2018 CBD Season Preview and Predictions: Atlantic Sun – College Baseball Daily

Since I am now attending the University of North Florida, let's do some analysis on the 2018 baseball squad. I agree with the analysis here that pitching needs to be, and should be better than last year.

from College Baseball Daily:
2018 CBD Season Preview and Predictions: Atlantic Sun – College Baseball Daily:

North Florida (2017 Record: 33-24, 12-9)

North Florida had a very solid 2017 season finishing with the fourth best record in the conference. But they went two-and-out in the Atlantic Sun Tournament and saw their season cut short.

Lineup:

They lose five of their top six hitters from 2017. Chris Berry is the lone person among those six to return. The second baseman hit .310 with 21 runs scored, 6 doubles, 3 home runs and 32 RBI. Outfielder Wesley Weeks hit .267 last year with 28 runs scored, 10 doubles, 2 home runs, 21 RBI and 11 stolen bases. Catcher Blake Voyles and infielder Mac Wilson are expected to take on bigger roles in 2018.

Pitching:

This team does return its best starting pitcher from last year in Frank German. He posted a 2.43 ERA in 81.1 innings pitched last year with 76 strikeouts. Austin Drury also comes back after posting a 3.03 ERA in 74.1 innings pitched with 61 strikeouts. Cooper Bradford could join the weekend rotation as well after having a 2.79 ERA in 51.2 innings pitched (9 starts) last year with 53 strikeouts. Brad Depperman could get another shot in the rotation after starting eight games last year with a 5.57 ERA in 53.1 innings pitched with 42 strikeouts.

2018 Outlook:

Even though this team loses a lot of production from the lineup, they could have one of the best starting pitching rotations in the conference. They’ll need to add some depth in the bullpen to fill out the pitching staff, but if they find some offense this team could be good again in 2018.

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The key is how well Depperman adapts to starting. His stats indicate he knows his way around the strike zone, with a K/BB of 5.25. However, he also leads in H/9 among the potential starters at 12.20. If he misses more bats or pitches to weaker contact, he could elevate quickly.

The offense really has to clip coupons to score runs, however they did outscore their opponents 341-245 last year. Their winning percentage last year (.579) outperformed their expected winning percentage per Pythagoreum formula (.516) which indicates that last years squad was a team that was pretty good fundamentally, a "King of Little Things" type of squad that I like to watch.

You can go a long way playing that type of baseball.

There are some pretty good prospects coming through on the opposition side of the schedule, so I hope to be able to see quite a few games this year.

I wonder which is greater, my 55+ plus or my student discount.

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