BASEBALL

USC Loses Shortstop And Pitcher

Maddox Riske, who started 43 of USC’s 66 games at shortstop, has entered the transfer portal.

His role diminished the final month of the season as he struggled offesively. He committed only two errors all season. The play most fans will remember is the foul ball he did not catch in the ninh inning against North Carolina.

Pitcher Gavin Lauridsen, who was 3-1 with a 4.73 ERA, also entered the portal. He pitched 45.2 innings this season.

Now here is the thing: It’s normal to lose players to the transfer portal but . . . you have to replace them!

Some players leave because they don’t think they will start next year but they still provide depth and you don’t know what’ll happen next season. Some players improve, etc. But the roster needs to be at least as strong as this season. USC is losing some pitchers who provided nice depth to the staff.

USC will never be Georgia, apparently, who just picked up a commitment from the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, Mikey Bell, of Gonzaga. Georgia is getting players while they play in Omaha. Imagine that.

  • Speaking of Georgia, former USC track coach Caryl Smith-Gilbert just led the Bulldogs to their second straight NCAA women’s title. She famously left USC when Mike Bohn would not make a counter-offer to Georgia and went to then-President Carol Folt but to no avail.

I’m not criticizing USC here because it doesn’t make sense to pay a track coach $585,000, which is what she makes at Georgia. And she could be hard on co-workers, firing 7-8 assistant coaches in her eight years at USC.

  • USC has received a commitment from three-star linebacker Dylan Wafle, the younger brother of much-hyped freshman defensive lineman Luke Wafle. Dylan chose USC over Boston College, Duke and Central Florida.

20 thoughts on “USC Loses Shortstop And Pitcher”

  2. “…..she could be hard on co-workers, firing 7-8 assistant coaches in her eight years at USC.”

    That just ‘might’ be the reason she was sacked – 7/8 fired by her? Good riddance to her oh get ready for the same once she get’s comfy in Athens-GA.

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    1. KAM: Whiffed? George Patton went through staff too. I would take Patton over Omar Bradley any day.

      DON: She has won 4 NCs. I would wish Riley Coyote “whiffed” on that many fires on the way to 4 NCs.

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      2. I agree, Gabby — but how come the great General Patton was a 4 star and General Manager Omar Bradley was a fricking 5 star?

        #CuzBradleyNeverSlappedAnybody

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      3. KAM: How come Bradley didn’t lead the Rescue of Bastogne?

        DON: Because Bradley was an obedient paper pusher who couldn’t inspire men to do more than was thought to be humanly possible.

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      4. KAM: Think how many generals Lincoln went through before he finally found a flawed alcoholic who knew how to take the battle relentlessly to the enemy instead of following the book and stopping and resting after battles like Gettysburg …

        DON: …Named U.S. Grant?

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      5. Patton was a M-A-N —who led his tanks into battle. Eisenhauer and Bradley were general managers.

        Did You know that ONLY two guys who took their Flying Tigers into the air during the Pearl Harbor attack were not given the highest medals recommended cuz their shell shocked commanders said, “they were flying without orders!”

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  4. Lindy’s predicts college football will come down to Oregon and Texas –with Oregon winning 27-21 [and sez in Editor’s Note: “Please send 10% of winning bets on Oregon -5.5 to Lindy’s Office Staff”]…

    #Seriously

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  5. Scott, as a journalist, please interview Coach Watts and Coach Andy to find out their recruiting plans. The portal should be working both ways, and USC should be announcing transfers in as well as transfers out. These coaches both have a history of success; so, I can’t believe that they do not have a plan. Interview the swim coach as well. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962

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    1. Scott is working on skipping the interviews and just hacking into Andy’s recruiting plans —- but T-R-U-M-P’s M.O.U. with Iran comes first….

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  6. KAM: The Department of Justice is supporting Nick Rolovich, the former head football coach of the Washington State University Cougars, who is appealing his firing for refusing to get The Jab to the Ninth Circuit.

    DON: Justice at last!

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    1. Justice?! He had a patriotic duty to suffer myocarditis —-and he selfishly shirked it in direct violation of General Rachel Levine’s orders….

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  7. Rachel Levine is now teaching future Psychiatrists how to ‘help the marginal’ at Penn State College of Medicine….

    #Awesome

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  9. Not worried about Coach Andy, and USC Baseball. As I recall we lost some good players last year to the Draft, and Transfer Portal, but if you look closely Andy has developed the young players, and will once again add some very good talent as he did last year.

    Do we need some top level starters absolutely- maybe two who can dominate, and USC will need to put the same money UCLA has put into their baseball program the last few years instead of wasting too much money on the Men’s basketball program. We have spent alot of money supporting Eric Musselman if he can’t make it to the Sweet 16 with this year’s talent then it’s time to let him go, and put the money into the other programs and coaches who can build programs on a consistent basis and develop talent.

    My thinking on Musselman is he can bring in talent with a one year plan, but can he win on a consistent basis year in and year out, develop players, and build a program. I just have the feeling all this false hype again this year will not bring in fans to Galen Center, and at the conclusion of another disappointing season we will once again have to rebuild our entire roster, and probably fire the coach we cannot afford who really belongs in the NBA G League where roster turns completely every season.

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    1. KAM: Time to hit up all those wealthy USC baseball alumni..

      DON: Like Mark McGwire, Dave Kingman, Barry Zito Lars Nootbar, Garrett Stubbs, Blake Sabol, Rhylan Thomas, and Randy Johnson!

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