The Arms

[65Jacket]

Really feel bad for King, his brother is starting for Belmont tomorrow and his family is in town. He having a rough time coming back.

 

[FredJacket]

Just grasping for possible solutions... King hasn't pitched in relief since his freshman season (2013: 24 app; 14 in relief) Assuming he's more comfortable as a starter...Is it just too much?... asking an established "starter" to return to form (post-injury) in a relief role like this.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

Really feel bad for King, his brother is starting for Belmont tomorrow and his family is in town. He having a rough time coming back.

I feel bad for him and his family too. This isn't working out so far and time is running out as a rSr. He had the ability before without quesion looking at 2013, 2014 and 2015 and was sharp to start 2016 ........ balls ......... http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/jonathan_king_815995.html

One good thing for King is that CDH will give him more chances than I think other head coaches would. It's a fault and strength in my opinion. Putting King in yesterday with a 9 run lead was a good time to see whether the adrenaline of the game could get him to throw strikes but it didn't (12-4). King needs to get sharp by the end of the year since I would think that trying to make it in the minors undrafted is a very very tough way to go.

 

[Squints]

Just grasping for possible solutions... King hasn't pitched in relief since his freshman season (2013: 24 app; 14 in relief) Assuming he's more comfortable as a starter...Is it just too much?... asking an established "starter" to return to form (post-injury) in a relief role like this.

Relieving is easier than starting so I doubt that's the problem. He's had two serious shoulder injuries in two years. To put it simply I think he's done.

 

[MWBATL]

To put it simply I think he's done.

That's my fear as well. Yet, I understand CDH thinks he can play a role for this team, so that gave me some hope....

 

[Squints]

The reason we are ranked by Baseball America (and only them) is because of out hitting and defense. Only our pitching can screw that up (again). D1 has some support for us too .... I think it's Kendall Rogers who likes us as a program. But our pitching has stunk for the last few years and needs to get better. We had a 4.25 team ERA going into today against weak (244 SOS) opponents. Facts. Maybe we'll get better maybe we won't. I sure hope we do since I want to go to Omaha this year.

Today X was very good, Jake Lee ok/good and King awful. Keep it going tomorrow with the re-emergence of Hughes.

Except they specifically said they believe in our pitching talent as to why they ranked us. It's right there. They said it.

That's my fear as well. Yet, I understand CDH thinks he can play a role for this team, so that gave me some hope....

I think he's just giving him a chance to show something. I doubt you'll see him in tightly contested games versus better competition.

 

[twofortheroad]

I posted this in the Belmont string where there was some discussion on pitching but my comments may better reflect this string:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm new to this forum, having watched high school baseball mostly the last few years and college football but with the changes they are making in high school baseball and the regions I have set my sights on college. Just can't get to those games anymore to follow my teams. With that said, my very limited observation of things here is we got a glass half empty group here. I get it, I haven't been around to have the history as you guys do but I am more of a glass half full kinda person.

There is a lot of pitching to still be figured out, this class had a lot of pitchers and a lot of different styles. I think we have put the focus on hitting and fielding in years past and pitching was just there but you have a group of pitchers this year that need attention - not in a way that is of concern but they need to focus on the pitching with new eyes. Pitching is an individual sport.

I think that Gibson will sort it out, some days you have it as a pitcher and some days you don't. Would agree he needs some confidence and perhaps he could have finished the inning yesterday but we were already down 3 at that point and had only thrown 4-5 strikes. That doesn't do anything for your confidence. If I am other pitchers, I'm looking at Sunday as my opportunity.

Tuesday may be the tail of the tape on Parr and a few others. Parr looked good at Ga Southern but had a few challenges last week. He's a senior and perhaps isn't planning on going to the next level but still has to put the work in.

Shaddday looked good yesterday, unfortunate about the man left on base and you got to get the job done when you come in for relief. Keep those balls in the infield but all in all, looked strong and finshed with a strikeout. Thought Ryan stayed in a little too long although had good command. That ump was challenging, thought that Danny was going to get tossed at one point.

Would love to see Combs and Dulaney a little more, by my count there are 15 pitchers they can use through the course of the games, just got to sort it out. Not sure about King, he has got to trust his arm with the injury. He has good stuff.

As for Gooden, 2-3 batters a diagnosis doesn't make....like my grandma would say. From what I can tell and video I have seen, the kid has what he needs perhaps it's a style issue we don't know what's happening on the back side of things. Not sure what is up there but I am holding off on making an assumption.

Hope they get Tuesday in and we can see some different combinations.

 

[FredJacket]

...we got a glass half empty group here. I get it, I haven't been around to have the history as you guys do but I am more of a glass half full kinda person.

To apply the metaphor (is it a metaphor?) as literal as possible to the Ga Tech baseball team...2017 version... breaking the team down into Offense, Defense, Pitching. I'd say we have a group of folks looking the glass as two-thirds full versus one-third empty.

 

[MWBATL]

To apply the metaphor (is it a metaphor?) as literal as possible to the Ga Tech baseball team...2017 version... breaking the team down into Offense, Defense, Pitching. I'd say we have a group of folks looking the glass as two-thirds full versus one-third empty.

Generally, our hitting is exceptional.....certainly as good as most nationally ranked teams (imho) and our defense (aside from one or two spots) is good to above average. This has been true at GT for...lo these many years. BUT, our pitching has been well below average, which has kept us on the sidelines for the postseason for nearly a decade (we may get to a Regional, but we wind up on the road against the #2 seed or something...a prescription for an early exit and we have obliged in recent years). So, our hearts have been broken a lot recently......

 

[65Jacket]

Hall spoke to the Lunch Bunch today. He is very positive about the two starters and the bull pen. I asked about who might become starters among those who have not started. He really likes Shaddey, and Gooden. Lee will start tomorrow if the game is played. He also opened my eyes as to how Vandy and TCU are so good. They are private schools and not only have 11.5 athletic schollies, but they use other schollies including minority and academic schollies to virtually have 35 guys on full ride. We are limited to 11.5 schollies spread over 27 players, plus 8 who are walk ons. We are able to get help from the Hope for instate players, such as Craport.

 

[twofortheroad]

To apply the metaphor (is it a metaphor?) as literal as possible to the Ga Tech baseball team...2017 version... breaking the team down into Offense, Defense, Pitching. I'd say we have a group of folks looking the glass as two-thirds full versus one-third empty.

Since you put it that way, I would concur after reading the lot of comments below...there is promise for this group after all! Definitely hitting and defense as good as anybody out there. But they really got to pull through the pitching.

 

[Squints]

Hall spoke to the Lunch Bunch today. He is very positive about the two starters and the bull pen. I asked about who might become starters among those who have not started. He really likes Shaddey, and Gooden. Lee will start tomorrow if the game is played. He also opened my eyes as to how Vandy and TCU are so good. They are private schools and not only have 11.5 athletic schollies, but they use other schollies including minority and academic schollies to virtually have 35 guys on full ride. We are limited to 11.5 schollies spread over 27 players, plus 8 who are walk ons. We are able to get help from the Hope for instate players, such as Craport.

I've pointed this out before on here. It's why Vanderbilt has massive recruiting classes with mega talent every year. They can give kids scholarships and have it not count towards the NCAA maximum. They'll give the same kind of scholarship to non-athletes too though so there's the NCAA doesn't (and shouldn't imo) do anything about it. That's why they have seemingly endless depth. It is what it is.

 

[Squints]

Generally, our hitting is exceptional.....certainly as good as most nationally ranked teams (imho) and our defense (aside from one or two spots) is good to above average. This has been true at GT for...lo these many years. BUT, our pitching has been well below average, which has kept us on the sidelines for the postseason for nearly a decade (we may get to a Regional, but we wind up on the road against the #2 seed or something...a prescription for an early exit and we have obliged in recent years). So, our hearts have been broken a lot recently......

You do realize the regionals are the post-season right?

 

[MWBATL]

You do realize the regionals are the post-season right?

LOL....nah, the Super-Regionals are all that count!

Of course, if we hadn't been to the tournament in 5 or 10 years, then Regionals would be a big deal.....

 

[MWBATL]

Hall spoke to the Lunch Bunch today. He is very positive about the two starters and the bull pen. I asked about who might become starters among those who have not started. He really likes Shaddey, and Gooden. Lee will start tomorrow if the game is played. He also opened my eyes as to how Vandy and TCU are so good. They are private schools and not only have 11.5 athletic schollies, but they use other schollies including minority and academic schollies to virtually have 35 guys on full ride. We are limited to 11.5 schollies spread over 27 players, plus 8 who are walk ons. We are able to get help from the Hope for instate players, such as Craport.

I really wanted to go to that Lunch Bunch but had other duties yesterday which prevented me form attending. Hall is a good speaker and generally pretty forthright about his team (while still being a glass half full guy! LOL). I agree with him about the two starters. Need to find that third guy. Interesting that he remains optimistic about Gooden. Not sure if that means he thinks he will contribute this year or in the future.

 

[GTNavyNuke]

I posted this in the Belmont string where there was some discussion on pitching but my comments may better reflect this string:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

I'm new to this forum, having watched high school baseball mostly the last few years and college football but with the changes they are making in high school baseball and the regions I have set my sights on college. Just can't get to those games anymore to follow my teams. With that said, my very limited observation of things here is we got a glass half empty group here. I get it, I haven't been around to have the history as you guys do but I am more of a glass half full kinda person.

There is a lot of pitching to still be figured out, this class had a lot of pitchers and a lot of different styles. I think we have put the focus on hitting and fielding in years past and pitching was just there but you have a group of pitchers this year that need attention - not in a way that is of concern but they need to focus on the pitching with new eyes. Pitching is an individual sport.

I think that Gibson will sort it out, some days you have it as a pitcher and some days you don't. Would agree he needs some confidence and perhaps he could have finished the inning yesterday but we were already down 3 at that point and had only thrown 4-5 strikes. That doesn't do anything for your confidence. If I am other pitchers, I'm looking at Sunday as my opportunity.

Tuesday may be the tail of the tape on Parr and a few others. Parr looked good at Ga Southern but had a few challenges last week. He's a senior and perhaps isn't planning on going to the next level but still has to put the work in.

Shaddday looked good yesterday, unfortunate about the man left on base and you got to get the job done when you come in for relief. Keep those balls in the infield but all in all, looked strong and finshed with a strikeout. Thought Ryan stayed in a little too long although had good command. That ump was challenging, thought that Danny was going to get tossed at one point.

Would love to see Combs and Dulaney a little more, by my count there are 15 pitchers they can use through the course of the games, just got to sort it out. Not sure about King, he has got to trust his arm with the injury. He has good stuff.

As for Gooden, 2-3 batters a diagnosis doesn't make....like my grandma would say. From what I can tell and video I have seen, the kid has what he needs perhaps it's a style issue we don't know what's happening on the back side of things. Not sure what is up there but I am holding off on making an assumption.

Hope they get Tuesday in and we can see some different combinations.

Our pitching still has potential but has not shown consistent performance. Overall, we have a 4.45 ERA against weak opponents.

Twelve weeks to the ACC tourney is not a long time for guys to come around since these guys play most of the year. But I'll hope we put the pitching together since we have the D and O to get to super-regionals ........ I really liked Ben S on Sunday. The others who are struggling should (in my opinion) work it out in the bull pen and only be put in when the game is out of reach (one way or another). If they come in and don't throw strikes ..... well that's why it's nice to have 15 pitchers.

As to glass half empty, I prefer to characterize is as glass half empty, evaporating and contaminants increasing.

 

[65Jacket]

I really wanted to go to that Lunch Bunch but had other duties yesterday which prevented me form attending. Hall is a good speaker and generally pretty forthright about his team (while still being a glass half full guy! LOL). I agree with him about the two starters. Need to find that third guy. Interesting that he remains optimistic about Gooden. Not sure if that means he thinks he will contribute this year or in the future.

I think he was referring to this season as the future. He said he had seen Gooden pitch a number of times last year and he did not have a control problem then.

 

[Supersizethatorder-mutt]

Not sure where to post this (if it hasn't already been posted), but this is good ---
http://www.ramblinwreck.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/030617aaa.html

 

[Squints]

LOL....nah, the Super-Regionals are all that count!

Of course, if we hadn't been to the tournament in 5 or 10 years, then Regionals would be a big deal.....

I realize you're probably being sarcastic but I'm sorry that's garbage. You don't get a spot in the regionals by just rolling the ball on the field. There are 298 baseball teams competing for those spots. Where I went to undergrad would KILL to have Tech's "disappointments" in baseball. If you want to hand wave that away by all means go for it. But you sound like a Yankee fan. Spoiled. (I can say that. I am one. ) If being one of the final 16 teams out of 298 is the only thing considered a success it's no wonder you guys are so damn miserable all the time.

I mean honestly what team since 2011 should have been expected to get past regionals at the end of the season? I don't see one. We've had a couple teams that had no right to be at a regional but earned it by winning a conference tournament you guys only seem to care about when we lose. So the bar for a quality season is to exceed expectations every year? No NCAA baseball team does that.

 

[FredJacket]

I realize you're probably being sarcastic but I'm sorry that's garbage. You don't get a spot in the regionals by just rolling the ball on the field. There are 298 baseball teams competing for those spots. Where I went to undergrad would KILL to have Tech's "disappointments" in baseball. If you want to hand wave that away by all means go for it. But you sound like a Yankee fan. Spoiled. (I can say that. I am one. ) If being one of the final 16 teams out of 298 is the only thing considered a success it's no wonder you guys are so damn miserable all the time.

I mean honestly what team since 2011 should have been expected to get past regionals at the end of the season? I don't see one. We've had a couple teams that had no right to be at a regional but earned it by winning a conference tournament you guys only seem to care about when we lose. So the bar for a quality season is to exceed expectations every year? No NCAA baseball team does that.

It's impossible to tell... but I hit "like" very very HARD!