Let’s face it. After last year’s disaster of a season where you saw the Gamecock baseball team not make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, being a solid 2 seed in this year’s NCAA baseball tournament would be a welcomed sight for fans. Now that the Gamecocks have begun SEC play 7-2, fans will be happy to know that not only are you currently a solid 2, you’re absolutely in play for a Regional host.
The Gamecocks have revamped their squad with more athletic players, better hitters, and much better pitching. The 2015 team did get some bad luck with Will Crowe going down to Tommy John surgery, but maybe the worst thing to happen was Braden Webb not being available because of the same injury.
Now Gamecock fans are getting to see what Jerry Meyers and Chad Holbrook saw a few years ago. His dominant fastball and 12-6 curve are too much for many of the best hitters in the SEC. The only problem is the redshirt freshman is draft eligible since he is 21 years old. So as much fun as he is to watch dominate some of the best lineups in the country, he may not be here long.
Gamecock fans should see Webb not as a freshman, but more like a junior college transfer. If he continues to dominate, the chances he’s around in 2017 will continue to get slimmer. Of course Crowe could come back, Clarke Schmidt and Adam Hill will be back and Cody Morris will be coming off of Tommy John surgery himself, and he has Friday Night stuff.
But as I said before, after last year, who cares how long Webb stays. As long as he throws strikes and limits his walks, he could be SEC pitcher of the year at this rate. If that happens, Gamecock fans would gladly have their Gem for only one year.
