Kentucky’s Zack Thompson got second team All-SEC (ahead of Isaiah Campbell). That’s just not right. It should have been a default selection for Campbell when Kentucky decided to pitch off against Arkansas and hold Thompson to go against a freshman – and not pitch against Campbell. This is just not right.
Missouri did the same thing with T.J. Sikkema. In fact, Kentucky and Missouri did the same thing all season - pitched Sikkema and Thompson Game 2 because the coaches felt that gave their teams the best chance not to get swept.
A lot of teams didn’t throw their ace against Campbell this year for various reasons. Tennessee held Garrett Stallings, Texas A&M held John Doxakis and Auburn was going to hold Tanner Burns until the rainout.
That tells you all you should need to know that Campbell should have been on the All-SEC team.
IMO what they are doing is going by Thompson’s supposed 1st round draft position,Campbell has had a great yr on a great team no way he shouldn’t be there
Not that he needs it but that would provide motivation to me. And not one hog made first team. We got robbed but it’s the sec, they have no respect for Arkansas.
Zay is tied for SEC wins at 7. Also, the Hogs have won 12 games, versus 2, of the games he’s pitched. That’s pretty darned good. Kentucky is only 8 and 6 under Thompson.
Zay probably had the best results of any Hog versus his competition.
To not receive even a second team nod seems rather dishonest.
That’s just a taste of what the coaches think of our hogs. Not one player on the SEC 1st team is a snub as well! The opposing coaches and umpires are about as sorry as the SEC commissioner!
Campbell is a first teamer in my book!
Old school SEC bias once again.
Zay is eighth in the SEC in ERA at 2.50. That’s probably what knocked him down. They figure the wins are because we score a lot of runs for him, which we often do.
I get that the SEC has an embarrassment of riches at the starting pitcher position (as at several other positions). So, I’m not going to say that Campbell HAD to be on the first team, absolutely.
On the other hand, there is something to be said for being the bell-cow of a CHAMPIONSHIP team. Arkansas was a good solid team all the way around this season. But it’s hard to imagine just where we’d have finished in this dog-eat-dog competitive conference if we DIDN’T have Campbell to count on for getting us off to a good start every “Friday”. He stepped right into Blaine Knight’s role and it’s hard to put a legitimate value to his contribution to our SEC West Championship.
That kind of thing usually translates to post-season honors, all other things being relatively equal. Sure, a pitcher can’t help it if the other guy’s team is just better than his - so you do have to look beyond just W;L record; but Isaiah’s number hold up well when compared with the other guys, particularly his SEC only stats. And it wasn’t like Arkansas was the favorite coming into this season, or had dominant talent that overshadowed the rest of the conference. In fact, Campbell was just one of many big question marks coming into the season, and he came though like a champion. Some of those other guys around the league were known quantities and basically lived up to their pre-season billing, while Isaiah exploded past all reasonable expectations.
So, I’m not claiming he HAS to be first team all-SEC. But I AM saying he HAS to be on the first OR second team. He may - or may not - be drafted ahead of those others and/or have a better MLB career. But based on what he did - on the field - and what he meant to us winning the West - that HAS to be rewarded. All-League teams should be about what you do as an individual and as a contributor to a team’s success in college - not “potential”.
To put things another way, I believe the question that needs to be asked when considering all-conference players is “who performed the best, and most consistently, throughout the entirety of the season?”. And then, perhaps as a tie-breaker among candidates that are pretty equal “who stepped up and performed at Championship moments?”.
I sometimes think the coaches look at it like the question was “if I was recruiting these guys for a team, who would I want on my team?”. That’s a totally different question than who PERFORMED the best, which is what i think post-season awards should be based on.
Just like last year. I started early in the campaign, touting Knight for the Player of the year (or Pitcher of the year) award IF he went through the season undefeated (as he eventually did) because of what it meant to our team, where our team finished and WHO he went through (other pitchers) to get there. I NEVER claimed he would (or, for that matter, would NOT) be the best pitcher in the pros. That’s yet to be determined - but it is also NOT part of the consideration for a COLLEGE pitcher of the year (or shouldn’t be).
The only thing to do is kick sand in the SEC face and win a NC…
This. Hogs thrive on disrespect.
Sigh…
If I were Campbell, that would be a motivation for me for the rest of the season. I hope it proves to be.
What burns me Even more is Tim Corbin being coach of the year
Preseason #1 team with a wealth of talent
I guess he wins because he recruited so well
But DVH took a team that was picked 5th in the SECW to being a sure fire National seed and N.C. contender.
With supposedly no first team All SEC players, mind you
Tony Vitello also did a great job with a program that has done nothing for a decade
Arkansas was picked third in the West.
No All SEC 1st teamers, One of the best pitchers in the league left out completely, Best Coach in the league & possibly the country that makes the best in game decisions in the business but gets no respect or rewarded for accomplishments.
SEC is like a clan or cult, you’re either in it or out of it. But don’t be independently winning (by the book) and bucking the pecking order.
Will Wade and LSU carry on with business as usual though.
I do not think the coaches pick All-SEC based on draft status. They pick based on the eye test. I think that’s what most do. Unfortunately, you don’t see everyone. I think stats are the way they look at it the most.
Campbell didn’t pass the eye test? He pretty much shut everybody down he faced. Even in a loss he pitched good enough to win.
Ok stat wise his era was 6th or so in the league, But He struck out a lot of batters to and challenged the best hitters in the conference.
Not in the projection I read
They were picked behind LSU, Vandy, MSU, and Ole Miss.
I remember it very distinctly