If JB throws 87 mph FB against these guys

[campshelbydog842003]

Saving Small means if Billingsly does get hit hard and we go to a second game, they're facing our ace, while we're deeper into their bullpen. I like that matchup better than Friday Small vs more lightly into their pen.

And even if we win Saturday we have depleted our pitching staff before the championship series even starts because we will be playing a minimum of 4 games in 5 days.

 

[johnson86-1]

Throwing Small is just flat out admitting you are playing for a 2nd place finish. Take your chance now and hope the bats can beat a tired OSU pitching staff.

I think this is the opposite. Throwing Small is putting your chips in the middle. You are taking your best shot at having Pilk and Small available for the championship series. True, there might not be a third game, but either Pilk or somebody else not named small is going to have to win int eh finals for us to win. The flip side is that you have a bigger chance of not making the championship, because you are pitching small against their #2, and then Billingsly/staff against their #3, instead of having Small to go against their #3.

I have actually flipped my position on this. I was saying pitch Small, but pitching Billingsly gives you an outside shot at having SMall and Pilk available for the 1st two games of the championship, and the best shot at making it to the championship series (although if we have to use Small on saturday it will probably take something of a miracle at the plate for us to win in the championship). I like the combination. Outside shot at the best possible situation, and the best odds of avoiding the worst possible situation.

 

[hatfieldms]

People act like if Small pitches on Saturday then we are absolutely screwed next week if we make it. It’s almost like Arkansas, Florida or TT will all be sitting around all weekend not playing and resting their pitchers instead of playing. News flash, everyone is going to be patching it together next week. Not just us

 

[MSUDawgFan86]

So Pilk is mediocre now? Yeah, he had a rough 2nd half of the regular season, but he’s a 3rd round pick and he’s been pretty good in his last 2 starts. Especially good on Tuesday against UNC.

Where he was drafted has no merit on what he is right now. He pitched good against North Carolina but dude has been mediocre to just plain sucked for about 2 months before that. So yeah mediocre is an acceptable term for him.

 

[philduckworth]

People act like if Dnall pitches tomorrow we are absolutely screwed next week if we make it. It’s almosh like Arkansas, Florida or TT will all be sitting around all weekend not playing and resting their pitchers anstead of playing. News flash, everyone is going to be patching it together next week. Not just us

Arkansas is doing the same thing Henderson is doing, they are throwing their #3 in game 3, so we really need an Arkansas loss.

 

[Go Budaw]

To me, everyone in this thread is missing the point. It's the right decision to not pitch Small on Friday, but France should be the guy starting. He's better in every statistical category and is much more likely to give us 7 innings than JB. France was awesome in his last start against OU in the regional championship. No knock on JB, I think he would be very good out of the pen, but I just feel that France has been our 2nd best pitcher all year. AND it would set up France to start game 3 of finals if necessary.

I was under the impression that the only reason France hasn't been our Sunday starter all year is b/c he was more valuable coming in Friday and then again on Sunday. But this is not an SEC weekend and France has only pitched 1 inning and that was last Saturday. Crazy to me that he is not starting especially against this OSU lineup.

I feel you on France, but I think Hendo likes him in the Girodo role. He can come in tomorrow if needed, then come in Momday. He’s the first line of defense when the starter goes out. He may also be our ace in the hole in a Championship series Game 3. I like Billingsley starting because it gives you an opportunity to steal some innings early when game is still young, and maybe your bats give him a cushion so we can extend him. We can always go to France at any sign of trouble, but why ask him to go 6 or 7 innings when we may need him in the championship series? I really don’t think Hendo’s gonna keep Billingsley out there if he’s walking folks or if he doesn’t have movement on his off speed stuff.

 

[campshelbydog842003]

“Borderline insane” is a complete overreaction

Or it’s just the correct reaction