T&L Hadad's reports that his sources say Stone starts game 2..........

thekimmer

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If so I hope that isn't a firm decision because I think that strategy only makes sense if we win game 1.

McPherson is supposed to be our 'X-factor'. A previous #1 that UGA hasn't seen before. If you win game 1 then starting Stone is plausible because you know you have game 3 no matter what happens. But if we lose game 1 you cannot risk your 'X-factor' never even seeing the field. I personally don't like the decision to throw Stone in game 2 either way because if we win game 1 I would want to do my best to try and finish it in 2 while we have the momentum.

Thoughts?
 

WrightGuy821

Senior
Mar 13, 2019
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Duke Stone against Georgia worries me in their ballpark. They can hit the ball out of the yard and their park is built for it. He throws strikes hard, I'm a little worried he'll get shelled. But he pitched well against them in Dudy Noble and at the SEC Tourney (minus the 3 run bomb)
 

basedawg

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Aug 22, 2012
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I am 50-50 with Sone vs McP, Stone has been really good especially the last two starts. It is a good place for us to be in, I do realize if we start Stone and lose it will get really nasty.
I think it is mor on us scoring runs and clutch hitting, something we lacked in the 4 games we lost to Georgia.
 
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basedawg

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I am 50-50 with Stone vs McP, Stone has been really good especially the last two starts. It is a good place for us to be in, I do realize if we start Stone and lose it will get really nasty.
I think it is mor on us scoring runs and clutch hitting, something we lacked in the 4 games we lost to Georgia.
 

MSUDC11-2.0

Heisman
Sep 29, 2022
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It would be tough to go 0-2 without ever throwing McPherson, so hopefully it doesn’t come to that.

At the same time, I could see why there might be some caution about exactly how “back” McPherson is. The start against the Cajuns was a big step in the right direction, but I also wouldn’t say he looked to be totally his early season self either.

And say what you want, I realize it was Lipscomb, but Stone did objectively have an outstanding start in his most recent performance. So I can rationalize why they might feel good about him right now.

If it were up to me I’d probably start McPherson in the second game, but I don’t think it’s a totally insane thought process to go with Stone.
 

thekimmer

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Duke Stone against Georgia worries me in their ballpark. They can hit the ball out of the yard and their park is built for it. He throws strikes hard, I'm a little worried he'll get shelled. But he pitched well against them in Dudy Noble and at the SEC Tourney (minus the 3 run bomb)
Stone does worry me because he tends to put people on base then get out of it. A team like UGA can make you pay for that with one swing like they did in Hoover. That is why I would not start Stone until game 3 when we would be more likely to score more runs. Also, Stone has already lost twice to UGA. You gotta make sure McPherson pitches and if we lose game 1 he needs to start game 2.
 
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maroonmania

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My issue with Stone is he is prone to walk and hit people and seems to always have traffic on the bases. He didn't do that against Lipscomb but that has been him MO through the season. If you put people on then you are just begging Georgia to hit a 3 run homer just like they did in Hoover against him and that was in a MUCH bigger ballpark than Foley Field. I would pitch McPherson game 2 for sure if State loses game 1. If we win game 1 then I guess I could see it either way although I still think our best bet is to win in 2 games.
 

ronpolk

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May 6, 2009
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I could live with starting Stone in Game 2 if we win game 1, otherwise you risk not getting to start McPherson at all in the series.
Agree with this. I’d personally start McPherson in game 2 regardless of the outcome of game 1…. But especially if we lose game 1. No way I’m going down without McPherson even taking the mound.
 
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00Dawg

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If true...
 
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DawgNsuds

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So, if we win game one and have a lead starting the 8th inning in game two, would you bring in McPherson to close it out or save him for a possible game 3 if the Pen doesn't hold? Do we trust Davis, et al to finish it out? Just some thoughts, I'm guessing we would not see McPherson in that role, but I would be tempted to gamble.
 

thekimmer

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^^^ this. Our fans think he's back to early season form. He hasn't shown it yet
Agreed and maybe this is just fans and talking heads that have characterized his return as a factor that should give us an edge in the post season. Logically that factor does us no good sitting in the dugout. We might need to just come to terms that the best option to use that edge is if we get to a game 3 and if we don't, we just don't.
 
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She Mate Me

Heisman
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McPherson in Game 2 makes more sense to me.

But I realize the amount I know about these pitchers and baseball in general wouldn't rise to 1% of what our coaches know, so I'll defer to what they decide until I see something that seems very obviously stupid.
 

thekimmer

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So, if we win game one and have a lead starting the 8th inning in game two, would you bring in McPherson to close it out or save him for a possible game 3 if the Pen doesn't hold? Do we trust Davis, et al to finish it out? Just some thoughts, I'm guessing we would not see McPherson in that role, but I would be tempted to gamble.
I had thought about that. The only thing is a closer mentality is way different than a starting pitcher. I would not bring him in in a tense situation with runners on base but if we were up a couple of runs I would only consider it at the beginning of a clean inning.
 

Bulldog45

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So in a win or go home scenario, you might have Stone start on a very short leash then bring in McPherson in long relief if necessary? Survive and figure out game 3 once you get there….no idea but I could see something like that in play. But I’d rather shoot the bullets than take some home. Again that’s only in an 0-1 scenario going into game 2.
 
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quickstrike2

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Aug 24, 2012
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To me, it really depends on how game 1 goes. If your season is on the line going into game 2, I trust Oak to make the best decision between Stone and Pher. If you win game 1, you have a little more flexibility.
 
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Stone scares the stew out of me against UGA in that ballpark.....but McP is also prone to give up the long ball too....Game 2 should be all hands on deck if we lose Gm 1 and TBD if we win Gm 1.....which means I don't know and im really worried either way :LOL:
 

patdog

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In my humble non-coaching opinion, I think he is 1-2 starts from being what he was when he got hurt. We really needed him to go longer in that game he tweaked his ankle.
He had a good outing in the simulated game and he had a good outing vs ULL. I don't expect he's going to go 9 innings, but I think he could give us a good 5-6 innings.
 
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dawgman.sixpack

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Aug 23, 2012
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I don't see any discussion about the Georgia coach and one of their big time players being absent from the first game (due to suspension) and how it will affect the outcome.
 

She Mate Me

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I don't see any discussion about the Georgia coach and one of their big time players being absent from the first game (due to suspension) and how it will affect the outcome.

It's been talked about in various places here. Should be a small positive for State, but I don't think it's that big of a deal.