Line-up Tomorrow

Rowdey needs to sit for a few games. I still believe he'll come around, but he needs some time to hit the restart button because, right now, it's not working out.

I'd be tempted to go with:

1) Mangum - CF
2) Westburg - SS
3) Foscue - 3B
4) MacNamee - RF
5) Allen - 1B
6) Skelton - C
7) DH (Hatcher did well tonight)
8) Cumbest - LF
9) Halter - 2B

Allen is hitting the ball better as of late, but I'd be tempted to swap him and Foscue because Fosc is absolutely tearing the cover off the ball. 6 HRs already. But maybe coach doesn't want to mess with something that's working. Either way, I'd like us to give Cumbest a shot while Rowdey figures things out.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

Rowdey needs to sit for a few games. I still believe he'll come around, but he needs some time to hit the restart button because, right now, it's not working out.

I'd be tempted to go with:

1) Mangum - CF
2) Westburg - SS
3) Foscue - 3B
4) MacNamee - RF
5) Allen - 1B
6) Skelton - C
7) DH (Hatcher did well tonight)
8) Cumbest - RF
9) Halter - 2B

Allen is hitting the ball better as of late, but I'd be tempted to swap him and Foscue because Fosc is absolutely tearing the cover off the ball. 6 HRs already. But maybe coach doesn't want to mess with something that's working. Either way, I'd like us to give Cumbest a shot while Rowdey figures things out.

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Cumbest not ready yet. Needs to play summer ball. But Hatcher can play LF and that opens up the DH spot for Landon Jordan, Hayden Jones or Gilbert.

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

Cumbest not ready yet. Needs to play summer ball. But Hatcher can play LF and that opens up the DH spot for Landon Jordan, Hayden Jones or Gilbert.

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That works too.

No need to fix what ain’t broken. We can experiment midweek.

Rowdy needs to sit his ass he is our weakest link by far.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

No need to fix what ain’t broken. We can experiment midweek.

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that makes no sense. Hatcher started at DH tonight and he's barely played this year.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

No need to fix what ain’t broken. We can experiment midweek.

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Maybe wait to experiment with the order of the lineup, but Rowdey needs to sit ASAP.

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

that makes no sense. Hatcher started at DH tonight and he's barely played this year.

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And we didn’t have to pull the 2ndor 3rd best defensive player on the team to play him. After our first SEC series last year Rowdy was hitting .190. Sit him midweek.

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Originally Posted by KOdawg1

Maybe wait to experiment with the order of the lineup, but Rowdey needs to sit ASAP.

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Is UF starting a right tomorrow? If so, we could load up the lineup with lefties if we started Hatcher in LF, LJ at 2nd base, and Hayden Jones at DH.

6-8 years ago I would have agreed about sitting Rowdey, but then a guy named Brett Pirtle cane along and changed my opinion. Much like Pirtle started like 0 for his first 30+ at bats that one year, once he found it he was one of the best hitters on the team. Rowdey has proven he can rip, so I think you gotta just let him work through this slump and hope he hits his stride at some point mid season because we need 2018 Rowdey for the stretch run this year.

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

Is UF starting a right tomorrow? If so, we could load up the lineup with lefties if we started Hatcher in LF, LJ at 2nd base, and Hayden Jones at DH.

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They'll most likely start Jack Leftwich tomorrow. Contrary to his last name, he's a righty

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

6-8 years ago I would have agreed about sitting Rowdey, but then a guy named Brett Pirtle cane along and changed my opinion. Much like Pirtle started like 0 for his first 30+ at bats that one year, once he found it he was one of the best hitters on the team. Rowdey has proven he can rip, so I think you gotta just let him work through this slump and hope he hits his stride at some point mid season because we need 2018 Rowdey for the stretch run this year.

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agree, don't want to give up on Rowdey, but it couldn't hurt to sit him a game or two.

House money the rest of the weekend.

Rowdey Jordan is batting .172 and has 13 strikeouts to 11 hits.

If you aren't at least entertaining the possibility of sitting him a game you are a bad coach. If you are a fan justifying not at least thinking about making a change and waiting then you are a bad and ill informed fan.

I get what Rowdey did last year. But right now he's a massive hole in the lineup. Massive. If Brad Cumbest can't start one game because "he isn't ready" or whatever the hell that means, he shouldn't be on the team. Dude plays OF. How are you not ready to play one game? And how would he be worse than Rowdey at the plate?

Come on people. It's so clear Rowdey needs to sit I can't even think about it. He is good defensively I get that. But he is currently an offensive liability. Make the switch tomorrow and let him sit a game. Needs to happen.

I think we have two options if Rowdey sits:

Tanner Allen in LF, Hatcher at first base, and whoever at DH- Landon Jordan, Hayden Jones. This option hurts us defensively. No question about that.

Start Brad Cumbest. Cumbest may not be "ready" to start consistently but he is good enough to start a game or two. I think this is what Lemonis would most likely do because he sat Rowdey after two hitess AB's and then went with Cumbest. And Cumbest went 0-3 which is probably why he didn't start tonight.

Now, personally I would be inclined to start Rowdey tomorrow and sit him Sunday and start Cumbest on Sunday because we are going to face Florida's best starter ERA wise tomorrow. I want to make sure that defense and experience are at a premium in the lineup because of that.

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Originally Posted by Liverpooldawg

House money the rest of the weekend.

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I disagree. Our team is National Championship caliber. We should expect to win every series, home or away. We have an advantage again tomorrow with another ace throwing and our best relievers still on deck.

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Originally Posted by Jarius

I disagree. Our team is National Championship caliber. We should expect to win every series, home or away. We have an advantage again tomorrow with another ace throwing and our best relievers still on deck.

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Should be interesting with Ginn getting his first Sec start. I will miss the game so I hope the score will be posted every inning, LOL wishful thinking I suppose.

You guys that keep calling for Cumbest have to understand the kid has limited experience vs high end ball. The coaches have said he’s not there yet. I’m not sure why fans can’t understand that. They’ll play him when they believe he’s ready and can handle it. On the road at FL is a terrible place for a first start vs SEC competition. I do believe he’ll see more time in the future if football doesn’t take him away from an opportunity but we’ve won all but one game with the same guys in the field. No point in tinkering with things in a big SEC series unless we have to. Fans need to be patient and stop trying to create problems when we’re rolling.

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Originally Posted by Liverpooldawg

House money the rest of the weekend.

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You?d be happy with a 1-2 weekend, especially after winning the first game?

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Originally Posted by Liverpooldawg

House money the rest of the weekend.

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Dang I didn’t know Cohen was Liverpooldawg.

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Originally Posted by Cooterpoot

You guys that keep calling for Cumbest have to understand the kid has limited experience vs high end ball. The coaches have said he’s not there yet. I’m not sure why fans can’t understand that. They’ll play him when they believe he’s ready and can handle it. On the road at FL is a terrible place for a first start vs SEC competition. I do believe he’ll see more time in the future if football doesn’t take him away from an opportunity but we’ve won all but one game with the same guys in the field. No point in tinkering with things in a big SEC series unless we have to. Fans need to be patient and stop trying to create problems when we’re rolling.

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How much lower should Rowdey's BA get before it's deemed as "we have to"?

I know it's in limited plate appearances, but Cumbest has a higher BA than Rowdey does. No one wants to bench Rowdey permanently. Just one game to let him clear his head and spend a game watching.

He will probably play game 2, but if we win and he struggles I would sit him game 3.

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Originally Posted by Liverpooldawg

House money the rest of the weekend.

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https://media1.tenor.com/images/30c3...itemid=3685415

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Originally Posted by MetEdDawg

How much lower should Rowdey's BA get before it's deemed as "we have to"?

I know it's in limited plate appearances, but Cumbest has a higher BA than Rowdey does. No one wants to bench Rowdey permanently. Just one game to let him clear his head and spend a game watching.

He will probably play game 2, but if we win and he struggles I would sit him game 3.

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It's not that easy man. Rowdey was a HUGE piece to our Omaha run and has been great defensively. He isn't hitting well, but he still has value and we don't need a benched Rowdey that doesn't snap out of this funk...we need him to play and break out of it. We've lost 1 game, we're ok with him in there. And if/when he gets out of this slump, he's better than any other option available and we know that bc we saw it last year. Put him in the 9 hole with Jake behind him so he can get some fastballs, and let him get through this crap

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

It's not that easy man. Rowdey was a HUGE piece to our Omaha run and has been great defensively. He isn't hitting well, but he still has value and we don't need a benched Rowdey that doesn't snap out of this funk...we need him to play and break out of it. We've lost 1 game, we're ok with him in there. And if/when he gets out of this slump, he's better than any other option available and we know that bc we saw it last year. Put him in the 9 hole with Jake behind him so he can get some fastballs, and let him get through this crap

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Of course he has value. But why can't he rest for one game? Are we seriously saying that 1 single game is an absolute no? Why can't you sit a kid for one game? If he goes 0 for today, we leave him in and let him continue to get through this?

There will be days where our pitching fails us. Almost failed us in the 9th yesterday. We play great defense but we will need to score some runs against quality opponents. I still don't get why 1 game sitting out of the first 20 is a bad thing. Are we gonna crush his confidence so much that his batting average drops below .174?

I hope as much as anyone that Rowdey breaks out. But I still haven't found one person that can explain why sitting 1 game out of our first 20 games would be bad for him.

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Originally Posted by MetEdDawg

Of course he has value. But why can't he rest for one game? Are we seriously saying that 1 single game is an absolute no? Why can't you sit a kid for one game? If he goes 0 for today, we leave him in and let him continue to get through this?

There will be days where our pitching fails us. Almost failed us in the 9th yesterday. We play great defense but we will need to score some runs against quality opponents. I still don't get why 1 game sitting out of the first 20 is a bad thing. Are we gonna crush his confidence so much that his batting average drops below .174?

I hope as much as anyone that Rowdey breaks out. But I still haven't found one person that can explain why sitting 1 game out of our first 20 games would be bad for him.

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He and Gautreau may be working on some things with his swing, so reps may be crucial right now. Who knows? But the coaches have led us to a good start, have pushed the right buttons, and Rowdey has proven he deserves a long leash.....that's plenty of reasons for me.

Plus, Rowdey could run in to one today and the slump could end in a heartbeat. Why delay it?

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

He and Gautreau may be working on some things with his swing, so reps may be crucial right now. Who knows? But the coaches have led us to a good start, have pushed the right buttons, and Rowdey has proven he deserves a long leash.....that's plenty of reasons for me.

Plus, Rowdey could run in to one today and the slump could end in a heartbeat. Why delay it?

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Guy I coached baseball with used that same logic. He thought a guy was due. That's why he didn't coach smart and we lost a bunch of games. Why delay the mental side that could be gained by him sitting a game? I've never heard the argument about why you delay someone breaking out of a slump.

I would say 18 games, or 1/3 of the season, is a pretty long leash to not at least consider making a one game change.

Im not opposed to sitting Rowdey this mid week if he struggles more today or isn't getting closer to being himself. But stop this wkd with the Cumbest in and Rowdey out. Cumbest has looked like a freshman with no experience against anyone with a pulse on the mound. Florida pitching as well as any other SEC arms would chew his ass up. Dead ass out.

Rowdey has experience and plays great defense. Cumbest would not be an upgrade. Just let it go for now.

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Originally Posted by HoopsDawg

Cumbest not ready yet. Needs to play summer ball. But Hatcher can play LF and that opens up the DH spot for Landon Jordan, Hayden Jones or Gilbert.

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Hatcher is a horrible outfielder. I?d rather move Allen to the outfield and play Hatcher at first if you want to go that route. Apparently you forgot last year?s horrible experiment with Hatcher in the OF.

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Originally Posted by CadaverDawg

He and Gautreau may be working on some things with his swing, so reps may be crucial right now. Who knows? But the coaches have led us to a good start, have pushed the right buttons, and Rowdey has proven he deserves a long leash.....that's plenty of reasons for me.

Plus, Rowdey could run in to one today and the slump could end in a heartbeat. Why delay it?

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I wouldn’t bench Rowdey. I like our outfield the way it is. Those guys are all great defensively. And as you saw last night with Mac and Jake they can make the spectacular plays. Rowdey can do that too. Why weaken your team defensively just because Rowdey is going through an early slump? When your playing teams in the SEC very rarely will you see a ton of runs scored except maybe in the Sunday game. Lemonis did the right thing moving him down in the lineup. I like our lineup the way it is personally and we are 17-1 and 1-0 at this point as well so like other posters have said why mess with a good thing.

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Originally Posted by MarketingBully

Hatcher is a horrible outfielder. I?d rather move Allen to the outfield and play Hatcher at first if you want to go that route. Apparently you forgot last year?s horrible experiment with Hatcher in the OF.

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Yes, agreed. Allen played some OF in the fall and has practiced there. When Rowdey was working some at second base Allen was in LF.

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Originally Posted by I seen it dawg

Im not opposed to sitting Rowdey this mid week if he struggles more today or isn't getting closer to being himself. But stop this wkd with the Cumbest in and Rowdey out. Cumbest has looked like a freshman with no experience against anyone with a pulse on the mound. Florida pitching as well as any other SEC arms would chew his ass up. Dead ass out.

Rowdey has experience and plays great defense. Cumbest would not be an upgrade. Just let it go for now.

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It’s ridiculous..
and nothing against Cumbest he may be an All SEC player , but damn some are making it seem like we have Arron Judge sitting on the bench.

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Originally Posted by Ari Gold

It’s ridiculous..
and nothing against Cumbest he may be an All SEC player , but damn some are making it seem like we have Arron Judge sitting on the bench.

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Here's the thing. I don't want Cumbest. I want a better Rowdey and I'm of the opinion that him sitting a game would help him.

I haven't seen anyone yet say play Cumbest. We've said sit Rowdey. There's a difference. None of us think Cumbest should take Rowdey's spot. But he seems to be the 4th outfielder so that's who most likely would play there.

Again. We don't want Cumbest. We want a better Rowdey and I think sitting him for a game could do him some good.

Sitting Rowdey for 1 game is not going to clear his head. That will only clutter it up more. He will spend the entire game watching his replacement and wondering what?s going to happen going forward, even if Lemo tells him it?s for one game. There is nobody that we could put in that would be better defensively. Twelve other SEC teams played yesterday. Only 1 had more hits than we did against Friday night pitching. If we were struggling offensively as a team, then yes I would tinker with the lineup. He?s more valuable defensively at this point. The only way to get out of a slump is to keep hitting. If everyone else keeps hitting like they are, I?ll be happy if he ends up hitting .250

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Originally Posted by Lumpy Chucklelips

Sitting Rowdey for 1 game is not going to clear his head. That will only clutter it up more. He will spend the entire game watching his replacement and wondering what?s going to happen going forward, even if Lemo tells him it?s for one game. There is nobody that we could put in that would be better defensively. Twelve other SEC teams played yesterday. Only 1 had more hits than we did against Friday night pitching. If we were struggling offensively as a team, then yes I would tinker with the lineup. He?s more valuable defensively at this point. The only way to get out of a slump is to keep hitting. If everyone else keeps hitting like they are, I?ll be happy if he ends up hitting .250

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Then he's mentally weak and needs to leave if that's the case. If a coach talks to a kid about why he's sitting and then the coach has to worry about said kid not believing him, the kid needs to leave.

I personally don't think that's how Rowdey would think, so I just completely disagree with your assessment of that. Can't leave a kid in because of what they did in the past. People need to make adjustments sometimes and giving them a chance to stop pressing (which you know Rowdey is doing) and sit to get some stuff cleared out helps.

By the way, I've literally never heard any good baseball coach say that to get better you just need to keep hitting. Literally never heard that. Sometimes it's best to sit if you are in the middle of a mechanical change in a swing. Need to wait until the process ha been completely implemented and repeated multiple times.

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Originally Posted by MetEdDawg

By the way, I've literally never heard any good baseball coach say that to get better you just need to keep hitting. Literally never heard that.

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Lemonis literally said this about 10 days ago. Somebody asked him about Rowdey and he said he knew Rowdey was a good hitter from how he ended the year last year and how he performed in the fall. Then his exact words were that he was just going to have to hit his way out of it.

As I type this we are up 7-1 in the 7th and have 14 hits. Like I said, if we were struggling then yes, you tinker with the lineup. Even major league teams sacrifice hitting for defense in some positions. Relax, we?re having a great season. Enjoy the ride.

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Originally Posted by Lumpy Chucklelips

Lemonis literally said this about 10 days ago. Somebody asked him about Rowdey and he said he knew Rowdey was a good hitter from how he ended the year last year and how he performed in the fall. Then his exact words were that he was just going to have to hit his way out of it.

As I type this we are up 7-1 in the 7th and have 14 hits. Like I said, if we were struggling then yes, you tinker with the lineup. Even major league teams sacrifice hitting for defense in some positions. Relax, we?re having a great season. Enjoy the ride.

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I'm gonna enjoy the ride. I have zero issues except that I'm concerned we aren't growing Rowdey just by sending him up there constantly when he's clearly off. That's going to have to bring about some change

I will also say that 10 days ago, Rowdey wasn't like 1 for him last 20 which is what he is now.

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Originally Posted by Ari Gold

It’s ridiculous..
and nothing against Cumbest he may be an All SEC player , but damn some are making it seem like we have Arron Judge sitting on the bench.

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No one claimed he was Aaron Judge. Nobody. He couldn't do any worse than 3-40 though. Or hell maybe he could, but we don't know that. Rowdey needs to sit, idc who hits for him. He's hurting us big time.

Met... you?re getting your wish. Hatcher starting in left. Hancock to DH. The crow is on the grill. I like mine medium.

I hate that for Rowdey. He's a good kid who was really good for us last year. Hopefully, he can reset a little bit and turn things around.

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Originally Posted by Lumpy Chucklelips

Met... you?re getting your wish. Hatcher starting in left. Hancock to DH. The crow is on the grill. I like mine medium.

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That's all I wanted. Needs a game off and let him sit around and talk and get talked to. Then come back midweek maybe with a different mentality. I like Hancock at the DH. Gilbert interesting getting the start at catcher. No Jones this game. But this is a great lineup to build the team.