#1 in the NATION

[Saltydog]

While all that may be fine and good the truth is our pitching staff is struggling big time right now. Gave up 8 last night to a bad ULM team.

[Todd4State]

While all that may be fine and good the truth is our pitching staff is struggling big time right now. Gave up 8 last night to a bad ULM team.

It's a little misleading if you look at the stats closely. First of all against our midweek opponents we've basically used them as labs to get guys experience. Some guys will do well and some will not.

I believe that we are trying to extend guys that are actually quite effective in one inning stints. Which may be one reason why we were a lot better pitching earlier in the year. But after that one inning is when some guys are getting hit. I think they are trying to find someone that they can throw for multiple innings but we may not really have that on the team. We also have the 20-15 win which skews some of our stats some.


Cole Gordon is our best relief pitcher IMO. His stats are skewed by a three run home run he gave up against Auburn- but even that game he essentially was the difference in winning and losing because he pitched two scoreless innings after that. He did allow 3 runs against Florida as well. However, he is currently on a streak of 3.1 scoreless innings, has a lot of experience in big games and saved us against Auburn and LSU. He is the most likely to be a multi-inning relief guy but doing so would mean that we would have to find a new closer. And while he does get into trouble sometimes he has more than often worked out of it as well.


Keegan James could be the closer potentially if Gordon moves to a relief ace role. The coaches have mentioned how good he is in one innings stints. He has bullpen experience and closed out the SR win over Vanderbilt. Everything about his stats scream relief pitcher. His stats for facing a team through the first time through the order only are: 1 run, 0 ER, 8 hits allowed, 24 K's 8 BB's (one of which was intentional). I should have kept up with the IP better- but whatever it is his ERA is 0.00. Keegan should be in our bullpen especially if we are looking for a relief ace. We could very easily get 4 IP out of Keegan and Gordon on Sunday's and one IP out of them either Friday or Saturday.


Trysten Barlow's stats speak for themselves. 0.97 ERA, 21 K's and 1 BB, only one ER allowed in SEC play thus far in the 20-15 Auburn game. And often in outings slightly longer than an inning but less than two. Easily our most reliable relief pitcher to this point.


Now for a surprise- Riley Self has been better than most realize. However- he should be only in one inning outings. He's not the guy that can eat up 5 IP of two seasons ago but he doesn't have to be on our much deeper staff. He's still valuable though. He has quietly only allowed runs in TWO of his outings this year. His ERA is 2.38 and he has 9 K's to only 2 BB's although the 12 hits in 11.1 IP is not great. But again a veteran guy who can easily give us a solid IP every weekend especially on a Sunday.


Surprise number two- Spencer Price. Yet another veteran who like Self isn't what he was two years ago he has been quietly solid and can give us an IP every weekend and be effective. You glance at the 3.24 ERA and probably wonder what's the big deal? But if you look closer- three of his four runs occurred in the 20-15 game. His other outings against Florida and LSU have been scoreless outings and he has allowed a run in only one other appearance. Take out the Auburn game and he has only allowed 1 hit and no BB's with 1 K. So he allows contact but he generally gets the job done so far.


So why have we not looked great?


Where are the runs coming from?


Colby White has allowed at least one run (and often times more) in every SEC appearance. He throws hard and doesn't walk people but the lack of a secondary pitch is killing him in SEC play. Usually his outings are one IP so he hasn't been overextended.


Jared Leibelt has appeared in six SEC games and has allowed a run in four of the six. So, it may be a matter of just adjusting how he is used more than anything- maybe once instead of twice on the weekend. He has shown flashes of effectiveness at times and has 6K's to 1 BB at least.


Brandon Smith has been knocked around in SEC play. 7 ER in 4 IP while allowing 10 hits and 2 home runs with only 2 K's and 1 BB. He probably should be pitching less against SEC competition right now.


Jack Eagan has the highest ERA on the team and really hasn't pitched a lot in SEC play. But when he did against a LSU lineup that struggles against LH pitching he allowed 2 ER and allowed an unearned run in the other. He also has 2 K's with 2 BB's and allowed one hit. So, small sample size but he appears to be a LOOGY at best and even then proceed with caution.


Peyton Plumlee has only appeared in one SEC game so far in case people are wondering which was actually a start against LSU where he did OK especially compared to the rest of the staff. 2 IP, 1 ER allowed on a home run but an encouraging 4 K's with 1 BB. His relief appearances this year have been inconsistent if not bad and one reason why the bullpen has not looked good. He has only had two scoreless outings against mostly OOC teams. That said, he may do OK as an "opener" but that just based on the one game against LSU. I'm interested to see how he dos Sunday.


Eric Cerentola is a complete wild card at this point who is clearly not ready for SEC play. But his two relief outings were very solid against weaker competition. We'll just have to see how he progresses. But if we're blowing someone out the coaches may gave him a shot to get some experience.


Tyler Spring is another option. Yes, he had a rough outing against ULM but he also struck out the side and has a 11/1 K/BB ratio in 6 IP and pitched well out of the bullpen against a solid Samford team on the road and has an ERA of 2.84. He's been better than some of the other pitchers who have gotten opportunities so he may be in line to get one himself at some point.


So....all of that is to say we have some good bullpen options that are emerging and we just need to adjust how we are using the pen slightly. And this not an "I don't trust the coaches post". This is just normal we're in SEC play and we're learning about our team. I think if anything we're going to see a lot more Keegan James out of the pen based on Lemonis's comments about how he has been really good as a starter the first time through the lineup. That's an example of an adjustment that I'm talking about. In two weeks we will have an even better idea of where we stand and then we'll be ready to make a run in the postseason.