⚾ 🥎 Roster updates as Vaughn rebuilds the Alabama baseball team

[TerryP]

 

[bama alum]

 

[bama alum]

Uhm, do what?

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Uhm, do what?

Unfortunately, not a big surprise... he's going to be offered a shit ton of $ from some other programs...

I'd be worried about Alton Davis II too... but Jackson staying helps there... and he's indicated that he plans on staying. That too could certainly change though when he starts getting big NIL offers from others...

It sucks (bigly), but that's the college sports world we are in now, sadly.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Not a big surprise... he's going to be offered a shit ton of $ from some other programs...

I'd be worried about Alton Davis II too... but Jackson staying helps there... and he's indicated that he plans on staying. That too could certainly change though when he starts getting NIL offers from others...

It sucks (bigly), but that's the college sports world we are in now.

One thing I should add, in re: to that linked post.... from what I understand, pretty unlikely Guscette and Tamez both return... I'd put over/under on returning (non-pitcher) starters at 1.5, and I'd probably take the under at this point. Gonna be a major roster flip, but holding onto the impact arms is key. Much easier to build around what could easily be a top 3 staff in the SEC, than having to rebuild the entire roster.

 

[UAgrad93]

Uhm, do what?

Not going to lie! This sucks donkey balls!!! Really need to pony up in the NIL game to hold on to him or find some replacements.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Not going to lie! This sucks donkeyA balls!!! Really need to pony up in the NIL game to hold on to him or find some replacements.

The system sucks and is draining my enjoyment from college sports at a pretty rapid rate. I'll admit that on the football side, Alabama is on the beneficial end of the transfer seesaw, but to me, it isn't worth being on the wrong end with some other sports. Pisses me off that all the parties involved had plenty to time to set this stuff up correctly in a way that was fair to everyone (for starters, expanded and equal scholarships in sports like baseball). Some have compared the system we have now to professional sports... I'd say it's even worse than that. If Bryce Young has a monster year, he can't jump to the Cowboys after 1 season for twice the money. Corbin Carroll wasn't going to be able to jump from the Diamondbacks to the Yankees if we won the NL ROY award this season. But in college, these guys can pretty much jump with impunity, and who could blame them? The absurd amounts of money being offered, while their current schools are basically handcuffed... it's bullshit. Life isn't fair, so I guess college sports shouldn't be either, but damn if it ain't crashing and burning right in front of us, at least in my eyes.

 

[Bammerboy321]

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

A little more bad news... Fr. RHP Brock Blatter is in the portal... Not sure if he wants to get back closer to home (out west) or if it is a money deal or something else. Kid has loads of potential though and IMO was a future impact starter, possibly in '24. If not, he had closer type stuff to take over for Davis II.

But, some good news for a change.... Ben Hess announced on Twitter this afternoon that he's coming back. I was injured to end the year, but throwing really well up until then. He will be ready to go in the fall, and one of the 3 weekend starters (again).

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

A pretty good Q&A interview here, but don’t even attempt to read it on your phone unless you want to fight through pop up ad hell.

https://www.si.com/college/alabama/baseball/who-is-rob-vaughn-exclusive-q-a-alabam-baseball-new-head-coach-hannon

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Also...

 

[UAgrad93]

The system sucks and is draining my enjoyment from college sports at a pretty rapid rate. I'll admit that on the football side, Alabama is on the beneficial side of the transfer seesaw, but to me, it isn't worth being on the wrong end with some other sports. Pisses me off that all the parties involved had plenty to time to set this stuff up correctly in a way that was fair to everyone (for starters, expanded and equal scholarships in sports like baseball). Some have compared the system we have now to professional sports... I'd say it's even worse than that. If Bryce Young has a monster year, he can't jump to the Cowboys after 1 season for twice the money. Corbin Carroll wasn't going to be able to jump from the Diamondbacks to the Yankees if we won the NL ROY award this season. But in college, these guys can pretty much jump with impunity, and who could blame them? The absurd amounts of money being offered, while their current schools are basically handcuffed... it's bullshit. Life isn't fair, so I guess college sports shouldn't be either, but damn if it ain't crashing and burning right in front of us, at least in my eyes.

With Shelton, I can see him at UF next season. I believe he could actually go there for free since he would be an instate kid and they could dump an insane amount of NIL in his lap. SUCKS!!!

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

With Shelton, I can see him at UF next season. I believe he could actually go there for free since he would be an instate kid and they could dump an insane amount of NIL in his lap. SUCKS!!!

He's not gonna lack options, that's for sure... I doubt LSU wants to fork over much for him since they have Tommy White for another year, otherwise, they'd be backing up the Brinks truck. Supposedly, Arkansas is heavily involved. I'm holding out a single shred of hope that he's going to leverage an offer and try and improve his situation at Alabama... but the chances of that are the slimmest of slim.

 

[BamaFan334]

He's not gonna lack options, that's for sure... I doubt LSU wants to fork over much for him since they have Tommy White for another year, otherwise, they'd be backing up the Brinks truck. Supposedly, Arkansas is heavily involved. I'm holding out a single shred of hope that he's going to leverage an offer and try and improve his situation at Alabama... but the chances of that are the slimmest of slim.

So I am somewhat ignorant here, but how do those programs dominate us in NIL, but yet we have so much pride in our booster abilities, our deep pockets, and our collectives? Is it simply we aren't collecting much money? Are we just allocating more to football? I'm just not sure how we fall so short in a sport considered a main 3 sport and the Great American Past Time.

 

[Bammerboy321]

I was hoping with JJ being retained and Vaughn's system, we'd keep most of the roster intake. Unfortunately, it may take Vaughn having some success in order for our fans to really invest in baseball. Softball, basketball, gymnastics, and football all have a solid foundation of fan support and boosters. The baseball program has been mediocre for well over a decade, so it's hard for fans to really invest. Plus Alabama having limitations with scholarships.

I do think Vaughn is the right coach to turn the program around for the better. Maybe we can slow the bleed with a few transfers.

 

[UAgrad93]

So I am somewhat ignorant here, but how do those programs dominate us in NIL, but yet we have so much pride in our booster abilities, our deep pockets, and our collectives? Is it simply we aren't collecting much money? Are we just allocating more to football? I'm just not sure how we fall so short in a sport considered a main 3 sport and the Great American Past Time.

It all boils down to most of the boosters putting their money into football. They want all of our sports to be successful, but football gets the !

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

So I am somewhat ignorant here, but how do those programs dominate us in NIL, but yet we have so much pride in our booster abilities, our deep pockets, and our collectives? Is it simply we aren't collecting much money? Are we just allocating more to football? I'm just not sure how we fall so short in a sport considered a main 3 sport and the Great American Past Time.

Some of it is the built in advantages that some other schools have with their ability to do stuff like waive large % of out of state tuition for students.... that goes a long way to help mitigate the ridiculous 11.7 hard limits that some schools like Bama (and auburn) are saddled with. The big one now though, is NIL. Other schools are just spending more in sports like baseball because they can. Alabama doesn't have nearly the NIL slush fund for baseball as teams like LSU, Arkansas, Florida, A&M, etc. have. Even Tennessee now is throwing around large amounts... but it all has to come from fans/boosters, not the university. Alabama's issue is two fold, IMO. One, the admin doesn't see the current trajectory of NIL as a sustainable model over the long term... maybe they'll be proven right, or maybe not... but it has caused them to take a more calculated and conservative approach overall. Secondly, and more impactfully, Alabama just doesn't have much money to spend for baseball. If the SEC was MLB, Bama baseball would be a smaller market team in that comparison, and unable to compete with the Yankees, Dodgers, and Mets of the world when it comes to paying players. If NIL funds could come from the athletic department account, it would be a different story... but unfortunately, UA must rely on a smaller pool of deep pocketed baseball fans and boosters. IMO, the excitement needs to build around Alabama baseball again like we saw many years ago... the regionals showed it can still be done... but it is almost a chicken and egg situation... can the program recapture that excitement (which translates to more money) without first having the money to help build/sustain it?

 

[64Tide]

Actually excited about UA baseball's leadership...didn't think I'd ever type that...

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

He's not gonna lack options, that's for sure... I doubt LSU wants to fork over much for him since they have Tommy White for another year, otherwise, they'd be backing up the Brinks truck. Supposedly, Arkansas is heavily involved. I'm holding out a single shred of hope that he's going to leverage an offer and try and improve his situation at Alabama... but the chances of that are the slimmest of slim.

Add South Carolina to the list, which makes sense based on family circumstances.

Also, it pains me to post that apparently Fr. RHP Kade Woods is in the portal... dude has electric stuff, high 90's fastball, good slider, high swing and miss rate. He could probably be a really good starter if he wanted to be, but IMO his future beyond college is the backend/closer role. He has the potential to be dominating. Guessing LSU grabs him is he does indeed bolt. Fr. C Jaxson West is also in. Didn't play much this year behind Guscette and Tamez, but was expected to be a contributor going forward... had a promising bat.

 

[Bammerboy321]

Going to take some patience, which is the last thing we want. I think he'll be able to sell his system and grab some transfers when it's all said and done. But the top programs willing to spend ridiculous amounts of NIL for a kid who will spend one season there then bolt are going first.

Definitely will be a long offseason.