Ok so let's talk starting rotation

[MetEdDawg]

I say:

Game 1: Billingsley
Game 2: Pilk
Game 3: Plumlee

First off, I want Pilk to be the guy deciding our season. If we lose game 1, he gets to try and keep us from being eliminated. If we win game 1, he gets to be the horse we try and ride to Omaha.

Second, I think it's obvious Gordon is no longer a viable option to start. McQuary is too inconsistent. Plumlee has done well and I think deserves the chance to start. Now if you have to have him in game 1 or 2, you use him and we can still go back to him game 3.

Thoughts?

[Tbonewannabe]

I say:

Game 1: Billingsley
Game 2: Pilk
Game 3: Plumlee

First off, I want Pilk to be the guy deciding our season. If we lose game 1, he gets to try and keep us from being eliminated. If we win game 1, he gets to be the horse we try and ride to Omaha.

Second, I think it's obvious Gordon is no longer a viable option to start. McQuary is too inconsistent. Plumlee has done well and I think deserves the chance to start. Now if you have to have him in game 1 or 2, you use him and we can still go back to him game 3.

Thoughts?

Pilk is probably going game 1 since he has had the most rest and we will need our best to go against the LSU ace. McQ did a good enough job with Plumlee backing him. I would probably leave McQ starting since we know Plumlee is good out of the pen but you never can tell how that affects a pitcher. Billingsley definitely earned the last start.

[Jarius]

I would throw Pilk game 1 and Plumlee game 2. Billingsley had a great outing, but he had a ton of balls that were crushed right at people all night. I think Plumlee has better stuff and is more likely to get LSU out consistently.

[Todd4State]

Game one- McQuary followed by Plumlee.
Game two- Pilkington
Game three- Billingsley

[smootness]

I would throw Pilk game 1 and Plumlee game 2. Billingsley had a great outing, but he had a ton of balls that were crushed right at people all night. I think Plumlee has better stuff and is more likely to get LSU out consistently.

This is what I do as well, and go with Billingsley Game 3. You hope you win Game 1 without using much of your pen so you can be prepared to use whoever you need to win 1 more.

[CadaverDawg]

Game one- McQuary followed by Plumlee.
Game two- Pilkington
Game three- Billingsley

I would prefer ^this^, but I think Andy will go...

Pilk
McQuary followed by Plumlee
Billingsley

[I seen it dawg]

Pilk, Denver, Billingsley.

And before some of you get your thongs in a wad up over your head it's just because with the way we finished the regional it's about all we can do due to rest. If we get the Saturday game 1 we get a little bit of latitude but not much.

If Oregon state is Saturday we are Saturday. Goes off how the one seed is bracketed for cws.

[I seen it dawg]

And I want Pilk going in game 1 because he's our ace and the environment. I'm sorry but I can't trust they won't eat Denver alive in the first inning of a game 1. Then we are in just a smidge of trouble.

[basedog]

Whatever Cann and Henderson thinks is best!

Non of you guys stay as much at the Holiday Inn Express than I do!

Game one is critical, you go with your best lineup, so Pilk will start.

[drunkernhelldawg]

I like the idea scientifically, but there's no way we don't throw our Ace in game one. Anything else and overthinking will doom us.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Game 1 - Pilk
Game 2 - Billingsley (He's earned the right to throw that game) followed by Plumlee
Game 3 - McQuary followed by Gordon followed by everybody

[Ari Gold]

Pilk, Denver, Billingsley.

And before some of you get your thongs in a wad up over your head it's just because with the way we finished the regional it's about all we can do due to rest. If we get the Saturday game 1 we get a little bit of latitude but not much.

If Oregon state is Saturday we are Saturday. Goes off how the one seed is bracketed for cws.

It's Sat night .. and agree it's Pilk game one and it's not even an argument.. the other games is whoever Cann sees in that crystal ball of his..

[msstate7]

Our chances this weekend might depend on whether price is back for real or not. Here's the good in regional play: 4.1 ip 2 h 1 er 0 bb. Those look great, but here's the bad: 1 k in 4.1 ip. Not sure how sustainable his good work is if he can't miss bats. Really need similar results from him this weekend... esp his 3.0 ip last night

[Cooterpoot]

Pilk
McQuary
Billingsley

Just because Billingsley had a Gordon game, doesn't mean he's all of a sudden the man. Might switch up the last two depending on how game 1 went, but Pilk is game 1 all the way. Now, if we can just stop pulling off every damn thing at the plate and stay through the ball, we can scare LSU shitless.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

I just don't know if I want Denver starting in a Game 2. His last 4 starts he's walked 5 guys in each of them. That won't cut it. Truth is we don't have a #2 guy so it's just grasping at straws so I say go with the guy who pitched the best last time out & that's Billingsley.

[confucius say]

Game one- McQuary followed by Plumlee.
Game two- Pilkington
Game three- Billingsley

Winner.

[It_Could_Happen]

If it were me I'd go:

JB
Pilk
Mcq on a short least with Plumlee waiting to go.

What I think will happen (which is fine AC has pushed all the right buttons all year)

Pilk
JB
Mcq/Plumlee

[smootness]

Game 1 - Pilk
Game 2 - Billingsley (He's earned the right to throw that game) followed by Plumlee
Game 3 - McQuary followed by Gordon followed by everybody

The problem with this for me is that if you don't finish it off in 2, you're in serious trouble for Game 3. McQuary and Gordon both struggle to throw strikes and miss bats. I want Plumlee and Billingsley both starting, and you determine who comes in behind them based on what is happening in the game.

I don't really understand the hesitancy in starting Plumlee over McQuary. Here are their overall numbers:
McQuary - 54 IP, 4.67 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 7.8 BB/9, 1.61 WHIP
Plumlee - 72.1 IP, 3.61 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 1.37 WHIP

As a SP (both with 8 starts):
McQuary - 35 IP, 5.66 ERA, 27 K/35 BB
Plumlee - 35 IP, 2.57 ERA, 28 K/12 BB

Last 5 appearances:
McQuary - 23.2 IP, 5.70 ERA, 15 K/21 BB
Plumlee - 15 IP, 3.60 ERA, 12 K/5 BB

I want our best pitchers to maximize their innings. Plumlee is better than McQuary, he has been better as a starter, and he has been better recently. I just don't see why we would start McQuary. You're guaranteeing yourself that he will have to struggle to get through innings while minimizing the impact of baserunners. I would rather have him available if necessary but to go with Plumlee and let him try to get you through at least 5-6 IP.

[basedog]

I just don't know if I want Denver starting in a Game 2. His last 4 starts he's walked 5 guys in each of them. That won't cut it. Truth is we don't have a #2 guy so it's just grasping at straws so I say go with the guy who pitched the best last time out & that's Billingsley.

Good points, but you have to take in consideration that before last night Billingsley had only gone 5 innings once plus he threw about 125 pitches last night.

Tough decision who starts after Pilk, but someone seems to step up lately.

[msstate7]

Good points, but you have to take in consideration that before last night Billingsley had only gone 5 innings once plus he threw about 125 pitches last night.

Tough decision who starts after Pilk, but someone seems to step up lately.

True, but the 5 ip was his previous start. He's gone 5 and 9 in last 2

[basedog]

True, but the 5 ip was his previous start. He's gone 5 and 9 in last 2

He deserves a start, but not sure which game, 125 pitches is a lot.

Plumlee has been really good out of the pen.

You never know who will step up, crazy overachieving year indeed.

Gotta swing the bats with clutch hitting now as pitchers we face from here on out will be tough.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

The problem with this for me is that if you don't finish it off in 2, you're in serious trouble for Game 3. McQuary and Gordon both struggle to throw strikes and miss bats. I want Plumlee and Billingsley both starting, and you determine who comes in behind them based on what is happening in the game.

I don't really understand the hesitancy in starting Plumlee over McQuary. Here are their overall numbers:
McQuary - 54 IP, 4.67 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 7.8 BB/9, 1.61 WHIP
Plumlee - 72.1 IP, 3.61 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 1.37 WHIP

As a SP (both with 8 starts):
McQuary - 35 IP, 5.66 ERA, 27 K/35 BB
Plumlee - 35 IP, 2.57 ERA, 28 K/12 BB

Last 5 appearances:
McQuary - 23.2 IP, 5.70 ERA, 15 K/21 BB
Plumlee - 15 IP, 3.60 ERA, 12 K/5 BB

I want our best pitchers to maximize their innings. Plumlee is better than McQuary, he has been better as a starter, and he has been better recently. I just don't see why we would start McQuary. You're guaranteeing yourself that he will have to struggle to get through innings while minimizing the impact of baserunners. I would rather have him available if necessary but to go with Plumlee and let him try to get you through at least 5-6 IP.

All true but do you want to mess with what is obviously working with Plumlee out of the pen? When is the last time he started a game? He's found his groove as the long reliever I'm not sure I want to mess with that.

[smootness]

All true but do you want to mess with what is obviously working with Plumlee out of the pen? When is the last time he started a game? He's found his groove as the long reliever I'm not sure I want to mess with that.

He actually pitched better as a starter than he has as a reliever, even recently.

He has proven he can do both well, and he has actually performed better as a starter, so I don't get the fear that if you move him back to a starting role, he suddenly won't be as effective.

I mean, McQuary has been worse as a starter recently than he was before. So if we're scared of anything, to me it's that McQuary will continue to do what he has done all year, but especially recently. I just don't know why you would want him starting a game in the SR if you can avoid it. And I think we can avoid it.

[basedog]

All true but do you want to mess with what is obviously working with Plumlee out of the pen? When is the last time he started a game? He's found his groove as the long reliever I'm not sure I want to mess with that.

I agree.

[preachermatt83]

Pilk
Mcq
Jb

[Dawg61]

Pilk
Billingsley
Plumlee

And to the guy that said CB had a ton of hard hit balls at people that is false. He had something like 15 ground balls outs. We go Pilk, Billingsley we might not even need game 3. I was asking for JB all last week and he just threw a CG for us. He absolutely gets the start game 2 and he's going 7-8 innings again. Pilk is game 1 starter no doubt.

[I seen it dawg]

I want Denver against poche. Poche is the most vulnerable pitcher they have. Walker is going to fill up the zone and not get rattled if we can get to a game 3. Billingsley needs the rest as well. Pilk game one of course.

And I promise you cann is mind****ing mainieri right now

[I seen it dawg]

The problem with this for me is that if you don't finish it off in 2, you're in serious trouble for Game 3. McQuary and Gordon both struggle to throw strikes and miss bats. I want Plumlee and Billingsley both starting, and you determine who comes in behind them based on what is happening in the game.

I don't really understand the hesitancy in starting Plumlee over McQuary. Here are their overall numbers:
McQuary - 54 IP, 4.67 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 7.8 BB/9, 1.61 WHIP
Plumlee - 72.1 IP, 3.61 ERA, 6.7 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 1.37 WHIP

As a SP (both with 8 starts):
McQuary - 35 IP, 5.66 ERA, 27 K/35 BB
Plumlee - 35 IP, 2.57 ERA, 28 K/12 BB

Last 5 appearances:
McQuary - 23.2 IP, 5.70 ERA, 15 K/21 BB
Plumlee - 15 IP, 3.60 ERA, 12 K/5 BB

I want our best pitchers to maximize their innings. Plumlee is better than McQuary, he has been better as a starter, and he has been better recently. I just don't see why we would start McQuary. You're guaranteeing yourself that he will have to struggle to get through innings while minimizing the impact of baserunners. I would rather have him available if necessary but to go with Plumlee and let him try to get you through at least 5-6 IP.

It's not always about the numbers little lady. But good book

[smootness]

It's not always about the numbers little lady. But good book

I don't have a problem with this. But if that's what you think, then just explain what it is about McQuary starting and Plumlee out of the pen that you like. Because past performance indicates that starting Plumlee is the best move.

[I seen it dawg]

I don't have a problem with this. But if that's what you think, then just explain what it is about McQuary starting and Plumlee out of the pen that you like. Because past performance indicates that starting Plumlee is the best move.

Starting Plum is not the best move....It's not necessarily I like one or the other starting. It's about where we are in the season and roles and what the players are used to. Hell I think it's obvious to everyone Denver scares the living shit out of me and I trust him least out of him, Pilk, Plum and JB. But I digress...

Denver has been starting. Plumlee has been relieving. At this point in the season you are more likely for Denver to have a good performance and not need plum early by keeping it that way because they are settled into their roles.

If you flip them at this point you potentially **** them both up by making them switch roles. Not something you do at this time. Too much of a gamble.

Now Cann and henderson know their players and if it's already been discussed and the players makeup enables them to do it easily then ok. I highly highly highly doubt that is the case though.

Just start Self...

[I seen it dawg]

Pilk
Billingsley
Plumlee

And to the guy that said CB had a ton of hard hit balls at people that is false. He had something like 15 ground balls outs. We go Pilk, Billingsley we might not even need game 3. I was asking for JB all last week and he just threw a CG for us. He absolutely gets the start game 2 and he's going 7-8 innings again. Pilk is game 1 starter no doubt.

Smoot sold you oceanfront property in Arizona...hope you kept your receipt

[I seen it dawg]

Y'all just let me handle this damn...didn't I do a good enough job in the regional

[smootness]

Starting Plum is not the best move....It's not necessarily I like one or the other starting. It's about where we are in the season and roles and what the players are used to. Hell I think it's obvious to everyone Denver scares the living shit out of me and I trust him least out of him, Pilk, Plum and JB. But I digress...

Denver has been starting. Plumlee has been relieving. At this point in the season you are more likely for Denver to have a good performance and not need plum early by keeping it that way because they are settled into their roles.

If you flip them at this point you potentially **** them both up by making them switch roles. Not something you do at this time. Too much of a gamble.

Now Cann and henderson know their players and if it's already been discussed and the players makeup enables them to do it easily then ok. I highly highly highly doubt that is the case though.

Just start Self...

Thanks for the response. I get that argument, but again, McQuary hasn't been performing well, so you're not risking messing him up. The only issue is whether or not Plumlee could effectively switch to being a starter, and considering that he hasn't been as good in relief as he was as a starter, I don't know why we'd be that concerned that he would suddenly become less effective if we switched him back now.

I just think fans become too fearful that any little tweak will totally mess with a player when, in reality, I don't think it makes much of a difference. Obviously some guys are just better suited for relief, which is a different discussion. Plumlee has proven he can be an effective starter.

Anyway, we obviously disagree, but I'll be fine with whatever the coaches decide.

[I seen it dawg]

Thanks for the response. I get that argument, but again, McQuary hasn't been performing well, so you're not risking messing him up. The only issue is whether or not Plumlee could effectively switch to being a starter, and considering that he hasn't been as good in relief as he was as a starter, I don't know why we'd be that concerned that he would suddenly become less effective if we switched him back now.

I just think fans become too fearful that any little tweak will totally mess with a player when, in reality, I don't think it makes much of a difference. Obviously some guys are just better suited for relief, which is a different discussion. Plumlee has proven he can be an effective starter.

Anyway, we obviously disagree, but I'll be fine with whatever the coaches decide.

I'm just going to agree to disagree here. Once again the stats don't tell the whole story. Especially at this time of the year.

[smootness]

I'm just going to agree to disagree here. Once again the stats don't tell the whole story. Especially at this time of the year.

That's fine.

[RAYn_Man]

Game one- McQuary followed by Plumlee.
Game two- Pilkington
Game three- Billingsley

This is it.

[Dawg61]

As a SP (both with 8 starts):
McQuary - 35 IP, 5.66 ERA, 27 K/35 BB
Plumlee - 35 IP, 2.57 ERA, 28 K/12 BB

Last 5 appearances:
McQuary - 23.2 IP, 5.70 ERA, 15 K/21 BB
Plumlee - 15 IP, 3.60 ERA, 12 K/5 BB



Smoot sold you oceanfront property in Arizona...hope you kept your receipt

Looks like Denver has been hitting the ocean from Arizona while he pitches too. 35 walks compared to 12 walks in the same amount of innings in the same amount of games as a starting pitcher solves the debate for us. We don't have to argue it. It's clear as day.

[Jack Lambert]

I would throw Pilk game 1 and Plumlee game 2. Billingsley had a great outing, but he had a ton of balls that were crushed right at people all night. I think Plumlee has better stuff and is more likely to get LSU out consistently.

We have to win game one.

[I seen it dawg]

Looks like Denver has been hitting the ocean from Arizona while he pitches too. 35 walks compared to 12 walks in the same amount of innings in the same amount of games as a starting pitcher solves the debate for us. We don't have to argue it. It's clear as day.

It is clear as day. But you're looking out the wrong window. A window covered in mud.

[CadaverDawg]

Smoot, The reason Plumlee isn't starting is Bc he did so bad as a starter after a strong OOC start, that he lost his job. Now, he's our best long reliever, and has been getting us out of jams....why would you take him out of a role he is excelling at, and put him back into a role that he lost due to performance? Makes no sense. Plus, as a long reliever you can use him multiple games if needed.

[Todd4State]

We have to win game one.

Everybody that has eliminated Ole Miss in a Super Regional disagrees with this statement.

[smootness]

Smoot, The reason Plumlee isn't starting is Bc he did so bad as a starter after a strong OOC start, that he lost his job. Now, he's our best long reliever, and has been getting us out of jams....why would you take him out of a role he is excelling at, and put him back into a role that he lost due to performance? Makes no sense. Plus, as a long reliever you can use him multiple games if needed.

2 of his last 3 starts were the following lines:

6 IP 5 H 0 ER 1 BB 6 K
3 IP 1 H 0 ER 2 BB 4 K

The other start was one in which he was pulled after 0.1 IP because he allowed 2 H and 2 BB. Obviously that is not a good start, but it's also a quick pull, and his other 2 starts there were very good. Before those, he had one really bad start, one mediocre one, and 3 very good ones.

So if he lost his job due to performance, I would argue that it was premature and he was never given an opportunity to win it back, despite our struggles in finding consistent SP. He's been good in relief, I'm not arguing that, but like I showed, his overall performance as a SP was even better. I want to maximize the innings of our best pitchers, and that happens by starting them. If we don't want to start Self because we don't think he'll be as effective there, that's fine. But Plumlee has shown he can be at least as effective in that role, so I want to go that route. Because our other option is McQuary, who has been worse than Plumlee was. So if Plumlee lost his job due to performance, it is past time for McQuary to lose his.

[Dawg61]

It is clear as day. But you're looking out the wrong window. A window covered in mud.

You hate walks more than anything and you're advocating for the guy that walked the bases loaded 8 more times than Plumlee and has an ERA that is more than double Plumlee's in the same amount of innings as starting pitchers. That's not eight more walks that's walking the entire bases full eight more times than Plumlee. 35 walks compared to just 12 walks. You asking for the pitcher that walks everybody in the lineup 3 times over is kinda like C34 advocating for Stansbury to be our next basketball coach or Hevesy as our next football coach. Just sayin. Denver walks a lot of dudes. A whole bunch of them. A lot of times.

[I seen it dawg]

Ok I'll do this...61 and smoot I'll put this in one response since you both have gone in together all in. While I respect your fandom opinion and ability to read stats neither one of you seem to grasp that this isn't about stats. I apparently can't explain it to you 2 so I'll leave it alone. You won't change what I'm saying because I'm right.

[Tbonewannabe]

2 of his last 3 starts were the following lines:

6 IP 5 H 0 ER 1 BB 6 K
3 IP 1 H 0 ER 2 BB 4 K

The other start was one in which he was pulled after 0.1 IP because he allowed 2 H and 2 BB. Obviously that is not a good start, but it's also a quick pull, and his other 2 starts there were very good. Before those, he had one really bad start, one mediocre one, and 3 very good ones.

So if he lost his job due to performance, I would argue that it was premature and he was never given an opportunity to win it back, despite our struggles in finding consistent SP. He's been good in relief, I'm not arguing that, but like I showed, his overall performance as a SP was even better. I want to maximize the innings of our best pitchers, and that happens by starting them. If we don't want to start Self because we don't think he'll be as effective there, that's fine. But Plumlee has shown he can be at least as effective in that role, so I want to go that route. Because our other option is McQuary, who has been worse than Plumlee was. So if Plumlee lost his job due to performance, it is past time for McQuary to lose his.

Could be a deal like we had with Trevor Fitz. Maybe McQuary does ok starting out but is not great out of the pen. If you need 2-4 innings out of McQ then maybe Canny thinks it is better at the beginning of the game. At this point, I am not going to second guess Canny too much. I am not sure I would want any other college coach in our dugout this weekend. We will see how he builds a program but I don't think there is anyone that could get this team playing like they are right now.

[Dawg61]

Ok I'll do this...61 and smoot I'll put this in one response since you both have gone in together all in. While I respect your fandom opinion and ability to read stats neither one of you seem to grasp that this isn't about stats. I apparently can't explain it to you 2 so I'll leave it alone. You won't change what I'm saying because I'm right.

It's all good brother we all are just nitpicking on a 3rd starter at this point. We will need both Denver and Plumlee at their best this weekend along with all of our pitchers to advance. No more Cole Gordon melting on the mound performances by any of them.

[runwildjerious]

Pilk in game 1 followed by TBA per Cann on periscope just now.

[Tbonewannabe]

Pilk in game 1 followed by TBA per Cann on periscope just now.

Pilk is probably our only chance in game 1. Anyone else on the mound would just be trying to get to game 2 & 3.

[smootness]

Could be a deal like we had with Trevor Fitz. Maybe McQuary does ok starting out but is not great out of the pen. If you need 2-4 innings out of McQ then maybe Canny thinks it is better at the beginning of the game. At this point, I am not going to second guess Canny too much. I am not sure I would want any other college coach in our dugout this weekend. We will see how he builds a program but I don't think there is anyone that could get this team playing like they are right now.

McQuary has been more effective out of the pen than starting this year.

[smootness]

Pilk is probably our only chance in game 1. Anyone else on the mound would just be trying to get to game 2 & 3.

This is why I think you have to go with Pilkington in Game 1. We can't afford to essentially concede any game in a 3-game series, and going with anyone else is basically doing that. It also allows you the best chance to rest your pen for game 1 and have everybody ready to go in the next 2.

[sleepy dawg]

1. Pilk
2. not pilk
3. not pilk

We got out of the regional by not starting him game 1, but it damn near cost us. Let's don't f*ck up the start of this series too. Pilk is our best overall guy and will have plenty of rest. He starts game 1 which may also give us the opportunity to use him an inning or so in game 3 if needed.