Florida Gators
* 28-27 overall, 13-17 in the SEC East (tied for fourth with South Carolina)
* Florida played for the national championship last year, losing 2 of 3 to LSU in the finals
* Gators lost to Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC Tournament
* Florida is making its 16th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament (second longest current streak)
* Florida is making its 39th appearance in the NCAA Tournament
* Florida lost 2-of-3 to Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and South Carolina, and got swept by Missouri and Florida St.
* The Gators took 2-of-3 from LSU, Mississippi St., Georgia, and Texas A&M
* They lost to UCF in their lone meeting
* Florida may have the youngest lineup in the regional, starting five sophomores and two juniors and just one senior.
* They feature a player who is a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player award, Jac Caglianone
On Offense
* It's Caglianone and a bunch of guys who either strike out or hit home runs. Okay, it's not that cut and dry, but it's pretty close.
* They've been held to 4 runs or less in 18 games this season
* Caglianone will be one of the first players taken in next month's MLB draft
* He has hit 29 homers this season after hitting 33 last year. He hit a home run in eight straight games last season.
* He has 58 RBI this year and had 90 as a sophomore. Obviously, opponents are not giving him opportunities this year, but also a sign that his surrounding cast is not as good this year.
* After Caglianone, Florida has just one other regular - Ty Evans - hitting above .266.
* Florida has SEVEN regulars that have struck out on at least 25% of their at bats, with four of them striking out 30% of the time or worse.
* Evans, a junior OF, is batting .316 with 10 homers and 43 RBI. He's struck out 58 times in 193 ABs (30% K rate)
* Senior LF Tyler Shelnut is batting .265 with 13 HRs and 47 RBI, but also with 67 strikeouts in 204 ABs (33% K rate)
* Sophomore SS Colby Shelton is an Alabama transfer who's hitting .256 with 18 homers and 45 RBI, but also 63 Ks in 211 ABs (30% K rate)
* Sophomore 2B Cade Kurland is hitting .265 with 13 homers and 39 RBI. He's struck out 63 times in 200 ABs (32% K rate).
* Sophomore CF Michael Robertson is batting .246 with 2 homers and 20 RBI; he's struck out 34 times in 130 ABs (26% K rate)
* Sophomore C Luke Heyman is batting .250 with 14 HRs. He has K'd 59 times in 216 at bats (27% K rate)
* Sophomore DH Brody Donay is batting with .266 with 11 homers, but has struck out 49 times in 124 at bats - that's 40% of his at bats
... I think you get the picture ...
That being said, they do have SEVEN guys who are double-digits in going yard. They're seventh in the nation in home runs as a team.
On the Bump
* While Florida has struck out a lot on offense - like, a whole lot - it has struggled on the bump as well. Like on offense, the exception is Caglianone
* Caglianone is the ace of the pitching staff. He is 5-1 with 13 appearances - all starts - and 62 innings pitched, all team highs.
* Liam Peterson is their No. 2 starter. The 6-5 freshman has started 12 games and has an ERA of 5.83, a record of 2-4, and a WHIP of over 1.50. He's given up 14 home runs.
* But, like Poke-Dawg said in another post, since mid-April, he's been pitching much better, a 2.25 ERA in last four outings, including nice outings against Kentucky and Tennessee. If he continues that roll, that will play a huge factor for Florida.
* After Caglianone, the most consistent pitcher for the Gators might be Fisher Jameson (4-0, 4.26, 2 saves, 28 appearances). He's struck out 62 in 50 innings.
* After that, it's been a struggle for the Gator staff. They've used EIGHT other pitchers as starters, with five of those making at least 3 starts without much success.
* Brandon Neely, who saved 13 games a year ago as the closer, is 2-4 in 6 starts, 15 relief appearances and 55 innings. His ERA is 6.55. He has struck out 70, leading the team in that category.
* Cade Fisher (3-3, 7.51 ERA) has made 8 starts and Pierce Coppola (0-4, 9.42 ERA) has made 6, but neither has had much success. Maybe Coppola should try a movie career???
* Out of the bullpen, Jameson has had the most success, followed by Ryan Slater whose made 28 appearances and 3 starts. He's 4-2 with a save, but his ERA is near 7.
* To say the least, outside of Caglianone, the Gators have lacked consistency on the mound
Summary
Florida is certainly not the team they were a year ago when they went 54-17 and were national runner-ups, but losing Wyatt Langford (and others) on offense, and losing two guys who gave you 100 innings each and 290 strikeouts on the bump will do that to you. The thing that the other teams in the regional have to hope is that the others remaining from the last year's Gator team and their newcomers don't suddenly find their groove in the playoffs. The production on the bump by Peterson and Neely will go a long way for the Gators.
We do not want Florida getting on a roll. They can be a dangerous team. You're talking about a team that has beaten some of the best teams in the country - Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas A&M, LSU, Vandy, and Arkansas have all been beaten by the Gators. With their playoff experience from a year ago, it would not be a surprise to see them make a run.
* 28-27 overall, 13-17 in the SEC East (tied for fourth with South Carolina)
* Florida played for the national championship last year, losing 2 of 3 to LSU in the finals
* Gators lost to Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC Tournament
* Florida is making its 16th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament (second longest current streak)
* Florida is making its 39th appearance in the NCAA Tournament
* Florida lost 2-of-3 to Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Vanderbilt and South Carolina, and got swept by Missouri and Florida St.
* The Gators took 2-of-3 from LSU, Mississippi St., Georgia, and Texas A&M
* They lost to UCF in their lone meeting
* Florida may have the youngest lineup in the regional, starting five sophomores and two juniors and just one senior.
* They feature a player who is a finalist for the John Olerud Two-Way Player award, Jac Caglianone
On Offense
* It's Caglianone and a bunch of guys who either strike out or hit home runs. Okay, it's not that cut and dry, but it's pretty close.
* They've been held to 4 runs or less in 18 games this season
* Caglianone will be one of the first players taken in next month's MLB draft
* He has hit 29 homers this season after hitting 33 last year. He hit a home run in eight straight games last season.
* He has 58 RBI this year and had 90 as a sophomore. Obviously, opponents are not giving him opportunities this year, but also a sign that his surrounding cast is not as good this year.
* After Caglianone, Florida has just one other regular - Ty Evans - hitting above .266.
* Florida has SEVEN regulars that have struck out on at least 25% of their at bats, with four of them striking out 30% of the time or worse.
* Evans, a junior OF, is batting .316 with 10 homers and 43 RBI. He's struck out 58 times in 193 ABs (30% K rate)
* Senior LF Tyler Shelnut is batting .265 with 13 HRs and 47 RBI, but also with 67 strikeouts in 204 ABs (33% K rate)
* Sophomore SS Colby Shelton is an Alabama transfer who's hitting .256 with 18 homers and 45 RBI, but also 63 Ks in 211 ABs (30% K rate)
* Sophomore 2B Cade Kurland is hitting .265 with 13 homers and 39 RBI. He's struck out 63 times in 200 ABs (32% K rate).
* Sophomore CF Michael Robertson is batting .246 with 2 homers and 20 RBI; he's struck out 34 times in 130 ABs (26% K rate)
* Sophomore C Luke Heyman is batting .250 with 14 HRs. He has K'd 59 times in 216 at bats (27% K rate)
* Sophomore DH Brody Donay is batting with .266 with 11 homers, but has struck out 49 times in 124 at bats - that's 40% of his at bats
... I think you get the picture ...
That being said, they do have SEVEN guys who are double-digits in going yard. They're seventh in the nation in home runs as a team.
On the Bump
* While Florida has struck out a lot on offense - like, a whole lot - it has struggled on the bump as well. Like on offense, the exception is Caglianone
* Caglianone is the ace of the pitching staff. He is 5-1 with 13 appearances - all starts - and 62 innings pitched, all team highs.
* Liam Peterson is their No. 2 starter. The 6-5 freshman has started 12 games and has an ERA of 5.83, a record of 2-4, and a WHIP of over 1.50. He's given up 14 home runs.
* But, like Poke-Dawg said in another post, since mid-April, he's been pitching much better, a 2.25 ERA in last four outings, including nice outings against Kentucky and Tennessee. If he continues that roll, that will play a huge factor for Florida.
* After Caglianone, the most consistent pitcher for the Gators might be Fisher Jameson (4-0, 4.26, 2 saves, 28 appearances). He's struck out 62 in 50 innings.
* After that, it's been a struggle for the Gator staff. They've used EIGHT other pitchers as starters, with five of those making at least 3 starts without much success.
* Brandon Neely, who saved 13 games a year ago as the closer, is 2-4 in 6 starts, 15 relief appearances and 55 innings. His ERA is 6.55. He has struck out 70, leading the team in that category.
* Cade Fisher (3-3, 7.51 ERA) has made 8 starts and Pierce Coppola (0-4, 9.42 ERA) has made 6, but neither has had much success. Maybe Coppola should try a movie career???
* Out of the bullpen, Jameson has had the most success, followed by Ryan Slater whose made 28 appearances and 3 starts. He's 4-2 with a save, but his ERA is near 7.
* To say the least, outside of Caglianone, the Gators have lacked consistency on the mound
Summary
Florida is certainly not the team they were a year ago when they went 54-17 and were national runner-ups, but losing Wyatt Langford (and others) on offense, and losing two guys who gave you 100 innings each and 290 strikeouts on the bump will do that to you. The thing that the other teams in the regional have to hope is that the others remaining from the last year's Gator team and their newcomers don't suddenly find their groove in the playoffs. The production on the bump by Peterson and Neely will go a long way for the Gators.
We do not want Florida getting on a roll. They can be a dangerous team. You're talking about a team that has beaten some of the best teams in the country - Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas A&M, LSU, Vandy, and Arkansas have all been beaten by the Gators. With their playoff experience from a year ago, it would not be a surprise to see them make a run.
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