The two pressing questions for Friday....

[DawgatAuburn]

1. Do you start Graveman?
2. What can Girodo err Gerrardo give us, if anything?

Kendall is a tough call. Five days is plenty of rest, but if it is OSU they will have just seen him. There's a safety net with Saturday and he could always pitch then, but in D@A's dream world he would not start Friday, we win, and he is ready to roll on Monday night. Tough tough call. I guess to some extent it depends on who we are playing, but if I had to make a call today I would go with Bracewell for as much as he could give us, and then be ready with Ross behind him. If Kendall/Girodo are needed on Saturday, then that's the plan.

Speaking of Girodo, 100ish pitches last night. Three full days of rest. If we need him for an inning on Friday, I think we can get it from him but I'd rather not. He's a tough call too. I mean obviously you have to do whatever you can in a close game on Friday to win it, even if that means Girodo can't pitch on Saturday.

 

[Hump4Hoops]

Lindy(short leash), then Ross, then Bracewell

It's our best shot at winning without throwing a tired arm or burning anyone for the finals (if we win).

 

[Drebin]

It's our best shot at winning without throwing a tired arm or burning anyone for the finals (if we win).

We're in good shape. There will be no tired arms on Friday. The only one who's close is Girodo, but even he could go an inning if needed. You want to throw everything you have into the game Friday, so you can get everyone rested and ready for the championship series.

I would probably start someone other than Graveman, but I would go to Ross Mitchell early and hope he can get to the ninth. You have to like how it's looking, the way Mitchell shut down OSU and Girodo shut down Indiana. Lots of confidence there.

 

[esplanade91]

If it's Indiana, Graveman. If it's OSU, Fitts.

OSU's getting pretty thin in the pen, but Indiana is going to have their ace on hand if they can win it tomorrow. Graveman is our... ace?... Live and die by the best player. They haven't seen him or Ross.

OSU scares me. We would need Girodo. Don't know if he'll have enough gas in the tank on 3 days rest after throwing starting numbers.

 

[GOOD_DAWG2.0]

If it's Indiana, Graveman. If it's OSU, Fitts.

OSU's getting pretty thin in the pen, but Indiana is going to have their ace on hand if they can win it tomorrow.

Indiana's ace is throwing against OSU tomorrow. They would throw Denato (sp? The kid that shut out Louisville in their first game) at us, if they were to make it to us. Then the Coursen-Carr guy again, if, God forbid, they beat us Friday. Looks like we have dodged the Slegers bullet, but I'm not so sure that he would have shut us down.

 

[patdog]

I think you've got to start Graveman Friday. You could still come back with him on Wednesday if the final series went 3 games. If you don't start Graveman Friday and lose, you've got to pitch him Saturday and he's burned for the finals. Don't think you pitch Girodo at all Friday. 100+ pitches and only 3 days rest. We've got PLENTY of other relievers we can use Friday. Girodo will be good for 3-4 innings Saturday if we need him.

 

[dawgphd]

Several pitching points.

1. It's the CWS.
2. 3 pitchers have 4 days rest
3. 2 pitchers have 6 days rest
4. Everyone else has 12 days rest minimum
5. These are 18-22 year olds
6. It's the CWS.

All arms are available.

 

[haildearoldstate]

I'd go with Lindgren as well. He's due to have a good performance. If he can

throw strikes and not get shaken after he gives up a hit or two, he's got great stuff and can give us a few quality innings.

 

[DawgatAuburn]

1. It's the CWS.
2. 3 pitchers have 4 days rest
3. 2 pitchers have 6 days rest
4. Everyone else has 12 days rest minimum
5. These are 18-22 year olds
6. It's the CWS.

All arms are available.

They day they pitch is not counted as rest, so the guys have 5 and 3 days, not 6 and 4. Graveman's availability is not in question. Girodo's is. To me we can't count on anything more than about 25 pitches Friday. And pitching Friday takes him out of Saturday. Good point about 18-22 year old arms, but as young and live as the arms are, you don't want to tear them up in the next week.

Pat - I agree that if we lose Friday and KG goes Saturday we won't have him Monday or Tuesday, but if needed I think if that was the case he would take the ball on Wednesday night in game three. He might be able to go deep, but he would take the ball.

 

[MSUDC11]

I can see us starting Mitchell.... And I'm not talking about the junk throwing lefty.

Evan has filthy stuff when he is throwing strikes. Why not trot him out there (with a short leash, of course) and see how far he can take you?

If he stinks, that's fine. We've shown that we don't mind going to Ross really early.

We seemed to have success early in the year by pitching the Mitchells in the same game. Such a huge contrast in styles. Evan being effective makes us light years better.

 

[chew1095]

Agreed. As of today:

Bracewell has not pitched in 15 days.
Gentry has not pitched in 16 days.
Will Cox has not pitched in 16 days.
Pollo has not pitched in 17 days.
Lindy has not pitched since May 25th.

 

[patdog]

You're probably right about Graveman coming back on Wednesday even if he pitches Saturday. I'd rather have him with 4 days rest than 3 though. Also, you have to remember that whoever we play Friday will probably go with their ace in that game. I'm afraid that if we don't go with Graveman against their ace, we're just going to be using him on Saturday anyway. I still don't think Girodo on Friday is even an option. With our pitching depth, no need to use him on only 3 days rest, and he should be good to go for Saturday if needed.

 

[tenureplan]

1. It's the CWS.
2. 3 pitchers have 4 days rest
3. 2 pitchers have 6 days rest
4. Everyone else has 12 days rest minimum
5. These are 18-22 year olds
6. It's the CWS.

All arms are available.

This

 

[MSU Fan.sixpack]

1. It's the CWS.
2. 3 pitchers have 4 days rest
3. 2 pitchers have 6 days rest
4. Everyone else has 12 days rest minimum
5. These are 18-22 year olds
6. It's the CWS.

All arms are available.

Seconded. I agree it's a tough call on Graveman for Friday but if he did start Friday he could come back on Tuesday with three days rest. Not as good as four days rest obviously but no harm doing that in his last start of the season.

 

[Heawww]

It's Kendall. You don't take a chance. Plus, assuming we win Friday/Saturday, you MUST have Kendall available for the Tuesday game of the Finals. That's only possible if he pitches Friday. It's a no-brainer. Throw him first, figure out the Saturday game only if you are forced to.

We do need to get Bracewell some work though.

 

[SheltonChoked]

You could still come back with him on Wednesday if the final series went 3 games.

If we play on Wednesday, it's johnny wholestaff. Everyone who can pitch is in the pen. Even the previous day starter.

It depends on matchups but here's my go at it

Friday - Graveman (vs IU) or Bracewell (vs OSU) / Ross / Holder
Saturday - Fitts (or Graveman or Bracewell) /Girodo / Holder

Monday - Pollo or Fitts or Bracewell or Lindgen / Ross / Holder
Tuesday - Johnny Wholestaff
Wednesday - Johnny Wholestaff

 

[DAWG61]

Bracewell, Gentry, Renfroe. How bad *** would it be to have Renfroe come in and throw 98mph gas to take us to the NC game. I might even start Renfroe. Secretweaponku

 

[dawgphd]

Bracewell, Gentry, Renfroe. How bad *** would it be to have Renfroe come in and throw 98mph gas to take us to the NC game. I might even start Renfroe. Secretweaponku

I'd have him tossing from the mound to a catcher at practice at Creighton today. And tomorrow. And Thursday.

 

[57stratdawg]

I don't want Graveman going against OSU again. I thinks Pollo, Ross Mitch, Bracewell, Holder on Friday. Hopefully we don't have to worry about Saturday.

Then on Monday, Graveman starts.