GAME 25 THREAD: #24 Arkansas (19-5, 4-1 SEC) vs #18 Missouri (21-2, 4-1 SEC)

[SPAL]

I disagree. They got us yesterday, but today should have been a blowout.
I don't think SC or Florida will
Have a problem with them

I don't know. They are much better than I have them credit for. They showed great plate discipline. They didn't swing at our out pitches and that led to them getting better pitches to hit. 

Now, our pitchers pitched from behind in a lot if counts and that's a recipe for disaster. But I was pretty impressed with Mizzou and I hate em with a passion.

[JHicks3636]

Certainly I wish this win had come easier, but some years, including last year, we probably lose that game. We just took 2 out of 3 games in an SEC series on the road, from a team that had only lost once coming into the series. I'll take it.

[RazrRila99]

Win by 1 or 100 a win is a win?!  Any ROAD win in the SEC in any sport is YUGE!!! 

WOO PIG.  Again, thank you PBPrs.  Hats off! 

[JonClaudeVanHam]

I don't know. They are much better than I have them credit for. They showed great plate discipline. They didn't swing at our out pitches and that led to them getting better pitches to hit. 

Now, our pitchers pitched from behind in a lot if counts and that's a recipe for disaster. But I was pretty impressed with Mizzou and I hate em with a passion.

Yeah, this. I am really impressed with the Mizzou bats. They are the most annoying team I've seen us play this year.

[hawgrunner]

Nice Win!!

WPS!!


:razorback: :razorback: :razorback:

[Knot2brite]

Chadwick is not the prototype closer. He doesn't blow you away with his heater and he depends on a slider that runs to dirt...but he has been effective . The reason we won...we hit their pitching hard. We played decent defense and our pen threw enough strikes to make their hitters hit the ball to us ...this team swings it well...we pitch above average and we defend above average....this team has potential...lots of it

[Hawgphish]

Chadwick is not the prototype closer. He doesn't blow you away with his heater and he depends on a slider that runs to dirt...but he has been effective . The reason we won...we hit their pitching hard. We played decent defense and our pen threw enough strikes to make their hitters hit the ball to us ...this team swings it well...we pitch above average and we defend above average....this team has potential...lots of it

As was pointed out on the broadcast, he does not have "swing and miss" stuff.  So he is definitely not a typical closer.

[pigture perfect]

After reading every post in the thread without a break, I think I need to go to church now. Congrats Hogs on a great series win. We should be ranked now. Thanks for the pbp gents. Way to pick each other up when Tech issues occur. You all are amazing.

[SPAL]

As was pointed out on the broadcast, he does not have "swing and miss" stuff.  So he is definitely not a typical closer.

He does but it requires people to chase. Teams that won't chase will cause Cannon some issues. Although, I thought he pitched well today. I dont remember them really squaring it up a whole lot. The runs they did get were very flukish.

They just didn't chase so he didn't look effective.

[bulldog04]

He does but it requires people to chase. Teams that won't chase will cause Cannon some issues. Although, I thought he pitched well today. I dont remember them really squaring it up a whole lot. The runs they did get were very flukish.

They just didn't chase so he didn't look effective.

I question his pitch selection sometimes.  Batters chase sliders primarily because they think its a fastball and then it breaks away from them.  But if they're not expecting a fastball then they can layoff.  I would like for him to spot the fastball more and throw it a little out of the zone with ahead 0-2 or 1-2.  Just put it a few inches off the corner to see if they will chase or raise the eye level when everything is low.  I know he got the job done and has had a great year but that is what see that could make him better.

[ricepig]

I question his pitch selection sometimes.  Batters chase sliders primarily because they think its a fastball and then it breaks away from them.  But if they're not expecting a fastball then they can layoff.  I would like for him to spot the fastball more and throw it a little out of the zone with ahead 0-2 or 1-2.  Just put it a few inches off the corner to see if they will chase or raise the eye level when everything is low.  I know he got the job done and has had a great year but that is what see that could make him better.

Who's calling the pitches, Johnson?

[PigWig]

I don't know. They are much better than I have them credit for. They showed great plate discipline. They didn't swing at our out pitches and that led to them getting better pitches to hit. 

Now, our pitchers pitched from behind in a lot if counts and that's a recipe for disaster. But I was pretty impressed with Mizzou and I hate em with a passion.

This was the biggest thing for me. Very patient, very good eye at the plate from the majority of their lineup. Combine that with a good Friday night guy and lights out RP, and they will be able to win a lot of series this year. In fact, this is the first time they've lost a series. WPS!

[SPAL]

Good thread today guys. Thanks to all involved

[Cornfed Pig]

Wow, that was tense, and I didn't even get to watch!  Great job on the thread, always appreciated!  :razorback: :razorback:

[Kevin]

Chadwick is equal to Sergio romo. Just keep
Spinning that slider up there

[Kevin]

Just watched the replay. Was the home plate ump inconsistent

[TebowHater]

Re closer discussion, I know Taco has been floating around a bit all over the place, but what happened to the plans of him being a closer? Sorry I am out of the loop.

[BroyledNutts]

Re closer discussion, I know Taco has been floating around a bit all over the place, but what happened to the plans of him being a closer? Sorry I am out of the loop.

My thoughts ... Still struggling with control ... a closer has to be much more consistent than he is currently ... and when he's on, he can be an inning eater, which is really what is needed more right now.

[SPAL]

My thoughts ... Still struggling with control ... a closer has to be much more consistent than he is currently ... and when he's on, he can be an inning eater, which is really what is needed more right now.

This

[Iwastherein1969]

My thoughts ... Still struggling with control ... a closer has to be much more consistent than he is currently ... and when he's on, he can be an inning eater, which is really what is needed more right now.

a closer must be able to pound the zone right from the jump with a heavy fastball that has a little movement....we almost had the perfect closer last year until teams learned that he rarely threw two strikes in a row and rarely led off with a strike...its okay to miss the zone on the first pitch when closing, but not the first two...teams last year would wait out a walk or wait until our closer had to throw a strike and then they tee'd off on him....I have confidence someone will emerge out of the bully this year to get those last 3 to 5 outs when we have to have them...Go Hogs, Roll the Tide back out in the Gulf

[JHGiunta]

Just watched the replay. Was the home plate ump inconsistent

Yes...his strike zone was low all day and then in the later innings it moved around. A pitch below the knees on the outside corner would get called on one batter and then called a ball on the next batter. And this went for both teams if I remember correctly.

[jbell96]

I went yesterday afternoon and have a few thoughts to share.

1. The home plate ump yesterday had a horribly inconsistent strike zone and had both dugouts chirping at him.

2. That pitcher's mound is awful and I think it played a part in our pitching struggles in terms of throwing strikes. I know DVH complained a few times during the series about it.

3. Mizzou's stadium is decent, but the playing surface needs some major upgrades.

4. I wanted to slap everyone who started doing a hog call with two outs and nobody on in the 9th. You don't do that until the game is over.

5. I unknowingly sat and talked with Cannon Chadwick's mom and dad during the game. Such wonderful people, they do their best to drive from Texas to every series to watch Cannon play.

6. Mizzou is legit. I was skeptical of how good they really were, given their soft schedule, but those guys can rake at the plate. Granted we should have won easy yesterday, but those guys were just grinding out at bats and making our guys work.

[mizzousteve]

Congrats on the series win. I really enjoyed interacting with the Arkansas fans in CoMo. It's early but both teams seem quite a bit better than last year.

Glad to hear that Coach Vitello's dad and sister are okay after that scary accident on Saturday. He's a good guy and it's still weird seeing him on the other side. Good luck the rest of the way!

[BroyledNutts]

a closer must be able to pound the zone right from the jump with a heavy fastball that has a little movement....we almost had the perfect closer last year until teams learned that he rarely threw two strikes in a row and rarely led off with a strike...its okay to miss the zone on the first pitch when closing, but not the first two...teams last year would wait out a walk or wait until our closer had to throw a strike and then they tee'd off on him....I have confidence someone will emerge out of the bully this year to get those last 3 to 5 outs when we have to have them...Go Hogs, Roll the Tide back out in the Gulf

The nearest thing to a perfect closer that I've personally ever seen here at Arkansas has to be Colby Suggs ... even though he could get himself into a jam once in a while, he consistently threw heat and was always around the zone. Most batters didn't know what to do with him - his slider was one of the filthiest I've ever witnessed - and by the time they figured something out it was strike three and have a seat.

EDIT: Thinking on it some more, the other guy I used to enjoy as a closer was Nolan Sanburn - straight gas. If he was on, it was 3 outs done. The only issue with him is that he could get over amped and his pitches flattened out, or not be able to find the zone at all...but it was a work of art to watch when he was dialed in. Zach Jackson deserves to be considered one of the top ever here - and year one when he developed into a closer he was hard to argue with - something changed with his approach year 2 when he started trying to start games, and his killer mentality as a closer never really got back to where it was...tended to nibble, and that's not a closer's MO ....but his 12/6 breaking ball was criminal...

If there's been a better one, it was either before I started watching Razorback Baseball, or I just don't remember ....

[dotnet]

I think Jackson was better than Suggs. 

However that year where Gunn, Astin, and Sanburn were in front of Suggs... about as good of a bullpen as you'll ever find. 

[Kevin]

difference between suggs & Jackson, suggs threw strikes

I don't think Jackson ever embraced the closer role.

[Birminghog]

Who's calling the pitches, Johnson?

Gabby Johnson? Olsen Johnson? Dr. Samuel Johnson? Howard Johnson? Van Johnson?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NaQxUEfxt0

[ricepig]

Gabby Johnson? Olsen Johnson? Dr. Samuel Johnson? Howard Johnson? Van Johnson?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NaQxUEfxt0

Harriet Johnson

[bulldog04]

difference between suggs & Jackson, suggs threw strikes

I don't think Jackson ever embraced the closer role.

Suggs had that closer demeanor.  He was a bulldog on the mound

[Birminghog]

Harriet Johnson

How could I have left out Harriet? If only she had been accustomed to public speaking.

[ricepig]

How could I have left out Harriet? If only she had been accustomed to public speaking.

Such a quiet diminutive voice.....

[Dr. Starcs]

Sanburn separated himself from the other closers, mainly because his pants were a good 4 sizes too small for him. Lol

[Iwastherein1969]

Sanburn separated himself from the other closers, mainly because his pants were a good 4 sizes too small for him. Lol

I remember Sanburn's first couple or three appearances, he looked like a short, clean shaven, Goose Gossage with a surfer burr hair cut....then came our trip to Kentucky, and he went from the penthouse to well, you know where