Keys to a Successful Weekend for the Dawgs in Knoxville

[StarkVegasSteve]

Really important series coming up. One we really need to at the worst win and really could use a sweep. These next two weeks are the last "easy" part of our schedule, although there's never really an easy weekend in the SEC. I think these are the biggest things that will determine our success this weekend:

1) Improved bullpen- The last half of March was not very kind to our bullpen and was in stark contrast to the first month and a half of the season. Now obviously some of that has to do with the increase in competition, but it seems lately that anyone we throw out there not named Small, Ginn, or Gordon is getting absolutely shelled. Now I think Self is rounding into form and Colby White is good for an inning. I also have been impressed with Trysten Barlow as of late. We just need more guys to consistently step up. Especially for Sunday games, which brings me to number 2.

2) Getting a quality Sunday start- Just haven't been able to find a guy who can consistent go 5-6 innings on a Sunday. I've been on record saying I think Plumlee can be that guy. I don't mean that as a knock against Keegan James because I think he's a good pitcher in his own right. It just seems like guys figure him out after one time through the lineup. I think Plumlee can be that guy that can get you through 5-6 innings on a Sunday and give you a chance to win.

3) Timely Hitting- Tennessee is a team that pitches very well and they'd love to drag you into a 3-2, 4-3 type ballgame. If our bats can get going we can put them out of the game. Tanner Allen has to get going offensively. If he can get going we're legitimately dangerous 1-9 in the lineup. Rowdey also needs to continue his hitting improvement he's shown over the last 3 weeks.

4) Fielding- Hopefully last weekend was an anomaly with our fielding woes. But 5 errors in the final 2 games of the series will not win you any series in the SEC. We have to cut those out this weekend to be successful.

5) Have Fun and Stay Loose- I felt like we were pressing the last two games against LSU and I think that may have been what led to the poor play. We just need to stay relaxed and remember that we're one of the best teams in the country when we're playing loose with nothing to lose.

All in all I think the Dawgs will get the first two and have chance at a sweep on Sunday.

[shoeless joe]

Not to over simplify but we are more talented than UT and when you’re more talented you just gotta catch and throw. If we do that we’ll be fine

[Goldendawg]

Score more runs than they do each game.**

[Todd4State]

1. As I noted earlier Colby White should be pitching less. I think we'll see more Keegan out of the pen which I think will help.

2. Plumlee I think will be used more as an opener based on how we used him against LSU but we'll see. Plumlee, Keegan, and Gordon should be realistically able to eat up 5-6 IP. That leaves one for Barlow, one for Self, and then one for someone else like Leibelt or Price. I don't think we're going to have anyone that's a traditional 5-6 IP Sunday guy this year.

3. Tennessee's pitching is really good as you noted. But I think we'll be OK as long as we're not hitting balls right at people like Friday against USM or Saturday against LSU.

4. I think if nothing else our fielding will be much improved.

5. Always!

[99jc]

1. As I noted earlier Colby White should be pitching less. I think we'll see more Keegan out of the pen which I think will help.

2. Plumlee I think will be used more as an opener based on how we used him against LSU but we'll see. Plumlee, Keegan, and Gordon should be realistically able to eat up 5-6 IP. That leaves one for Barlow, one for Self, and then one for someone else like Leibelt or Price. I don't think we're going to have anyone that's a traditional 5-6 IP Sunday guy this year.

3. Tennessee's pitching is really good as you noted. But I think we'll be OK as long as we're not hitting balls right at people like Friday against USM or Saturday against LSU.

4. I think if nothing else our fielding will be much improved.

5. Always!

Todd I disagree on Colby I would use him as the 9th inning closer.

[Todd4State]

Todd I disagree on Colby I would use him as the 9th inning closer.

The stats show that while he has been effective against OOC opponents he has not been good against SEC teams and has allowed at least one run in every SEC appearance. He won't be our closer until he develops another pitch.

[Dawg2003]

This weekend will tell us a lot. If these pitchers can't hold down this TN lineup, well I don't even want to think about it.

[Lord McBuckethead]

Yep, keep it simple. Win all 3 games.

[louisvilledawg]

Really important series coming up. One we really need to at the worst win and really could use a sweep. These next two weeks are the last "easy" part of our schedule, although there's never really an easy weekend in the SEC. I think these are the biggest things that will determine our success this weekend:

1) Improved bullpen- The last half of March was not very kind to our bullpen and was in stark contrast to the first month and a half of the season. Now obviously some of that has to do with the increase in competition, but it seems lately that anyone we throw out there not named Small, Ginn, or Gordon is getting absolutely shelled. Now I think Self is rounding into form and Colby White is good for an inning. I also have been impressed with Trysten Barlow as of late. We just need more guys to consistently step up. Especially for Sunday games, which brings me to number 2.

2) Getting a quality Sunday start- Just haven't been able to find a guy who can consistent go 5-6 innings on a Sunday. I've been on record saying I think Plumlee can be that guy. I don't mean that as a knock against Keegan James because I think he's a good pitcher in his own right. It just seems like guys figure him out after one time through the lineup. I think Plumlee can be that guy that can get you through 5-6 innings on a Sunday and give you a chance to win.

3) Timely Hitting- Tennessee is a team that pitches very well and they'd love to drag you into a 3-2, 4-3 type ballgame. If our bats can get going we can put them out of the game. Tanner Allen has to get going offensively. If he can get going we're legitimately dangerous 1-9 in the lineup. Rowdey also needs to continue his hitting improvement he's shown over the last 3 weeks.

4) Fielding- Hopefully last weekend was an anomaly with our fielding woes. But 5 errors in the final 2 games of the series will not win you any series in the SEC. We have to cut those out this weekend to be successful.

5) Have Fun and Stay Loose- I felt like we were pressing the last two games against LSU and I think that may have been what led to the poor play. We just need to stay relaxed and remember that we're one of the best teams in the country when we're playing loose with nothing to lose.

All in all I think the Dawgs will get the first two and have chance at a sweep on Sunday.

Not to rain on your parade, but Halter is batting a clean .220 in SEC play.

[confucius say]

The stats show that while he has been effective against OOC opponents he has not been good against SEC teams and has allowed at least one run in every SEC appearance. He won't be our closer until he develops another pitch.

Curious of your thoughts, Rank the bullpen arms by level of trust in each to come out of the pen and get the job done. I'm not sure Barlow isn't first.

[HooverDawg]

I think an important factor for this weekend is getting Small and Ginn to give us 7 innings. They need to take that next step and be able to get into the 7th and 8th innings against mediocre hitting teams like Tennessee. Small and Ginn both only going 5 innings last weekend was not ideal with how vulnerable our bullpen is. We need them to step up and eat some innings.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I think an important factor for this weekend is getting Small and Ginn to give us 7 innings. They need to take that next step and be able to get into the 7th and 8th innings against mediocre hitting teams like Tennessee. Small and Ginn both only going 5 innings last weekend was not ideal with how vulnerable our bullpen is. We need them to step up and eat some innings.

I have to believe that is more coaches trying to save them for the end of the season. I expect we'll start seeing both of them regularly going into the 7th or 8th starting pretty soon.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Not to rain on your parade, but Halter is batting a clean .220 in SEC play.

Yea I debated saying 1-9 because of Halter. But he's shown flashes that he can figure it out. It's not like he's a guaranteed out every time and you're just hoping for a walk. We've had some 9 hole hitters in the last few years that a walk was the best possible outcome that you could hope for.

[HooverDawg]

I have to believe that is more coaches trying to save them for the end of the season. I expect we'll start seeing both of them regularly going into the 7th or 8th starting pretty soon.

I hope that's the case but I don't seem to remember Small throwing 7 innings very much last year either. He's a strikeout guy and ends up throwing more pitches than he should because of that. Maybe he can become more efficient this second half.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I hope that's the case but I don't seem to remember Small throwing 7 innings very much last year either. He's a strikeout guy and ends up throwing more pitches than he should because of that. Maybe he can become more efficient this second half.

Last year he was coming off Tommy John so I know they were limiting his innings. But I do tend to agree that because he's a strikeout guy he does end up inflating his pitch count in the process.

[Homedawg]

The stats show that while he has been effective against OOC opponents he has not been good against SEC teams and has allowed at least one run in every SEC appearance. He won't be our closer until he develops another pitch.

Agree w this. He's a one pitch guy at this point. And he probably throws "too many" strikes. Always around the play and the hitters dig in and his fb doesn't have a ton of movement.

[Homedawg]

Not to rain on your parade, but Halter is batting a clean .220 in SEC play.

Allen has a chance to hit in this league. Nothing I've seen makes me think halter will be able to.