Thoughts on the rotation this weekend???

[ricepig]

https://twitter.com/NWAHutch/status/722613840714665985



I can honestly say, I like Jackson, but how short of a leash can you possibly have on the other two?

[JackMcQueen]

Who has the shorter leash? McKinney or Tacco? I would say Dominic does, first sign of trouble I start warming up Alberius, Knight, or Teague.

[Knot2brite]

At this point ...forget the leash...pitch 5 plus and roll with it...if they give up 6.....score 7.....we spend more time warming up pitchers than anything and that slows the game down and gets the offense off track...if a pitcher struggles...let him work through it...if he doesn't...then go get another...

[southarkhog06]

Who has the shorter leash? McKinney or Tacco? I would say Dominic does, first sign of trouble I start warming up Alberius, Knight, or Teague.

Ha I say you warm one of them up just like they were starting.

[Kevin]

like to see knight start

[bighog2255]

I think the order of the rotation has everything to do with trying to win the first 2 games. Taco and McKinney have been equally bad this year, so I think DVH uses everyone possible to win the first 2. UK's first guy in the rotation has a 6.08 ERA and UK is 1-4 in the first games in SEC weekends.

Jackson is our #1 from here on out and will start against UK's second best pitcher (Beggs). UK's "Sunday" (this week Saturday) pitcher is the best guy they have, and a guy who turned down a bunch of $$ to come back for his Senior year. He threw 7 innings of shutout baseball at Vandy last weekend. I think DVH figures the chances of beating him aren't very good anyways, so why throw Jackson against him.

Just my thoughts. Big series this weekend, and I think we are due. Don't think UK is that good, either.

[WhenPigsFly]

like to see knight start

This.  He was yanked after one or two bad starts, but certainly hasn't been any worse than the rest.  Like to see him with another shot in the rotation a couple of series.  Could it be worse than what we've been seeing?

[DiamondHogFan]

Whatever it takes to win games.

We are currently 1-7 on the road.  We have road SEC series at Kentucky, LSU, and Miss St.  To have ANY, and I mean ANY, shot at postseason we need to go no worse than 6-3 over those nine games and win at Missouri St to get our road record back close to .500.  Those would be big RPI boosters.

Also need to take care of business at home of course, including Texas A&M.

[A_R_K_A_N_S_A_S]

I think the order of the rotation has everything to do with trying to win the first 2 games.  so I think DVH uses everyone possible to win the first 2. UK's first guy in the rotation has a 6.08 ERA and UK is 1-4 in the first games in SEC weekends.
Just my thoughts. Big series this weekend, and I think we are due. Don't think UK is that good, either.

I too think the rotation is set to win the first 2 games and that includes bringing McKinney into one of those first 2 games if it means a win. If McKinney starts on Saturday, it probably means that the first 2 games were not even close. 

[JackMcQueen]

Don't think UK is that good, either.

Though their non con schedule is nothing to ride home about, they have won 4 of their 5 SEC series so far. They beat Florida 2 of 3 in Lexington, & were in all three games against Vanderbilt.
I hope that last night was a turning point for us, but it's going to be really tough to get one win this weekend.

[tennesseehogwild]

UK is plenty good! Hogs will have to bring their A+ game to take this series. We seem to always struggle some in Lexington also!

[JHicks3636]

I've been hoping to see Campbell start. After his start Tuesday night, I'm even more interested in seeing him on a weekend. I had hoped that since he only went 3 innings and did not throw a ton of pitches that we might get him on Saturday but I guess it is not to be. I assume he will start next week's mid-week game.

[tennesseehogwild]

Last couple of times Taco has been yanked, the bullpen has been rocked harder than he has. Alberius has been struggling lately also in SEC play. Taco's problems have been mostly his control going suddenly. Maybe this time he fights through it! For 3 innings he was dominant against Florida!

[ricepig]

I've been hoping to see Campbell start. After his start Tuesday night, I'm even more interested in seeing him on a weekend. I had hoped that since he only went 3 innings and did not throw a ton of pitches that we might get him on Saturday but I guess it is not to be. I assume he will start next week's mid-week game.

He looked real good the other week in Memphis, and has backed that up since then. I think he's worthy of a look, I'd probably let Knight get some more work, too.

[Kevin]

knight would be in bullpen tonight at the start of the game

[bighog2255]

Though their non con schedule is nothing to ride home about, they have won 4 of their 5 SEC series so far. They beat Florida 2 of 3 in Lexington, & were in all three games against Vanderbilt.
I hope that last night was a turning point for us, but it's going to be really tough to get one win this weekend.

They have a good SEC record, but the Florida series is the only good SEC series win. Yes, they are playing better than us, but they are certainly not an upper-echelon SEC team that is unbeatable. They are 10th in the SEC in batting average and 8th in ERA. Their best non-conf win is Austin Peay.

I think you are overselling Kentucky and underselling us. I think we have a very good shot at taking 2 of 3

Oh, and "ride home about"? Haha sorry couldn't let that one go

[bighog2255]

I too think the rotation is set to win the first 2 games and that includes bringing McKinney into one of those first 2 games if it means a win. If McKinney starts on Saturday, it probably means that the first 2 games were not even close.

Completely agree. Think he throws everyone but Jackson if necessary tonight, and is betting on Jackson's talent coming together on Friday. If we can just get a early lead and some momentum, I think you'll see us get it turned around.

[12247]

I think our entire pitching staff just needs work.  I realize its hard to get that work when you are stinking up the place.  Sometimes you maybe have to play a serious as hell intrasquad game midweek and give the pitchers that need innings under their belts some work.  I may be totally wrong on Jackson, but I bet he starts pitching well when he gets the innings to work himself into game mental and physical condition.  Overall, our pitching staff appears lost, our batters seem to not relate to the situation concerning men on base or the count and our fielding choices, when under pressure, are poor.  We often look like a group of sandlotters that gathers up once or twice a week and throws together a team of who shows up. 

I don't believe we know what to do many times out there and so we usually do wrong.  I was a pitcher and I know the position is very mental, plus talent. 

[ricepig]

I think our entire pitching staff just needs work.  I realize its hard to get that work when you are stinking up the place.  Sometimes you maybe have to play a serious as hell intrasquad game midweek and give the pitchers that need innings under their belts some work.  I may be totally wrong on Jackson, but I bet he starts pitching well when he gets the innings to work himself into game mental and physical condition.  Overall, our pitching staff appears lost, our batters seem to not relate to the situation concerning men on base or the count and our fielding choices, when under pressure, are poor.  We often look like a group of sandlotters that gathers up once or twice a week and throws together a team of who shows up. 

I don't believe we know what to do many times out there and so we usually do wrong.  I was a pitcher and I know the position is very mental, plus talent. 

Yeah, they never practice situational hitting or fielding, I think they only play HR Derby at practice.

[DiamondHogFan]

I think our entire pitching staff just needs work.  I realize its hard to get that work when you are stinking up the place.  Sometimes you maybe have to play a serious as hell intrasquad game midweek and give the pitchers that need innings under their belts some work.  I may be totally wrong on Jackson, but I bet he starts pitching well when he gets the innings to work himself into game mental and physical condition.  Overall, our pitching staff appears lost, our batters seem to not relate to the situation concerning men on base or the count and our fielding choices, when under pressure, are poor.  We often look like a group of sandlotters that gathers up once or twice a week and throws together a team of who shows up. 

I don't believe we know what to do many times out there and so we usually do wrong.  I was a pitcher and I know the position is very mental, plus talent.

Or maybe we are just a little off and missing some key opportunities in games that ultimately decide the outcome.  The opponents we have faced in SEC play have made us look worse than we are.

Don't take that as an excuse for not executing because I agree that we can't seem to get the big strikeout or big base hit with 2 outs and 2 in scoring position.  But these guys are coached well and I doubt DVH and staff have changed their practice philosophies any this year, things just aren't clicking like they have in the past.