And faced Nunez. After the 2-0 conference, I thought that’s what they were going to do.
I would have walked Hull
- Thread starter Heelexplorer84
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Meh- first and third 1 out you’re playing for the double play to go to extra innings.
In hindsight, probably the right play, but you’d hate to wild pitch, balk or walk in the winning run if you load those bases.
Ehh Nunez hadn’t had a competitive AB in over a month, i think it was hilariously bad to attack Hull there
I was talking about that with my dad
but hard to put your pitcher in that situation with the bases loaded and no where to put Nunez. I think they did the right thing personally (and should have gotten out of it on that pop up). Hindsight is always 20/20 though and obviously knowing what happens yes they should have
but hard to put your pitcher in that situation with the bases loaded and no where to put Nunez. I think they did the right thing personally (and should have gotten out of it on that pop up). Hindsight is always 20/20 though and obviously knowing what happens yes they should have
It was first and second with 2 outs when Hull was hitting
I would never had pitched to him either. Can’t believe they did not walk him.
Even more reason not to walk him.
Pitching to him is perfectly defensible but I would’ve walked him. I’d rather a guy who hasn’t hit in 2 months beat me than a guy hitting .380 with 3 doubles already on the day.
I agree . But this pitcher was pretty much a strike thrower…. I’m glad it turned out for us!!
Just listened to Forbes… in the timeout , he thought they were going to walk Hull. He told Hull if he got anything close, to barrel it up! Cool story in that PC.
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No way I pitch to Hull . I am glad they did !
When they ran the count to 2-0 and neither pitch was close, I figured they were pitching around him to get to Nunez. Then he fouled the next one off after the mound conference and was shocked! Glad they did!
Was shocked they didn’t. Not sure they recognized who was on deck. Coaching error.
Never get beat by the 1 guy that can beat you. It’s like the pitcher getting beat with his 2-3rd pitch.
My exact words were “This is Diabolical if they pitch to Hull here with Nunez on deck”
I would’ve thought they were insane to pitch to Hull even if Winslow was on deck. With Nunez on deck who hasn’t played much, I thought they were hilariously stupid to let Hull beat them.
I would’ve thought they were insane to pitch to Hull even if Winslow was on deck. With Nunez on deck who hasn’t played much, I thought they were hilariously stupid to let Hull beat them.
Pitching to Hull given Nunez’ past month is just bad coaching. Thank goodness.
You're right, not sure why the outfield was playing so shallow. I told my son that we have a chance if someone hits a good ball. Didn't understand the USC's coaching strategy there.
Huh? You have to give yourself a chance to throw the guy out on a ground ball/line drive through the infield…
No brainer to walk him in that situation.
Wild pitch or a Balk sends the guy from 3rd home anyway. Don’t understand your point
I don't know too many managers that would voluntarily move the winning run to third base. Too many wild pitches or passed balls in college baseball.
And you have to keep the outfielders shallow in order to prevent the man on second from going home. Play 'em deep and any single scores the winning run. There are far more singles in baseball than doubles!
One of the great things about baseball is you can play the averages and still lose! You can go against them and still win!
And you have to keep the outfielders shallow in order to prevent the man on second from going home. Play 'em deep and any single scores the winning run. There are far more singles in baseball than doubles!
One of the great things about baseball is you can play the averages and still lose! You can go against them and still win!
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Well to be technical, Nunez may have been on deck, but had not been announced at the plate. Who else that may have pinch hitted, I don't know. But it didn't have to be Nunez.
The outfield was in because you have to be able to throw out the runner on second at the plate.
Hull is more likely to get a hit than any option we have is to get on base.
My only guess is they were spooked by the non-competitive walk to Gallaher and didn’t trust the guy to find the zone without walking him.
The way things were going for them, the odds of the winning run scoring from 3rd were pretty high (wild pitch, HBP, walk)
Well i think he did not walk him for a couple of reasons? 1 they had threw a wild pitch last inning but fortunately for them we only had a runner on second, 2 they had already issued two walks in the inning and he probably didn't want to get beat with a walk off wild pitch or walk and even a infield single beats you with a runner on third. It's just not as simple as walking him but with all that said I am walking Hull if I am coaching USC.
I think it’s a good debate. I think coaches make decisions based on what they can live with. While devastated I’m sure, their HC can live with getting beat by a double in the gap by a really good player who makes an out 62% of the time. What coaches can’t live with is losing on a walk, balk, WP, pass ball, swinging bunt, error, HBP, or catcher’s interference when you intentionally put the runner at 3rd. My guess is mathematically there is more of a chance of 1 of those things happening than a base hit.
Again, really good debate and I see both sides of it.
Again, really good debate and I see both sides of it.
Agreed. On the surface, it looks foolish to pitch to Hull, but then you think about all those scenarios you mentioned. It's definitely not a cut and dry decision. I'd say the percentages tell you the coach did the right thing. Just didn't work out for them.
Can definitely see both sides of the argument though.
Yes. They had a new pitcher in from the one that threw a wild pitch and had a 3-0 count on French. They had a strike thrower in the game. To weigh the options of Nunez getting a hit vs his pitcher walking someone and throwing a wild pitch were his choices. His pitcher had just thrown 3 straight strikes from a 3-0 count. I know what i would have done.
This was a different pitcher than the one that threw a wild pitch, walked Cooper , and went 3-0 on French. They brought this picture in in a 3-0 count and he threw 3 straight strikes to French. So you weigh him all of a sudden throwing a wild pitch , or walking Nunez vs pitching to Hull. I’m just glad they pitched to Owen , because that is not what I would have done.
I hear you and I agree it’s a good debate. I also agree it comes down to how you can best sleep at night. If I was USC and Nunez beat me I would be able to sleep. I would have a hard time sleeping knowing that Hull beat me with his 4th double of the game with Nunez on deck.
We were saying the same thing in Game 1 about pulling Lynch. It’s baseball
Didn't he walk Gallaher on 5 pitches just before Hull came to the plate? I don't know what analytics says about it, but if a coach/manager of a team I rooted called an intentional walk to move the winning run from second to third base, I would be extremely upset. There are too many ways for a team to get a runner home from third. Even the best hitters make far more outs than hits.
The timeout called at 2-0 by Forbes, he told Hull they were walking him, and if he got anything close, to hammer it. Pitching with respect to Gavin is a Whole lot different than pitching to a player that hasn’t had an AB in a month. I’m glad they gave Hull something he could reach.