Opening Weekend - BYU/ Marshall / Western Michigan

[RoosterJacket]

It is a talented group that could be an excellent staff as almost all of them showed flashes last year. They just need to be more consistent this year and pound the zone more.

Nailed it

 

[THWG]

It also seems to me that we have one pitcher in the pen have a breakout year every year (Ryan 2 years ago and Gorst last year). I think that Carpenter will break out this year because his stuff is so electric and maybe he learned to trust it this offseason. I could easily see him taking over the closer role if he can locate his nasty slider better this year. Who do y'all think will be the breakout pitcher this year?

 

[MWBATL]

AsI have posted before, King is on a 50 pitch count and will not be starting.I don't know if this is a short term thing or for the season. I'm leaning for the later.

Wow...so King will be held to a 50 pitch count all season? Makes him a reliever then, eh?

We're kinda short of proven starters. (That's sarcasm, in case it was unclear.)

 

[MWBATL]

Interestingly enough, NC State plays @ Hawaii this weekend. Pretty good road trip for the Wolfpack baseball team.

I saw Hawai'i was on TV yesterday against UC-Irvine...was wondering how they got to start the season early?

 

[MWBATL]

I saw Hawai'i was on TV yesterday against UC-Irvine...was wondering how they got to start the season early?

Never mind...must have been replaying a prior year's game or something...or maybe it was exhibition (do they do that in baseball?)...it is not listed on Hawai'i's official schedule.

 

[FredJacket]

Less than two days ...... really ...... "Tech could have a logjam on the mound with a talented group featuring ....." I understand optimism but this is close to irrational exuberance. Given our team ERA last year, it's better to let results talk for themselves.

http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/021517aad.html

I agree with you @GTNavyNuke. This is definitely your Rah, Rah... internal optimism. But far be it from me... to criticize optimism. We'll see how it plays out. I think most of us will remain cautiously optimistic hoping against hope 2 big things happen: 1) No MORE destruction to our arms (please, Lord); and 2) A few guys really do have breakout years on the hill. Funny.... we are all taking for granted the team will score runs and defend well.

Ok... my big question for today. What do we/I read into starting a true freshman on opening day? It seems to me, this is a sign that Curry has REALLY impressed. The Friday (and Opening Day) starter is "the guy" who you have the most confidence in to get the job done to take pressure of the rest of the staff/team for the weekend. That's the approach in college ball for a weekend 3-game set, right? I guess other factors could come into play based on more subjective criteria like...your Sat guy may be the best pitcher; but for some reason you aren't comfortable putting him in on a Friday night (i.e. his highest likelihood of success is pitching on Sat). Another possibility....you're just not sure the best rotation of starters (no clear #1) for a weekend and this is your 1st iteration of experimenting/tinkering with that.

Regardless... having Curry excel on the mound would be HUGE for this team. Go JACKETS!!!!

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I'll try and be more optimistic this morning. After all it will be great weather tomorrow and we have played better in warmer weather. One good thing about global warming.

It is a talented group that could be an excellent staff as almost all of them showed flashes last year. They just need to be more consistent this year and pound the zone more.

I agree 100%. We have the players to get the team ERA into the low 3's. But will we? Aaaaahhhhh, that's what's fun about the beginning of the season. We're undefeated.

It also seems to me that we have one pitcher in the pen have a breakout year every year (Ryan 2 years ago and Gorst last year). I think that Carpenter will break out this year because his stuff is so electric and maybe he learned to trust it this offseason. I could easily see him taking over the closer role if he can locate his nasty slider better this year. Who do y'all think will be the breakout pitcher this year?

From names not mentioned much, I think Datoc will break out. That's because King mentioned Curry, Hughes, Ryan and Datoc. The first three are more expected. Technically since Curry and Hughes don't have much experience, they could be called breakout too I guess.

I agree with the article that Ryan in the middle reliever position will be one of the most important pitchers. In my mind as important as a starter since I don't expect more than 6 or 7 innings from any of our starters especially early in the season. So we'll probably need more than one middle reliever. But we have the numbers to select from.

I guess that's what worries me the most - not having the complete game or 7 to 8 inning starters on the radar screen. Gold became one but seems to be very much the exception in so many ways. Does that make sense to others?

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I agree with you @GTNavyNuke. This is definitely your Rah, Rah... internal optimism. But far be it from me... to criticize optimism. We'll see how it plays out. I think most of us will remain cautiously optimistic hoping against hope 2 big things happen: 1) No MORE destruction to our arms (please, Lord); and 2) A few guys really do have breakout years on the hill. Funny.... we are all taking for granted the team will score runs and defend well.

Ok... my big question for today. What do we/I read into starting a true freshman on opening day? It seems to me, this is a sign that Curry has REALLY impressed. The Friday (and Opening Day) starter is "the guy" who you have the most confidence in to get the job done to take pressure of the rest of the staff/team for the weekend. That's the approach in college ball for a weekend 3-game set, right? I guess other factors could come into play based on more subjective criteria like...your Sat guy may be the best pitcher; but for some reason you aren't comfortable putting him in on a Friday night (i.e. his highest likelihood of success is pitching on Sat). Another possibility....you're just not sure the best rotation of starters (no clear #1) for a weekend and this is your 1st iteration of experimenting/tinkering with that.

Regardless... having Curry excel on the mound would be HUGE for this team. Go JACKETS!!!!

A freshman starting on opening day for the first time for GT since 1995?

What you say makes sense. What I make of that is he is the best available by some margin. And that includes being better than Hughes. BYU is the best of the three teams we play so I think Hall is putting our best out there. Plus it seems conventionally from most teams, you want to start a rotation you want your best pitcher on Friday, then Sunday, then Saturday and finally mid-week (correct me if it's some other way around).

In a perfect world, a senior like King would start.

 

[65Jacket]

Would it be possible that with Curry pitching on Friday,he would be able to go at SS thenext to games? I have been told that Ryan will be the closer. Has there been a recent change, I doubt it?

 

[OldJacketFan]

Would it be possible that with Curry pitching on Friday,he would be able to go at SS thenext to games? I have been told that Ryan will be the closer. Has there been a recent change, I doubt it?

Don't see why not unless DH wants him exclusively as a pitcher.

 

[RoosterJacket]

My guess is Curry was the most consistent in the fall and now. We all agree that was our problem last year--outside of Gold and Gorst, we had nobody we knew each time they hit he mound, they would 1) throw strikes and 2) not get completely rocked. Curry likely has looked the best with his command and I'm sure CDH is looking for that most of all.

With Hughes coming back from injury, regardless of how he's looked this far, I'm sure there is a little concern on arm strength and fatigue. Then, the next available guys all had opportunities last year to seize a starting role and couldn't do it-pitching them Sunday or mid-week sets them up for the most success going forward.

Good question on Curry playing SS; but I would almost think it would be better for him to play SS before he pitches rather than put him out there after he potentially pitched 5-7 innings the day before.

 

[FredJacket]

I cannot see any scenario where Curry plays at all on Saturday if he pitches even only a few innings on Fri. If Curry turns around and plays SS on Saturday.... perhaps we can begin to see evidence the pitching injuries are less a fluke/bad luck than whacky decisions regarding protecting the arms. I'm not an expert/doctor; but assuming he'd pitch more than a handful of innings, seems more recovery on the use of that arm would be a necessity (i.e. no throwing on Sat). Any pitching/arm experts out there disagree with that?

 

[OldJacketFan]

I cannot see any scenario where Curry plays at all on Saturday if he pitches even only a few innings on Fri. If Curry turns around and plays SS on Saturday.... perhaps we can begin to see evidence the pitching injuries are less a fluke/bad luck than whacky decisions regarding protecting the arms. I'm not an expert/doctor; but assuming he'd pitch more than a handful of innings, seems more recovery on the use of that arm would be a necessity (i.e. no throwing on Sat). Any pitching/arm experts out there disagree with that?

It's a little different I know, but when I was coaching 13-14 yrs olds it wasn't at all unusual for me to pitch a guy one day and turn around and him in the field the next day. This was particularly true in a round robin on the weekends. I have always used pitch counts long before that became in vogue with younger players so I rarely, if ever, hesitated running a player back out the next day. My own philosophy was my best arms were at short, center and right. Most of the time that coincided with my pitchers strengths.

 

[THWG]

I cannot see any scenario where Curry plays at all on Saturday if he pitches even only a few innings on Fri. If Curry turns around and plays SS on Saturday.... perhaps we can begin to see evidence the pitching injuries are less a fluke/bad luck than whacky decisions regarding protecting the arms. I'm not an expert/doctor; but assuming he'd pitch more than a handful of innings, seems more recovery on the use of that arm would be a necessity (i.e. no throwing on Sat). Any pitching/arm experts out there disagree with that?

I believe that Hall said that he is going to use Curry like he did Gold last year. So I expect to see Curry pinch hitting and maybe only playing the field during midweek games.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

...... I have been told that Ryan will be the closer. Has there been a recent change, I doubt it?

From the article, here's why I think Ryan is a "middle reliever":

"“You’ll probably see Ryan being more the way we used Gorst down the stretch last year in that he won’t just pitch in the ninth inning,” Hall said. “He may throw in the eighth inning or the seventh inning. If the game looks like it’s kind of hanging in the balance early, he could be in that game early. Then we’ll use Micah Carpenter or Jared Datoc, somebody like that, to close the next day if we have to pitch Zac more than one inning.”

 

[RoosterJacket]

From the article, here's why I think Ryan is a "middle reliever":

"“You’ll probably see Ryan being more the way we used Gorst down the stretch last year in that he won’t just pitch in the ninth inning,” Hall said. “He may throw in the eighth inning or the seventh inning. If the game looks like it’s kind of hanging in the balance early, he could be in that game early. Then we’ll use Micah Carpenter or Jared Datoc, somebody like that, to close the next day if we have to pitch Zac more than one inning.”

I think that just re-emphasizes that Ryan is the closer. Datoc and Carpenter may get a few saves, but Ryan is the go-to closer.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Kel hits a two run HR that hits Brock! Up 5-0. How far was that hit?

Xavion 5 innings and no hits. Don't know his stats but they were good.

Jake Lee comes in and gives up two runs. 5-2 Balls.

 

[OldJacketFan]

Looks like Jake settled down after the bomb.

 

[OldJacketFan]

X Curry, 5 ip, 5 hits 1 BB 0 Runs 5 Ks. Not too shabby

 

[OldJacketFan]

Datoc in, 2 down in the 7th