We all know the Lucroy’s and Guidry’s of the world. Who is a player that you really enjoyed watching or loved their attitude that doesn’t get the press of the legends?
- Nolan Gisclair - Goofy, loved ball and swung as hard as humanly possible every swing and that’s about it. Just a dude.
- Sugg Girouard - pure hitter (although played a very good 3rd his SR year) - hated everyone he played - kinda overshadowed by the 2014 roster but just a winner. A guy you wanted in the clubhouse.
Zach Osborne - terminator - brought elite intensity every time he was on the mound. Literally carried a team for 2 years.
Ryan Gill. Fun fact people might not know: if UL had somehow beaten Stanford twice to get to the 2000 national championship game against LSU, he was likely gonna be the starting pitcher.
Kraig Schambough - watching him hop the bullpen fence and striking out the side in the top of the 9th with his wicked slider was always fun
Josh Landry - Wasn’t the most vocal but let his fielding and timely hitting do all the talking; also got to show some love for family
Kyle Clement - the complete opposite of Robe’s version of an “underwear model.” He always came up in the clutch at the plate and was never afraid of getting his jersey dirty in the outfield.
I had the opportunity to play a summer with Coker when he was here at UL. I was just playing in the local adult Lafayette league and we were lucky enough to almost always have a couple of current UL players on our team.
Coker was an outstanding guy. I thought he was fast watching him from the stands. Being on the same field level was mind blowing. I dont think I ever played with a better all around baseball player.
Hard for me to single out players that were not already mentioned. Other than the record, the main thing that sticks out in my mind from the 2014 season was that team wall filled with guys who played with intensity like no other team I had ever seen.
If I were to pick a player, he would likely be considered a GOAT, but Spencer Arrighetti. From the 1st time he stepped on the mound, I knew he was The Guy. It was his mental game that was so far ahead of everyone he faced.
Oh … another guy that just came to mind is Andy Gros. He is another one I had the luck to play with over a summer. I actually got to catch for him. That change-up will never be duplicated. Especially in the world we live in these days and how the game is now.
Nick Thurman was the catcher I always want on my team. Someone who does a job and kind of flies under the radar. That is not in a bad way.
He did his job and we never had to worry about his performance. Brickwall behind the plate. Handled the pitching staff like a professional. Did enough at the plate where he was not an automatic out. If pitcher made a mistake, he made him pay.