If that Dan McDonnell guy keeps at it...
- Thread starter Louisvillian
- Start date
I think you might be on to somethin. Im gonna keep my eye on 'em to see how it plays out.
This post was edited on 6/2 2:52 AM by had1- 2manyCardfan
This post was edited on 6/2 2:52 AM by had1- 2manyCardfan
Even on an off night UL was clearly better strategically than UK. McDonnell is a very savvy and intelligent coach who places his kids in an excellent position to be successful. I guarantee you Gardner will play better, and our pitching was amazing even with the pressure and nerves of playing a bitter rival. You could feel how much they wanted to beat UK, which can sometimes be a detriment.
Kudos to McDonnell and those kids, Sturgeons throw was just amazing, Rogers was so solid, Ray is a real gem.
Hopefully this gives them great confidence moving into the super.
Kudos to McDonnell and those kids, Sturgeons throw was just amazing, Rogers was so solid, Ray is a real gem.
Hopefully this gives them great confidence moving into the super.
And you know that had to fire Kansas up knowing that UKay was saving their Ace for Louisville. It was a move that backfired big time.
Let's be honest, the game last night was a beatdown. The Cards kept stranding runners in scoring position time after time and I've never seen a pitcher get bailed out as much as UK's freshman starter did. Granted, he battled but the Mildcats pitching other than Reed is a joke. That kid they put in to relieve the starter had an ERA of over 8.00! Are you kidding me?
All of that goes back to your point. It was a dumb move to not do everything in your power to win the 1st game. Henderson's fall back line when it backfired is that he was saving Reed for the Cards' 2 top hitting lefties Gardner and Sturgeon but let's call it what it really was...fear of the Bird!
How about him placing Zach Lucas in short right field, now that's scouting! Job well done Dan the Man!
McDonell definitely outmaneuvered the Cats with that shift strategy against Reed. Awesome gameplan coach!
This post was edited on 6/2 11:28 AM by Steelers2012
This post was edited on 6/2 11:28 AM by Steelers2012
Guys,
4-1 is no beatdown, its baseball. If you remember, I think it was the 5th inning, UK had 2 men on, ground ball to Whiting. Whiting was going to flip to 2nd base but the UK runner on 1st had taken off with the pitch. Whiting had to recock and throw to 1st. It was a tremendous throw but our 1st baseman was clearly off the bag but the umpire called him out. I think the score was 1-0 at the time. MLB replay would have overturned that call and who knows what would have happened. Like I said, its baseball.
4-1 is no beatdown, its baseball. If you remember, I think it was the 5th inning, UK had 2 men on, ground ball to Whiting. Whiting was going to flip to 2nd base but the UK runner on 1st had taken off with the pitch. Whiting had to recock and throw to 1st. It was a tremendous throw but our 1st baseman was clearly off the bag but the umpire called him out. I think the score was 1-0 at the time. MLB replay would have overturned that call and who knows what would have happened. Like I said, its baseball.
Yeah, beatdown was probably not the best word to describe what happened the other night but Louisville was clearly the superior team in that game. Other than Chitty's drop on the foul ball, the Cards were pretty much flawless in the field and pressured UK all night on the bases and at the plate. Meanwhile UK was sloppy as hell in the field and pretty weak offensively. Even the Lexington newspaper columnist said the the Cards were clearly the best team.
And if you wanna play the what if game you can easily say that if we just get a timely hit even once while stranding the 8 or 9 baserunners in the middle innings it would have become a laugher. As it was it was a big win with very little sweating for the Louisville faithful.
"And you know that had to fire Kansas up knowing that UKay
was saving their Ace for Louisville. It was a move that backfired big
time."
Hindsight can be easier than foresight, but deciding not to pitch Reed in the first game was a mistake, I think, in a variety of ways.
I think that a team psychologically starts to place more importance on one game versus another game. For U of K, I think it could overplay the potential match-up with U of L as well as minimize the importance of their first game. It also could have motivated Kansas. I think it could also work against a team at tournament time not to place the emphasis on the game at hand - to try to play each inning to their best ability.
McDonald seems to be very good at getting his teams to peak at the right time and play their best baseball at tournament time. U of K recently has had a lot of talent. They played well in the SEC tournament this year. Yet overall, they have not done well in the NCAA tournament and I don't think have gotten the most from their talent.
was saving their Ace for Louisville. It was a move that backfired big
time."
Hindsight can be easier than foresight, but deciding not to pitch Reed in the first game was a mistake, I think, in a variety of ways.
I think that a team psychologically starts to place more importance on one game versus another game. For U of K, I think it could overplay the potential match-up with U of L as well as minimize the importance of their first game. It also could have motivated Kansas. I think it could also work against a team at tournament time not to place the emphasis on the game at hand - to try to play each inning to their best ability.
McDonald seems to be very good at getting his teams to peak at the right time and play their best baseball at tournament time. U of K recently has had a lot of talent. They played well in the SEC tournament this year. Yet overall, they have not done well in the NCAA tournament and I don't think have gotten the most from their talent.
Does Reed's ball even make it to 90 MPH? I personally think we would have spanked Reed worse than that gritty and resourceful little lefty they threw against us.
And this Coach Mac fellow is actually not so bad. He even has a somewhat good pitching coach.
Is he lazy? Henderson, the UK leader, does his own pitchers, lol.
Is he lazy? Henderson, the UK leader, does his own pitchers, lol.
Kentucky is actually a pretty good baseball state. Playing there in the mid 80's we had plenty of kids that could hit and field. The problem was pitching we just didn't have those guys that were consistently in the 90's. Louisville, prior to the move from Parkway, couldn't pay a million dollars for a bunch a legit pitchers to come to there. A simple fly ball ended up being a homerun. Since the move and the new park they have a bunch a legit pitchers. Pitchers control the college game. As good as Mac is keeping Williams is just as important.
Considering where the program came from Mac my be the best hire Jurich has made. Give Jurich a ton of credit for building a great baseball park.
Considering where the program came from Mac my be the best hire Jurich has made. Give Jurich a ton of credit for building a great baseball park.