USM Game-3 Thread

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Originally Posted by The Federalist Engineer

Taking a deep breath- Leibelt and Barlow are gonna be valuable this year.

Leibelt has an easy motion that could do multiple stints per weekend

Barlow with confidence is our Zach Neff replacement as LH relief and we still have Eagan

I'm concerned about Riley Self being found out. If USM has him scouted, then the entire SEC has his book. I recall Vandy torched him in the Super Regional, on their second look.

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I'm not worried about Riley at all because he's a luxury not a need.

We've got plenty of great arms. No need to worry about one of our relievers not being right.

I agree we have good arms, but I'm a little surprised at how much Leibelt and Barlow have pitched and how quickly they've entered games. Are they really going to be some of our first guys out of the pen? I'd rather get Cerantola used to the midweek role so we can add Plumlee as long relief on weekends....or do we really feel like Leibelt and Barlow are solid options in SEC play? Maybe I'm just letting the past affect my view of them

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

I agree we have good arms, but I'm a little surprised at how much Leibelt and Barlow have pitched and how quickly they've entered games. Are they really going to be some of our first guys out of the pen? I'd rather get Cerantola used to the midweek role so we can add Plumlee as long relief on weekends....or do we really feel like Leibelt and Barlow are solid options in SEC play? Maybe I'm just letting the past affect my view of them

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I think Liebelt may be our best overall reliever outside of Gordon. He has great stuff with sink and will be huge coming in with runners on to get double plays. Barlow can be nasty on lefties I think he just needs a little confidence. They are absolutely solid options in SEC. They have to be.

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Originally Posted by I seen it dawg

I think Liebelt may be our best overall reliever outside of Gordon. He has great stuff with sink and will be huge coming in with runners on to get double plays. Barlow can be nasty on lefties I think he just needs a little confidence. They are absolutely solid options in SEC. They have to be.

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What do we do with Self? Can't throw him in meaningful spots at this point, right? Try to work him midweek relief to see if he can find something?

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

What do we do with Self? Can't throw him in meaningful spots at this point, right? Try to work him midweek relief to see if he can find something?

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At this point yes. Got to pick spots where he can succeed. And i really wish he had a straight change. It would look so much different than the cutter it would make the cutter more effective. With his lack of velocity he is gonna have to get much more creative to consistently get outs. Really pitch and not just sling cutters up there.

One thing about Self- he is a lower arm angle guy and left hand hitters usually feast off of those guys- and that's what a lot of USM's lineup is. That's why we there Barlow and Leibelt a lot.

That said- Self needs to add another pitch anyway.

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

What do we do with Self? Can't throw him in meaningful spots at this point, right? Try to work him midweek relief to see if he can find something?

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Use him against RH hitters until he can master a two seam fastball or a slider. We have that flexibility with our bullpen with our LHP emerging.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

One thing about Self- he is a lower arm angle guy and left hand hitters usually feast off of those guys- and that's what a lot of USM's lineup is. That's why we there Barlow and Leibelt a lot.

That said- Self needs to add another pitch anyway.

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Self could certainly use another pitch but did you see where he was leaving pitches in the strike zone today? Any pitcher throwing balls belt high right over the middle of the plate is going to get hammered. Maybe he is just not healthy yet but his pitches use to look like strikes and then dive downward. Now they are just hanging on a string right in the happy zone begging to be clobbered.

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Originally Posted by ShotgunDawg

I'm not worried about Riley at all because he's a luxury not a need.

We've got plenty of great arms. No need to worry about one of our relievers not being right.

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I'm looking at it from a different perspective and gotta disagree. I hate to lose the experience. Self is a veteran of two Super Regionals and an Omaha. Price has one Super Regional. These guys were also part of the 2017 nut-up year for pitchers.

Leibelt and Barlow were there also, but it's not the same as actually playing.