Wake Forest

FredJacket

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Fredericksburg, Virginia
Wake coming to town for another ACC weekend. Goes without saying (again) every one of these final 14 games is critical to salvaging a season that has taken a "worst-case" turn since the FSU series. Would really like to see the team figuring something out to push the rock back up the hill.

I am not plugged into the academic calendar at Tech and did not realize finals are happening now (this week). I sort of assumed they were next week since there is no mid-week game and the non-conference weekend series follows (Radford). Oh well... from a baseball standpoint only, I do not believe exam week "helps" a team be prepared fully to play the following weekend. On the other hand, perhaps a few players can benefit from the break from the baseball routine and the lift of being done with school for awhile come Friday. Who knows.

In ACC play, Wake is 10-11 with a 4-5 road record. That's a little deceptive since 3 of those road wins were at BC in stretch where BC has a single win in 13 conference games.

In the post-game presser last night, CDH mentioned finals this week.. players have finals today (Thurs) and Friday. He's obviously frustrated and evaluating how to manage the pitching going forward. He specifically alluded to the fact that the week off (no mid-week game) next week and a weak [my word] opponent coming in Radford... they will look closely at re-working the pitching plan. I assume this means the rotation may change and/or one of them (Hurter?) will become a key bullpen arm. Perhaps counter-intuitive since the starting rotation is the one thing that has been consistently good all year...but I'm all for shuffling the deck chairs... sometimes a simple change (a new look) has a ripple effect.

It has been tough to watch these guys struggle over the last 2+ weeks. If I'm not optimistic or cautiously optimistic... does that make me the "P" word? Say it ain't so!!!!!

Go Jackets!!
 

THWG

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,157
Wake coming to town for another ACC weekend. Goes without saying (again) every one of these final 14 games is critical to salvaging a season that has taken a "worst-case" turn since the FSU series. Would really like to see the team figuring something out to push the rock back up the hill.

I am not plugged into the academic calendar at Tech and did not realize finals are happening now (this week). I sort of assumed they were next week since there is no mid-week game and the non-conference weekend series follows (Radford). Oh well... from a baseball standpoint only, I do not believe exam week "helps" a team be prepared fully to play the following weekend. On the other hand, perhaps a few players can benefit from the break from the baseball routine and the lift of being done with school for awhile come Friday. Who knows.

In ACC play, Wake is 10-11 with a 4-5 road record. That's a little deceptive since 3 of those road wins were at BC in stretch where BC has a single win in 13 conference games.

In the post-game presser last night, CDH mentioned finals this week.. players have finals today (Thurs) and Friday. He's obviously frustrated and evaluating how to manage the pitching going forward. He specifically alluded to the fact that the week off (no mid-week game) next week and a weak [my word] opponent coming in Radford... they will look closely at re-working the pitching plan. I assume this means the rotation may change and/or one of them (Hurter?) will become a key bullpen arm. Perhaps counter-intuitive since the starting rotation is the one thing that has been consistently good all year...but I'm all for shuffling the deck chairs... sometimes a simple change (a new look) has a ripple effect.

It has been tough to watch these guys struggle over the last 2+ weeks. If I'm not optimistic or cautiously optimistic... does that make me the "P" word? Say it ain't so!!!!!

Go Jackets!!
I'm going to watch and be optimistic until the end. I think that we can turn it around, but the bullpen has to get better. At some point, those guys have to say enough of this and start making pitches.
 

GtBaseball3

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
124
Wake coming to town for another ACC weekend. Goes without saying (again) every one of these final 14 games is critical to salvaging a season that has taken a "worst-case" turn since the FSU series. Would really like to see the team figuring something out to push the rock back up the hill.

I am not plugged into the academic calendar at Tech and did not realize finals are happening now (this week). I sort of assumed they were next week since there is no mid-week game and the non-conference weekend series follows (Radford). Oh well... from a baseball standpoint only, I do not believe exam week "helps" a team be prepared fully to play the following weekend. On the other hand, perhaps a few players can benefit from the break from the baseball routine and the lift of being done with school for awhile come Friday. Who knows.

In ACC play, Wake is 10-11 with a 4-5 road record. That's a little deceptive since 3 of those road wins were at BC in stretch where BC has a single win in 13 conference games.

In the post-game presser last night, CDH mentioned finals this week.. players have finals today (Thurs) and Friday. He's obviously frustrated and evaluating how to manage the pitching going forward. He specifically alluded to the fact that the week off (no mid-week game) next week and a weak [my word] opponent coming in Radford... they will look closely at re-working the pitching plan. I assume this means the rotation may change and/or one of them (Hurter?) will become a key bullpen arm. Perhaps counter-intuitive since the starting rotation is the one thing that has been consistently good all year...but I'm all for shuffling the deck chairs... sometimes a simple change (a new look) has a ripple effect.

It has been tough to watch these guys struggle over the last 2+ weeks. If I'm not optimistic or cautiously optimistic... does that make me the "P" word? Say it ain't so!!!!!

Go Jackets!!

We have played over 40 games, losing 20 of them and we are just now re-working the pitching plan??? This is the reason we are bad!! We have all offseason and pre season to develop a pitching staff. Literally, we started this season and looked like a rec ball team trying to figure out who could pitch and throw strikes. Howell is an absolute awful pitching coach and should of never been hired in the first place
 

FredJacket

Helluva Engineer
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Fredericksburg, Virginia
We have played over 40 games, losing 20 of them and we are just now re-working the pitching plan??? This is the reason we are bad!! We have all offseason and pre season to develop a pitching staff. Literally, we started this season and looked like a rec ball team trying to figure out who could pitch and throw strikes. Howell is an absolute awful pitching coach and should of never been hired in the first place
Your bottom line is probably fair... but I'll push back on your details. Not sure your comment on "who" could/should pitch and throwing strikes aligns with reality this season. The 4 starters (Hurter, Curry, Thomas, and English) have been outstanding all year. The team has thrown a BUNCH of strikes. It may be blasphemous to say this so soon after 2017... but you could make a case they throw too many strikes. We're 1st in the ACC in Walks/9IP and last in Hits Allowed/9IP. Our demise (on the mound) is the bullpen.... it is important (to me) to make that distinction. ...and watching the last few weeks, I am pretty sure CDH has not "waited" to make adjustments... he's simply had no one step up in the pen. The brightest, most consistent story for this team through 42 games is starting pitching. Everything else has been inconsistent with bullpen and hitting with RISP being the most problematic issues.
 

senoiajacket

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,130
Your bottom line is probably fair... but I'll push back on your details. Not sure your comment on "who" could/should pitch and throwing strikes aligns with reality this season. The 4 starters (Hurter, Curry, Thomas, and English) have been outstanding all year. The team has thrown a BUNCH of strikes. It may be blasphemous to say this so soon after 2017... but you could make a case they throw too many strikes. We're 1st in the ACC in Walks/9IP and last in Hits Allowed/9IP. Our demise (on the mound) is the bullpen.... it is important (to me) to make that distinction. ...and watching the last few weeks, I am pretty sure CDH has not "waited" to make adjustments... he's simply had no one step up in the pen. The brightest, most consistent story for this team through 42 games is starting pitching. Everything else has been inconsistent with bullpen and hitting with RISP being the most problematic issues.
I would like to know opponents batting avg. with two strikes against us. By all normal metrics it should be lower than any other situation, but it sure doesn’t seem like the case to me. Hurter has several 2 strike counts in the sixth that either got hits or HBP. Of course, the slam given up by archer against UNC was on an 0-2 count. Maybe I am subliminally cherry picking, but it seems like we give up way to many 2 strike hits. Also at one point last night, 4 out of 5 UGA runs had score with 2 outs. That stands in stark contrast to our hitting with RISP & in clutch situations.
 

THWG

Helluva Engineer
Messages
4,157
Your bottom line is probably fair... but I'll push back on your details. Not sure your comment on "who" could/should pitch and throwing strikes aligns with reality this season. The 4 starters (Hurter, Curry, Thomas, and English) have been outstanding all year. The team has thrown a BUNCH of strikes. It may be blasphemous to say this so soon after 2017... but you could make a case they throw too many strikes. We're 1st in the ACC in Walks/9IP and last in Hits Allowed/9IP. Our demise (on the mound) is the bullpen.... it is important (to me) to make that distinction. ...and watching the last few weeks, I am pretty sure CDH has not "waited" to make adjustments... he's simply had no one step up in the pen. The brightest, most consistent story for this team through 42 games is starting pitching. Everything else has been inconsistent with bullpen and hitting with RISP being the most problematic issues.
This is what gives me so much hope for next year. Curry, Thomas, and Hurter should all be better (English too if he doesn't get drafted). Also, we will have a very experienced team next year since the lineup has only 1 junior and 1 senior. I also believe that the pen should (key word is should) be better next year with a fully healthy Carpenter and another year of experience for Archer, Winborne, and Mannelly. The only problem is that we have to live through the crap now to survive until next year.
 

Deleted member 2897

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This is what gives me so much hope for next year. Curry, Thomas, and Hurter should all be better (English too if he doesn't get drafted). Also, we will have a very experienced team next year since the lineup has only 1 junior and 1 senior. I also believe that the pen should (key word is should) be better next year with a fully healthy Carpenter and another year of experience for Archer, Winborne, and Mannelly. The only problem is that we have to live through the crap now to survive until next year.

It definitely gives a new coach a good situation to walk into. :cigar:
 

CTJacket

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
532
Wake coming to town for another ACC weekend. Goes without saying (again) every one of these final 14 games is critical to salvaging a season that has taken a "worst-case" turn since the FSU series. Would really like to see the team figuring something out to push the rock back up the hill.

I am not plugged into the academic calendar at Tech and did not realize finals are happening now (this week). I sort of assumed they were next week since there is no mid-week game and the non-conference weekend series follows (Radford). Oh well... from a baseball standpoint only, I do not believe exam week "helps" a team be prepared fully to play the following weekend. On the other hand, perhaps a few players can benefit from the break from the baseball routine and the lift of being done with school for awhile come Friday. Who knows.

In ACC play, Wake is 10-11 with a 4-5 road record. That's a little deceptive since 3 of those road wins were at BC in stretch where BC has a single win in 13 conference games.

In the post-game presser last night, CDH mentioned finals this week.. players have finals today (Thurs) and Friday. He's obviously frustrated and evaluating how to manage the pitching going forward. He specifically alluded to the fact that the week off (no mid-week game) next week and a weak [my word] opponent coming in Radford... they will look closely at re-working the pitching plan. I assume this means the rotation may change and/or one of them (Hurter?) will become a key bullpen arm. Perhaps counter-intuitive since the starting rotation is the one thing that has been consistently good all year...but I'm all for shuffling the deck chairs... sometimes a simple change (a new look) has a ripple effect.

It has been tough to watch these guys struggle over the last 2+ weeks. If I'm not optimistic or cautiously optimistic... does that make me the "P" word? Say it ain't so!!!!!

Go Jackets!!
I really don't like/understand why we would schedule ANY game during finals, much less vs. georgie. Truthfully, I'd rather see the georgie series earlier in the year as a weekend series since that's a better gauge of the different teams but that's another matter.

I really hope we can figure out the bullpen and take care of business to close out the season. There was so much promise/hope after FSU...
 

FredJacket

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I really don't like/understand why we would schedule ANY game during finals, much less vs. georgie. Truthfully, I'd rather see the georgie series earlier in the year as a weekend series since that's a better gauge of the different teams but that's another matter.

I really hope we can figure out the bullpen and take care of business to close out the season. There was so much promise/hope after FSU...
I totally agree on playing UGA early for a weekend series instead of the way we do it. We played Dartmouth and then UIC for weekend series this year before ACC play began. Seems like a no-brainer to insert UGA in one of those. Clemson/USC did it.
 

Stinger90

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TheSilasSonRising

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Wake coming to town for another ACC weekend. Goes without saying (again) every one of these final 14 games is critical to salvaging a season that has taken a "worst-case" turn since the FSU series. Would really like to see the team figuring something out to push the rock back up the hill.

I am not plugged into the academic calendar at Tech and did not realize finals are happening now (this week). I sort of assumed they were next week since there is no mid-week game and the non-conference weekend series follows (Radford). Oh well... from a baseball standpoint only, I do not believe exam week "helps" a team be prepared fully to play the following weekend. On the other hand, perhaps a few players can benefit from the break from the baseball routine and the lift of being done with school for awhile come Friday. Who knows.

In ACC play, Wake is 10-11 with a 4-5 road record. That's a little deceptive since 3 of those road wins were at BC in stretch where BC has a single win in 13 conference games.

In the post-game presser last night, CDH mentioned finals this week.. players have finals today (Thurs) and Friday. He's obviously frustrated and evaluating how to manage the pitching going forward. He specifically alluded to the fact that the week off (no mid-week game) next week and a weak [my word] opponent coming in Radford... they will look closely at re-working the pitching plan. I assume this means the rotation may change and/or one of them (Hurter?) will become a key bullpen arm. Perhaps counter-intuitive since the starting rotation is the one thing that has been consistently good all year...but I'm all for shuffling the deck chairs... sometimes a simple change (a new look) has a ripple effect.

It has been tough to watch these guys struggle over the last 2+ weeks. If I'm not optimistic or cautiously optimistic... does that make me the "P" word? Say it ain't so!!!!!

Go Jackets!!

Did CDH give any inclination that he gave a crap about losing to ugag last night?

I guess the Administration at GT believes GT fans are only suppose to bend over, take the shove, and be happy about it.
 

MWBATL

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I honestly don't think that it will matter who the coach is next year. Hell, I could take that team to a regional a next year.
Ohhh, don't be so sure. First of all, never underestimate the power of poor coaching...karma can be a b***h. Secondly, if we lose Bart & English, our batting lineup doesn't look very intimidating. And what makes you think our bullpen will magically improve next year??
 

THWG

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4,157
Ohhh, don't be so sure. First of all, never underestimate the power of poor coaching...karma can be a b***h. Secondly, if we lose Bart & English, our batting lineup doesn't look very intimidating. And what makes you think our bullpen will magically improve next year??
The lineup still has McCann as well as Murray. Serratos also looks like he can provide some pop. In the pen, I really like Carpenter and Winborne has been better this year. Archer will be back and guys like Mannelly, Brace and Shirah should take a step up. Other than those guys, I think it'll be a crap shoot though.
 
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