Is today a must-win? Is it all-hands-on-deck?

[Bulldogg31]

I think to have any chance of winning this bracket we have to stay on the winners side. If we lose today we’ll have to win three games in three days, then almost immediately start a championship series.

In my mind today is almost all-or-nothing, but who knows.

 

[stateu1]

I agree. We could lose and come back, but it would be very unlikely.

 

[MSUDC11]

I have a really tough time envisioning us winning it all if we lose today. We MAYBE could come back through the losers bracket and get to the championship, but our pitching would be totally spent for the title series.

Today is the most important game of our season so far. Win today and we only need one more win to get to the title series, lose and we will have to win three game in the next three days.

 

[Shamoan]

Lead off man getting on is critical every inning. If it starts in the lower 1/3 of the zone, we need to stay off and if he paints a corner, so be it.

 

[jack daniels dog]

As much as it pains me to say it, yes. Lose today and the chances of winning it all drop to next to none. The rain out was devastating to our side of the bracket. We have got to figure out a way to win this one today.

 

[Arthur2478]

The winner of today's game is going to win the National Title. It is THAT important!

 

[Bulldogg31]

It wasn’t talked about much but it’s a huge advantage to be on the Game 1 side of the bracket (Michigan, Arky, etc). Since Michigan won on Saturday and Monday, they don’t play again until Friday morning. If they win that one, they’re off another three days until Monday night for Game 1 of the Championship series. It basically lets you completely reset the pitching rotation in the middle of the tourney.

They could go:

Game 1 (Sat)- #1 Ace

Game 2 (Mon)- #2 Ace (2nd round draft pick)

Game 3 (Fri)- #1 Ace

Game 1 Finals (Mon) - #2 Ace

Game 2 Finals (Tues) - #1 Ace
on three days rest, or save him for

Game 2 Finals (Wed) - if needed


That’s a pretty big advantage.

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Talent wise, the two teams are very close. This game comes down to the mental aspect of the game and because we were here last year it should be tipped in our favor.

As Yogi Berra once said "Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical".

 

[patdog]

It's not that big of an advantage, unless rain pushes the winners bracket game of our side of the bracket to Wednesday. #1 can pitch Sun-Fri-Tue/Wed and #2 can pitch Tue-Mon. Really, Plumlee (or Kumar) could still come back and pitch on Monday. That's 4 days rest, which is a normal rotation in professional baseball. The only reason colleges give pitchers so much extra rest throughout the season is because the weekend games are so much more important than the midweek games.

 

[patdog]

The loser of today's game could still very well win the national title. But obviously, the winner has much better odds. I'd say roughly, winner - 55%, loser - 20%, winner of other bracket - 20%, Louisville/Auburn - 5%.

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

The loser of this game could still make the finals, but best case their pitching rotation will be totally 17'ed

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

If we lose today we’ll have to win three games in the next three days, then almost immediately start a championship series.

I added emphasis because it's worse than you stated. If we had played last night and lost, we still would have been required to win 3 games in 3 days. But we would have had today to rest. If we lose today, to advance to the championship series will require us to play 4 games in 4 days.

 

[Lettucexxxx]

Lead off man getting on is critical every inning. If it starts in the lower 1/3 of the zone, we need to stay off and if he paints a corner, so be it.

This.

When the leadoff guy gets on, we score at least one.....id say 80% of the time.

 

[patdog]

It certainly wouldn't be ideal, but there's a good chance the other team won't be in all that much better shape itself. I still think Texas Tech has a good chance of coming out from that side. In any case, if we lost today and then won with Ginn Thur, Small Fri and Smith Sat; we could go with Plumlee Mon, Ginn Tue and Small Wed, all on 4 days rest. That's really not too bad at all, other than having to beat Vandy on Sat with your #4 starter.

 

[maroonmania]

Absolutely its a must win. Lose today, and due to the schedule shift from the rain, you are going to basically have to sweep a 3 game set with Vandy/Louisville just to get to the championship series. That would mean Plumlee today, Ginn tomorrow, and then TBA on Friday and probably bring back Small on Saturday. That is just about a bridge too far against the caliber of competition we are facing on this side of the bracket. Today's game will be the most important we will play all season outside of games that would be played in the championship round (should we make it that far).

 

[msudawg12]

Its definitely all hands. The winners bracket and the extended schedule of the cws affords rest for pitchers.
Losers bracket, not so much...

 

[Go Budaw]

It’s no more “all hands on deck” than the Auburn game was. But yes, it’s extremely important. We should manage our pitching staff as if we are facing elimination.

 

[maroonmania]

As much as it pains me to say it, yes. Lose today and the chances of winning it all drop to next to none. The rain out was devastating to our side of the bracket. We have got to figure out a way to win this one today.

Exactly, if we lose today, even if we were to somehow make the championship round, Small would not be available to pitch in the championship round until maybe the 3rd game at best if it got to a 3rd game because we would be guaranteed to have to use him on Saturday just to make that round.

 

[Bulldogg31]

I just think it’s ok to have a short leash today with anyone who is giving up walks or having a hard time accommodating today’s umpire’s strike zone.

If today’s ump will give the bottom of the zone and an inch or two off the black then Peyton will be fine. If he forces Peyton to bring it up and closer to the middle we could be in for a rough one.

It’s a shame so much depends on the umpire’s daily interpretation of the strike zone but it is what it is. Ethan couldn’t have asked for a worse ump for his style.

 

[Fighting Irish.sixpack]

Yes it is!!!

If we lose, it will mean that we will have to win 4 games in 4 days to get to the championship series!!! NO WAY WE HAVE THE PITCHING TO DO THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[msstatelp1]

Technically no because we still have a path to the championship but in all practicality it is. Winning today gives us a huge advantage on Vandy and Louisville.