Who do we pitch tomorrow?
- Thread starter Dental Dawg
- Start date
Save him for what?
Our chance to go to Omaha is now. We've got an All-American closer ready to go. Use him. 17 holding him for a 3rd game. He's given up 2 earned runs all year to teams not named Central Arkansas. I like my chances of him getting 6 outs without giving up 2 runs.
Our chance to go to Omaha is now. We've got an All-American closer ready to go. Use him. 17 holding him for a 3rd game. He's given up 2 earned runs all year to teams not named Central Arkansas. I like my chances of him getting 6 outs without giving up 2 runs.
I've been blasted all night for this... but I would start Ross or Gentry, if only for 1 batter... to set up Holder. Most closers seem to work much better coming into an established situation instead of having to create it on their own. That's my gut feeling, though... but Holder will DEFINITELY come in... He will be the one to close this out.
It's basically a start for whoever comes in. I don't want Holder in that situation. Bracewell gets the ball for the 8th, if he's walking people or getting hit, he gets pulled for Holder.
The situation is established. Get six 17ing outs and we go to Omaha.
We also still bat in the bottom of the 7th, so he'll get a chance to warm up in the pen and get a feel for the game before he comes in. The Virginia pitcher is the one who has to come in cold.
We also still bat in the bottom of the 7th, so he'll get a chance to warm up in the pen and get a feel for the game before he comes in. The Virginia pitcher is the one who has to come in cold.
So what if Bracewell comes in, gives up a single to the first hitter, then the next one hits a bomb.
We would've blown a 4-run lead with a chance to go to Omaha without our All-American closer who has a 1.17 ERA even pitching. That would be inexcusable. You win and lose with your best players. Holder is our best pitcher out of the pen. He's a finalist for national closer of the year for God's sake. Let him do what he does best. Close games down.
We would've blown a 4-run lead with a chance to go to Omaha without our All-American closer who has a 1.17 ERA even pitching. That would be inexcusable. You win and lose with your best players. Holder is our best pitcher out of the pen. He's a finalist for national closer of the year for God's sake. Let him do what he does best. Close games down.
You pull him after the first hitter reaches. All you are looking to do is set up your closer, not ignore him. Most closers don't like working to establish the tone of a situation... they want to ride the adrenalin wave already established, even if a runner is on base. That's all he needs... and that's all we are talking about. Holder WILL close the game out.
This is exactly the right answer, no questions asked. Whoever starts the eighth will be preparing just like they were starting the game. That is unfamiliar territory for holder and we want him on his game when he comes in.
I'd start bracewell in the eighth and then bring in holder if need be then let holder pitch the ninth.
Thing about finishing up tomorrow is that it will most likely be easier to bring guys back in for the 3rd game if needed. The only folks not available for a third game would probably be girodo, fitts, and graveman no matter who goes in game 2.
If not for Holder being a god Bracewell would be our hyped up closer. He's been solid in save situations this year. Throw him out there to start the 8th. Yank him at the first sign of instability.
What I'm afraid of is them coming out tomorrow like they have in the first game and 7/9ths. Two bombs, one a lead-off of the 1st and the other a lead-off of the 2nd. With that knowledge perhaps Holder is the guy. I don't give a 17 who starts. Everyone is good. Cohen makes more money than I can ever wish for in a year because 1) he knows more about this stuff than I do and 2) if we lose tomorrow he has to be the 17tard who put ______ in instead of _______.
Holder came in a situation almost just like this against Auburn if you remember on a game that was suspended Thursday night and resumed Friday. I believe he was also pitching when the game was suspended that time though. Obviously the stakes are a lot higher this time, but I remember him pitching well during the resumed game.
Nah. I won't blame them for whomever they throw. Thompson will make the call, and that guy could put in Daryl Norris and I wouldn't *****. (Stretching it, but Thompson has been our golden pony, and whatever he says flies with me.)
Holder's awesome, but he can get a little wild, too. Plus, I like what we did with Fitts today. They were sitting on Pollo and while they probably scouted everyone, I bet they didn't put a whole lot into him. Doubt that's as much of the case tomorrow, but still- I trust Bracewell enough.
But yeah- go with a set-up guy, and if it gets in the least bit hairy, bring out Holder.
Holder's awesome, but he can get a little wild, too. Plus, I like what we did with Fitts today. They were sitting on Pollo and while they probably scouted everyone, I bet they didn't put a whole lot into him. Doubt that's as much of the case tomorrow, but still- I trust Bracewell enough.
But yeah- go with a set-up guy, and if it gets in the least bit hairy, bring out Holder.
Yea.
I was thinking Holder for the longest time....but the more I think about it, how big of a momentum shift would it be if they come out and blast Holder's fastball to start the 8th and we had nobody better to go to? If we put Ross out there, we could let him get through the 8th, but at the first sign of momentum yank him for Holder and immediately squash that Mo.
Ross seems far less likely to give up a bomb since he throws so slow, but Holder is by far the best shut down guy. We are more likely to give up baserunners with Ross, but they would have to string together hits to score off of him. Lot of possibilities, and you could always go Holder and hope he erases all doubt since he's an All American.
I'm torn about it for sure, but I am kinda hoping we go with Ross to start. I'm betting everything I've got on Cohen starting Holder though.
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You would actually be correct... Holder threw .2 innings friday night, game was suspended, he didn't pitch the first game saturday and returned to close out the first game on Saturday.
Ultimately this decision boils down to this... Butch and Cohen know their players. If he feels Holder can come in with this situation (basically a start), have confidence, set the tone, and seal the deal, then by all means, start him. However, some closers out of their element struggle greatly. If Thompson feels that there is even a chance of that happening, set up Holder.
The stakes are enormous here and playing our cards exactly right will be key. These guys can hit the ball long. Holder thrives on location and balance. Any hitter in America that watches him will be sitting on his fastball and hoping he leaves one up a little. It doesnt' get hit when he's on, though, because it's located well. He has a breaking ball that can drop at the knees for a strike, too... that pitch is about damn impossible to hit unless it's left WAY up. Both pitches have to be on for him to be effective. If he's on, you will see K's and popups. If not, he will walk guys or give up long shots... no ground balls.
Ultimately this decision boils down to this... Butch and Cohen know their players. If he feels Holder can come in with this situation (basically a start), have confidence, set the tone, and seal the deal, then by all means, start him. However, some closers out of their element struggle greatly. If Thompson feels that there is even a chance of that happening, set up Holder.
The stakes are enormous here and playing our cards exactly right will be key. These guys can hit the ball long. Holder thrives on location and balance. Any hitter in America that watches him will be sitting on his fastball and hoping he leaves one up a little. It doesnt' get hit when he's on, though, because it's located well. He has a breaking ball that can drop at the knees for a strike, too... that pitch is about damn impossible to hit unless it's left WAY up. Both pitches have to be on for him to be effective. If he's on, you will see K's and popups. If not, he will walk guys or give up long shots... no ground balls.
The biggest question is....
Are the batters coming up LH or RH? Because if I know John and Butch, if they have two lefties coming up first we will likely see Ross and THEN Holder when the first RH batter comes up.
So can someone tell us who is up to bat for them to lead off the 8th, and is he LH or RH?
What we do in the 7th will play a part too. Hopefully we come out and add a run or 2
If the UVA players are like their fans...they will be geared up to see anyone other than Girodo at this point. So you have to think their players are glad that things got moved to tomorrow.
I saw on the Sabre where one guy said he would rather see Clayton Kershaw or Pedro Martinez circa 2000 if it meant not having to see Girodo any longer.
I saw on the Sabre where one guy said he would rather see Clayton Kershaw or Pedro Martinez circa 2000 if it meant not having to see Girodo any longer.
Yea, we will all feel better if we could tack on a run in the 7th. I hate that Hunter has a 0-2 count. We need him on base. That rain came in a pitch or two too late
Another point, too, is much of this team's confidence is centered around Holder. If we put him out there to start and he struggles, then confidence goes way down. We have got to make damn sure that Holder is on the mound throwing the last pitch in a winning situation... period. Just like I said, this is a decision based on confidence, psychology, knowing your players, and momentum. No numbers at all. We know who we are going to throw (as do they), its just a matter of what to do to make the absolute most of the situation to give us the best chance to win. Any coach in America would do that. No number or stat can quantify the pressure factor of a situation like this... it's all about knowing your players and knowing how they will thrive.
Just looked it up, and they have a lefty and then 4 straight righties coming up. Also, their lefty is the DH, so chances are they may pinch hit a righty if we were to try to match up a lefty. So with that being the case, it may very well be Holder time from the word go tomorrow.
After that first lefty, the next lefty would be Papi the leadoff guy. If Holder could shut them down until then, it would be 2 outs in the 9th before he comes up. Would be clutch, because you saw what he can do to a 90 mph fastball against Graveman.
After that first lefty, the next lefty would be Papi the leadoff guy. If Holder could shut them down until then, it would be 2 outs in the 9th before he comes up. Would be clutch, because you saw what he can do to a 90 mph fastball against Graveman.
Here's my thing though... Holder threw ~3 innings without warming up against Ole Miss starting in the 2nd and did "ok". I think he could do it, I just don't want him to do it.
I imagine Butch is going to pull Holder aside tomorrow morning and look him straight in the eyes and ask him what he wants to do. No shame in Holder telling him he'd rather someone take the mound first. The mind of a closer is a complex thing, why mess with it? Cohen has preached all season how much he trusts his pitching staff. Time to prove it.
Question: since it's not a start do we have to announce who we're throwing? You would think they're going to spend the next 15 hours scouting Holder. Send in Ross and you would mind 17 them. Especially since they won't see who it is until the 8th...
I imagine Butch is going to pull Holder aside tomorrow morning and look him straight in the eyes and ask him what he wants to do. No shame in Holder telling him he'd rather someone take the mound first. The mind of a closer is a complex thing, why mess with it? Cohen has preached all season how much he trusts his pitching staff. Time to prove it.
Question: since it's not a start do we have to announce who we're throwing? You would think they're going to spend the next 15 hours scouting Holder. Send in Ross and you would mind 17 them. Especially since they won't see who it is until the 8th...
5, 6, 7
5. Left hander
6. Switch hitter
7. RH
8. RH
9. RH
1. LH
2. RH
3. LH
4. RH
So I was wrong actually...maybe we let Ross throw to the lefty to start things, and then either try to let him finish the 8th or bring Holder in for the #6 hitter.
There is so many scenarios that lead you in different directions. We want to do whatever it takes to not get the top of their lineup up there with less than 2 outs in the 9th. Logic tells you Holder is our best bet, but who knows what Cohen will do.
That's exactly what is leading me towards Ross. I don't think we have to announce anything until starting lineups are turned in. It is courteous to announce it earlier, but so is trying to wait out a rain storm when your opponent is about to make it to Omaha...so 17 em, let em find out when we trot a guy out there.
FYi...
Im basing my lineup info on the below tweet from Mike Bonner of the starting lineups. I don't think there has been any pinch hitters yet, so correct me if I'm wrong on who is coming up. King started off the last inning, and then Girodo got 3 straight outs...so it should be the #5 guy right?
https://mobile.twitter.com/MikeBBonner/tweets
Im basing my lineup info on the below tweet from Mike Bonner of the starting lineups. I don't think there has been any pinch hitters yet, so correct me if I'm wrong on who is coming up. King started off the last inning, and then Girodo got 3 straight outs...so it should be the #5 guy right?
https://mobile.twitter.com/MikeBBonner/tweets