Who should start tomorrow?

[bulldogcountry1]

The easy answer is the start Pilk, but he threw 100 pitches on Thursday and Small has a blister on his hand. That would be only 4 full days of rest for Pilk, and he's been laboring of late. We are a lock for a regional, so we aren't playing for our postseason lives like we were expecting this time last week. We have a chance to roll the dice a bit and set ourselves up for possibly a 2 seed relatively close. I say we start J.P. France. He had success against LSU when at Tulane. If we pull off a win, then we are set up well with Pilk and Small on an extra day of rest and closer to their normal routines. The reemergence of Self gives us some breathing room in the pen where we won't be thin if we burn France in game 1.

If not France, start Billingsley. He only pitched 48 pitches Saturday and pitched well against LSU in the regular season.

 

[MSUDC11]

It will be Pilk, which is exactly what we did last year. He threw 107 pitches in a Thursday game against LSU and then came back and pitched 8 innings against UGA the following Tuesday.

 

[GhostOfJackie]

I don't think you get Pilkington out of his routine and throw him on a 4 day rest. Yes, he could do it, but I don't think it's worth risking this in an SEC tournament game that really doesn't matter in the long run. Throw him either Wednesday of Thursday and rest him until the next weekend.

A combination of Self and France should be able to get you through 7 innings, with Smith or Gordon on the back end. Small doesn't need to see the field in Hoover unless he's 100%. I would love to make a deep run in Hoover, but our postseason hopes are no longer depending on it.

 

[patdog]

Ordinarily, I wouldn't mind starting a pitcher on 4 days rest. But that wasn't an easy 102 pitches Pilkington threw on Thursday, and he's been struggling a little for the last month. Go with France and then get some innings for guys who haven't pitched much lately. We may need those guys in a regional. The SEC tournament is just an exhibition for us now anyway, so no need to treat it as anything else.

 

[MSUDC11]

You can theorize all you want about what we should do, and I’m not sure I even disagree, but I’m 99% sure Pilk is starting tomorrow.

 

[thekimmer]

Good question. This is such a weird week with the potential of playing 5-6 games in 5 days. We no longer have work to do to get a bid. On the other hand LUS is playing for their post-season lives and I'd love to see us deliver a knockout punch to them. Plus we still can improve our seeding in a regional. What I think I'd do is start pilk but limit him to a low pitch count, like say 60 pitches, then take our chances with a reliever no matter the situation. Then if we can still get by LUS and stay in the tourney Pilk could potentially give us a couple of innings on Sunday and not have to pitch again until next Friday.

 

[Bulldogg31]

Pilk, then Small, then throw 'em all.

 

[johnson86-1]

Ordinarily, I wouldn't mind starting a pitcher on 4 days rest. But that wasn't an easy 102 pitches Pilkington threw on Thursday, and he's been struggling a little for the last month. Go with France and then get some innings for guys who haven't pitched much lately. We may need those guys in a regional. The SEC tournament is just an exhibition for us now anyway, so no need to treat it as anything else.

What is the approach that will have Pilk sharp for regionals. It's been a while since he's been on.

If we pitch him on 4 days rest, that will give him 9 days rest before the regional. That seems like it would keep him somewhat in rhythm, but also give him a few extra days of rest. Not sure if the extra rest is offset by going on 4 days rest before it.

If we don't pitch him on Tuesday and we don't win, Pilk will go 15 days without pitching before the regional. Is that good rest that will maybe help him get back to his earlier season form? Or is that long enough that you worry about him being out of rhythm?

If we don't pitch him on Tuesday and we win, Pilk will get 5 or 6 days rest (depending on whether we go ahead with him on Wednesday or roll the dice again on wednesday and win), and then have 8 or 7 days rest. That would keep him pretty close to his rhythm throughout the season, but then he's not really getting any extra rest. If fatigue is what explains his last month, then I think this is probably the worst approach?