Now that the Cerantola experiment is over....

[thekimmer]

Fristoe is the heir apparent to the Sunday start but how does that change our relief approach? For me its kind of a conundrum because while I hope we don't need a lot of relief pitching I also really want to see Sims and Smith pitch more innings. I guess the approach doesn't change much because Fristoe was essentially a back-up starter for Sunday and we should not need that now. Who else in the pen might we now see more of with Fristoe starting on Sunday? Also, if Cerantola moves to mid-week what happens to Harding?

Let me also say thank you to Eric Cerantola for choosing to be a Bulldog. I sincerely wish him well and hope he can still contribute for us this season and also hope he can get into pro ball and really reach his potential.

 

[jdbulldog]

Cerantola will not be written off. You can hang your hat on that. He will be relegated to mid week work until he gains confidence and learns how to pitch and not throw. He will be a huge, positive piece of our team’s season before it is over. As long as he stays determined he will find his niche. When he does....look out.

 

[Shmuley]

Setting up for the "comeback story of the year" in Omaha.

 

[Russ Wheeler]

Cerantola will not be written off. You can hang your hat on that. He will be relegated to mid week work until he gains confidence and learns how to pitch and not throw. He will be a huge, positive piece of our team’s season before it is over. As long as he stays determined he will find his niche. When he does....look out.

Agree there’s a reason our coaches stick with him when our idiotic side of the fanbase is menstruating. The easy comparison to make is Lindgren but we will see where he ends up.

 

[maroonmania]

Cerantola will not be written off. You can hang your hat on that. He will be relegated to mid week work until he gains confidence and learns how to pitch and not throw. He will be a huge, positive piece of our team’s season before it is over. As long as he stays determined he will find his niche. When he does....look out.

Sure, sure, he is just going to magically wake up tomorrow and all of a sudden he can control his pitches. Keep dreaming, time to move on.

 

[o_HuntDawg]

Hes on year 3. His career ERA is in the 5's.

I get the fascination. Because when he does put it together he can be the best pitcher on the staff. He's also the highest projected draft pick on the staff. But are we here to win games or pump up draft status?

This year: Fristoe, Sims, Harding have all out performed. If you want to go long term: Sims and Harding have still out performed.

Fair to say he'll have some duds and probably a few good games, but I'd rather have a steady guy on Sundays.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

No coach will ever give up on a guy with a 98 mph fastball. And they shouldn't. Even if he is so wild that they can't put him in a game, they will have him throwing bullpens every 4-5 day until he works it out.

 

[thekimmer]

Sure, sure, he is just going to magically wake up tomorrow and all of a sudden he can control his pitches. Keep dreaming, time to move on.

I agree its time to move on but only from the SEC rotation. EC should still be given opportunities in the mid-week and hopefully he can gain enough confidence/command to help us out against tougher teams. But even in mid-week we can't let it go to the point it threatens a win.

 

[maroonmania]

I agree its time to move on but only from the SEC rotation. EC should still be given opportunities in the mid-week and hopefully he can gain enough confidence/command to help us out against tougher teams. But even in mid-week we can't let it go to the point it threatens a win.

I have no problem pitching him in non-crucial situations but I have no problem saying that with pretty much anyone on our staff. I just don't see how he can be trusted going forward though in a game that we really need to win. He has already shown that he can pitch ok when there is little to no pressure on him but can't handle it at all when the team really needs him.

 

[MSUDC11]

We play some really sorry teams in the midweek the rest of the way. I would piece it together for most of those games and start viewing Harding as more of a weekend relief option or spot starter if anyone misses time for any reason.

I actually really like the idea of a Harding-Fristoe combo on Sundays, and I think you can make a case for either guy to start. Their styles are different enough that I think seeing them back to back in the same game would give hitters trouble.

 

[The Peeper]

He has already shown that he can pitch ok when there is little to no pressure on him...........

There is no pressure on a pitcher at the beginning of every game and every inning for that matter, nobody on.......... Can't be any less pressure than that and in 3 years he hasn't been able to deliver

 

[Antonio Brown's Foot]

Sure, sure, he is just going to magically wake up tomorrow and all of a sudden he can control his pitches. Keep dreaming, time to move on.

That's the way it works in the movies.

 

[Go Budaw]

Cerantola will not be written off. You can hang your hat on that. He will be relegated to mid week work until he gains confidence and learns how to pitch and not throw. He will be a huge, positive piece of our team’s season before it is over. As long as he stays determined he will find his niche. When he does....look out.

He’s had 3 years to gain confidence. It’s not happening at this point as a starter. Maybe a lower pressure role like middle relief or something similar will help to get something out of him, but we have to take him out of the rotation. And the stakes are too high on the weekends to put him back in at any point from here on out.

 

[57stratdawg]

He's not on 'year 3' from an innings standpoint though. He has about the same number of career innings as Pilkington threw as a freshman.

He has to continue to get work this season.

 

[o_HuntDawg]

He's not on 'year 3' from an innings standpoint though. He has about the same number of career innings as Pilkington threw as a freshman.

He has to continue to get work this season.

Oh I wouldn't give up on him at all. Can't do that. However I wouldn't gift him the Sunday spot because his draft status or his 'stuff'. He hasn't pitched well enough to keep it IMO.

That said he is on year 3. Year 3 in the program. Year 3 worth of instruction, and Year 3 worth of evaluation from the staff. He's also been outperformed by pitchers who have been here just as long or less.

 

[thekimmer]

No coach will ever give up on a guy with a 98 mph fastball. And they shouldn't. Even if he is so wild that they can't put him in a game, they will have him throwing bullpens every 4-5 day until he works it out.

I get it but at some point you gotta see it happen on the field. I'm all for the bullpen sessions but apparently that has already been going OK. What I am seeing/hearing is its as much of a mental toughness issue as anything.

 

[Avelso]

COVID hurt his development more than anyone else on our team. He was coming into form last spring and would have had a solid summer in the CAPE. But....its time to move on.

 

[columbiadawg2]

I don't think it's complicated. He just needs to start breathing through his eyelids. Problem solved.

 

[bulldogcountry1]

What’s unfortunate for EC is that our anemic offense means that he gets so little rope. We can’t wait until he gives up 4-5 runs to pull him.

All we can do is let him pitch some midweek relief or eat some innings on the weekend if we are getting blown out. Letting him start any game at this point sends a bad message to the team. Maybe putting him in a relief role might change his mentality.

 

[wsjmsu75]

I don't think it's complicated. He just needs to start breathing through his eyelids. Problem solved.

Oh, that must be what the major league teams know that we don't. Sure wish we could get clued in.

 

[wsjmsu75]

What’s unfortunate for EC is that our anemic offense means that he gets so little rope. We can’t wait until he gives up 4-5 runs to pull him.

All we can do is let him pitch some midweek relief or eat some innings on the weekend if we are getting blown out. Letting him start any game at this point sends a bad message to the team. Maybe putting him in a relief role might change his mentality.

It is also unfortunate that he almost never lasts long enough to allow us to give him some run support. I mean, no pitcher can expect to be given a 6-0 lead to work with in the first inning. If that happens, great but as a pitcher you have to learn to pitch in tight games.

 

[Ralph Cramden]

I absolutely can not wrap my head around why so many people think he is so "talented" and that it is the stupid part of the fan base that wants him replaced as a starter. If his stuff was so electric he would not have a era of 5. And yeah...I guess if our offense was better we could afford to spot the other team 3 or 4 runs in the first 2 innings before we pull him. Comical. He doesn't have the stuff to be a starting pitcher in the SEC period.

 

[wsjmsu75]

I absolutely can not wrap my head around why so many people think he is so "talented" and that it is the stupid part of the fan base that wants him replaced as a starter. If his stuff was so electric he would not have a era of 5. And yeah...I guess if our offense was better we could afford to spot the other team 3 or 4 runs in the first 2 innings before we pull him. Comical. He doesn't have the stuff to be a starting pitcher in the SEC period.

Totally agree, however I would replace the word "stuff" in your last sentence with "control". But then I guess control is a vital ingredient of "stuff", so...

 

[rynodawg]

Ideally, move him to mid-week blowout relief, he can eat some innings and still show off velocity for the draft. Win/win. If he can reduce his walk/HBP rate by June then it’s a bonus for the postseason.

 

[thekimmer]

He is talented because he can throw a baseball 98 MPH.....

I absolutely can not wrap my head around why so many people think he is so "talented" and that it is the stupid part of the fan base that wants him replaced as a starter. If his stuff was so electric he would not have a era of 5. And yeah...I guess if our offense was better we could afford to spot the other team 3 or 4 runs in the first 2 innings before we pull him. Comical. He doesn't have the stuff to be a starting pitcher in the SEC period.

That is something you cannot teach and in the baseball world is a rare talent indeed. What he lacks is developing that talent into an effective skill which is something you can teach. That is why the allure is so great.

Its like knowing there is a vast hidden treasure that is accessible only to you but you just don't know exactly where it is. You spend a great deal of effort and money searching for it and can't find it but its really tough to just give up.

 

[johnson86-1]

I absolutely can not wrap my head around why so many people think he is so "talented"

I think most people are relying on the fact that MLB scouts think he is so talented. I think they probably have some idea of what they are talking about.

and that it is the stupid part of the fan base that wants him replaced as a starter. If his stuff was so electric he would not have a era of 5. And yeah...I guess if our offense was better we could afford to spot the other team 3 or 4 runs in the first 2 innings before we pull him. Comical. He doesn't have the stuff to be a starting pitcher in the SEC period.

I think you are using "stuff" differently than other people. They are talking about his pitches and his ability to throw pitches most of our pitchers can't. You may be using "stuff" to talk about his mental make-up or something, but it's something different than most people are talking about when they talk about a pitcher's "stuff".

The people that want the staff to keep working him as a midweek starter or long reliever are worried about winning a championship. It's early in the year, and if Cerantola figures it out, it puts us on another level. Rightly or wrongly, I think they view it as stupid to try to maximize wins now and give up on a potential weapon like cerantola, when he could be the difference between winning a national championship.

 

[maroonmania]

Agree there’s a reason our coaches stick with him when our idiotic side of the fanbase is menstruating. The easy comparison to make is Lindgren but we will see where he ends up.

Yes, and if you remember, when we went to the CWS and made the finals in 2013, I don't think Cohen even gave Lindgren an inning of work during that entire post-season because he had lost all trust in him.

 

[Shadow34]

The good news is we have options.........I like Brandon Smith backing up C Mac on Friday but he could start for sure (not my first choice). We also have Harding and Fristoe which I think is our best option Sunday. Move Cerentola to mid week, start Fristoe and come in relief with Harding or vise versa. Preston Johnson could be a starter as well.

 

[wsjmsu75]

I think most people are relying on the fact that MLB scouts think he is so talented. I think they probably have some idea of what they are talking about.


I think you are using "stuff" differently than other people. They are talking about his pitches and his ability to throw pitches most of our pitchers can't. You may be using "stuff" to talk about his mental make-up or something, but it's something different than most people are talking about when they talk about a pitcher's "stuff".

The people that want the staff to keep working him as a midweek starter or long reliever are worried about winning a championship. It's early in the year, and if Cerantola figures it out, it puts us on another level. Rightly or wrongly, I think they view it as stupid to try to maximize wins now and give up on a potential weapon like cerantola, when he could be the difference between winning a national championship.

However you define "stuff", I would say at this point anyway, just about our entire staff has better "stuff" than EC. That is why we cannot afford to keep taking risks with him, even this early in the season. I make this argument with the assumption that "stuff" that consistently puts runners on base with walks, hit batsmen and wild pitches, is the wrong kind of "stuff".

 

[columbiadawg2]

Not even major league, the Carolina League to be exact. Cerantola just needs to find his Annie Savoy.

 

[HumpDawgy]

98 mph fastball means nothing if you can't throw it for a strike. Time to bring in Susan Sarandon with the garter belt (make sure to put the rose in the front big guy!)

 

[TrueMaroonGrind]

Setting up for the "comeback story of the year" in Omaha.

Chad Girado. That is all.

 

[paindonthurt_]

The stupidity in this thread is amazing.

Taking cerantola out of the weekend rotation is a duh move at the point.

Saying he should never have that chance again or that he will never contribute is as dumb as it comes.

Tons of examples of pitchers finding it and losing it. Tons.

 

[thekimmer]

98 mph fastball means nothing if you can't throw it for a strike. Time to bring in Susan Sarandon with the garter belt (make sure to put the rose in the front big guy!)

That is true, but it's impossible to teach someone how to throw 98 MPH. However, one might be able to teach a player who can throw that hard how to control it and the number of students in that class is exceedingly small.

 

[o_Hot Rock]

Velocity is only one part of the equation to being a major league pitcher for sure but very few guys have his kind of velocity. I think most teams maybe have one guy in their farm system with his velocity. He will get drafted, no matter how well he pitches for us.

He will get every opportunity to figure it out in the minor leagues. I am glad he decided to come to State and I still hope he keeps grinding away and finally figures it out this spring because he can be a difference maker.

I was watchin Tom Glavin throw on his off day and he was all over the place. He was getting frustrated and it showed. Leo Mazzone was watching all of it and after studying him closely, he walked over to the mound and pointed at Glavin's plant foot, then where it was landing and then a spot about an inch or so to one side. Glavin started hitting the corners like crazy. He got the rest of his work in and all were happy. I don't know why or what is happening with Cerantola but things can be taught and learned. Do not give up on him, he could be the difference in a natty or not. Guys with that kind of velocity do not come around often but.. I hope he doesn't start this weekend for sure.

 

[HumpDawgy]

That is true, but it's impossible to teach someone how to throw 98 MPH. However, one might be able to teach a player who can throw that hard how to control it and the number of students in that class is exceedingly small.

If only we had been given enough time to teach him control.

 

[wsjmsu75]

Velocity is only one part of the equation to being a major league pitcher for sure but very few guys have his kind of velocity. I think most teams maybe have one guy in their farm system with his velocity. He will get drafted, no matter how well he pitches for us.

He will get every opportunity to figure it out in the minor leagues. I am glad he decided to come to State and I still hope he keeps grinding away and finally figures it out this spring because he can be a difference maker.

I was watchin Tom Glavin throw on his off day and he was all over the place. He was getting frustrated and it showed. Leo Mazzone was watching all of it and after studying him closely, he walked over to the mound and pointed at Glavin's plant foot, then where it was landing and then a spot about an inch or so to one side. Glavin started hitting the corners like crazy. He got the rest of his work in and all were happy. I don't know why or what is happening with Cerantola but things can be taught and learned. Do not give up on him, he could be the difference in a natty or not. Guys with that kind of velocity do not come around often but.. I hope he doesn't start this weekend for sure.

Apparently our pitching coach doesn't know either. But it could also be that he is fine in practice and the pitching lab (I've heard we have one of those), but he just has a mental block when he actually gets in a game. If so, maybe they need to get him some help from a sports psychologist.

 

[Ralph Cramden]

Not having him as a weekend starter doesn't mean we don't continue to work with him but ya can't lose games just because he can throw a 98 mph fastball. It doesn't matter how fast you throw it a foot off the plate. If his control can be corrected it will be in practice...not during a game. He won't magically find control. Its mechanics or mental. Having velocity is great but just like in football it does not make you a QB or a pitcher. It just makes you a thrower.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

I could throw a mean knuckle ball with a softball, but it didn’t mean I was good enough to play on the King and His Court.

Throwing a baseball 98 mph and never finding a strike is like being a pro bass fisherman and never finding a bass.

 

[fevans]

I've been wondering if his problem is mechanics. You can tell that he is frustrated and I'm sure that is also contributing. To me, it almost seems like he falls off more to the glove side excessively when he can't find the strike zone. I would have to believe that the pitching coach is studying every pitch of his post-game to see if they can spot anything abnormal. I did not stay at a holiday inn express last night though.