Softball Transfer Portal Thread

[JohnHenry 4]

My guesses.  I think they all have different and personal reasons, not a program issue.

Garcia and McCondiche are grad students and likely have no scholarship offer with Auburn.

Blaine was getting no playing time at catcher even with Lisenby going through a mental tick, unable to throw the ball back to the pitcher.  I think it impacted Penta.  I would also leave for more playing time.

Bryant seems emotional, very HIGH highs and very LOW lows.  My guess is her feelings got hurt, just a guess.

Ellis, I think she is going home to TA&M now that they have a new coach.  She was originally going to TA&M before decommitting and coming to Auburn.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

Reasonable thoughts.  Ellis has a sister at Houston, also.  Garcia is from S. Florida, a long run to Auburn.  She could catch on with S. or Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, et. al., and be much closer to family.  McCondichie the same with UAB or Samford.

[WarTiger 3,896]

21 minutes ago, OlderWhiskey said:

Reasonable thoughts.  Ellis has a sister at Houston, also.  Garcia is from S. Florida, a long run to Auburn.  She could catch on with S. or Central Florida, Florida Atlantic, et. al., and be much closer to family.  McCondichie the same with UAB or Samford.

My understanding is that Garcia planned to give up softball after this year.  I believe she has a job waiting for her somewhere, but perhaps I'm mixing that up with somone else.

[WarTiger 3,896]

On 5/24/2023 at 9:06 AM, slot canyon said:

Carlee has long been one of my favorite players but as Golden Eagle stated, Roach seemed to be better option toward season end.  Carlee is a senior and Roach a sophomore.

During the Clemson broadcast, the announcers stated that Bryant was initially listed as starting but name pulled just prior to game time.  She was in dugout and out on the field a couple of times.  Made me wonder if some sort of discipline issue but I have not heard anything to that effect.  

As an aside, I wish the broadcasters and camera crew would not feature so much of the "antics" in the dugout as it seems to just encourage more of the same.  My interest in someone in a Viking head piece, stuffed toy or bubble machine begins to wane after the many repeats we get to see.  I want people to have fun but this curmudgeon gets tired of the excess exposure.  

I absolutely agree.  It was a few years ago, the NCAA issued a statement banning those "props" in the dugout.  Clearly that is no longer (or ever was) enforced.  I don't mind the quick glance at it, but I don't need (or want) to see it multiple times throughout a game.   In fact, I would be ok if they never showed either dugout at all.

[saminbama 740]

On 5/24/2023 at 10:05 AM, KansasTiger said:

The culture between softball and baseball greatly differs there, doesn't it? I played alot of baseball, and the first time I watched a college softball game and saw these antics I was shocked and a bit put off. I've since learned to accept some of it, but I'd be lying if I said some of the over the top stuff like viking team boat rowing on the dugout railing didn't still aggravate me a tad bit.

As a dad who raised 2 daughters that played the game, and then umpired girls softball for 8 years afterward, I can tell you.  Get over it.  I can't tell you how many coaches who had previously coached their sons tell me that the cheering and loud noise drove them crazy.  My reply was "Coach, get used to it or get home".  It's that way from the time they are 8 until they quit playing the game.  It's softball.

I also think it's time for a change.  The grad transfers don't bother me.  Maybe they want to go to grad school and Auburn doesn't have that program.  Who knows?  This was supposed to be his best team and as has been mentioned before, our weak preseason and the weak conference schedule showed up at the end of the season and we made very small improvement over last year.  This year we made it to the regional championship game and pushed Clemson to an IF game, instead of dropping 2 in a row like last year.  Overall, our hitting continues to struggle against good pitching and that hasn't changed in 6 years. 

[TD1 225]

Did anyone catch the convo on Twitter's spaces last night on Auburn Softball? 

[KansasTiger 3,242]

30 minutes ago, saminbama said:

As a dad who raised 2 daughters that played the game, and then umpired girls softball for 8 years afterward, I can tell you.  Get over it.  I can't tell you how many coaches who had previously coached their sons tell me that the cheering and loud noise drove them crazy.  My reply was "Coach, get used to it or get home".  It's that way from the time they are 8 until they quit playing the game.  It's softball.

I also think it's time for a change.  The grad transfers don't bother me.  Maybe they want to go to grad school and Auburn doesn't have that program.  Who knows?  This was supposed to be his best team and as has been mentioned before, our weak preseason and the weak conference schedule showed up at the end of the season and we made very small improvement over last year.  This year we made it to the regional championship game and pushed Clemson to an IF game, instead of dropping 2 in a row like last year.  Overall, our hitting continues to struggle against good pitching and that hasn't changed in 6 years. 

I feel like what I said was mostly already me 'getting over it'. But ok. 

[Gowebb11 9,307]

7 hours ago, WarTiger said:

I absolutely agree.  It was a few years ago, the NCAA issued a statement banning those "props" in the dugout.  Clearly that is no longer (or ever was) enforced.  I don't mind the quick glance at it, but I don't need (or want) to see it multiple times throughout a game.   In fact, I would be ok if they never showed either dugout at all.

The same antics are alive and well in baseball now too. 

[Tiger1992 999]

1 hour ago, TD1 said:

Did anyone catch the convo on Twitter's spaces last night on Auburn Softball? 

No, do tell.

[TD1 225]

13 hours ago, Tiger1992 said:

No, do tell.

I missed most of what, I believe, was nearly a 2 hour conversation about the state of our program. The entire Ellis family was there. 

I came in towards the end, so I just heard the normal discussion about the culture of our program. A couple of people noted how MD should have used our mid week games to help develop Widra, Rolfe, and Tresvick.  It was also noted that Rolfe and Lisendy were a dynamic duo in high school, yet we didn't try to build upon that. A couple of people also complained about pitch selection. The host recalled a conversation that he had with a player's family member. The player mentioned that Dean sometimes calls the same sequences of pitches and some teams caught on to that.  Another listener chimed in on how they noticed that in some  recent games. 

Edited May 26, 2023 by TD1

[AUBwins 10,064]

7 hours ago, TD1 said:

I missed most of what, I believe, was nearly a 2 hour conversation about the state of our program. The entire Ellis family was there. 

I came in towards the end, so I just heard the normal discussion about the culture of our program. A couple of people noted how MD should have used our mid week games to help develop Widra, Rolfe, and Tresvick.  It was also noted that Rolfe and Lisendy were a dynamic duo in high school, yet we didn't try to build upon that. A couple of people also complained about pitch selection. One of the speakers recalled a conversation that he had with a player's family member. The player mentioned that Dean sometimes calls the same sequences of pitches. Another listener chimed in on how they noticed that in a recent game. 

I saw it.  Didn't get on.  Probably would have if I knew the Ellis family was on.  The one that hosted is passionate about AU softball as well.  Good takes from that person as well. 

[warladytigers 172]

On 5/24/2023 at 11:28 AM, AUBwins said:

Garcia and McCondiche are now graduates.  I don't consider grad transfers within numbers of transfer outs, IMO.  At least from a numbers standpoint. Still will miss their play.

As a reminder - if not for the COVID year they would be gone unless they had a red shirt.  Aspyn would not have been here this year.

[OlderWhiskey 953]

1 hour ago, warladytigers said:

As a reminder - if not for the COVID year they would be gone unless they had a red shirt.  Aspyn would not have been here this year.

Exactly why some of the girls may take the "I'm playing with house money" approach.  Like finding a $20 bill in your winter coat that was left in there last winter - what am I going to spend this on?

[AU1947 157]

On 5/24/2023 at 10:48 PM, OlderWhiskey said:

Just a quick comparison:  Myers' 2017 team had a team BA of .277.  Also drew 328 walks compared to 238 walks for the 2023 team.  That's an extra 1.5 base runners per game.  They won 49 games compared to 43 for the 2023 team, went 17-7 in the SEC, and hosted a SR.  Of course, we had the recent history of two trips to OKC.  There was controversy over whether AU or OU should get the 8 seed.  It went to us, but OU came over and beat us two straight.  Oh, and the 2017 team had 51 homers compared to 64 for this year's team.  Make of all this what you will, merely presenting some points of interest.

Thanks for that information and there is a huge difference between Myers and Crocodile Dundee....