A couple of baseball notes after one scrimmage

[chainedup_Dawg]

The things I've heard about Smith really have nothing to do with the scrimmage. Supposedly he was one of the steals of last year's signing class and has the potential to be the best defensive CF in the conference next year.

I don't doubt that one bit. Walters State may be a JUCO but they are no joke. I have been wanting us to build some sort of pipeline/relationship there for some time now. TN is one of the premier JUCO baseball states and Walters is always at or near the top.

[Pioneer Dawg]

I found this to be interesting:

They are thinking about making Trevor Fitts into a relief pitcher.

July 1st, 2014

http://www.elitedawgs.com/showthread...maha-next-year

I don't think we should be counting on Fitts as a no-doubt starter

Troll attempt fail.

Fitts averaged just 4.1 IP per start this year. For his career he is averaging 3.2 IP per start. In only 4 of his 22 career starts has he logged 6 innings, but its "crazy" to think he may get beat out by 3 more solid options?. Troll

Will James/Pioneer- let me explain something.

Cohen is going to start Fitts next year on weekends. Why? Because he is a veteran that will give him 4-5 solid innings. We dont mind going to the pen and that trend will continue. We really arent looking for guys to go 7 innings in a start per say- we dont mind doing tandem pitching.

Cohen gonna stick to his vets and start Fitts

Had nothing at all to do with the best reliever in the country coming behind him**

Fitts had the shortest hook of any pitcher we've had under Cohen because we had Lindgren coming next.

When I have time I will look at Fitts opponents batting average 1st time thru compared to 2nd.. Yeah he was relieved early but only because most of the time he would dig a severe hole for himself and needed Lindgren to bail him out.

We all know this. How many times was it mentioned that he can't get thru more than once.

One way to get "cred" is to not make outlandish comments about the only guy on the staff that has started a CWS game and was the only guy to start from week one going forward in SEC play.

Only way Fitts isn't in our weekend rotation is if he is hurt.

Henderson started both games of the CWS final. Cohen had no problem benching him. Same for Rea near the end last year (and hopefully next year.. Go Ingram)

We have better options than Fitts

"Trolling" = Consistently asking for things you know will never happen

Fitts not being a weekend starter is "something I KNOW will never happen"?

Uh ok

[bulldogcountry1]

Could only wait until the first fall scrimmage for the "I told you so", eh?

[I seen it dawg]

What a douche

[engie]

Nice attempt at faux context. I'd expect nothing less.

What happened with Garner striking out practically just as often as Rea this summer -- and hitting the longball worse? You told us that wouldn't happen. Why were Ingram and Rooker basically as productive as Garner this summer -- and FAR more producive than he was his first college summer?

Will James said that Garner was the ONLY option at first and that he was night and day better than anything and everything else we had!!11!1 What gives?

[Todd4State]

Could only wait until the first fall scrimmage for the "I told you so", eh?

This isn't surprising. No one places more emphasis on what happens in Fall Ball than Will James.

At any rate, if Fitts is moved to the bullpen it's because our sophomores are lights out- that's not a bad thing, but it's also not what I would consider a normal thing either. Trevor had an ERA of 2.58 on the year and was actually better in SEC games with an ERA of 1.93. So, he may have only averaged 4-5 IP per start but he was effective overall as a starter.

The other thing to remember here is that Butch likes to piggy back starters sometimes. They know Fitts can start. What they don't know as much is how he would be coming out of the bullpen on the back end of a piggy back situation. Fall ball is the time to experiment with that.

[Todd4State]

Nice attempt at faux context. I'd expect nothing less.

What happened with Garner striking out practically just as often as Rea this summer -- and hitting the longball worse? You told us that wouldn't happen. Why were Ingram and Rooker basically as productive as Garner this summer -- and FAR more producive than he was his first college summer?

Will James said that Garner was the ONLY option at first and that he was night and day better than anything and everything else we had!!11!1 What gives?

For the record rounded since I did this in my head.

This summer- Rea had 1 HR for every 12 AB's.

Garner hit 1 HR for every 19 AB's.

And this was after Rea got off to a really slow start too.

Also- before it comes up- since I did this in my head, I'm too lazy to do plate appearances since it wasn't readily available. Sorry. The point remains.

[War Machine Dawg]

I'm going to be aggravated if we try to keep Real Deal as a starter. He was good there, but his real value is as a change of pace innings eater out of the bullpen behind a power arm. Since we don't let Fitts go through the lineup more than once anyway, I've got no problem with moving him.

Definitely think we need to find a way to get Cody Brown's bat into the lineup. The kid can flat play. Also want to see one of Rooker or Ingram get into the lineup. Screw Grizzly Rea at 1B. He's done.

[KB21]

For the record rounded since I did this in my head.

This summer- Rea had 1 HR for every 12 AB's.

Garner hit 1 HR for every 19 AB's.

And this was after Rea got off to a really slow start too.

Also- before it comes up- since I did this in my head, I'm too lazy to do plate appearances since it wasn't readily available. Sorry. The point remains.

I also think a best case scenario situation would be for Vance Tatum to be lights out and be a starter along with Hudson and Sexton with Mitchell becoming the top lefty out of the pen again.

[msstate7]

I also think a best case scenario situation would be for Vance Tatum to be lights out and be a starter along with Hudson and Sexton with Mitchell becoming the top lefty out of the pen again.

Definetly want ross out of the pen following a hard throwing righty

[DudyDawg]

I wouldn't mind Laster finding his way back into the rotation and Ross in the bullpen. I say Laster, but I would also be fine with Tatum as someone said, but I don't know his stats or much about him, so does he have the stamina to start?

I also see Cody being a starter in the outfield when it is all said and done. I would love to see him in center with his speed and hitting behind heck or somewhere else near the top of the order

[MsStateBaseball]

No this is the starting scenario.

Fri-Dakota Hudson
Sat-Lucas Laster
Sun-Preston Brown

We will go to the pen more often on Friday night, then put in Laster who usually goes deeper into a game hence saving the bullpen, then on Sunday (after a day of rest usually) go with Brown. A strong candidate for one spot is Juco Daniel Brown. He was a starter his Fr year and went deep a lot of times. Was All-American.

We are stacked in the pitching staff.

[MsStateBaseball]

In the OF, you will see Vickerson in RF, Brown in LF and Smith in CF. Robson is the 4th OF. Rooker and Swinarski will gain experience and be factors coming off the bench late in the year. Both have HR power. They will be pinch hitters in key situations. When Humphreys plays OF, Brown will have a chance at DH.

[DudyDawg]

I'm not sure I'm ready to just gift vickerson a starting role in the OF

[MsStateBaseball]

This is of right now. Robson might come on and be the third guy. We need to see what they do in fall ball. But if Smith is very fast and runs down fly balls and doesn't strike out much then he is a starter. The best thing about the OF is we have plenty to choose from depending on the other pitcher.

[Coach34]

Vickerson is going to be a full-time starter- you can bank on that.

Offensively, we are going to be improved. Our infield D is going to be insanely good. Can the pitching come thru? We'll see

[Homedawg]

In the OF, you will see Vickerson in RF, Brown in LF and Smith in CF. Robson is the 4th OF. Rooker and Swinarski will gain experience and be factors coming off the bench late in the year. Both have HR power. They will be pinch hitters in key situations. When Humphreys plays OF, Brown will have a chance at DH.

Brown isn't going to dh while hump is playing in the of. Brown might be our best of defender and has the best arm of them all.

[Smitty]

Swinarski has beefed up a ton it looks like. We have all kinds of depth in the OF.