Of course my smart *** answer is Bianca will throw him Friday AND Sunday. In fact didn't that or something similar happen last year.
NCAA Regional Strategy....pitch Pomeranz vs St Johns or save him?
- Thread starter goldenwavedawg
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so I would assume he will do the same this year against a 3. However, last year, he only had to have Irwin beat a 2 or 3 on Sat and this year he'll have to ask Barrett to beat the #5 national seed so that may change the thinking.
But yes, he threw Pom again on Monday for 9 innings. My guess is that won't happen again this year with $3-5 million on the line. It shouldn't have happened last year.
Fun fact: St. Johns beat Louisville once in the reg season...their power guy who is a freshman hit FOUR homers in that one game.
But yes, he threw Pom again on Monday for 9 innings. My guess is that won't happen again this year with $3-5 million on the line. It shouldn't have happened last year.
Fun fact: St. Johns beat Louisville once in the reg season...their power guy who is a freshman hit FOUR homers in that one game.
It's time for them to break something open, some how, some way. And holding Pomeranz gives them the best chance to do that. Unless he does do something stupid and sends him out on a day's rest. Can't see that happening though. Pomeranz should refuse that anyway. As close as they have been over the past few years, its time to buck the normal trend and roll the dice.
I'm of the opinion that you play to win the regional, not play to win the game. I think saving him for a game against the #1 seed is the correct play.
BFB
BFB
how good St. John's ace is. If they have another Frank Viola- who went to St. John's a long time ago- I think you pitch Pomeranz. If they have an average ace, I think I would roll the dice and save him knowing that if St. John's beat me, at least I have a guy that would at least get me through the elimination game, and if we won, odds are pretty good that we would get to the championship game with a fairly fresh staff.
Not because of the question of whether to start Pomeranz in game one or game two. But because it reminds me of Ron Polk pitching Malohm aGAINst Middle Tenn State in 2003.
To answer the question, Pom should start the second game.
To answer the question, Pom should start the second game.
was that he started him against a team that we could/should have easily beaten without Maholm.
Plus, unless I'm mistaken, we were the 1 seed and MTSU was the 4. If MTSU had someone like Stephen Strasburg starting for them, I would have understood the decision, but that was not the case.
I do think that this is a little bit different because we are talking about a 2 seed vs a 3 seed. I would suspect most 3 seeds have at least one decent pitcher. But, if they do not, save Pomeranz for the second game.
Even worse, this is a mistake by Polk that should have been averted by a little scouting. And by scouting, I mean looking at their stats on their team website and figuring out if they had someone worth a darn, but I guess the MTSU coach forgot to put the stats in the mail for good ol' Ron.
Plus, unless I'm mistaken, we were the 1 seed and MTSU was the 4. If MTSU had someone like Stephen Strasburg starting for them, I would have understood the decision, but that was not the case.
I do think that this is a little bit different because we are talking about a 2 seed vs a 3 seed. I would suspect most 3 seeds have at least one decent pitcher. But, if they do not, save Pomeranz for the second game.
Even worse, this is a mistake by Polk that should have been averted by a little scouting. And by scouting, I mean looking at their stats on their team website and figuring out if they had someone worth a darn, but I guess the MTSU coach forgot to put the stats in the mail for good ol' Ron.
six guys that are hitting .300 or better including a dude with 20 home runs.
I think it's just too risky to not pitch Pomeranz. They put Barrett out there and they lose, then they're probably throwing Pomeranz against VCU. I might be wrong about that, and I know that Virginia will probably hold their #1 guy, but that's the advantage you get for hosting and having a great season. If I was the coach, I'd hate to force my team through the losers bracket because I didn't respect my first opponent enough and lose because of that. I think starting Barrett would be really rolling the dice.
I remember UT doing that in the SEC Tournament in 2005- they held Luke Hochevar out of their first game, and got beat by South Carolina, they eliminated LSU in the second game with Hochevar, but it forced them to have to beat MSU twice, and they didn't do it.
And again, I will say that if Ole Miss was the one seed and St. John's was a four seed with worse stats, then I would hold Pomeranz. But that's just not the case here.
I think it's just too risky to not pitch Pomeranz. They put Barrett out there and they lose, then they're probably throwing Pomeranz against VCU. I might be wrong about that, and I know that Virginia will probably hold their #1 guy, but that's the advantage you get for hosting and having a great season. If I was the coach, I'd hate to force my team through the losers bracket because I didn't respect my first opponent enough and lose because of that. I think starting Barrett would be really rolling the dice.
I remember UT doing that in the SEC Tournament in 2005- they held Luke Hochevar out of their first game, and got beat by South Carolina, they eliminated LSU in the second game with Hochevar, but it forced them to have to beat MSU twice, and they didn't do it.
And again, I will say that if Ole Miss was the one seed and St. John's was a four seed with worse stats, then I would hold Pomeranz. But that's just not the case here.
The goal of the trip is not to win game one. The goal of the trip is to win the damn thing. In order to do that, OM should save their ace until they play UVA. I would only pitch my ace against UVA. If I was in the losers bracket, I would save him in hopes that my team is better and my staff is deeper than the rest of the competition (aside from UVA). If I played UVA, they would see my ace. If I got eliminated and did not get the opportunity to play UVA, then my ace would not pitch one inning in the tourney. I know as a coach, you would get a lot of heat for that. But in reality, it is the best strategy to win that tournament. Ole Miss should be able to beat the #2 pitcherfrom the 4 seed regardless of who is throwing.They should also be able to beat a St. John's team that is 3 games deep in the tournament without pitching their ace.As stated earlier, the purpose of the trip is to win.
And remember, game one is not the important game. If you win game one and then lose game 2, you still have to play the same number of games as if you lost game 1 and won game 2. Save your ace. I still cuss Ron Polk for throwing Maholm against MTSU.
And remember, game one is not the important game. If you win game one and then lose game 2, you still have to play the same number of games as if you lost game 1 and won game 2. Save your ace. I still cuss Ron Polk for throwing Maholm against MTSU.
If they save their ace for game 2, I'd save Pomeranz for game 2. If my #2 guy can't beat St. John's ace in game 1 how could he beat Virginia's ace in game 2? But if Virginia pitches their ace in game 1, I'd probably go with Pomeranz in game 1 and let my #2 match up with UVA's #2 in game 2. St. John's is too good to match up your #2 against their ace unless you have to.
Now if this were a #1 vs. a #4 seed, I'd automatically save my ace unless the #4 just had a great ace.
Now if this were a #1 vs. a #4 seed, I'd automatically save my ace unless the #4 just had a great ace.