What should our pitching rotation be?

[Requiem For A Dawg]

There is no doubt that Evan Mitchell and Woodruff have some of the best stuff on our staff, but they really have both been pretty shaky so far. Hopefully at least one of them will turn it on for SEC play and jump back in the rotation, but from what I've seen so far:

Fri.- Lindgren
Sat.- Graveman
Sun.- Cox

 

[Todd4State]

That's probably the way I would go too- but I do think someone had a good point the other day in that Evan Mitchell and Ross Mitchell as a tandem is a good contrast to each other.

So, I think for the start of SEC play, we will see

Fri.- Lindgren
Sat- The Mitchell family.
Sun.- Graveman

As far as Woodruff- if my guess is right about him working out of the stretch being the issue, he will probably throw a simulated game on either Weds. or Thurs. to work on that. He's just behind at this point in time. I do think that the coaches wanted him to start the LSU series, but based on tonight I can't see that realistically happening barring a big turnaround. It's better to go slow with him at this time and have him for half a year rather than have to blow up and start everything over again.

 

[Requiem For A Dawg]

The good thing is our pen is so deep, if we have a shaky start we usually can always bail them out.

 

[Todd4State]

That is true- that is a good luxury to have. Of course, you still want your starters to go deep- but we can piece it together if we have to. If we get five innings from our starters, we're in good shape.

 

[RingN2012]

Woodruff might be that player who is brought along slowly and peaks around tournament time when everyone else is tired. He will get more experience and hopefully be a force on our way to Omaha

 

[57stratdawg]

Well we're going to have to figure it out pretty soon, because we're running out of games. I don't think we have another Wed game all year. If we go into SEC play with Lindgren, Mitchell, Graveman, it'll be tough for Woodruff and Cox to get many starts.

 

[Requiem For A Dawg]

We have 6 more. It doesn't matter though. If they don't make the top 3, then they will have to suck it up and come out of the pen until tourney time.

 

[57stratdawg]

6 more?

 

[Todd4State]

Well we're going to have to figure it out pretty soon, because we're running out of games. I don't think we have another Wed game all year. If we go into SEC play with Lindgren, Mitchell, Graveman, it'll be tough for Woodruff and Cox to get many starts.

If you look at our schedule, we have Tuesday games against USM, Austin Peay, Alcorn State, South Alabama in Mobile, and the Ole Miss in no particular order. Now after the Governor's Cup, we don't have a midweek game, but we play a Thursday night game against Auburn. To me, that would be the target game if I was the coach as far as getting Woodruff back in the rotation. Doing that we would give him eight days of rest and it really wouldn't be that much different on any of our pitchers, so it kind of works out well. At least on paper. But that would give Woodruff five starts against a variety of teams to sort things out- including a SEC team.

Another thing I would do with Woodruff is make sure I have Slauter catch him instead of Ammirati. Woodruff's best game this year was against Grambling and Slauter was the catcher. Ammirati caught the other two where Woodruff struggled, so it may be a comfort issue between the two- kind of like Greg Maddux was a lot more comfortable with Charlie O'Brien as a his catcher than Javy Lopez. They may help as well even though I'm not sure there is much of a difference between Slauter and Ammirati defensively.

 

[cohen#1dawg]

lingren, mitchell tandum, gravesman, and if any one 17s up cox. If woodruff proves his worth maybe late sec play, but dont be confussed the bullpen is ready at the first slight by a starter. 3 games is much easier to manage than 4.

 

[Requiem For A Dawg]

6 more?

Midweek games.

 

[Todd4State]

According to Cohen, Woodruff and Ammirati kind of "lost it" mentally.

Also of interest- said Woodruff will either come out of the bullpen this weekend or start against USM.

 

[MSUDC11]

This weekend could answer the rotation question. Our first three-game series. If the three that start this weekend have success, I don't expect the rotation to change for LSU.

Lindgren has been dominant on Fridays and I expect him to be a starter throughout the season. Graveman is proven in the SEC, plus he's pitched very well against LSU over his career.

The battle is for the Sunday job. Cox has done well so far, but my gut tells me that Butch and Cohen would prefer to use the Mitchell combo. It's a great idea if Evan is throwing strikes.

Woodruff could be a factor later in the season, but he's got to get it together. Whatever it is.

 

[cohen#1dawg]

woodruff get landed in the dog house. it is lingren the mitchell family and gravesman and if there is a slip cox. woodruff has to really earn his sunday spot now!!!! and todd tonight was no catcher. it was a read the head lines pre madona. lets hope it woke woodfruff and the team up

 

[cohen#1dawg]

beer affected that grammer lol but u got it

 

[RocketDawg]

Not to mention spelling. One too many. I don't see how either team played last night in the wind and cold. That was miserable.

 

[Hump4Hoops]

Post less.

 

[bulldogcountry1]

Does anyone else think that Woodruff acted like a prick last night?

He walked off the back of the mound and basically ignored Thompson until Pollo got there. Then, he just flicked him the ball and it bounced off Pollo's chest. He went straight to the locker room without speaking to anyone in the dugout.

Yeah, I know that emotions run high, and he's probably getting frustrated. I was also quite surprised to see him get yanked that quickly, but dang. Woodruff looked quite disrespectful.

 

[dickiedawg]

You want your best overall pitcher to pitch 4th**

 

[HueFreeze]

I would think you blame adversity here

he probably has had bad nights in high school, but he was always the best on his team so he was allowed to work it out.
Last year expectations were probably set as you have to fight for a spot so he was set on earning, then he gets hot at the end so expectation for this year
Now this year, he faces an injury early. Right now he just doesn't see to have the command he would like and I am sure it is frustrating.
He probably feels like he needs work to work it out, but he was yanked after 12 pitches.


Personally, I would like to see him work with our best catch hopefully, to have him in the best mindset going forward.
So maybe just work Slauter the part of the game Woodruff pitches, until he gets comfortable on the hill

 

[Coach34]

He walked off the back of the mound and basically ignored Thompson until Pollo got there. Then, he just flicked him the ball and it bounced off Pollo's chest. He went straight to the locker room without speaking to anyone in the dugout.

Yeah, I know that emotions run high, and he's probably getting frustrated. I was also quite surprised to see him get yanked that quickly, but dang. Woodruff looked quite disrespectful.

He was pissed as 17- that's why. You give him time to cool off, meet with him after the game to let him know why you did it and what you expect moving forward, tell him to grow the 17 up and dont ever act like that again on the mound, and see how he responds.