-What a weird day. It's May 14 and I wore a jacket all day day today, but looking at myself in the mirror I see a have a pretty good sunburn. This is the deadest away atmosphere in the conference.... Tennessee and Kentucky have far more "regulars" (I assume that they are regulars) who show up regardless. That number here is well under 100. The stadium staff is great... They clearly try as hard as they can to make attending games easy and enjoyable, even if you are wearing the other team's logos.... But still, it's just weird coming out here... These games count in the league standings, but they don't feel like league games, still.
-On that theme, I actually felt a little better after game two than game one. In the first game, we put up a three spot in the first inning after some poor defense from Missouri (and, to be fair, a great opening AB by Nick King). But we didn't pitch very well after that. We added a couple of big HRs from Michael Curry late in that game to tie it and then go ahead, but it always felt questionable, right up until the last out. Game two, we pitched better (over 9 innings) and despite having three errors, I thought that our best defensive game was in the second game. To that end, I guess it's reasonable that we split the two. I almost felt more "at peace" with the performance in game two, to be honest.
-I don't know what to say about Robert Tyler (I guess that's all I do know how to say about him). He takes a 3-0 lead and just has trouble throwing strikes. Stricklin took a mound visit in the first inning, presumably to say (in more words) "come on, now..." It was a battle all day with him.... As much as I thought that we were lucky to score three runs in the 1st inning, I thought that we were very fortunate to get out of the first with a zero on Missouri's side. It's just a struggle more times than not, unfortunately. I didn't really see that coming this year, but it's the reality. I still think he gets drafted high (thought not in the front half of the first round) and gets a good bonus. I just figured it was going to look a little different this year. I'm sure he did too.
-Kevin Smith was an interesting call from the bullpen, and one that I immediately questioned. Seemed like an awfully big spot to place the young guy who hasn't had a great deal of success against SEC hitters.... But he was terrific. Throwing softer, from the left side, and throwing a lot of strikes proved to be a good contrast, I think. His body language was the same in the 9th as it was the 7th. That's impressive to me. He's extremely composed.
-Michael Curry may be the hottest hitter in the country right now. 4 HRs in three games after first game today. There sure wasn't much about either of the HRs. I'll have to go back and look, but it's been awhile since we've had a guy get to double digit HRs. Part of me wants to say Zach Cone got to 10 in 2010, but I don't know for sure.... You may have to go back to 2009.
-I figure there's a good chance we'll see both Bartlett and Tribbby tomorrow. It's good that we were able to see both of those guys today and I think our hitters can take some confidence to plate against each guy.
-As for game two, I hated it for Conner Jones.... He really pitched great. I agree with Stricklin that it was probably the best he's thrown this year. It felt more like a Friday night game when you think about both pitching performances. We should have gotten him after that first guy reached in the 8th, I thought. The benefit of hindsight is 20/20, I know, but he'd gotten up and sat down a bunch of times and pitched with no margin for error the whole game. I just wish that we'd been a bit more proactive with getting the bullpen ready there in the 8th. Maybe we avoid the grand slam.... But who knows. We did such a good job with Lavy all day today, and I just had a bad feeling when he climbed in with the bases loaded in the 8th.... I really thought that he was "due".... Just a tough way to end that game for a guy who pitched his heart out.
-What can you say about Reggie McClain? It's rare to go CG against a team two years in a row. Michael Palazzone did it to Ole Miss in 2011 and 2012, but that's the only one that comes to mind immediately. Reggie doesn't appear to do anything overly impressive, but he locates and keeps the hitters off balance with his change. It was impressive. He wanted today badly, and he earned it. I'll be happy to not see him next season.
-Trevor Kieboom had a great day in game one, both hitting and base running.
-I was surprised we didn't pinch hit for Patrick Sullivan in the 8th in game two today. I thought that Sasser was the play there, but we could have gone with someone else to get a bunt down, as well. The DP really killed us, and we had some options on the bench.
-We didn't get a single close play at 1st base today, in either game.... That was irritating. Nothing our players were doing, I just thought that the umps missed a lot over there.
-What today means is that, in all probability, we'll need to win out in the league to get into a regional. I just don't think they're going to put us in at 12-18.... But it's doable. I feel good about tomorrow with Heath Holder (probably) starting and we will get Tennessee at home. Things are breaking well for us around the league and it seems very likely that we'll get to Hoover at a minimum. Lot of positives today, but at the end of it, losing that second one makes the NCAAT a longer shot.
-On that theme, I actually felt a little better after game two than game one. In the first game, we put up a three spot in the first inning after some poor defense from Missouri (and, to be fair, a great opening AB by Nick King). But we didn't pitch very well after that. We added a couple of big HRs from Michael Curry late in that game to tie it and then go ahead, but it always felt questionable, right up until the last out. Game two, we pitched better (over 9 innings) and despite having three errors, I thought that our best defensive game was in the second game. To that end, I guess it's reasonable that we split the two. I almost felt more "at peace" with the performance in game two, to be honest.
-I don't know what to say about Robert Tyler (I guess that's all I do know how to say about him). He takes a 3-0 lead and just has trouble throwing strikes. Stricklin took a mound visit in the first inning, presumably to say (in more words) "come on, now..." It was a battle all day with him.... As much as I thought that we were lucky to score three runs in the 1st inning, I thought that we were very fortunate to get out of the first with a zero on Missouri's side. It's just a struggle more times than not, unfortunately. I didn't really see that coming this year, but it's the reality. I still think he gets drafted high (thought not in the front half of the first round) and gets a good bonus. I just figured it was going to look a little different this year. I'm sure he did too.
-Kevin Smith was an interesting call from the bullpen, and one that I immediately questioned. Seemed like an awfully big spot to place the young guy who hasn't had a great deal of success against SEC hitters.... But he was terrific. Throwing softer, from the left side, and throwing a lot of strikes proved to be a good contrast, I think. His body language was the same in the 9th as it was the 7th. That's impressive to me. He's extremely composed.
-Michael Curry may be the hottest hitter in the country right now. 4 HRs in three games after first game today. There sure wasn't much about either of the HRs. I'll have to go back and look, but it's been awhile since we've had a guy get to double digit HRs. Part of me wants to say Zach Cone got to 10 in 2010, but I don't know for sure.... You may have to go back to 2009.
-I figure there's a good chance we'll see both Bartlett and Tribbby tomorrow. It's good that we were able to see both of those guys today and I think our hitters can take some confidence to plate against each guy.
-As for game two, I hated it for Conner Jones.... He really pitched great. I agree with Stricklin that it was probably the best he's thrown this year. It felt more like a Friday night game when you think about both pitching performances. We should have gotten him after that first guy reached in the 8th, I thought. The benefit of hindsight is 20/20, I know, but he'd gotten up and sat down a bunch of times and pitched with no margin for error the whole game. I just wish that we'd been a bit more proactive with getting the bullpen ready there in the 8th. Maybe we avoid the grand slam.... But who knows. We did such a good job with Lavy all day today, and I just had a bad feeling when he climbed in with the bases loaded in the 8th.... I really thought that he was "due".... Just a tough way to end that game for a guy who pitched his heart out.
-What can you say about Reggie McClain? It's rare to go CG against a team two years in a row. Michael Palazzone did it to Ole Miss in 2011 and 2012, but that's the only one that comes to mind immediately. Reggie doesn't appear to do anything overly impressive, but he locates and keeps the hitters off balance with his change. It was impressive. He wanted today badly, and he earned it. I'll be happy to not see him next season.
-Trevor Kieboom had a great day in game one, both hitting and base running.
-I was surprised we didn't pinch hit for Patrick Sullivan in the 8th in game two today. I thought that Sasser was the play there, but we could have gone with someone else to get a bunt down, as well. The DP really killed us, and we had some options on the bench.
-We didn't get a single close play at 1st base today, in either game.... That was irritating. Nothing our players were doing, I just thought that the umps missed a lot over there.
-What today means is that, in all probability, we'll need to win out in the league to get into a regional. I just don't think they're going to put us in at 12-18.... But it's doable. I feel good about tomorrow with Heath Holder (probably) starting and we will get Tennessee at home. Things are breaking well for us around the league and it seems very likely that we'll get to Hoover at a minimum. Lot of positives today, but at the end of it, losing that second one makes the NCAAT a longer shot.
