Everybody who has ever watched baseball knew he was done before that BP pitch. Dumb shit. We are going to lose this game to push it to 11 losses in 12 games.
Everybody who has ever watched baseball knew he was done before that BP pitch. Dumb shit. We are going to lose this game to push it to 11 losses in 12 games.
A win tonight would have been oh so huge. I honestly think we'll lay down and die from here on out.
I will say after UM breaking it off in them, I am happy that fought so hard. I don't think they will have anything left this weekend though. Cohen needs to look really hard at everything because something went really wrong with this team. It isn't just the new baseball.
Other teams seem different when they stand in the batter's box. We lack the warrior gene or something.
We lack nutsQuote:
Originally Posted by Bothrops
We have plenty of them. What we lack is balls!**Quote:
Originally Posted by cbrunt29
What in the world could Cohen and Thompson been thinking last night? Fitts pitched his heart out, but when he threw his 65th pitch you could tell it was matter of time for Lsu to finally take advantage. Oh we had our chances to win the game before Fitts ran out of gas.
Finishing last in the Sec just doesn't make since with a 7th year Coach. Rebuilding will be tough.
But hey.....Cohen will bounce back next year to have his best year ever!***
If we get anything out of Collins-Holland or Rooker we win the game. How many times did they choke and look pitiful doing it.
Would have been huge if your goal is to MAKE the SEC tournament. Believe me, if we had a team worth a flip this year that game last night would have killed me to think about the way we lost it. Given the season is down the drain, not so much. I am glad the guys came out with some fire though last night, much better than them just mailing it in the last 3 weeks.Quote:
Originally Posted by cbrunt29
I agree with what you are saying. And I'm not picking on you about this, but at least we were giving them the chance to do it last night. As much complaining as the board does about Cohen micro-managing the game too much and not being aggressive, we have a disagreement on swinging at a strike on a 2-0 count. Why are the arm chair coaches wanting to be aggressive except when it was perfect time to be aggressive? People call Cohen a meddler and too conservative (I actually agree with that at times) but here we are struggling for a while now, playing a good team very tough, actually swinging the bat more, and now you want to take on 2-0? Really? Talk about split personalities. In that moment (and in 90% of game strategies) I want my player trying to win the game not the opposing pitcher or ump. You can't control them. But given our season and the situation and wanting my players to be aggressive, win or lose you DO NOT take a 2-0 pitch if it is a pitch you think you can drive. I want to win the game but I have a better chance knocking in the winning run then waiting on a walk (which has been beaten to death on the board about not being aggressive). At 3-0 I take. At 2-0 I let a borderline pitch go but if I like it you have to swing. Especially at this point in the season when we have very little to play for and really need a spark. I'm playing to not just win the game but also give my team some life.Quote:
Originally Posted by tcdog70
If he would have taken the fastball down the middle, the same morons would have been complaining that Cohen won't let our guys be aggressive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Really Clark?
The sad thing is that if we did have our best season ever next year, there will be many, many people on this board that will be pissed off about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dawgface
I can hear it now. "Well we won despite Cohen. He didn't win, the players did."
Hell, I guess Cohen told Spruill to fall down and not get back to the bag.
Gotta agree. Cohen did a lot of stupid shit last night, but turning guys loose to swing on 2-0 isn't one of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Really Clark?
What did he do that was stupid?Quote:
Originally Posted by War Machine Dawg
Why don't we start with the most obvious: Leaving in Fitts an inning too long when he was obviously out of gas. We probably weren't going to score again anyway, but it was obvious to everyone but Cohen that Fitts was done after the 12th. Why leave him in to take the loss after he'd given you everything he has?Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
I see your point on that one. I think it was a decision that he and Butch didn't trust anybody else. They tried to let the senior man up and gut it out. I don't have a problem with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by War Machine Dawg
What else was stupid? You said he did a lot of stupid shit. I'm just curious because I don't think he did. I can see where you think leaving Fitts in was a bad decision, but I can't think of anything else that could possibly be called stupid.
Leaving Fitts in well after he was kaput wasn't enough? I'm not a Cohen basher at all, but I am not a baseball guru by any means, and I could see on my TV that Fitts was done, and if I could see it, I know the staff and everyone else could see it. Stringing him out like that did nothing but lose him for us the rest of series. Fitts didn't deserve that.Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
I agree that was the only questionable decision that I saw but it was HUGE mistake. Fitts had just thrown 2 wild pitches that Collins had no chance at even blocking up and he was obviously gassed. When Cohen walked out to talk to him I thought he might be giving time for a pitcher to finish up. I figured when he left him in, it was to walk the guy.Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
Well, I will disagree, at least in the situation like we had in the 9th last night where bases are loaded, the pitcher just walked the previous batter and now has a 2-0 count on the current batter. The smart thing to do there is to take the first strike. I believe even the announcers were somewhat surprised that we had Holland (a .250 hitter) swinging away in that situation. Now with a runner on 2nd with 2 outs I would be looking to get a hit if a ball is laid in there at 2-0. Even if you get a walk there the next batter is likely going to need to get a hit and may not end up with such a favorable count.Quote:
Originally Posted by War Machine Dawg
So even though you have the gift of hindsight at this point, I'll ask. Who would you have put in? Exactly when would you have put him in?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pollodawg
Cohen/Butch didn't trust anyone else to throw strikes. They thought their best chance was to let the senior gut it out. I agreed with that decision, but I definitely understand that some people disagreed.
Dakota Hudson looked ok when he came in. Fitts hasn't gone more than 2 or 3 innings all year and he threw almost 90 pitches. Fitts wasn't going to give up. I am extremely proud of the way he gutted it out but he was going on pure grit for the last 2 innings. At some point Cohen had to pull him and he waited too long. I was expecting another dirt pitch for the winning run. Fitts was as done as I have seen a pitcher in a while.
Whatever, the pitching wasn't the problem. We only scored 1 run in 13 innings after the 1st which is beyond terrible. Even after getting 1 run in the 9th to tie we got 4 more innings from our pitchers (10th-13th innings) that one run would have won it and we couldn't do it. Worrying about what pitching moves we made is pointless. How long were we suppose to hold the best offense in the SEC scoreless?Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
You have to take the chance with someone else at that point. The longer any pitcher stays in, the more velocity and control they lose. That is an absolutely certainty. So, basically, you're faced with the certain knowledge of Fitts losing steam, which you can SEE with your own eyes and which you know is inevitable since people aren't machines, and yet you STILL don't pull homeboy when you know the inevitable is coming?
You know beyond doubt the higher his numbers climb, the less effective his arm is. This is especially true for a closer who isn't used to throwing it that many times a game.
If we look at it like that, which is valid, I agree. But I could also add that we would have scored enough to win the game in 9 innings if we could round 3rd without falling down and hurting ourselves. That's the reason we lost. Period. Bottom line. Bob's your uncle.Quote:
Originally Posted by maroonmania
Quote:
Originally Posted by maroonmania
This. The lack of offense is what's most inexcusable in all honesty.
At this point and time, it doesn't really matter, we are done. I just talked to my Lsu buddy, he said "well watching at least we have talent to overcome our coaching blunders, Cohen can't win w/o talent plus what was he thinking leaving Fitts in, Ray Charles could see he was done after the jam he got of in the 13th innning".
I respect your opinion, but I think Cohen/Butch thought exhausted Fitts was their best option. So, given that that was their thinking, shouldn't you go with what you think is your best option?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pollodawg
I disagree. They hit well enough to beat the #1 team in the country last night. They also pitched well enough to beat the #1 team in the country. Just had a guy that couldn't round 3rd base without falling down and hurting himself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pollodawg
I respect their opinion but I also don't agree with it. After the 2 dirt pitches, it looked like it took everything he had to even throw a strike. I think the LSU guy was probably taking the first pitch since they had just moved from 2nd to 3rd. I thought it was 50/50 that it would be another dirt pitch. It was also his 3rd time to see Fitts. Just because he had done well when he had more in the tank didn't mean he owned the guy. Usually hitters get better against a pitcher after seeing them.Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
It was a huge gamble and it went bad.
What? I guess most coaches can win without talent? Wait, I see that an LSU buddy said that to you. That explains it. That's the dumbest thing I've read on here all day. Congrats to your buddy for that observation.Quote:
Originally Posted by basedog
Yes, Fitts was done. I'm sure your LSU buddy hasn't watched our bullpen all year. I have, and I agreed with John/Butch that exhausted Fitts was still our best option at that point. I understand that most people are disagreeing with that. But at this point in this season, most people just want to bitch and complain.
If Fitts with nothing left in the tank was our best option. We might as well give up the next 2 games if our starters don't throw complete games. It would be a sign that we don't have anyone left that might can get an out coming out of the pen. The only worse decision would have to brought Ross Mitchell in.
I don't understand how a guy that has thrown 2 straight pitches in the dirt in the other batters box would be our best option. Dakota Hudson looked pretty good coming in and getting an easy grounder the next batter.Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
I kind of agree with this statement. I didn't see the Tuesday night game, but I did hear that Tatum was not available last night, or at least was not supposed to be. Maybe, we can get something out of him if we can manage to stay close in one of these next 2 games.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tbonewannabe
Hindsight is 20/20. Did Fitts walk the guy? No, he nutted up and threw strikes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tbonewannabe
Would Hudson have been as good if the pressure was on, and the game was still tied with runners all over the bases?
Our starters are going to have to go at least 7 innings. Is it possible to get run ruled in SEC games? I was wondering if we could flip Sexton and Brown just to give us a better chance on Saturday. Cohen did it his first few years to prevent getting swept.Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
We will never know if Hudson would have crumbled. I just think Cohen shouldn't be surprised that Fitts didn't come through. He put him in a position to fail. I think it says more about the rest of our pitching staff that basically Cohen didn't trust any of them when it was obvious Fitts was done.Quote:
Originally Posted by RocketCityDawg
The bases loaded swinging on a 2-0 count by Holland is so not a Cohen thing. Person was struggling mightily then and you make him throw strikes before you swing the batt. Who knows. He may have thrown 3 straight strikes. But U don't swing there period. And we were aggressive most of the night until the later innings. I know on 2 of Collins Ks late he came up basically w his bat on his shoulder on the first pitch and both at bats they were right down the middle and his best pitch to try and hit on both at bats. This team is just all over the place and has no confidence whatsoever. Our pitching last night was fantastic but we just can't do shit on offense. And Fitts didn't deserve to be put in the situation he got in in the 14th. He had pitched his ass off, was spent, and deserved a pat on the back and good job and go ice up and let Houston go in.
But the biggest mistake of the game was by a pinch runner. His job was to run and not fall down He didn't and we ended up having to use our 2 best relief pitchers up and still lose. That separates shoulder isn't all that is hurting him right now. His pride takes a hit every time he watches that debacle on film knowing it cost us game 1 and hurt us for 2 and 3
Why do they call the 2-0 the "Cripple Pitch" because it is the batters advantage-hit the MFER. I am also a big proponent of when men are in scoring position hit the first pitch fast ball.. Get an organ and a monkey if you are going to beg.Quote:
Originally Posted by Really Clark?
This is for everybody who wants to take that 2-0 pitch in that situation. There are times where I might would consider it. But with this team struggling, at this point in the season, for a regular season conference win? No way do I take. He doesn't even have to get a hit to win. It didn't work. I understand that but there would not have been one person question the decision if he does anything with the ball that scores. Not a one of you would have been harping about how that was a poor decision. You can't always look at the result of the situation to make these poor call, good call judgements. You have to base the judgement to swing before you know the result. Now if this is for a tourney or regional win, I may make a different call. Doubt it but you have to be flexible as a coach. But last night, when a knock in winning run would have given my team a ton of confidence, I swing away and have full confidence that I am right. And my player would agree as well. If I am going to fail then it's going to because of my effort or my call, not waiting on someone else to fail.