Our Best Pitcher FINALLY Gets to Start!!!

[SicemDawgz]

You and others are making too much of "runners left on base". That stat has always been used to complain about lack of offensive production, when in fact it is a product of offensive production. Yes, runners left on base is a product of RUNNERS GETTING ON BASE. I pointed out the offensive production since we began conference play. Other than game 1 yesterday it has been sufficient.

Getting behind early in games is bad in many ways, but mostly from a pitching standpoint. Since game two of USM we have struggled with starters and leaving them in too long. THAT is the concern. NOT offensive production. Those who think fielding % is a concern have certainly forgotten last year.

Getting players on base doesnt count as runs. And I'm not talking about "runners left on base" as much as "runners left in scoring position with 1 out or less." Yes, once again I agree, starting pitching is our biggest weakness right now, but it's not the only one.

[PawDawg]

Getting players on base doesnt count as runs. And I'm not talking about "runners left on base" as much as "runners left in scoring position with 1 out or less." .

As you know, the number talking heads use in boring and silly post game interviews is about "runners left on base". (I wish some coach would go all Nick Saban on them when they bring it up) It is easy to keep that tally throughout games, look back, and blame the loss. Baseball is a science of so many things. W/out looking I bet our sac fly and sac bunts are up this year over last year. It's not like coaches look over at the dugout and say, "Okay guys, only one man on base now go ahead and hit a pop up."

Example of the science: Lose a game 5-4. We score 3 runs in the 6th, but leave 3 men on base in the 6th. Big 6th inning right? Is is logical to argue that leaving men on 2nd and 3rd in the 6th cost us the game? Nobody is taking about the starting pitcher giving up 4 runs in the first 3 innings before being pulled. Win that same game 4-3 and nobody talks about the starting pitcher OR the 3 men left on base in the 6th.

There are just too many variables in this great game to pinpoint one simple stat, but no doubt pitching is the key.

[FriscoDawg]

Runners left on base has to be looked at along with other things. Friday night Tech hit into 4 double plays, and left 14 runners stranded. That's at least 21 baserunners to get only 3 runs, and that simply isn't good enough at any level of baseball. The 6 runs allowed wasn't great, but with 21 runners it should have been good enough to still get a win.

Not to say that starting pitching isn't a problem. In the first 8 C-USA games Tech averaged allowing 8 runs a game, and it only scored 8 or more twice and was 1-1 in those games.

[SicemDawgz]

As you know, the number talking heads use in boring and silly post game interviews is about "runners left on base". (I wish some coach would go all Nick Saban on them when they bring it up) It is easy to keep that tally throughout games, look back, and blame the loss. Baseball is a science of so many things. W/out looking I bet our sac fly and sac bunts are up this year over last year. It's not like coaches look over at the dugout and say, "Okay guys, only one man on base now go ahead and hit a pop up."

Example of the science: Lose a game 5-4. We score 3 runs in the 6th, but leave 3 men on base in the 6th. Big 6th inning right? Is is logical to argue that leaving men on 2nd and 3rd in the 6th cost us the game? Nobody is taking about the starting pitcher giving up 4 runs in the first 3 innings before being pulled. Win that same game 4-3 and nobody talks about the starting pitcher OR the 3 men left on base in the 6th.

There are just too many variables in this great game to pinpoint one simple stat, but no doubt pitching is the key.

You are 100% correct that starting pitching is the biggest difference from last years team to this years. Last year Sutton was throwing complete games and dominant, Diehl was a consistently good pitcher and Clancy was very good until he went down with an injury. This year Sutton is struggling and that's being nice. That's the biggest difference. On this much I'm in 100% agreement.

[dawg80]

Championship baseball comes down to three things:

1. pitching
2. pitching
3. pitching

[DogsWin]

You are 100% correct that starting pitching is the biggest difference from last years team to this years. Last year Sutton was throwing complete games and dominant, Diehl was a consistently good pitcher and Clancy was very good until he went down with an injury. This year Sutton is struggling and that's being nice. That's the biggest difference. On this much I'm in 100% agreement.

Sutton has been absolutely CRUSHED by opposing batters and has got to be moved to the bull pen. He's been solid for about 2 innings, but his 3rd and 4th innings have been woeful and Burroughs just keeps leaving him in for more damage. By comparison Sutton has pitched 35.1 innings, 6.62 ERA, struck out 20 batters, and been hit 42 times (9 were HRs). Nate Harris has also pitched exactly 35.1 innings, 0.760 ERA, struck out 50 batters, and been hit 21 times (1 HR).
There are others in the bull pen who have produced well and EARNED more playing time (Sullivan, Alrich, Hamilton). Hopefully we will give them more time, instead of riding starters until they give up 5-6 runs and load the bases upon exiting. If you can't throw strikes please have a seat in the dugout.

[PawDawg]

Friday night Tech hit into 4 double plays, and left 14 runners stranded. That's at least 21 baserunners to get only 3 runs, and that simply isn't good enough at any level of baseball. The 6 runs allowed wasn't great, but with 21 runners it should have been good enough to still get a win.

Yes, I pointed out that Friday was a freak night for us. The one thing you didn't list above was us getting a no out, rbi triple in the bottom of the 8th that the ump took away because he decided to grant a timeout AFTER the hit. Allow us to finish that inning the way we started it and we might be 4-5 in C-USA right now.

[SicemDawgz]

Sutton has been absolutely CRUSHED by opposing batters and has got to be moved to the bull pen. He's been solid for about 2 innings, but his 3rd and 4th innings have been woeful and Burroughs just keeps leaving him in for more damage. By comparison Sutton has pitched 35.1 innings, 6.62 ERA, struck out 20 batters, and been hit 42 times (9 were HRs). Nate Harris has also pitched exactly 35.1 innings, 0.760 ERA, struck out 50 batters, and been hit 21 times (1 HR).
There are others in the bull pen who have produced well and EARNED more playing time (Sullivan, Alrich, Hamilton). Hopefully we will give them more time, instead of riding starters until they give up 5-6 runs and load the bases upon exiting. If you can't throw strikes please have a seat in the dugout.

Yep. I've saw it firsthand. Hasler has also had flashes. He had a good outing against Southern Miss. I don't know what the thinking is with Sutton unless he thinks that getting him more innings will allow him time to work out the kinks. That experiment hasn't worked out to well for us.

[Dawg06]

You and others are making too much of "runners left on base". That stat has always been used to complain about lack of offensive production, when in fact it is a product of offensive production. Yes, runners left on base is a product of RUNNERS GETTING ON BASE. I pointed out the offensive production since we began conference play. Other than game 1 yesterday it has been sufficient.

Getting behind early in games is bad in many ways, but mostly from a pitching standpoint. Since game two of USM we have struggled with starters and leaving them in too long. THAT is the concern. NOT offensive production. Those who think fielding % is a concern have certainly forgotten last year.

Agreed.

There's really not much "situational hitting" (as some say) that you can do when you get behind by several runs early on.

We've had some bad luck and not enough quality starts in conference play IMO.

[Gooddawg]

When you are losing everything matters. We got timely hits all last year and apparently used them all up. We also got outstanding pitching and apparently that walked out the door with Deihl, Bristo, Clancy and Atkins. I would argue unproductive outs have been just as detrimental so far as our horrendous pitching thus far. Hitting into double plays, failure to sacrifice the run in EVER with first and third, strikeouts, have all come at bad times. I am hoping this road trip will be a good time to come together and start winning again.

[PawDawg]

I would argue unproductive outs have been just as detrimental so far as our horrendous pitching thus far. Hitting into double plays, failure to sacrifice the run in EVER with first and third, strikeouts, have all come at bad times.

You'd be wrong. Starting pitching is the difference. Failure to sacrifice? We don't fail there often and do it more than we did it last year.

Double plays are part of the game. Not a hitting failure.

[Dwayne From Minden]

We sacrifice too much

We don't start runners and apply pressure nearly enough

[SicemDawgz]

We sacrifice too much

We don't start runners and apply pressure nearly enough

I don't recall us using hit and run much this year. I wish we would do it more in favoreable counts to try and cut down on double plays. Its a gamble because you might cause a double play by using it. The fact that we strike out so much is probably a big reason we aren't doing it.

[SicemDawgz]

You'd be wrong. Starting pitching is the difference. Failure to sacrifice? We don't fail there often and do it more than we did it last year.

Double plays are part of the game. Not a hitting failure.

Know what else is a part of the game? Big offensive innings

[PawDawg]

Know what else is a part of the game? Big offensive innings

We are averaging more runs per game than we did at this point last year.

On Friday night we hit into two double plays when the runner on first was moving before the pitch arrived. On those two plays the SS was moving to cover the bag and ran into positions to field a hit up the middle that otherwise would have been a base hit. Bad luck, but it is part of the game.