Needs to catch whatever Vastine has and they need to get caught with rolled bats. Only thing that’ll make today better (bourbon will help too).

Anyone watch the West Virginia - UNC game? Great game, but bottom of the 9th UNC hits two homers to win it. Sure it makes for great excitement and TV, but let’s see some baseball. Let’s see them string together a couple base hits.

In one respect it keeps the games interesting, cuz you’re never out of it with just a couple swings. On the other hand, there should be more to the game than just swinging for the fences.

I can see why no one wants to do anything about the bats, because it does make for some really exciting games. I just wanna see more baseball and less dingers.

Fun trip down memory lane from Aria.

Where are they now?

A look right here:

Vanderbilt with a mention

My head spins every time I try to figure out which lineup starts, who gets the majority of minutes and most importantly, who we want on the floor with the game on the line.

My guesses are as follows:

Starters

AJ Hoggard - PG (28 mpg)
Jason Edwards - Bucket Getter (28 mpg)
Tyler Nickel - Wing (25 mpg)
Devin McGlockton - Stretch 4 (22 mpg)
Wright - Forward (20 mpg)

Grant Huffman - PG (20 mpg)
Chris Manon - Bucket Getter (20 mpg)
Jalen Carey - Forward (20 mpg)
MJ Collins - Combo Guard (18 mpg)
Alex Hemenway (12 mpg)

JQ Roberts - Forward (5 mpg)
Tyler Tanner - PG (2 mpg)
Karis Bilal - Combo (2 mpg)

If any of you are paying attention at this point, you'll notice that I have a total of 222 mpg, which can't happen mathematically unless we set some records for multiple overtime games. This is what I struggle so much with. We have several guys worthy of 20 or more mpg but a few of them will ultimately have to be more like 15 mpg.

Who plays when it matters?

I struggle with this too. I think we all probably assume we are going to ride or die with AJ Hoggard and Jason Edwards. That is a damn good starting spot to have a backcourt with two guys that can score at all 3 levels and get their own shots. But where do we go from there? I assume matchups will largely answer my questions. Do we use Manon over Nickel? Do we need a 3rd ballhandler and we bring in Huffman for a 3 guard lineup? Is MJ Collins a lockdown defender and if so, are we playing him to put the opposing team's best player on lock?

I tend to think that of the bigs, Devin McGlockton is the one we can trust the most to defend and rebound and give you something offensively.

So I'm at Hoggard, Edwards, and McGlockton in crunch time and then go with matchups from there. Wright if you need more defense and rebounding, Carey if you need more offense. Tyler Nickel vs Chris Manon and or MJ Collins is probably the one I struggle with the most. I really really like Manon's offensive game, anybody know if he can defend?

I do not think Tanner or Bilal get any minutes in the last 10 minutes of games unless we're up by 15 or more. JQ Roberts will have to make major improvements to his game to see any meaningful minutes. The only way I see him playing more than 5 mpg is injuries to a big, or if we need fouls and or depth on a bad matchup for us. I hope he improves though because he does have athletic upside.

Conclusion

I am thinking we have 3 guys that will play big minutes in Hoggard, Edwards and McGlockton. Beyond that, I'd say Nickel, and Manon will be next in mpg followed by Huffman, Carey, Wright, Collins and down from there...

I think Buyington's most difficult task will be managing egos and minutes with this group. I do think his pace and style will give us a lot of blowout wins and also a need to play a lot of guys but when it becomes nutcutting time, we have about 9 guys that probably deserve to be on the floor based on past results. This is a great problem to have as this may very well be the deepest Vanderbilt team of my life, but it's going to take a great leader to make sure it's managed properly.

Any thoughts by the basketball loving VU fans?

@Chris Lee @Joey Dwyer @VUSmackdown @thepeopleschampion13 @VUMatt23 @jfchatiii @VandyFan_23 @DoreFan @Smashville @WestNashDore

If that happens it would be quite interesting to see the ripple effect in CBB. The preseason #1 team would lose their coach late in the process. Those players would have 30 day window to transfer but a lot of teams are already full but I’m sure some teams would kick other players out to get some of UCONN’s players. Could be interesting to watch

Login to view embedded media

First, he lets a guy who pitched 4 innings yesterday come back out and pitch today. The guy did okay in the 8th, but then in the top of the ninth. with the Gators up 3, first guy lines out, next two guys with line drive singles, he comes out to the mound, everyone and their dog figures he's making a change, but no he leaves the guy out there. Very next pitch is a 3 run homer. Just horrible decision making by Sullivan. Tie game heading to the bottom of the 9th.

I absolutely hate to have to make this request so soon in June, but do we have any info on any VandyBoys headed to Cape Cod, North Woods, Great Lakes, or other leagues this summer?

I saw a list of 25 VandyBoys and the teams they are playing for this summer.
13 of the VandyBoys are playing in the Cape Cod league, 4 in the Northwoods League, 7 in the NECBL, and 1 in the Ohio Valley League.

There were 46 players listed on the 2024 roster. 5 of those were seniors or grad students. There are a handful of undergrads that are nursing injuries and not playing summer ball, and by my count there were 12 juniors on the 2024 roster that would be draft eligible this summer.

I saw that juniors Diaz and Rogers are playing summer ball. However, position players Polk, Vastine, and Humphrey along with pitchers Cunningham, Holton, Futrell, Ginther, and Carter are not listed as playing summer ball. I'm not sure what their draft status will be.

I don't have any info on guys entering the portal.

And I did not see McElvain's name on a summer ball team roster (possibly due to previous injury and continued rehab).

Is there something about Indiana teams? Can the team from Evansville pull off another victory like those guys from South Bend did?

Oh yeah, can we at least interview some of the hitting coaches we watch this weekend ???

One of the most clutch baseball performances I’ve seen at any level. Hard to believe it’s been 5 years.

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
Coming off a Vandy official this past weekend

Login to view embedded media

Anyone else is going to be cheering for the Purple Aces tomorrow? How sweet it would be if...

Just a reminder we are the only SEC school without a softball team while two schools joining our conference next season just competed in the National Championship. Vanderbilt becomes more irrelevant every year in athletics in this conference.

Login to view embedded media
Took an OV to Vandy last weekend

Login to view embedded media