I was all in on starting Valencius vs Mississippi. But maybe get some innings for Billingsley or Sweeney and save TV for Georgia?
Now who do we pitch tomorrow?
- Thread starter patdog
- Start date
We have to make sure we don’t take the RPI hit of losing to Missouri, right?
I don't think we would have pitched TV regardless. He already looks worn down from a heavy workload this season so I don't think we would have pitched him by cutting him a day of rest. NCAA tourney much more important than this SEC tournament.
If they feel good about him being able to turnaround that quick, this is my favorite approach for two reasons:
1. It would get him work that he needs to help him be sharp for the tournament.
2. I would prefer to see him pitch the opening game of the tournament because it positions us best to win the first 2 (that’s the main focus of regionals) and we would have a fresh bullpen for the Friday game, which would likely be needed heavier and give us a better opportunity to get them rested to come back Sunday. As opposed to using them heavier on a Saturday game and coming back the next day.
He threw 44 pitches Saturday and is coming off arm trouble. I doubt we pitch him on 3 days rest. I kind of doubt we'd see him until Friday or Saturday.
Bullpen day, maybe start Sweeney or Billingsley. Use whatever pen arms you need to win, including Davis or Bauer. But I’d still probably save Tico for Georgia and trust that your other guys can get you through tomorrow.
Mizzou’s number two guy is a lefty that has gotten hit hard at times. I expect us to put up runs tomorrow. Their pen can’t be in great shape.
Mizzou’s number two guy is a lefty that has gotten hit hard at times. I expect us to put up runs tomorrow. Their pen can’t be in great shape.
The same midweek guy we planned on starting. Perhaps Bauer. Maybe Billingsley.
Only way to beat UGA is Tito. So someone else better rip it tomorrow
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I think this is what I would do. Worst case, they're auditioning for the #3 (or #4) spot in the rotation for regional.
It actually sets up decently for us to make a run this week if we play well. Pen day tomorrow, maybe get a good Tico start on Thursday, and if you win then Friday is a day off. And could still have McPherson and Stone for Saturday and/or Sunday.
If we are really going to take this seriously and try to win the tourney then we have to approach mizzou more like a midweek opponent. UM did and lost but then they have had some bad midweek losses on their schedule. I like our chances with that approach because we have been money in that department. Consistently winning games we are supposed to win is the one thing that we have excelled at this season better than anyone.
Mizzou also threw their ace today and a couple of key bullpen arms. Have to think the pitching staff for a team that’s 7-24 in SEC play probably isn’t in terrific shape for tomorrow.
I think it'll be Sweeney then Gleason pretty quick as soon as he loses it.
If we get thru this game without blowing a ton of guys up, we could be in pretty good shape to compete for this thing.
If we get thru this game without blowing a ton of guys up, we could be in pretty good shape to compete for this thing.
We overlook them and we're in the same spot as UM. I think we should look at starting Pitzer.
Maybe not that far, but I damn sure would love to see how far up we could go and grab maybe a 9 somehow?? Anything to get past having to go to Athens or Atlanta for a Super. My two cents
Nah. We'll host regardless now. I'm OK with whoever they start. They're all equally unreliable but do have some potential, so pretty much all the same to me. Unless we start Valencius, in which case we're pretty much conceding the Georgia game. But really, even then it doesn't matter.
Sweeney had a nice start in the Gov Cup. 3 innings, 0 runs. If he can do that or similar I'd be real happy.
For everybody hoping to get a bump in seeding from this tourney.. Every committee in the past has shown they don’t give a squat what happens. Seeding is done.
I doubt it, but the higher seed we get the better. As said by others, really wanna avoid getting paired up with one of those top 3 seeds in a potential Super.
That's just not true. Vandy very clearly worked their way up to the #1 overall seed last year by winning this tournament.
So the Rebel Yell ....Belly Flop, is going to hurt them?
It sure didn't help. Highly doubt they'll be a host.
And does anybody really think they wouldn't have hosted if they'd won the tournament??
You can definitely help yourself by doing well in this tournament.
They had to make a deep run to have a chance at hosting. They’re firmly a 2 seed now.
Ok.. I’ll allow the friendly amendment: If we go 5-0 over the next 5 days we have a chance to sneak into the #8 slot.
We are 26-0 against quad 3 and 4. Mizz is quad 3. We could very well lose but we have thus far proven to be lights out in such games.
Where we have struggled mightily are the 50-50 games. We played 13 three game series this season and every series we won was a sweep. We never won a rubber game. Never salvaged a game 3 after losing 1 and 2 or lost a game 3 after winning 1 and 2. That is quite astounding to me.
Ideally, we use him Friday in Hoover, with the goal of getting him 60 pitches no matter how it looks, then pitch him a week later against the 4-seed with a potential full workload (unless we get up big early). Then TV in Game 2, Stone after that against, hopefully, a depleted staff from a team on their 4th game.
But even if we don’t make it to Friday, he should throw a simulated game and go 60 pitches on Friday, regardless. Then hopefully same plan after that.
Agree. Except depending on how he does Friday I might save him for game 3 of a regional. The thought of Stone or really any of the other guys pitching in a meaningful game vs a decent team scares me. But might be better to do it your way.
The way the bracket works, we don’t play Friday. If we win tomorrow and Thursday, we are off until Saturday.
I’d rather start McPherson on Thursday if there is potential for Friday to be an off day.
McPherson’s recovery and potential return to form for the postseason is the #1 single biggest factor for this team moving forward. Way more important than anything that happens in Hoover. He needs competitive innings and competitive pitches, even if he gets hit hard.
Everything in me says NOOOO. Pitch TV vs Georgia. But the more I think about it, long-term I think you're right.