ACC Tournament Play

[first&ten]

Runners in scoring position, Tech batters taking pitches for strikes! Swing the bats for crying out loud!! we are not going to get that many chances against the u !!!

 

[MWBATL]

Two quick comments.....

Very proud of the guys in the 4-0 loss to Miami. Yes, it's a loss, but it is respectable, and we finally got some pitching. I just don't want to be blown out like last year.....

Since so many of our guys duo better in relief, I vote we start Shelton Tanner, and let him pitch to two batters. If EITHER of them reach, pull him (in other words, have someone already warmed up and ready to go)....only if he gets both out would I allow him to pitch. Then we can bring in any of the other guys and get better work from them in relief. (OK, so that was t-i-c)

 

[bensaysitathome]

Zac gets the start today.

 

[Squints]

I'd actually be totally fine with more or less punting the next two games and using them as tune-ups or tryouts for who pitches in the regionals.

 

[FredJacket]

I'd actually be totally fine with more or less punting the next two games and using them as tune-ups or tryouts for who pitches in the regionals.

With eye on NCAA Tournament (& bigger picture), what's a preferred scenario:
A) UNC-like. No ACC Tourney. A week of rest & prep (Obviously assumes they make field). Doubt this was even possible for Tech. But UNC must be "special"
B) Duke-like. Lose play-in. Long rest & prep for NCAAs
C) Most likely scenario for GT. Play 4 consecutive days of this tournament. Gain experience. See if a pitcher or 2 emerge behind Gold & Gorst. Rest begins Fri around 11pm.
D) Memorial Day Weekend Miracle. Win our way to play Sunday. That's 5 games in 6 days. Start to enter discussion to host a regional?? Rest begins Sun around 4pm.

I want to win every game, so if there is a smarter big picture scenario, I can't think that way.

 

[Squints]

With eye on NCAA Tournament (& bigger picture), what's a preferred scenario:
A) UNC-like. No ACC Tourney. A week of rest & prep (Obviously assumes they make field). Doubt this was even possible for Tech. But UNC must be "special"
B) Duke-like. Lose play-in. Long rest & prep for NCAAs
C) Most likely scenario for GT. Play 4 consecutive days of this tournament. Gain experience. See if a pitcher or 2 emerge behind Gold & Gorst. Rest begins Fri around 11pm.
D) Memorial Day Weekend Miracle. Win our way to play Sunday. That's 5 games in 6 days. Start to enter discussion to host a regional?? Rest begins Sun around 4pm.

I want to win every game, so if there is a smarter big picture scenario, I can't think that way.

Don't get me wrong I'd love to win the thing. I'm just saying I could live with it if we did what I suggested. When strictly discussing the NCAA tournament I think C and D are the ideal scenarios. I like the extra games to get reps and stay in rhythm. Long layoffs could mess with timing.

Admittedly, there's also a bit of cynicism in my thought process. We've won the conference tournament two of the last four years and yet some around here will have you believe that we never win anything, we always peak in March, we're a constant disappointment, etc. So if winning the ACC tournament apparently doesn't mean all that much (even though losing obviusly means we're an embarrassment and the program is a dumpster fire) then why bother going all out for it?

 

[FredJacket]

Ok. I'm declaring this a "due factor" game. FSU can't possibly win 4 in a row against the mighty YELLOW JACKETS!!!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Maybe we should start the games in the second inning. Or at least convince our pitchers of that. Down 0-2 going to B1.

Justus just had a fabulous 10 pitch at bat ending in a single. That is what we need to - get the starter out early. Now 1st and 3rd for GT with one out. We are starting off better than we did yesterday. But it sucks to get home and find us down

Update: Kel hits to warning track and we get an RBI. 1-2. Like I said, better today than yesterday.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Not the day for the home team down 1-4. We have left 3 on third base. In third with 1 out and runners on 1st & 3rd, Kel hits into a DP. Oh well. We are getting the hits and runners, just not scoring.

Zac hung up a pitch that was hit for a 2R HR. Otherwise Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?

 

[OldJacketFan]

6-1 final 0-2 in pool play

 

[awbuzz]

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Good pitching usually beats good hitting. WREK is talking about how well we hit all year. That's true against mediocre pitching (21 against Savannah State) and we, like everyone else, struggles against elite pitching. That is the college game especially.

We should have gotten more runs for our hits; but played ok for us and FSU played ok for them. The better team won today.

Fortunately, tomorrow we play NCState who is also out of the tourney championship. And isn't as good (in my opinion) as either Miami or FSU. So I sort of expect us to win tomorrow and get to the 2 wins I predicted.

Either way, I believe we are in the NCAAs. Probably 2 seed and maybe 3 seed. We shouldn't go deep in the NCAAs without deep pitching, but being there is better than not being there.

 

[65Jacket]

I really got pissed in the first inning. We made two plays that flunked Little League 101. First, for about the 10th time this season we hit a batter with a 0-2 pitch. Why are we throwing inside on a sucker pitch? Fish him on the outside. Heck,if I am down 0-2 in the count, I'll take one for the team. Second, with men on first and third with one out, they run the guy on first, and delay steal with the guy on third. Pabst throws to second, the runner from first stops, and we get him in a rundown while the runner on third scores. Stupid baseball! We are down 2-0 and should have been 0-0.
I am not taking bets on making the NCAA.

 

[FredJacket]

I was remiss in my scenario question. Should have added....

Or E) 2015 UVA-like. Win play in game. Proceed to lose ALL 3 pool play games before going on to win it ALL in Omaha.

1 run in last 54 outs. GT Pitching > GT Offense so far.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

With eye on NCAA Tournament (& bigger picture), what's a preferred scenario:
A) UNC-like. No ACC Tourney. A week of rest & prep (Obviously assumes they make field). Doubt this was even possible for Tech. But UNC must be "special"
B) Duke-like. Lose play-in. Long rest & prep for NCAAs
C) Most likely scenario for GT. Play 4 consecutive days of this tournament. Gain experience. See if a pitcher or 2 emerge behind Gold & Gorst. Rest begins Fri around 11pm.
D) Memorial Day Weekend Miracle. Win our way to play Sunday. That's 5 games in 6 days. Start to enter discussion to host a regional?? Rest begins Sun around 4pm.

I want to win every game, so if there is a smarter big picture scenario, I can't think that way.

UNC is "special". They have a 16 RPI. http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/rpi/currentrpi.html No team has ever been left out of the NCAAs with that high an RPI is what I have heard. But to put UNC in would mean passing over teams that were better in the ACC (including us who beat them at UNC 2-1). I think BC doesn't make it and UNC and the other 9 ACC tournament teams do make it. The ACC is the top conference in baseball, not the SEC this year. We'll get 10 of 64 bids. And GT is easily in the top 10 of the ACC no matter how you look at it. Like I said for the ACC tourney when we won the first BC game, everyone (not you) just need to take a deep breath. We are in the NCAAs most likely (>90% even if we lose tomorrow).

I think D) is the preferred scenario. Or E) to win the NCAAs (if I can stop laughing). Win the ACC or come close but then bomb in the NCAAs was the preferred "reasonable" scenario. Of course it won't happen with the loss today. I think we have a <5% chance to make it to the CWS given our pitching depth. But playing is giving the Fr and players who will return great experience. Plus playing is always better than not playing ......

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I'd actually be totally fine with more or less punting the next two games and using them as tune-ups or tryouts for who pitches in the regionals.

Regionals??????

 

[Squints]

Regionals??????

That's what I said. Regionals.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Regionals??????

We are going to the regionals, just not hosting them.

Anyway, NC State was lucky in the first two innings against Miami tonight. Walked 5 batters in two innings and gave up no runs. NC State's luck ran out in the third (another walk) and they are down two.

I expect a match-up of the un-victorious tomorrow......

 

[FredJacket]

UNC is "special". They have a 16 RPI. http://www.boydsworld.com/baseball/rpi/currentrpi.html No team has ever been left out of the NCAAs with that high an RPI is what I have heard. But to put UNC in would mean passing over teams that were better in the ACC (including us who beat them at UNC 2-1). I think BC doesn't make it and UNC and the other 9 ACC tournament teams do make it. The ACC is the top conference in baseball, not the SEC this year. We'll get 10 of 64 bids. And GT is easily in the top 10 of the ACC no matter how you look at it. Like I said for the ACC tourney when we won the first BC game, everyone (not you) just need to take a deep breath. We are in the NCAAs most likely (>90% even if we lose tomorrow).

I think D) is the preferred scenario. Or E) to win the NCAAs (if I can stop laughing). Win the ACC or come close but then bomb in the NCAAs was the preferred "reasonable" scenario. Of course it won't happen with the loss today. I think we have a <5% chance to make it to the CWS given our pitching depth. But playing is giving the Fr and players who will return great experience. Plus playing is always better than not playing ......

Agree with all that. The UNC or BC thing will be interesting. BC has a decent resume. Won series v LOU, UVA & NCST... & GT

 

[GTNavyNuke]

........Anyway, NC State was lucky in the first two innings against Miami tonight. Walked 5 batters in two innings and gave up no runs. NC State's luck ran out in the third (another walk) and they are down two.

I expect a match-up of the un-victorious tomorrow......

Wow what a game, I listened to part of it. Miami scored 3 in T9 to win by one. Other than the HRs, the big difference was NC State walked 9 batters the whole game to Miami's zero! The 3 R HR in the 9th included a batter who had been walked.

Not only does speed kills, but walks kill.

NC State used 6 pitchers and have lost their first two in close matches. Tonight is our best chance in the pool play (in my opinion).