Mid-Fall SEC rotation

[MsStateBaseball]

Friday--Brandon Woodruff
Saturday--Trevor Fitts
Sunday--Dakota Hudson

I have that feeling, Woody is primed for outstanding season. He will be a 1st rounder. I feel it. Fitts may not go deep in a game but he has the stuff for 4-5 innings. Hudson is on a mission. 1st rounder deluxe in 3 years. A close second is Ben Bracewell and Jacob Lindgren. Ok have at it and disagree w me.

[State82]

I'm not going to agree/disagree, but this I know. All the good Diamond Dawg info you guys have been laying on the table the past couple weeks has been very enlightening and encouraging. Keep up the good work. Can't wait till mid February.

[HoopsDawg]

It's hard for me to see Fitts over Lindgren.

[CadaverDawg]

I'm not going to agree/disagree, but this I know. All the good Diamond Dawg info you guys have been laying on the table the past couple weeks has been very enlightening and encouraging. Keep up the good work. Can't wait till mid February.

This

[CadaverDawg]

It's hard for me to see Fitts over Lindgren.

Think of it in a piggy backing way though. Lindgren wasn't great as a starter last year, so we bring him in around the 3rd or 4th after Fitts ala Girodo. Lights out til we "Cut em Down". I like it. You may be right though....I love all of the possibilities for sure

[messageboardsuperhero]

It's hard for me to see Fitts over Lindgren.

Just because he starts the game doesn't necessarily mean that Fitts would throw more innings than Lindgren. Girodo and Mitchell were our "aces" last year and never started a game.

Here's what I'd like to see if all goes like I hope:

Friday: Woodruff- Legit Stratton-level friday guy. Could give us seven every week if all goes well.
Saturday: Fitts- Give us three innings, then turn it over to Lindgren for hopefully the rest of the game.
Sunday: Hudson- Give us five, then throw Mitchell for three innings. Would be a great contrast.

This is the textbook plan I'd try if SEC play was tomorrow and everyone was healthy and in midseason form.

[Will James]

I'd like to see us take each weekend game by game. Maximize our best arms innings, but not a set rotation each time.

Let's say Woodruff and Fitts go Fri and Sat with no problems and we have big leads when we go to the pen for Gentry's and Shellys. Well then Lingo can start Sundays.

But if we are getting knocked around early on Fri or Sat we can bring in a Lingo to Girodo it in long relief. Get knocked around early on Fri AND Sat.. Lingo and Ross both Girodo it.

We are so deep at P we don't have to concede if our starter is off. We should always be in games because it's not likely 3 of our arms will all get hit hard on the same day. This is my hope with our pitching strategy this year. Maximize our best arms but not necessarily in the "traditional model" If Lingo can go 3 on Fridays if needed and 2+ Sundays, thats 5 IP in the most critical points of the game. Better than 6 IP in a blowout win. Use our best when they will be most effective.

[preachermatt83]

Im probably the only one saying this but I just don't see why Ross couldn't be a starter. I understand all the reasons why it's not typical but I mean the guy has proven he is a flat out good pitcher for as long as you need him to be.

[preachermatt83]

I'd like to see us take each weekend game by game. Maximize our best arms innings, but not a set rotation each time.

Let's say Woodruff and Fitts go Fri and Sat with no problems and we have big leads when we go to the pen for Gentry's and Shellys. Well then Lingo can start Sundays.

But if we are getting knocked around early on Fri or Sat we can bring in a Lingo to Girodo it in long relief. Get knocked around early on Fri AND Sat.. Lingo and Ross both Girodo it.

We are so deep at P we don't have to concede if our starter is off. We should always be in games because it's not likely 3 of our arms will all get hit hard on the same day. This is my hope with our pitching strategy this year. Maximize our best arms but not necessarily in the "traditional model" If Lingo can go 3 on Fridays if needed and 2+ Sundays, thats 5 IP in the most critical points of the game. Better than 6 IP in a blowout win. Use our best when they will be most effective.

I agree completely and the cool part is, we have a pitching coach who understands this.

[messageboardsuperhero]

Im probably the only one saying this but I just don't see why Ross couldn't be a starter. I understand all the reasons why it's not typical but I mean the guy has proven he is a flat out good pitcher for as long as you need him to be.

I'd rather have Ross pitch the 6-8 innings on Friday and Sunday than the first six innings of a game for the reasons WJ just gave. Put our best arms in the spots during the weekend where we need them the most.

[CadaverDawg]

I'd like to see us take each weekend game by game. Maximize our best arms innings, but not a set rotation each time.

Let's say Woodruff and Fitts go Fri and Sat with no problems and we have big leads when we go to the pen for Gentry's and Shellys. Well then Lingo can start Sundays.

But if we are getting knocked around early on Fri or Sat we can bring in a Lingo to Girodo it in long relief. Get knocked around early on Fri AND Sat.. Lingo and Ross both Girodo it.

We are so deep at P we don't have to concede if our starter is off. We should always be in games because it's not likely 3 of our arms will all get hit hard on the same day. This is my hope with our pitching strategy this year. Maximize our best arms but not necessarily in the "traditional model" If Lingo can go 3 on Fridays if needed and 2+ Sundays, thats 5 IP in the most critical points of the game. Better than 6 IP in a blowout win. Use our best when they will be most effective.

This is a good point. We should be able to keep teams so off balance that one long outing per weekend by a starter should put our opponent in a major bind because we will have a ton of pitching weapons to throw at them in two games.

And another great thing is that if we do get up big in a game, we have guys near the bottom of our pen that can be dominant and eat up innings without touching our key guys. In other words, like WJ said, if Woody gives us 5 strong on Friday and we are up 7-1....we can bring in guys like Shelly, Gentry, Cox that can eat up innings while being very effective. Then all of the sudden we go into the final 2 games f a series with a full arsenal of Fitts, Lindgren, Hudson, Mitchell, Holder, Bracewell, etc. That is a sick group to have to face in a two game stretch

[preachermatt83]

I'd rather have Ross pitch the 6-8 innings on Friday and Sunday than the first six innings of a game for the reasons WJ just gave. Put our best arms in the spots during the weekend where we need them the most.

oh i def see that point and agree but couldn't he do that same thing as a Friday starter?

[preachermatt83]

I personally think cox may sneak in as a starter. he is really a solid arm. man it's just awesome that we have so many arms that are freaking great.

[CadaverDawg]

oh i def see that point and agree but couldn't he do that same thing as a Friday starter?

Ross has the perfect speed and arm angle to be a deadly piggy back off of a hard throwing starter. If you have ever played baseball, the worst thing in the world as a hitter is to go from a hard thrower, to a slow throwing, junk, lefty....you are living on your front foot and if you are able to make contact, you're going to roll over it and hit a weak grounder. Especially when Ross has so much sink.

No way you start a guy like that. He is such a weapon as a reliever, and would not be nearly as effective as a starter IMO.

[CadaverDawg]

I personally think cox may sneak in as a starter. he is really a solid arm. man it's just awesome that we have so many arms that are freaking great.

I think Cox is similar to Ross except from the right side. He throws harder, but you have to realize that these different arm angle guys are a tough adjustment to make mid game. That's why you will probably not see a guy like Cox, Ross, or Gentry starting weekend games. Maybe a midweek game or two, but not weekend IMO.

[preachermatt83]

I think Cox is similar to Ross except from the right side. He throws harder, but you have to realize that these different arm angle guys are a tough adjustment to make mid game. That's why you will probably not see a guy like Cox, Ross, or Gentry starting weekend games. Maybe a midweek game or two, but not weekend IMO.

Good point. I can't argue with that.

[Todd4State]

Matt- I feel like Ross is better out of the bullpen and has more value to us there. I think he has the ability to start for a lot of teams- but his most effective use is out of the bullpen. I would think he would only start as a last resort or maybe against a midweek opponent. Will Cox is going to be more like Caleb Reed- he's starting to throw from a lower arm angle some which he started doing some last year. But I think he will also still throw some conventionally as well.

[Todd4State]

My rotation with piggybacks. This is how I would do it- and I expect the coaches to do something completely different.

Friday- Woodruff/Ross- I've always felt like Woodruff was our ace. He's the guy that started the SEC Tournament Championship Game along with some other fairly big games his freshman year. There's a good chance he will be matched up against the other team's ace- and if it's close and he's going good, we'll just keep on rolling right along with him. If we're blowing the other team out- then we just bring out Ross and let him eat innings. Ross does exactly what you want in that situation- throw strikes and make the other team put the ball in play to get outs.

Saturday- Lindgren/Hudson- We certainly may face the ace on Saturday- a lot of teams do that. And I feel like Lindgren is our other ace. We could certainly switch Friday and Saturday based on the match-up. But having a group where you have a left hander that is throwing in the low- mid 90's and then following it up with a right hander in the mid 90's- that's pretty good. I have long advocated using Hudson in relief- but certainly would not be opposed to him starting some if the opponent hits lefties well.

Sunday- Fitts/Cox- Fitts has shown that he can start- and I expect his fastball to be even better this year to go along with his curveball. If his fastball location and movement are better, he will be able to go deeper into games. Cox could be similar to Caleb Reed- a guy that comes over the top and also drops down some- that's going to give people trouble.

Wildcard- Paul Young. I hope his elbow is OK because he could figure into all of this as well.

[bully99]

Todd,what exactly is wrong with Paul Young?

[Todd4State]

He has inflammation in his elbow. Right now they are letting him rest and are hoping that it clears up. I'm hoping he doesn't have to have Tommy John surgery- but if he does we can still use him later on down the line.

Let's just hope for the best and hope it clears up.

[WeWonItAll(Most)]

I'd like to see us take each weekend game by game. Maximize our best arms innings, but not a set rotation each time.

Let's say Woodruff and Fitts go Fri and Sat with no problems and we have big leads when we go to the pen for Gentry's and Shellys. Well then Lingo can start Sundays.

But if we are getting knocked around early on Fri or Sat we can bring in a Lingo to Girodo it in long relief. Get knocked around early on Fri AND Sat.. Lingo and Ross both Girodo it.

We are so deep at P we don't have to concede if our starter is off. We should always be in games because it's not likely 3 of our arms will all get hit hard on the same day. This is my hope with our pitching strategy this year. Maximize our best arms but not necessarily in the "traditional model" If Lingo can go 3 on Fridays if needed and 2+ Sundays, thats 5 IP in the most critical points of the game. Better than 6 IP in a blowout win. Use our best when they will be most effective.

Who would have thought this time last year that Girado's name would one day be used as a way to describe shutting a team down?

[Lefthandersrule]

All this talk makes me want the season to start tomorrow!