Wake Forest - ACC Weekend #4

randerto

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THWG said:
The speed of the game and literally the balls put in play are faster at the college level. So while the players are typically more seasoned, it can take some time to adjust to the speed of the game.
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4shotB said:
Again, I would counter argue that they are playing very similar competition in these club? AAU? (I'm not sure which) competitions. Both of these kids played on teams loosely based in ATL (6 hours from here) but with other teammates who also came from various parts of the Southeast. Their teammates were all college (or pro) prospects. Their tournament games were played almost anywhere from Florida to Texas to New England. Air travel was essential. The expense, time and energy to compete were enormous and baseball was a full time job for them although they kept up with their schoolwork for the most part. They certainly weren't honor roll or valedictorian types.Their parents were wealthy and I don't understand how a child that was middle class or worse could have swung it.

I have seen D1 FB players as well and they don't have near the $ or time invested (travel) as these kids do although they too worked almost year round but without the actual reps, practices, hands on coaching or game experience.

I know there is a player or recruit's dad that is a member here and contributes but I don't recall who. I would love to hear his perspective on this topic
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Here's another reality to consider. Most of our position players were recruited for their bats - not their defense. Not an excuse for errors on routine plays but they played on the East Cobb Yankees (or equivalent) because they can mash the ball...
 
GTNavyNuke

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As I said, defense won the game on top of good pitching. No unearned runs but the defense reminded of The Force Awakens.

It started off with Malloy making our 27th error of the year so we maintained a comfortable lead in that department. But then .....

Malloy makes a good play at third shown above. Then in the 6th we turn this DP which was really important since Archer was running on fumes on his 99th pitch. Archer walked the leadoff batter Then this happened. Most recent days we wouldn't get both:


Then in the ninth (more on this later) we get this play with bases loaded up only two. We don't make the play and it could easily be a tied game setting up a walk-off dagger for Wake. Great throw by Wilhite from his knees. Thisclose but The Force Woke
 
GTNavyNuke

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OK, how can I avoid the call to Maxwell in the ninth. As said in chat, "Time to pucker up". Questionable coaching call, but what do we know, we only see how the players play on the field. I guess the argument could be pull Bartnicki so he's available for an inning or two today. But it would have been a shame to lose the game yesterday (tic).

Bartnicki had come in and pitched 7th & 8th innings in about 20 pitches (estimated as Piece of Crap (POC) Wake website doesn't give balls/strikes/pitch count). Bartnicki was back to his early season form where he and unhittable with 3 SOs and 3 weak infield GOs.

Maxwell comes up with a three run shutout lead. While the POC Wake site doesn't list balls & strikes, we were counting and he had 12 balls and 2 strikes to start. Rational coaches would pull Maxwell since it wasn't his day and Wake is looking for a walk off win, but no. If he is our best option in the bullpen after that start, we are in deep **** this year. Anyway the defense bailed us out and all is good. (tic) At least till next time when we decide to play Russian Roulette with 5 of the 6 chambers loaded.

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FredJacket

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GTNavyNuke said:
OK, how can I avoid the call to Maxwell in the ninth. As said in chat, "Time to pucker up". Questionable coaching call, but what do we know, we only see how the players play on the field. I guess the argument could be pull Bartnicki so he's available for an inning or two today. But it would have been a shame to lose the game yesterday (tic).

Bartnicki had come in and pitched 7th & 8th innings in about 20 pitches (estimated as Piece of Crap (POC) Wake website doesn't give balls/strikes/pitch count). Bartnicki was back to his early season form where he and unhittable with 3 SOs and 3 weak infield GOs.

Maxwell comes up with a three run shutout lead. While the POC Wake site doesn't list balls & strikes, we were counting and he had 12 balls and 2 strikes to start. Rational coaches would pull Maxwell since it wasn't his day and Wake is looking for a walk off win, but no. If he is our best option in the bullpen after that start, we are in deep **** this year. Anyway the defense bailed us out and all is good. (tic) At least till next time when we decide to play Russian Roulette with 5 of the 6 chambers loaded.

View attachment 10191
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A less complex way of looking at it is Bartnicki & Maxwell got the job done. 😉

It is clear... these 2 are the horses we're riding in the late innings. Glass half full... Maxwell learned something (read "developed some more") & we scratched out a win in process.
 
GTNavyNuke

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FredJacket said:
A less complex way of looking at it is Bartnicki & Maxwell got the job done. 😉

It is clear... these 2 are the horses we're riding in the late innings. Glass half full... Maxwell learned something (read "developed some more") & we scratched out a win in process.
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Who said learning can't be fun and exciting? I think Maxwell could be a high draft pick, but damn this is hard. Here are his stats for the year, allowed earned runs in 3 of 6 games with a 2.08 WHIP.
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THWG

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GTNavyNuke said:
Who said learning can't be fun and exciting? I think Maxwell could be a high draft pick, but damn this is hard. Here are his stats for the year, allowed earned runs in 3 of 6 games with a 2.08 WHIP.
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I'll say this about Maxwell. He makes it more interesting than it should be, but he has gotten the big out whenever he has needed to get it this year. He builds his own trouble, but finds a way to get out of it.
 

MWBATL

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THWG said:
I'll say this about Maxwell. He makes it more interesting than it should be, but he has gotten the big out whenever he has needed to get it this year. He builds his own trouble, but finds a way to get out of it.
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So far. But when you play with fire, you will eventually get burned. Had that 9th inning grounder been 3 feet to the right, we likely would have lost yesterday.

I don't understand why you pull Bartnicki in that situation. When a guy is "on", ride him until he's showing signs of fatigue on the mound. One of my criticisms of Hall for years has been this tendency to designate a "closer" and go to the guy in the 9th no matter what. Unless that guy is really remarkable (as Bartnicki had been until his implosion against Pitt) you don't pull the hot hand, imho.

Maxwell's stuff certainly looks impressive. BUT, he has issued walks on 5 of 6 outings, given up runs half of the time, and generally not been a shutdown pitcher. He certainly has not earned my confidence as a closer. I will close my eyes and hold me breath if he comes into a tight game in the 8th or 9th innings. But if he is indeed the best we've got, it's going to be a long, LONG season....

Edited to add: Maybe we should convert Maxwell to starting and let someone like Archer close?
 
GTNavyNuke

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MWBATL said:
So far. But when you play with fire, you will eventually get burned. Had that 9th inning grounder been 3 feet to the right, we likely would have lost yesterday.

I don't understand why you pull Bartnicki in that situation. When a guy is "on", ride him until he's showing signs of fatigue on the mound. One of my criticisms of Hall for years has been this tendency to designate a "closer" and go to the guy in the 9th no matter what. Unless that guy is really remarkable (as Bartnicki had been until his implosion against Pitt) you don't pull the hot hand, imho.

Maxwell's stuff certainly looks impressive. BUT, he has issued walks on 5 of 6 outings, given up runs half of the time, and generally not been a shutdown pitcher. He certainly has not earned my confidence as a closer. I will close my eyes and hold me breath if he comes into a tight game in the 8th or 9th innings. But if he is indeed the best we've got, it's going to be a long, LONG season....

Edited to add: Maybe we should convert Maxwell to starting and let someone like Archer close?
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I liked my analogy of playing Russian Rolette with 5 of 6 chambers loaded. 5 was a bit of hyperbole. And agree with Hall ordaining someone until there is a pile of dead bodies.

Agree on Bartnicki even though his season stats are worse than Maxwell's in some regards (ERA). That was due to Pitt game. Also Bartnicki just wasn't as nasty and have the same f you attitude in the NC State, L'Ville and Pitt games. He had that attitude back yesterday.

And note I was wrong again, Bartnicki had 30 pitches yesterday, not 20. Wake did a really good job running up the count and fouling off but Bartnicki prevailed. Don't know if he will be available today. Hopefully we get back to our average runs per game today. I predicted, looking at stats, that today's Wake pitcher would be the best. Hope I'm wrong again.

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Buzzbomb

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MWBATL said:
So far. But when you play with fire, you will eventually get burned. Had that 9th inning grounder been 3 feet to the right, we likely would have lost yesterday.

I don't understand why you pull Bartnicki in that situation. When a guy is "on", ride him until he's showing signs of fatigue on the mound. One of my criticisms of Hall for years has been this tendency to designate a "closer" and go to the guy in the 9th no matter what. Unless that guy is really remarkable (as Bartnicki had been until his implosion against Pitt) you don't pull the hot hand, imho.

Maxwell's stuff certainly looks impressive. BUT, he has issued walks on 5 of 6 outings, given up runs half of the time, and generally not been a shutdown pitcher. He certainly has not earned my confidence as a closer. I will close my eyes and hold me breath if he comes into a tight game in the 8th or 9th innings. But if he is indeed the best we've got, it's going to be a long, LONG season....

Edited to add: Maybe we should convert Maxwell to starting and let someone like Archer close?
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No way Archer should be moved to the bullpen. No possible way!!
 
Buzzbomb

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FredJacket said:
😅 The natives are getting restless, aren't they?
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Yes, sir.
Some things are outrageous and make absolutely zero sense.
When a guy is going good and is a strength, you leave that alone.
It‘s not like Archer is a young Smoltz, firing 100 mph.
Plus, don’t mess with Maxwell‘s head. Closer takes a unique mindset.
 
Squints

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MWBATL said:
So far. But when you play with fire, you will eventually get burned. Had that 9th inning grounder been 3 feet to the right, we likely would have lost yesterday.

I don't understand why you pull Bartnicki in that situation. When a guy is "on", ride him until he's showing signs of fatigue on the mound. One of my criticisms of Hall for years has been this tendency to designate a "closer" and go to the guy in the 9th no matter what. Unless that guy is really remarkable (as Bartnicki had been until his implosion against Pitt) you don't pull the hot hand, imho.

Maxwell's stuff certainly looks impressive. BUT, he has issued walks on 5 of 6 outings, given up runs half of the time, and generally not been a shutdown pitcher. He certainly has not earned my confidence as a closer. I will close my eyes and hold me breath if he comes into a tight game in the 8th or 9th innings. But if he is indeed the best we've got, it's going to be a long, LONG season....

Edited to add: Maybe we should convert Maxwell to starting and let someone like Archer close?
Click to expand...

You want to take our best starting pitcher, put him in the bullpen, and replace him with the guy with control/command issues you guys are complaining about?

What in the ****?
 
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