Jr.    Rochelle, IL / Vincennes University
Bryce Law era of  2.75 and a win loss record of  7-3 while at Vincennes. He is listed as a
"Player to Watch" and could be the real deal but has been subject to very poor outings like a game described while playing at VU. "The game became a laugher early when Lakeland teed off on VU for 10 runs in the first inning. Starter Bryce Law (5-4) failed to record an out and was charged with six runs before he was relieved."

13 Pat Amrhein - P   R/R   Fr.    Glen Carbon, IL / Vianney HS
A respectable freshman with a high school record of 5-1 last year and an era of 1.95.

23 Bryan Stanley - P   R/R   Jr.    Elgin, IL / Elgin CC
Last pitched in 2007.  Has been working as a grounds keeper and as an Assistant Coach for Elgin CC. Claims he signed a letter of intent for Purdue – North Central but not on any roster or stats. A real question mark.

While at Elgin Community College, Stanley was a standout and led Elgin in innings pitched with 70.1 and posted a 2.43 ERA and a 9-1 record, which helped lead Elgin to the Division II World Series. He also had a perfect 1.00 fielding percentage, recording 15 assists, three putouts and two double plays.

24 Mike Gebhardt - P   L/L   Fr.    Saint Charles, MO / St. Dominic HS
In a 2007 Showcase fastball velocity was 78mph - change 69mph curve 66mph. At St. Dominic he was 4-0 with a 4.10 era.

36 Peter Quintus  - P   R/R   Jr.    Chicago, IL / Saint Joseph's College
Has pitched a total of 3 Innings in College Ball with an ERA of 12.00

I don't see 263 innings in that group. You guys lost that many from last years squad. As I said before Webster is the team to beat but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

[depew24]

On your list from last year for pitchers. The last 4...can be replaced VERY EASILY. In case you haven't followed all of them. And as it turns out you must not have. The top three...one was a position player before last season, so i think that a new pitcher that is brought in can produce that, and having watched most of the players that are coming in, I KNOW. Mueller was good but Law can be at worst the same if not better. Mckinley was fine but is replaceable with Amrhein.

Thanks for doing "my work". You wanted the names and numbers so do it YOURSELF.

[VideoDawg]

I knew exactly who was on that list and yes they were more throwers than pitchers but you still have a ton of innings to replace and I just don't see it. Also I have seen Amrhein pitch. For a high schooler he was above average. But the gorillas in the sliac are going to own him until he gets his bearings . If he matures and improves he will be a very, very good pitcher but he is not ready for prime time.   

[VideoDawg]

Just to finish off the Webster newbies. The following stats are for incoming transfers. I didn't check the freshmen position players.

1    Zach Little    SS   R/R   Jr.    St. Louis, MO / Florissant Valley CC
In 38 games played last year he had a .282 average with three doubles, no triples and 2 homeruns. Little did have 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts.  He was named on the All Region 16 Team. 

8    Brandon Micheletti    3B   R/R   So.    O'Fallon, MO / Illinois College
As a freshman at Illinois College he hit .130 in 54 at bats.

33    Aaron Senzell    SS/2B   R/R   Jr.    Evansville, IN / Vincennes University
Had a .245 average as their starting shortstop was 5th in runs scored and second in sac bunts. Not blessed with speed on the pads only attempted one steal and was thrown out. He also was third on the team with 28 strikeouts. 

47    Ricky Pisani    OF   R/L   Jr.    Saint Charles, MO / Rockhurst University
In two years played 66 games with a .346 average, with 11 double and no triples or homeruns. Not fleet of foot he had 5 stolen base attempts and 4 successes.

With the returning talent at in the infield and outfield there is not such a big need to go out and get talent. It looks Pisani could contribute right away. 

[depew24]

You keep it up and that's fine. I'll talk to you after whoever you cheer for is out and the Gorloks are still playing

[VideoDawg]

I live in the St. Louis area and watch all the teams play. I really don't have an axe to grind, I am just a fan of all baseball and coached for 25 years prior to my retirement. I wish Webster all the luck in the world and hope they do well. They have some big shoes to fill though. You can't over look the losses the team suffered. 

[depew24]

I just did. You also can't look back at the players you lost. Look to what you have and what they have right now is as good if not better pitching. And the offense IS MUCH better.

[VideoDawg]

How is the offense better? I think that one more year of maturity is good for the existing players and there are a lot of returners but I only see one ready to play contributor transferring in. Who else do you see making an impact this year other than just experience of last years starters. Is there a freshman that will have an immediate impact? Or a transfer not on the roster?   

[VideoDawg]

Hey sliac baseball fans I just emailed Eureka and asked for the roster. It is awfully hard to get a feel for a team with out a roster.

If you want to email them yourself to get them to post it on their site it is:

Athletic Director: bsullivan@eureka.edu

SID:pbryant@eureka.edu

I might have those backwards. Anyway I hope they respond soon the season is getting started. If they email it to me I will post it.

[theoneandonly]

I would also like to point out that there was a HUGE lack of expierence against the hitters of Webster last year. they all hit so well because teams didnt have much info on them. Yeah they play over 20 conference games, but the SLIAC doesnt have 10 people on their coaching staff to go to evaluations and scouting of other teams. This year everyone is going to know how to pitch to fuiten and ratezeloff. Dont expect double digit homeruns and so on this year. A good example of that is Carl Heuer. In 2004 for Blackburn. He was a transfer from Southern Illinois Carbondale. Hit 11 homeruns and looked invinceable. Helped the beavers to a conference championship and they went on to the NCAA tourney. The next season, in his senior campaign, he hit 6 homeruns and looked like he was held down quite a bit by everyone except Westminster. So im not saying those guys will be terrible this year. Nothing like that, im just saying dont expect them to dominate the league like they did last year. And from the reports from videodawg, it doesnt look like they have that strong of a recruiting class.

[theoneandonly]

HUGE lack of experience?  The SLIAC saw Raetzloff for the entire 2007 season.  Looks like that experience really helped them in 2008. 
                                                     

2007 Raetzloff, Alex.....  .399 AVG, 14 Doubles, 4 HR, 38 RBI, 30 SB (SLIAC POY)

2008 Raetzloff, Alex.....  .409 AVG, 21 Doubles, 5 Triples, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 17 SB

I saw this guy hit a few times during conference play in the 2nd half of the season in 2008.  Sure doesn't look like they're figuring him out.   

Oh, I just noticed he also had more AB's in 2008 and struck out fewer times.   

For only seeing him a couple of times you sure do have a lot of stats.. To further prove my point, the SLIAC will have more on him this year. so i will say count on 5 hrs. tops! AND if Webster would get thier own field and discontinue to play at GCS there wouldnt be as many homeruns. Although it is a great experience for these college players to play on a major league type field, the genorous 255 foot right field line is about little league standard, and gives Webster a huge advantage when it comes to those Homerun and RBI type numbers. this may get some of you fired up, but its the truth. Other teams only get to play 1-2 games there while webster plays ALL their homegames there. So that could be partly why he had 11 homeruns in the first place.