Some thoughts on Tennessee's series loss to Kent State ...
1. This is a bad series loss. It is bad because it was against Kent State, but it is worse because of how Tennessee lost it. Kent State is a veteran, talented team that will be in the postseason. Josh Elander told his team going in this is a good, good team coming to Lindsey Nelson Stadium. But Tennessee lost because it played bad baseball. It didn’t do the simple things in the field or at the plate. Kent State consistently did do those things.
The Vols hit a ton of batters, didn't play catch in the field, threw wild pitches, didn't hit with runners on, etc.
There were a lot of early season 2023 Vols vibes in this one to me. That Tennessee team also didn’t do the little things well until midway through SEC play. Obviously, that season ended in a good spot.
2. The loss Saturday is annoying. Landon Mack gave Tennessee an elite start and the Vols have to win a game like that. Now, they probably will win most games in which they only allow two runs. But letting that one get away was bad. Tennessee should have won that game. It also probably should have lost Friday, to be fair.
3. Tegan Kuhns and Mack both were good. Kuhns had some HBPs, but it’s hard to blame pitchers for every one of those this weekend. Both of them have had back-to-back good starts to open the season. Having encouraging starts to the season for your Friday and Saturdays guys is big.
4. The sophomore class is off to a horribly slow start. Chris Newstrom, Levi Clark and Manny Marin haven't been good enough. Clark in particular has to be better than he has been to open the season. He has to be reliable in the middle of the order. Tennessee cannot and will not reach its ceiling if he is not consistent and reliable. Newstrom has been a dead spot in the lineup and I think he is in danger of being on the outside looking in when Blake Grimmer and Grimmer Wright are back. Marin is hitting below .150 and was not good enough defensively. He and Finley Bates had to turn that double play in the fifth. He didn't play it well and had an error earlier as well.
5. Situational hitting was atrocious. That has to be better. Part of it, I think, is just Tennessee doesn’t have its best offensive lineup in play yet. Grimmer was expected to be a really key bat in this lineup and he’s a power guy. He’s not in there. I think another part of it was Tennessee spent so much time indoors in the preseason. That's not an excuse. But the bats look behind early in the season and it's hard to not think that is part of it.
6. I didn't like going to Ethan Baiotto on Sunday. I get it from a stuff perspective behind Evan Blanco, who was decent but not great. I did not get it in a close game in a rubber match. I view Baiotto as a pitcher who will factor into the staff, but he is a midweek guy at this point in the season. That choice is where the game got away from the Vols.
7. What do to at catcher? Kent State abused Stone Lawless on the bases and he struggled to throw the ball well at second. Lawless is Elander’s guy. But it might be time to look at getting some other guys reps back there — and Garrett Wright coming back is looking more important for a clear other option. Lawless also just wasn't great behind the plate. I don't think Clark or Trent Grindlinger is great back there either, but Grindlinger could be worth a look Tuesday. I think he can hit enough to play.
8. I think Jay Abernathy should be the leadoff hitter moving forward. He puts pressure on the opposing defense. I like him in the role — and I thought that going into the season. Stick with that for now, especially because it extends what you view as your middle-order bats deeper.
9. This is a 70-game season. The Vols are seven games in. There are clear concerns and a lot to be addressed. But it's also Feb. 22.
10. Brady Frederick was really good Friday and Sunday to settle the Vols down in moments. His final inning got away from him Sunday, but the runs scored after he was out of the game and Brayden Krenzel struggled.
11. It was great to see Brandon Arvidson make his debut. The pitching staff will take on more defined starters/second options with him back I would think. He makes a lot of sense behind either Kuhns or Mack. I like him going on Friday so he could potentially throw again Sunday in a weekend.
