3 Quick Baseball Thoughts

Huge series win on the road when we aren't playing well and banged up.

Here are 3 quick thoughts:

1. The goal of the SEC season should always be to go 20-10. That means you average taking 2 out of 3 in every series. If any team does better than that and wins the league, you just tip your hat and make sure they know that they probably peaked too early. That being said, we are 1 off that pace right now so we need a sweep to make up for the LSU loss.

2. I think Ginn is dealing with some dead arm right now. I don't think the coaches would've run him out there if there was pain and dead arm would be the next most likely thing. Ginn's inning total is rising and the stress of those innings is likely higher than he's ever faced. Therefore, if healthy, I'd consider moving him to the bullpen for a few weeks to manage his inning load while getting past the dead arm stage, which usually lasts about 10 days. This would also allow us to leverage his best stuff when we need it and help make sure he's healthy in May and June. It's not ideal but at least it would give us the benefit of Ginn as he stares down the freshmen wall.

3. Nothing is easy for this team right now but this is the dog days of the season where the toughness to win in Omaha is forged. We'll start clicking at somepoint and the current grind when make us all the more better.

Let's sweep Bama's ass next weekend

1. I agree 100% and if you look at history 20 wins probably will win the SEC most years and even if it doesn't you're pretty much a lock to be a National Seed.

2. I also agree here. The schedule sets up pretty good for bringing him back. He won't pitch midweek for sure and probably won't against Bama. But then we have Texas Southern where we can run him out there for a couple of innings and gauge where he is at. Starting or relief. That does mean that he probably misses Arkansas depending on how that goes because that's a Thurs/Fri/Sat series. But then we have the Governor's Cup where we may start him there if all goes well and then slide him back into the rotation for Texas A&M after the Georgia series. Although I agree that the bullpen can't be ruled out totally either.

3. We just haven't put it all together yet. Like I said- one weekend it's the hitting, the next it's the pitching, and then it's the defense. But it's never the SAME thing every weekend. And so far it's really been the difference between us sweeping instead of taking two out of three. Which is a hell of a lot better than being the difference between winning and losing the series. Which to me shows how much talent and potential we have. We do need to sweep Alabama if we can but like Tennessee they are improved and it's not going to be easy. Hopefully it all comes together in June.

Not a baseball coach but no to moving him to the pen. IF it is a dead arm just let him rest period.

Why risk any arm by pitching for a week or so. Kinda like runners, when u have tired legs you stop running, same for a tired arm.

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Originally Posted by basedog

Not a baseball coach but no to moving him to the pen. IF it is a dead arm just let him rest period.

Why risk any arm by pitching for a week or so. Kinda like runners, when u have tired legs you stop running, same for a tired arm.

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I think he's saying move him to the bullpen AFTER letting him rest for a week or two and recovers.

Big thing is let's not forget last season was an insane overproduction from what was expected. That was a very young team that had a lot of magic. That team went 15-15 through an easier SEC slate than we have this year and barely got in the field of 64.

This team is way better, but there's still a lot of guys learning the game and learning how to win. We are 7-5 and just won a road series where we got 1 inning out of Ginn and still could have swept the series.

This team is finding its path and learning how to compete at a high level. 7-5 with 2 home series against Top 15 teams and 2 road series against Florida and a Tennessee team much better than expected. I think most of us going in would at best have us at 8-4 through the first 4 series. Hopefully no dummy put expectations on this team of being any better than that.

Most of us would agree we didn't play terribly well this weekend and still won 2 of 3 on the road against a team that was ranked 4 weeks ago and lost our one game 2-1 after throwing a live ball into the dugout. Put that in perspective to show just how good this team really is. We are fine right now. Still very much a national seed if it ended today and that's all that matters for seeding and getting games at home.

I?d like to see Rowdey stay bottom of lineup. He has high potential and will get more to hit down there. Just look at today vs yesterday. Less stress in bottom of lineup. I?d love to see him at 9 with Mangum behind. He will get plenty of meat pitches because pitchers will now want to pitch to Mangum. This would act as a 2nd leadoff guy before your real leadoff guy. I think that move would really spark the offense in league play from here on out.

I'm wondering with JT being iffy, we start Gordon now. I think he is a better #3 starter now.

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Originally Posted by MetEdDawg

Big thing is let's not forget last season was an insane overproduction from what was expected. That was a very young team that had a lot of magic. That team went 15-15 through an easier SEC slate than we have this year and barely got in the field of 64.

This team is way better, but there's still a lot of guys learning the game and learning how to win. We are 7-5 and just won a road series where we got 1 inning out of Ginn and still could have swept the series.

This team is finding its path and learning how to compete at a high level. 7-5 with 2 home series against Top 15 teams and 2 road series against Florida and a Tennessee team much better than expected. I think most of us going in would at best have us at 8-4 through the first 4 series. Hopefully no dummy put expectations on this team of being any better than that.

Most of us would agree we didn't play terribly well this weekend and still won 2 of 3 on the road against a team that was ranked 4 weeks ago and lost our one game 2-1 after throwing a live ball into the dugout. Put that in perspective to show just how good this team really is. We are fine right now. Still very much a national seed if it ended today and that's all that matters for seeding and getting games at home.

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I agree. Losing Small Mangum, and MacNamee will be huge but we have a lot of talent coming back and their money year is next year. We could be even better next year if Cerentola develops and MacLeoud is as good as advertised.

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Originally Posted by RougeDawg

I?d like to see Rowdey stay bottom of lineup. He has high potential and will get more to hit down there. Just look at today vs yesterday. Less stress in bottom of lineup. I?d love to see him at 9 with Mangum behind. He will get plenty of meat pitches because pitchers will now want to pitch to Mangum. This would act as a 2nd leadoff guy before your real leadoff guy. I think that move would really spark the offense in league play from here on out.

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I do too. And I'd like to see MacNamee hit second.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I think he's saying move him to the bullpen AFTER letting him rest for a week or two and recovers.

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I still wouldn't move him to the pen. But what do I know what's best**

Good news is that Ginn didn't want to be pulled today.

Why did the game thread get locked?

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Originally Posted by basedog

I'm wondering with JT being iffy, we start Gordon now. I think he is a better #3 starter now.

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I don't know but I doubt it. I'm guessing it will be Small, Peyton, and Keegan with Keegan only going once through the order. If Leibelt and Colby White step up like they did it will lessen the impact of Ginn being out. We're probably maximizing ourselves more leaving Gordon in the pen and pitching him twice on the weekend than once in a starting role.

Although Lemonis sounds like he isn't too concerned about Ginn in his interview.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I don't know but I doubt it. I'm guessing it will be Small, Peyton, and Keegan with Keegan only going once through the order. If Leibelt and Colby White step up like they did it will lessen the impact of Ginn being out. We're probably maximizing ourselves more leaving Gordon in the pen and pitching him twice on the weekend than once in a starting role.

Although Lemonis sounds like he isn't too concerned about Ginn in his interview.

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To me Keegan isn't a starter, actually I think he may be good for an inning or less.

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Originally Posted by basedog

To me Keegan isn't a starter, actually I think he may be good for an inning or less.

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Stats show that you're right. He would be good in a one inning stint and is actually pretty dominant in one inning only. But he's also good one time throught the order. Today was the first time he allowed a run to the opponent the first time through the order all year. But since we don't know how many outs he can exactly get he's the perfect guy to be an opener. Get through the order and eat 2-3 innings and turn it over to the bullpen which has some good arms in it like we did today.

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Originally Posted by basedog

I still wouldn't move him to the pen. But what do I know what's best**

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I get your point. MLB teams do this all the time to limit guy's innings.

You can tell he's got dead arm because there is no pain, but the effort in his delivery looked increased today which means you have less arm speed and your stuff straightens out.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

I get your point. MLB teams do this all the time to limit guy's innings.

You can tell he's got dead arm because there is no pain, but the effort in his delivery looked increased today which means you have less arm speed and your stuff straightens out.

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Like I said, I have no coaching baseball skills. I just hope he can continue this season. I seen where we have had pitchers with sore or tired arms and it just seems someone stirred up that famous “Indian Burial Ground” we all know about!***

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Originally Posted by basedog

Like I said, I have no coaching baseball skills. I just hope he can continue this season. I seen where we have had pitchers with sore or tired arms and it just seems someone stirred up that famous “Indian Burial Ground” we all know about!***

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For sure. His arm just looks a little slower right now and that's making him utilize a little more effort. It's just not coming out right now.