Presbyterian @ GT

[Squints]

I'd say that qualifies as a good game.

 

[awbuzz]

whooh pulled it out ... and after a rough week of Finals in classes to boot.

 

[AE 87]

I'd say that qualifies as a good game.

too good ... could've done without the 2nd

 

[GTNavyNuke]

It was a game that must have been exciting to listen to. I was out for the night (wedding again) and couldn't get the score till I got home. Glad I didn't hear we got down 0-8.

The obvious elephants in the room are:
1) Our team never gives up.
2) Our starting pitching is limited to two starters, so we are not going to go far in any tourney barring some divine intervention.

Pitts was awful - 6 ER in 1.0 innings. Gave up 3 HRs, in 33 pitches. So I guess I shouldn't ***** since Pitts did throw 60% strikes (tic).

Parr was better, 1 ER in 4.0 but with only 56% strikes (73-41), probably more lucky than good (AJ threw two out who Parr put on). Parr's 4 walks to 1 SO is not inspiring.

I saw Pabst didn't play either game .... hand still hurt or something else? We really need him back. AJ had another catcher's interference in the 2nd to give up an unearned run........ but then throws out runners in the third and fourth (to help Parr out a lot).

Spignola still out. Any word on him?

And Kel pulled for the second game. Hopefully he was at the Cheetah.

Our relievers (other than Parr) were pretty good yesterday. Phillips, 1.0 IP 0 ER,1 on base (hit). Gooden 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 on base (2 walk, 1 HBP) but 3 SO. And the Zac Attack - 2.0 IP, 0 ER and 71% strikes (28-20). We'll be ok in most games if we can be tied or ahead going to the 8th......

 

[Squints]

2) Our starting pitching is limited to two starters, so we are not going to go far in any tourney barring some divine intervention.

Or an offense that catches fire at the right time. Could be our only hope.

Let's get the sweep today.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Or an offense that catches fire at the right time. Could be our only hope.

Let's get the sweep today.

We should* get the sweep with Gold pitching and Presby having used five relievers in the two games yesterday. They have to be crushed from the second game and thrown their best relievers out there to try and stop us.

Our RPI has advanced another 12 ten-thousandths .... from .5743 to .5755 ..... we are now 27th in RPI. But with @Mercer (134th) and Pitt (186th) and UGAg (98th) to go before Miami (3rd), I think we will need to be undefeated until Miami to stay about here in RPI. It seems the increase in RPI from the win is about cancelled out by the decrease in RPI from lower SOS....... if any one has a link to the exact formula for how RPI is calculated (along with bonus points given or taken for beating good teams or losing to bad teams) I'd appreciate seeing it......

*Baseball is a funny game and "should" probably represents only about 65% confidence.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

OH MY GOD YOU DO NOT SACRIFICE BUNT DOWN BY FOUR WITH ONLY TWO INNINGS LEFT.

IT'S LIKE A RELIGION WITH THESE GUYS.

LOL. It all depends on how the D is playing and how good the bunter is. If a player has a 500 OBP when bunting, it's a very good move. Especially if the player also tends to hit ground balls into DPs. Remember, it's only a "sacrifice" bunt if the player fails to get on. Otherwise it's an in field hit ..... I'm going to post a book chapter write-up I started a few weeks ago.

I assume you were talking about Justus in the 8th where we had two on and no outs? He ended up striking out .....

 

[GTNavyNuke]

AJ 2 run HR off the light tower.

Gold ok in T1. Threw an extra pitch in a 4 pitch inning. All strikes.

Kel Got a HR. (Cheetah power?)

3-0 B1
Announcers said Kel's HR was as high as the Bank of America building....

Pabst is back too Spignola not

 

[Squints]

LOL. It all depends on how the D is playing and how good the bunter is. If a player has a 500 OBP when bunting, it's a very good move. Especially if the player also tends to hit ground balls into DPs. Remember, it's only a "sacrifice" bunt if the player fails to get on. Otherwise it's an in field hit ..... I'm going to post a book chapter write-up I started a few weeks ago.

You're talking about "The Book" right? I've read it a couple of times. I think I was the one who mentioned it last year talking about the same subject. But if you look in that book at the win expectancy it's not worth it to bunt there. Down 4 in the bottom of the eighth with runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs you have a win expectancy of .141. A sacrifice bunt there gives you down 4 bottom of the eighth with runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out where your win expectancy is .110 (it's better than a normal out which give you a .086 win expectancy but still not worth it in my eyes). And we were down by more than 4. You're actually hurting yourself with a sac bunt there. If there was more time left in the game or the deficit was smaller I actually ok with the bunt in that spot but when you only have six outs to score so many runs you gotta treasure those outs. Don't give any away by choice. Unless it's a pitcher batting give the kid a chance to swing the bat.

IIRC from the radio he only attempted to bunt on the first pitch so it may not have been a called sacrifice and he may have been bunting on his own to get a hit which I'm still not in love with but not as outraged. I doubt any of our guys have a .500 OBP bunting and if they do it's probably a sample size that doesn't mean much. I don't think any of our guys (maybe Spingola) are proficient enough at getting bunt hits that I'd encourage them to attempt it unless it was a total surprise. Everyone knew there was a good chance he'd try to get one down. I like going for the big inning because you desperately need it at that point .

I assume you were talking about Justus in the 8th where we had two on and no outs? He ended up striking out .....

Hindsight is 20/20. Even if he hit into a DP I'd maintain they should have let him swing the bat in lieu of bunting. Sometimes good process gives bad results.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

10-2 GT. Kel with 2 HRs and two long fly outs.

RPI ended up .0007 higher to .5762. But that was enough to move up to 24th in RPI. That'll change as results come in. But we have to beat these low RPI teams. I still don't think we are sure to get into the NCAAs unless we do well against Pitt and Miami. There are too many good teams out there.

Gold was a beast again. 7.0 IP, 93-60 (65% strikes). 2 ER. Those two were when Presby put two of their 3 hits of the game in one inning and Gold gave up one of his 3 walks of the day.

Gorst sucked. .1 IP. 16-6 - 38% strikes. Good job by Hall to pull him after 4 hitters faced. Don't know what has happened to him in his last appearances..... can't throw strikes.

Zac Attack - comes in with bases loaded and one out. SO and ground out. Then Shelton goes 1-2-3 in the ninth. We are seeing who the game players are.

 

[MWBATL]

Finally got to see a game live (first in quite a while). A few impressions...:

1. Kel hit the ball hard 4 times...and looked pretty solid at the plate. HOWEVER, it was also quite clear that he is favoring the leg/ankle that he hurt. It still is not completely healed. But I was very glad to see him swing the bat and make contact, even if it was just to get some confidence back. I am not certain that he is ready for prime time yet. I think he still needs to heal.
2. Gold was excellent. Did not have his strike out stuff, but a very smart pitcher. Wondering how a guy who did not pitch at all last year can be so much better (and smarter) than guys who 'pitch for a living' so to speak. Love the kid!
3. Blake Jackson at third looked like a player to me. I think he'll develop into a solid player for us.
4. Presbyterian was throwing a ton of balloons up there. Their pitching is no where near ACC caliber.
5. Peurifoy is also a nice player....like what he can do for us.
6. Pabst is just so good defensively. When he plays we are just a different team. We go form being a liability defensively to being extremely good (for college) defensively when we start Arden behind the plate. Can't overstate how important I think he is to our team.
7. Gorst has been either great or horrible this year for us. Today we got "bad Matthew". He threw virtually every pitch outside, and they did't look that close to me. Even after Howell cam out when he went 2-0 and you *knew* the message was "don't walk this guy or you're gone for the day", he still was wide on the next two deliveries. Makes me scratch my head and wonder if guys are just so afraid of "grooving one" that they ar trying to be too fine with their pitching. Just sucks, really.
8. I just LOVE Gonzo as a player. To me he is the most important guy on our team besides Pabst. I know Murray has more fingers, but I just think Gonzo is th heart and should of our offense. When Gonzo is going, we do well. When Gonzo *and* Kel are going, we are pretty doggone good. Plus, Gonzo has a great arm, can play great defense...does really everything you want out there.
9. I(and Squints) were pleased to see NO BUNTS today!! Probably because we jumped out 3-0 with the back to back HR's in the 1st, and CFDH didn't think we needed to play small ball with their pitching.
10. what we did to Presbyterian is what we should have done to BC. That sweep really still bugs me. We *desperately* need to sweep Pitt. I don't know exactly how the RPI is calculated, but I know home losses to weak team just kill your RPI (Kennesaw's loss cost up about 15 spots by itself). We really, REALLY need to keep beating the weaker teams, especially at home.

 

[AE 87]

Finally got to see a game live (first in quite a while). A few impressions...:

1. Kel hit the ball hard 4 times...and looked pretty solid at the plate. HOWEVER, it was also quite clear that he is favoring the leg/ankle that he hurt. It still is not completely healed. But I was very glad to see him swing the bat and make contact, even if it was just to get some confidence back. I am not certain that he is ready for prime time yet. I think he still needs to heal.
2. Gold was excellent. Did not have his strike out stuff, but a very smart pitcher. Wondering how a guy who did not pitch at all last year can be so much better (and smarter) than guys who 'pitch for a living' so to speak. Love the kid!
3. Blake Jackson at third looked like a player to me. I think he'll develop into a solid player for us.
4. Presbyterian was throwing a ton of balloons up there. Their pitching is no where near ACC caliber.
5. Peurifoy is also a nice player....like what he can do for us.
6. Pabst is just so good defensively. When he plays we are just a different team. We go form being a liability defensively to being extremely good (for college) defensively when we start Arden behind the plate. Can't overstate how important I think he is to our team.
7. Gorst has been either great or horrible this year for us. Today we got "bad Matthew". He threw virtually every pitch outside, and they did't look that close to me. Even after Howell cam out when he went 2-0 and you *knew* the message was "don't walk this guy or you're gone for the day", he still was wide on the next two deliveries. Makes me scratch my head and wonder if guys are just so afraid of "grooving one" that they ar trying to be too fine with their pitching. Just sucks, really.
8. I just LOVE Gonzo as a player. To me he is the most important guy on our team besides Pabst. I know Murray has more fingers, but I just think Gonzo is th heart and should of our offense. When Gonzo is going, we do well. When Gonzo *and* Kel are going, we are pretty doggone good. Plus, Gonzo has a great arm, can play great defense...does really everything you want out there.
9. I(and Squints) were pleased to see NO BUNTS today!! Probably because we jumped out 3-0 with the back to back HR's in the 1st, and CFDH didn't think we needed to play small ball with their pitching.
10. what we did to Presbyterian is what we should have done to BC. That sweep really still bugs me. We *desperately* need to sweep Pitt. I don't know exactly how the RPI is calculated, but I know home losses to weak team just kill your RPI (Kennesaw's loss cost up about 15 spots by itself). We really, REALLY need to keep beating the weaker teams, especially at home.

Really really nice write-up. Thanks

Also, I don't know if it was auto-correct, but I like "heart and should" where many would put "heart and soul."