Mac with the start Monday...

[BeardoMSU]

According to Steve and others. No surprise there. He's due for a good start.

[R2Dawg]

I like it unlike some. Mac is due for a good outing. If Mac is on he can be nasty on the breaking ball. If he isn't you get what you can out of him. I want redemption for Mac. That is unfinished business for a player on this team. Leggett and Skinner made their presence felt last night. Time for Mac. Everyone has made their mark, it's Mac's turn.

We may lose the series but I just have a feeling we are a team of destiny. Look at our season and games in post season. I see a 30 for 30 coming.

[Commercecomet24]

Mac is easy to know if he's got it or not. If his breaking ball and change up are working he's going to be tough, if not he's going to get shelled. We'll know early.

[Commercecomet24]

I like it unlike some. Mac is due for a good outing. If Mac is on he can be nasty on the breaking ball. If he isn't you get what you can out of him. I want redemption for Mac. That is unfinished business for a player on this team. Leggett and Skinner made their presence felt last night. Time for Mac. Everyone has made their mark, it's Mac's turn.

We may lose the series but I just have a feeling we are a team of destiny. Look at our season and games in post season. I see a 30 for 30 coming.

I kinda get that feeling too. It's been such a wild run this year. Some real lows with arky, Missouri and the sect to some crazy highs. Why you have to be patient with baseball. Games are long and seasons are longer. Let it all play out. What I love about Lemonis, he plays the long game. That tells me he's an elite coach. Not all coaches have that vision and patience to play the long game but he does.

[mparkerfd20]

I've had a feeling ever since the other night that if we were going to have a chance he was going to have to pitch and pitch well. Call it a hunch, but I think he redeems himself and pitches his ass off. Hope our bats can help him out though.

[Cowbell]

And, honestly, if he gets shelled it's not the end of the world as long as we make sure Leiter is used up in the process and we save everyone else for the next two games.

[CadaverDawg]

Mac sounded very confident in his presser. I liked what I heard, let's see if it translates to the field

[shoeless joe]

Mac sounded very confident in his presser. I liked what I heard, let's see if it translates to the field

He should have a chip on his shoulder for multiple reasons. But simply as a competitor going up against leiter orta have him at the top of his game. If he’s on he’ll keep it close and give us a shot late. Needa have leiter out before the 7th, but that’ll be tough

[Todd4State]

We have any other logical choice but to start MacLeoud. I don't trust him though. I can't even remember his last great outing.

[CadaverDawg]

If Mac doesn't have it, are we all in pretty much agreement that you'd go PJ out of the pen first?

If he does have it going, I'm still thinking PJ but hopefully as a 1-2 inning bridge to Sims in the 9th.

My point is, I think game 1 we will go as far as Mac, PJ, and our bats can take us. Get in a hole early, you may see us go to a Patrick to eat garbage innings so we can throw the kitchen sink at the next 2 games. Thoughts?

[HoopsDawg]

If Mac gets us in a hole vs Leiter, we are going to have to tank it.

[Cowbell]

If Mac gets us in a hole vs Leiter, we are going to have to tank it.

Yes this is the tough spot - you hope he keeps it close. You also have to do enough to where they use up Leiter. You don't want to see him as a closer on Wednesday

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Macleod is giving up an average of one run per inning in his last 6 games. I would have someone in the pen as soon as he takes the bump.

[R2Dawg]

We have any other logical choice but to start MacLeoud. I don't trust him though. I can't even remember his last great outing.

I think it was the regional he was very good. He took out the side in the one inning he struggled putting bases loaded with no outs and then he struck out the side. Don't remember which game but not many pitchers could do what he did.

[Cowbell]

I think it was the regional he was very good. He took out the side in the one inning he struggled putting bases loaded with no outs and then he struck out the side. Don't remember which game but not many pitchers could do what he did.
This is correct

[The Federalist Engineer]

Mac is easy to know if he's got it or not. If his breaking ball and change up are working he's going to be tough, if not he's going to get shelled. We'll know early.

Hey Commerce, just a question.

Why cant Foxhall just evaluate this in the warmup. Seems you can ask the player to snap his breaking ball. If it does not break, then it wont work. Heck, prolly Logan Tanner can tell the coaches way early. Save us the shelling.

[Commercecomet24]

Hey Commerce, just a question.

Why cant Foxhall just evaluate this in the warmup. Seems you can ask the player to snap his breaking ball. If it does not break, then it wont work. Heck, prolly Logan Tanner can tell the coaches way early. Save us the shelling.

That's an easy one to anwer. I've had pitchers look like absolute crap and be scared to death to send them out there and then watched them throw a shutout. I've had pitchers look like Greg Maddux warming up and then not last an inning. My oldest son if he had zero command warming up I knew he was bout to go out and shove it. You just can't tell how a pitcher will throw against live hitters in a game by how he warms up in the pen. Pitchers are weird creatures. I do know with Mac I can tell after the first couple hitters and I have know doubt our coaches know it too. If they trust Mac then I trust their decision making cause they know the players way better than us as they've proven all year.

[Todd4State]

That's an easy one to anwer. I've had pitchers look like absolute crap and be scared to death to send them out there and then watched them throw a shutout. I've had pitchers look like Greg Maddux warming up and then not last an inning. My oldest son if he had zero command warming up I knew he was bout to go out and shove it. You just can't tell how a pitcher will throw against live hitters in a game by how he warms up in the pen. Pitchers are weird creatures. I do know with Mac I can tell after the first couple hitters and I have know doubt our coaches know it too. If they trust Mac then I trust their decision making cause they know the players way better than us as they've proven all year.

I've always wondered if the mound had something to do with that. Who knows?

[Commercecomet24]

I've always wondered if the mound had something to do with that. Who knows?

That absolutely can be a factor because the bullpen mounds and mound on the field are different for sure. Also I believe when a pitcher warms up poorly they take a more focused approach to the mound because they know they may not have their best stuff and conversely if you warm up great you may be a little
More casual on the mound. Just my 2 cents worth but I've seen it a lot and like I said pitchers are strange creatures

[HoopsDawg]

Mac's curve was fine vs VA, they were just on it. It doesn't tunnel the way a Bednar or Sims slider does or the way a Harding change up tunnels. It's pretty easy to pick up. It's a slow 12-6. The good news is Mac is paired against Leiter and that was going to be tough to win anyway.

[The Federalist Engineer]

That's an easy one to anwer. I've had pitchers look like absolute crap and be scared to death to send them out there and then watched them throw a shutout. I've had pitchers look like Greg Maddux warming up and then not last an inning. My oldest son if he had zero command warming up I knew he was bout to go out and shove it. You just can't tell how a pitcher will throw against live hitters in a game by how he warms up in the pen. Pitchers are weird creatures. I do know with Mac I can tell after the first couple hitters and I have know doubt our coaches know it too. If they trust Mac then I trust their decision making cause they know the players way better than us as they've proven all year.

Thanks Commerce - that is a huge education for me.

[Commercecomet24]

Thanks Commerce - that is a huge education for me.

You're welcome, just my 2 cents from doing it over the years but there are people that know way more than me.

[shoeless joe]

I've always wondered if the mound had something to do with that. Who knows?

Adrenaline. 100% adrenaline. No way to replicate standing out on that bump in front of the crowd and competing man to man with that cat in the batters box.

[Lord McBuckethead]

I've always wondered if the mound had something to do with that. Who knows?


Mac's curve was fine vs VA, they were just on it. It doesn't tunnel the way a Bednar or Sims slider does or the way a Harding change up tunnels. It's pretty easy to pick up. It's a slow 12-6. The good news is Mac is paired against Leiter and that was going to be tough to win anyway.

Macs curve was not fine. They were on every single one of his pitches. He needs to figure out how to mix up arm angles, his delivery speed, angle of curve, speeds, and location. Any and all would help him. Sometimes that curve needs to be around 85. Sometimes it needs to be around 65. Sometimes 12-6 sometimes 1:30-7:30. Fastball needs to find some movement as well. 2 seam mixed with strong 4 speed.

Its not that hard. He just needs to find another dimension to exploit.

[Todd4State]

Macs curve was not fine. They were on every single one of his pitches. He needs to figure out how to mix up arm angles, his delivery speed, angle of curve, speeds, and location. Any and all would help him. Sometimes that curve needs to be around 85. Sometimes it needs to be around 65. Sometimes 12-6 sometimes 1:30-7:30. Fastball needs to find some movement as well. 2 seam mixed with strong 4 speed.

Its not that hard. He just needs to find another dimension to exploit.

Someone said he may have been tipping his pitches or Virginia was stealing out signs. You don't see too many guys that throw a 2 and a 4 seam. Usually the guys that throw the hardest go with the 4 and then the guys that throw a little slower go with the 2. Now he could add a cutter.

[HoopsDawg]

Macs curve was not fine. They were on every single one of his pitches. He needs to figure out how to mix up arm angles, his delivery speed, angle of curve, speeds, and location. Any and all would help him. Sometimes that curve needs to be around 85. Sometimes it needs to be around 65. Sometimes 12-6 sometimes 1:30-7:30. Fastball needs to find some movement as well. 2 seam mixed with strong 4 speed.

Its not that hard. He just needs to find another dimension to exploit.

I think you misinterpreted my post. That was Macs curve ball being on against UVA. I don't disagree that it needs works.

[SilentSteel16]

Mac is a setup style pitcher, he won?t blow you away with fastball but he can hide it better if his change (rare) or 2-7 curve is on point. If he can get ahead he does great. His FB is not elite enough for 2-0 counts. It is a great put away pitch though when ahead especially up. But that all is if he is ahead. Teams know if he falls behind his curve is his go to pitch because he feels he can spot it. As a pitcher, all your pitches feed off one another. Hell, Maddox threw 4 pitches, yet he would not even introduce pitch 3 until second time around lineup. Mac has potential but he has got to start ahead, Bednar has the upper fastball that can get him back in the count, Mac just doesn?t have that put away fastball consistently. Although I think he has a hell of a ?prove it? game tomorrow. I think he comes out hot and gives us 5 strong coming out only giving up 1-2 runs. Hail State.

[Cowbell]

I would love to see Mac with one of his higher ground ball games. His best games have been when he has more contact and less strikeouts, but all was soft contact.