#9 UConn v. Butler Bulldogs @Elliot Ballpark (Friday 5/12/23 @6:05p, Saturday 5/13/23 @2:05p & Sunday 5/14/23 @Noon). All games on UConn+/Mixlr
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Mr. Hyde has lurking as of late and he finally came out front and center...
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I'm sorry but it seems, pretty clear we need to swap at least one bullpen guy with a starter. SP has been atrocious. But most coaches are stubborn old goats worried about players feelings. We need to get past that or we'll go down early in the BE before we even get to the Tourney. Playing from behind is Russian Roulette. It works until it doesn't.
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It’s baseball. You aren’t going to win ‘em all. But I figured if they lost to Butler it would be because some unknown starter threw a 3-hitter, nit because they handled the baseball like a hot potato in the 9 th inning.
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Do you really believe that applies to Penders/McDonald?
My thought on today's game and the weekend series against Butler. Basically, due to the starting pitching not lasting long in either the game on Friday or today, UConn ran out of relief pitchers that the coaching staff trusts, and thus ended up overworking Fogell and Willis when they pitched today. I can't remember the last time Willis or any other pitcher on the staff pitching 3 days in a row. As for Fogell, he pitched starting pitcher innings on Friday, and then was used again today. Before they came into the game, the guys out of the bullpen were doing okay. I especially liked what I saw of Nowak, who has not been used much of late, I would have liked to see him go another inning or so considering how much the rest of the bullpen has been used of late. But with the rest of the bullpen needing a break, the coaching staff was not willing to use pitchers like Michael Quigley and others. When you are running down on arms that are not tired or have already been used, sometimes you just need to take a chance on someone who has talent but also control problems and just hope for the best.
Anyway, when it comes to the game of baseball, on any level it is tough to execute a 3 game sweep against any opponent, no matter what the difference in talent and the quality of the teams. It's just the way the game of baseball is, the nature of the sport.
Anyway, when it comes to the game of baseball, on any level it is tough to execute a 3 game sweep against any opponent, no matter what the difference in talent and the quality of the teams. It's just the way the game of baseball is, the nature of the sport.
1) Seems like most people on this board felt this coming. 16 hits, 8 walks, 1 WP, and 3 errors against a bad baseball team in a weekend series (not a midweek game).
2) At present they do not have a "real" starting rotation. I'm sure Penders has done this but if he hasn't he needs to ask Coach Mac for various options (e.g. 3 sets of options) in regards to starting pitching asap. No sacred cows. Outside the box. Someone mentioned swapping bullpen guys with a starter. I think everything needs to be on the table. The season will slip away in a heartbeat if this continues. And that's not panic button stuff it's reality.
3) My suggestion would be to ride with SQuigs as #1, and Sears as #2, and then everyone else is thrown into the pot and try to come up with candidates for the 3 and 4 roles. If that means Fogell and/or Coe those spots and that's the best option so be it. Need some type of foundation to start with so hence SQuigs/Sears recommendation. A step change is needed right now, gotta try something different. Can't be incremental tweaks.
4)I think it's good the URI game was canceled for reasons other than RPI. As I posted yesterday they need to catch a second wind and I think it will be good resetting with what lies in front of them for the remainder of the season (macro) as well as focusing on Creighton (micro). They need to focus on playing a fundamentally sound baseball game. Forget RPI, NCAAs, hosting, etc. Play a solid baseball game and that stuff starts to take care of itself.
2) At present they do not have a "real" starting rotation. I'm sure Penders has done this but if he hasn't he needs to ask Coach Mac for various options (e.g. 3 sets of options) in regards to starting pitching asap. No sacred cows. Outside the box. Someone mentioned swapping bullpen guys with a starter. I think everything needs to be on the table. The season will slip away in a heartbeat if this continues. And that's not panic button stuff it's reality.
3) My suggestion would be to ride with SQuigs as #1, and Sears as #2, and then everyone else is thrown into the pot and try to come up with candidates for the 3 and 4 roles. If that means Fogell and/or Coe those spots and that's the best option so be it. Need some type of foundation to start with so hence SQuigs/Sears recommendation. A step change is needed right now, gotta try something different. Can't be incremental tweaks.
4)I think it's good the URI game was canceled for reasons other than RPI. As I posted yesterday they need to catch a second wind and I think it will be good resetting with what lies in front of them for the remainder of the season (macro) as well as focusing on Creighton (micro). They need to focus on playing a fundamentally sound baseball game. Forget RPI, NCAAs, hosting, etc. Play a solid baseball game and that stuff starts to take care of itself.
It would not surprise me if the URI game was cancelled just to give the pitching staff some rest before the Creighton series.
Yes very well may have been. The staff threw ~190 pitches today. Crazy stuff.
hardcorehusky
Lost patience with the garden variety UConn fan
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Butler played much much better than their record at bat and in the field. That said, I was surprised Penders took Nowak out and went back to Fogell and Willis. I felt he was testing guys for the post season when this game will be well behind us.
I think Cooke is playing hurt as he doesn't look like the Ian Cooke of last year. Sullivan looks out of sorts still. Freeberger is not a mound option at this point. His fastball isn't good enough to be a one pitch pitcher.
We need Sears to get back to what he was a month ago or else we will eventually wear out the bullpen by game 3 in any tournament.
I think Cooke is playing hurt as he doesn't look like the Ian Cooke of last year. Sullivan looks out of sorts still. Freeberger is not a mound option at this point. His fastball isn't good enough to be a one pitch pitcher.
We need Sears to get back to what he was a month ago or else we will eventually wear out the bullpen by game 3 in any tournament.
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Yeah, I have a suspicion Cooke may never have fully recovered from his injury(s) that he had last year. He missed a big chunk of fall ball. I don't think he pitched in summer ball last year either.
Starters or relievers, UConn needs more pitchers to step up and be somewhat reliable in order do well in post season play. Of course, the coaching staff needs to be willing to use these guys and hope for the best. Pitching depth needs to expand, but that is tough this late in the season.
1) Re: Butler comment I think it's up for debate. I lean more towards Uconn playing down to their level but understand your comment. Pluses: Took Campbell to extra innings, Beat Northwestern, Took 2/3 from Seton Hall/G'Town. Minuses: Lost 2 to CCSU, lost to FDU/JSU/BSU. So they have played decent baseball at times but 12-40 is 12-40. On we go it's in the rearview mirror.
2) Re: Cookie if he's hurt (even lingering) he shouldn't be pitching. Agree on Sully and Dom (for the most part - he's not Reggie but could be effective in the right spot in very short stint but again I hear ya your point is valid).
3) Stepping back we talked about SP issues last fall. This year the SP has not performed but the offense has been very good, the defense excellent and the bullpen found its footing. Therefore in almost everyone's minds (including mine) that bought time for the SP to be "figured out" on the fly and it would eventually get solved. This weekend the defense and bullpen were shaky and the light is now shined squarely on the SP. I don't think Sully and Cookie should SP options going forward. Tough thing to type but have to face the hard facts. They can still play key roles out of the bullpen and help this team obtain its aspirations. Think it's time for some out-of-the-box ideas. dbmill's point on using more guys is also valid. Have to expand options at this point. The steady state is not working.
I've been mentioning that Ian Cooke had at least 1 injury last year. It could be that he is okay now as far as the injury is concerned so he is okay to pitch. It's just that his pitching ability may have been impacted by the injury, and it may be that he is just not able at this point to pitch at the same level at this point, and that he has to build back up to it. Of course, this is all just speculation.
Yes. I've critiqued Cookie previously. I'll add one other thing. Every pitch seems like it's so much effort even for a power pitcher. Seems like more energy is used on every pitch than other power pitchers I've seen. The last 4 games down 1-0, 1-0, 3-0 and 2-0. Constantly playing uphill. Can't keep digging a hole and expect to get out of it.
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