GT @ VT (Castrated Turkeys)

[GTNavyNuke]

Let's just go win the series today. Our pitching and their pitching are weakness on weakness. Kind of ironic that we beat their ace starter and they beat our ace reliever. I guess it's baseball.

What really sucks is VT had three errors to our none. I think that stat alone had the error team losing 99+% of the time.

I missed most of the game after we went down 0-3 and then had to watch GameTracker surreptitiously with company in the 8th and ninth. Quite a disappointment but life goes on. That is the first time this year we have not won when taking a lead in the ninth...... the "streak" of winning when we are ahead going into the ninth remains since we were tied going into the ninth.

We "need" this win today to remain on track for the play in to the ACC (position 7-10) ....... VT may be in that position too.

I hope to be able to catch the last part of the game today, chores and preparing for more company await. (We have a wedding rehearsal lunch at our house in two weeks and I'm just in the mode of doing what I'm asked. All the usual Spring jobs have to be done by then ..... my wife has made clear my priorities Now off to power wash some decks....)

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Great time to check in - GT 7-3 T 5th. Gold 72 - 45 strikes (63%) after 4. He may only go another 2 ....?

Beautiful day here in Va will be even better if the gobblers go down!

Update: VT only scored in 3rd. Out, walk, double, 3 singles and then two outs (pop up, SO). Lucky they only got 3 leaving two on with one out!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Our 2nd inning had 5 runs ......

single, single, fly out, single, single, walk, double GO, SO. 5 hits in an inning. Amazingly VT hasn't been charged with and error; yet.

Still 7-3 to B of 6th. Gold up to 92 pitches so he may not make it through the inning ..... but pitching well with 12 - 9 (75%) strikes and one out in inning...... first hitter got a single after 7 pitches ..... to set up DP (I hope).

 

[GTNavyNuke]

****. 3 ground balls in inning all get through. 7-6 and Gold is knocked out. 114-73, 64% strikes. But they got a bunch of good hits in the 6th so far (2 outs man 1st and third).

Gorst in. 2 pitches and go to 7th. We need some runs since 7-6 is too close!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

T-9th; 7-6. Pabst on after VT error, you just knew it would happen. We may not win, but we are the better team.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

GT wins 7-6. Gorst pitches fabulous in last 3.1.

We have relievers, just need the starters ...... we were 1 strike away from a sweep. Damn. But I'll take the series win.

 

[McCamish Maniacs]

Needed that win

 

[GTech63]

Baseball a funny game. We beat their best pitcher as a pitcher and he beat us a hitter. ( I think I got that right)

 

[MWBATL]

Hard to know what to make of our team. Truth is, we are only marginally better than VPI&SU. I say that because entering the 8th inning, all three games this past weekend were one run affairs (or were tied). After the top 3 teams in the league, the ACC is a bunched up mess.

Realistically, we are a good, but certainly not great team. Our hitting has been atrocious in "man on 3rd with less than 2 outs". Seems like we have been worse than 50% in the last 10 games or so at scoring in those situations. (On the other hand, we have gotten some 2 out hits to make up for that at a higher rate than one would expect.) But in general, I haven't been blown away by our hitting in key situations.

Our starting pitching is just average. Our Saturday started (imho) has not been ACC level most of the year and the fact that we have not moved someone else into that spot probably is the most damning thing anyone can say about our starting pitching. Our relief pitching is not bad. Not many colleges have a Kimbrel type thrower at this level, and we don't either, but we have guys who seem to succeed pretty often in Gorst and Ryan.

Defensively, we are superb. Folks have learned simply not to run on Gonzo and on Pabst (but they can run all day on some of our pitchers).

In truth, once you get past the top 15 or so programs, the next 60 or so teams are all in one big lump, imho. (Rather like the current ACC standings.)

My best guess for this team is now that we will go to the ACC Tournament (still in the running for a Top 5 finish as well) but that we will wind up being a low 2 or high 3 seed for the NCAA's, go somewhere else for the Regional (likely an excellent SEC school like Florida or Vandy) will compete but fall short against the top seed there. Juts like the last few years, in fact.

Fundamentally, it is still (and always has been) pitching that has limited the GT program, imho. Don't understand why we can't get really top notch hurlers here at Tech.

 

[GTech63]

.............................Fundamentally, it is still (and always has been) pitching that has limited the GT program, imho. Don't understand why we can't get really top notch hurlers here at Tech.

How long has our pitching coach been here? Do our pitchers get better? I know this year it seems they can't throw strikes and hit a lot of batters. Walks have been a killer this year.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

How long has our pitching coach been here? Do our pitchers get better? I know this year it seems they can't throw strikes and hit a lot of batters. Walks have been a killer this year.

Yes our pitchers get a lot better as they are coached. We had 4 pitchers drafted last year (2014). 2 in 2013; 2 in 2012 and 4 in 2011. I don't think it is failure of the coaches to develop what we get (an opinion). http://www.thebaseballcube.com/draft/research.asp?Y1=&Y2=&R=&RS==&Ov=&Ovs==&T=&Player=&School=georgia tech&Pos=&HL=&Region=&P=June-Reg&CT=&Bonus=0&Signed=&Active=&Source=&Bats=&Throws=&Sort=

I don't think we are going to have any GT pitchers drafted this year. Maybe King as a Jr, but it will be low. But we have lots of Fr and So pitchers coming up ..... http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/geot-m-basebl-mtt.html

We need to get better pitchers to GT and that means going out of state. I don't think UGAg, Ga Southern, Ga State, Kennesaw State, Mercer do any better ...... but there is a lot of dilution by so many good programs in Georgia.

I don't know what is going to happen. I hope that we keep getting better - King and Gold are serviceable starters and give us a chance most teams (not much of a chance against <2 ERA ACC/SEC pitchers). It's Saturday that is dismal. Maybe Pitts gets his control back which is what Hall is betting on. Mid-week should continue to be developmental and doesn't really matter much now for standings ..... we have to do well in the ACC.

I think our pitchers are throwing more strikes as the year goes on. I'd have to go back and look, but for most games I look at the % strikes. It seems we've gone from the upper 50% to lower to mid 60%. But I may just be feeling good since we took a series this weekend, but I think we are getting better.

Pitching will limit us in the ACC tourney, especially if we have to play in. And pitching will limit us in regionals. But it is what it is. I don't think bad of any of the players; you can only do what you can do and they have given a lot to get where they are. Pitts and Stanton with surgeries and rehab, etc. They are all working hard.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

A measure of our average pitching is team WHIP (Walk Hit Inning Pitched). We are 148th out of 295 at 1.47. http://stats.ncaa.org/rankings?sport_code=MBA&division=1

Our ERA @ 122nd is better since we have a good defense.

But then I went and looked at our WHIP on 3/5/2015. It was better at 1.34; but the quality of opponents has increased too .........