This week feels like a turning point for this team

[Todd4State]

Lemonis shook up the lineup like most of us wanted and we got 13 runs and played much better defense. The only bad thing is we still have questions about the rotation- but at the same time we also appear to have good options. I'm glad we got to play Kent State because they are a much better team than Tennessee Tech and I think we learned more about our team and changes were made sooner. Today we played as well as you could ask for in all facets outside of an error at SS and a missed sign call on a suicide squeeze. This on the heels of a 20K game by our staff on Weds against an average USM team and solid offensive showing on Friday. Yes, Saturday was bad but that was the impetus for change for the better and that unfortunately has to happen sometimes.

The big topic for discussion is the rotation. MacLeoud has been more of a disappointment than Cerentola because his struggles are more unexpected. Right now Jackson Fristoe is pitching like the Friday night ace. If he keeps pitching the way he is- eventually he will be this year. The tricky thing is he is a freshman pitcher who we need to make sure that we give him the proper rest. So, to me pitching him this Friday is probably not a great idea. Will Bednar looked really good but needs to be stretched out. If I were in Foxhall and Lemonis's shoes I would start Bednar Friday and just plan on giving him 50 pitches or whatever and then go right to Sims or Brandon Smith. We can afford to do that against Eastern Michigan and be fine. If that goes well Bednar should be able to go between 65-75 against LSU in theory. And then build up from there. I think Fristoe could handle this Saturday. He threw 90 pitches so it's good we didn't overextend him. With MacLeoud I would pitch him on Sunday. I think being the ace is in his head an he isn't handling it. I want to drop him down and just tell him to relax and pitch. Cerentola would move to the bullpen and will go from there depending on how he does in a low leverage situation. Now, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Lemonis just keeps the rotation the same for another weekend- but even if he does I think we will start to see some subtle changes like seeing Bednar extended in his next outing or something like that and maybe having Fristoe pitch on a slightly lower pitch count to bump him up. With starting pitchers it's tricky because of their routines and rest and all of that has to be taken into account. I'll say this- it will be REAL interesting if MacLeoud and Cerentola look much better next weekend.

The bullpen has a ton of arms. Other than Landon Sims and Brandon Smith I don't know how I would organize it. I'd like to see Preston Johnson pitch more though. We have some other freshmen like Tepper, Carmouche, and Hunt that also look like they should be getting more opportunities but there is just so much there and only so many innings to go around. Thanks COVID! No- really.

I'd try to keep Houston Harding at midweek if I could. He's a SEC caliber guy and that's a nice luxury to have. As well as Carlisle Koestler.

(Hey- anyone else remember when we were having to pitch Brant Blaylock and Jake Mangum because we didn't have anyone else? LOL)

Moving Kamren James to third and moving Rowdey out of the leadoff spot are looking good right now. It just makes us better defensively and offensively. Logan Tanner is one of the best in the SEC and he is not only a plus defender he can hit which is a huge bonus. I thought Forsyth played pretty well. I don't know what he will hit this year but if he makes great plays like he did today we will be a better team. Dubrule is as advertised and I think he may be more comfortable leading off. Rowdey is a good player but is too much of a free swinger to be a lead off guy. He makes good contact and so he is more of a number two guy or a lower half of the order guy.

I think dropping Hatcher down was a good move as well. And now Pimentel is starting to look like he might turn the corner. If he does Hatcher might be sitting if he doesn't adjust. Kam James is as good or better than Landon at third defensively and he has more power. He's looking like a 10 home run guy at least this year and we need his bat in the lineup. Tanner Allen is the team leader and he's good at it. He's a veteran that knows how to hit and is gritty. He has been there and done that. Honestly, I'd hit him second but I'm fine with him where he is. Drew McGowan has made a lot of strides and he is going to be a really good player for us. Then Cumbest has his moments here and there as well. Luke Hancock is another team leader for us and he's a great hitter as well.

We have another tough midweek opponent in ULL this week and then we play Eastern Michigan. We've seen the lineup take shape and now I think it's make or break for some pitchers and I think we see the rotation start to shape up more this week. Should be fun and interesting to say the least!

[DownwardDawg]

Good post man. I appreciate reading the in depth posts you make about baseball.

[cujo]

I’d start bednar on Tuesday and give him 40-45 pitches. Then start him Sunday against Eastern Michigan.
Then the following Sunday against LSU.

[basedog]

Pitching depth is so good and it's about to get better. It's still early and we are learning more and more about our lineup and overall depth both offensive and pitching. Warm weather should help overall.

[KB21]

Even with MacLeod's and Cerantola's early struggles, I wouldn't do much there. MacLeod has really only had one bad game and then a couple of innings in other games where he lost the feel for his pitches. I think not having any summer league pitching has had an effect on some of veteran pitchers. We have the bullpen depth we need to withstand any potential struggles, because both guys are arms that you give chances to.

I went into the weekend concerned about out offensive production on the corners. I feel like moving James back to 3B helps alleviate some of those concerns.

[Choctaw Dawg]

Start Cerantola one more weekend, let Lemonis tell him "I already have pitchers in the bullpen ready to warm up at moments notice, I will not hesitate to pull you at moments notice if the bases are loaded in the first inning" if he can't handle the pressure its time to sit him and throw him in the midweek.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Start Cerantola one more weekend, let Lemonis tell him "I already have pitchers in the bullpen ready to warm up at moments notice, I will not hesitate to pull you at moments notice if the bases are loaded in the first inning" if he can't handle the pressure its time to sit him and throw him in the midweek.

I don't think Lemonis needs to tell him anything like that. It's probably the coaches idea to start him. I bet the big kid would contribute to the team in whatever role the coaches selected and would give max effort.

We are basically trying to give him the reps and some experiences that he would have gotten...had he been born in Shelby County Tennessee and played for Dulins Dodgers for 8 years.

The talk to have is about coming back next season so he can Max out his collegiate and draft potential.

[Jack Lambert]

Who was the guy throwing 95 to 97?

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Great post Todd! Thanks!

[cujo]

Sounds like Lemonis heard me

[bostondawg]

Who was the guy throwing 95 to 97?

Bednar

[OLJWales]

Something makes me feel we are going to have real good Sunday's. I'm thinking our bats will start working their way towards more production on Saturday's then Friday's. Just keep grinding and getting better.