BB: LL: Liberty League

[shoeless]

Boomer

I kind of agree, I think when its a pitchers battle (your top 1-2 or even 3) vs their 1-2 or even 3 guy, you should put your best defense on the field at least up the middle and rf.  if you want to hide a bat you do it at 1b, 3b, lf or dh.   Your pitchers confidence will SUFFER if they have balls booted or have innings extended.  if you know you are not pitching your best guy and neither are they then put your sticks in.

Defense wins championships in every sport, including baseball.  I often see coaches trying to hide a stick at 2b or RF and it always comes back to haunt the coach.  Once pitchers start losing the confidence in ground balls, they try to do silly thinks we the pitches (you will see more walks as a result).

[BoomerIL]

One thing I did notice this week from being in Florida is, that when your starting pitcher goes deep into the game, 7th/8th inning, they start to try placing the pitches.  They are not pitching like they did earlier in the game.  I've noticed this for years when watching games.  They wiil have a lead and then one of two things happens, fatigue, which makes sense for the placing or attempted placing of pitches, or the simple fact that they are starting to over think and become cautious of making mistakes.

To me this makes sense.  It's kind of a "protectionism" thing.  They start to think that they might be able to continue to fool the hitters so they start placing the pitches, or so they think, by moving those pitches outside, or by throwing high.  It can become frustrating for them and then they lose confidence in themselves from there on out.  They really, at that point, should just throw strikes in the zone, and see if the hitters will make something happen.  If they do hit, hopefully to a defensive player, or if not, then at least they know if in fact that they are getting tired then the coaches will have to make his move.  JMHO

[StarvinMarvin]

Placing pitches?  The only thing I can think of is a pitcher locating their pitches which is what a pitcher is supposed to do and is vital to their success.  Maybe you mean that a pitcher attempts to be too fine rather than just throw strikes and let their defense do the work?  Is "protectionism" a word?  Ah yes, I believe it's former Gov. Spitzer's political policy to keep from contracting sexually transmitted diseases while indulging in our nation's finest escort services.

[BoomerIL]

StarvinMarvin......

O.K., so I meant to say "locate" pitches.  Sorry, but just got back from Florida to the cold of Chicago and I'm a bit tired.  You know, I don't really know if protectionism is a word, but I thought it sounded good!!!  Your right, being to fine and just going and throwing strikes!!!

I thought that Spitzer could become the "champion" for justice in this country, but like Dershowitz basically said, he should have kept it in his pants.  What an idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StarvinMarvin]

Boomer....couldn't agree with you more my friend, LOL!  Glad to hear that you enjoyed your Florida trip!

[shoeless]

Fatigue or locating pitches or lack of confidence in defense?  I SAY IF, and I MEAN IF, they had confidence in their defense they might just throw more strikes, walk less batters and bring it down broadway and let them do the work.  But if a pitcher doesn't have confidence i think it exacerbates the whole pitching situation and they start trying to locate pitches and get them out themselves.  A pitcher must have confidence in his defense to JUST throw strikes.

Boomer - maybe it is trying to do it themselves late in a game (lead starts diminishing) and rather than let the defense do the work, they over pitch trying to locate corners and get them out themselves.   That it was i said up the middle defense at a minimum needs to be your best talent defensively.  You can always pinch hit in a critical situation, but an out or a double play that should have been wears more on a pitcher than anything.

Confidence in defense once lost is hard to restore.

Boomer - u of r had a great 4 games against skidmore.  keep it up, lots of one inning games.  Your teams confidence should be "boom-ing" no pun intended.

[shoeless]

Boomer I saw the stats on Veenema in Emory game, he only gave up 3 hits, that game looks like one you had control of.   11 runs against emory, you have to win those games.  That would have been a big win for your program and for liberty league.  That guy is one of the best pitchers in the liberty league. 

[BoomerIL]

shoeless.....

Not to sound arrogant or full of ourselves, but they did give Emory that win.  They had a 7-0 lead going into the fourth inning, and your correct, they should have won that game.  They did the same thing, more or less, in losing to Case in the ninth inning up 3-0 only to lose 4-3.  You have to win those.

UR's hitting has dractically improved as I hoped it would, and the starting pitching has been really good with some additional positive surprises.  This team hit a UAA tournament high .354, and McEneaney and Guzski only allowed 4 hits apiece with 6 and 8 K's in 8.0 and 7.0 innings, respectively.  This didn't include any of Veenema's stats or our other starters.  This team has a lot going for itself and by eliminating the mistakes they made in those first eleven games should be a tough team to beat.  The conference games will really be big, and with St.L and RPI, plus Clarkson having some big wins, this should be a good series of games to watch.

[BaseB13]

My quick two cents.. Teams "give away" games all the time.  If I were UR I'd be more than happy about "giving away" a game against Emory and a game against Case in exchange for being "given" two wins against Skidmore.. Those UAA games are for bragging rights only.  No one cares if you beat Emory in March and don't make it to the NCAA tournament.    Obviously not giving any games away would be ideal but let's be serious, this is baseball.

[BoomerIL]

BaseB13....

Your "two cents" are appreciated and make sense!!  Your correct when you say they could have had bragging rights, BUT those four wins against Skidmore were, and are, more important without question.  I know it seems to sound greedy with wanting more victories, its just that some times you get close to having them, especially against teams like Emory.  Don't get me wrong, UR is extremely happy that they won the Skidmore series.  They just need to keep the conference goal in full site, which I know they will.  It won't be easy, but it will be fun!!

[shoeless]

Boomer

so was it defense or relief pitching that did you in.

that is an improvement on last years hitting, but with all the team returning that doesn't surprise me.

Who was the best pitching you faced down in Florida?

[shoeless]

Rochester/Boomer

just went to UAA site.  Here are my observations.

Offensive stats were very impressive.  Don't know what happened during game but these stats can't help, here is what stuck out to me.

38 Walks + 9 Hit Batters + 9 Errors and + 14 Wild Pitches  had to hurt + 6 SAC bunts = despite only giving up 58 hits when you add hits and walks 58 + 38 = 96.  You were near bottom.  No offensive can overcome that not to mention 9 erros, 14 wild pitches and 6 sacs which may have led to runs.

Your defense and small game skills were the best last year.  Seems like your team has done a reversal.  Defense was key last year and you wer the guys playing small ball.

Walks allowed
-------------
1. Case Western Reserve   13
2. Brandeis University.   21
3. Emory University....   23
4. Washington Univ.....   24
5. Univ. of Rochester..   38

Sac bunts allowed
-----------------
1. Univ. of Rochester..    6
   Brandeis University.    6
3. Emory University....    4
   Case Western Reserve    4
5. Washington Univ.....    2
Wild pitches
------------
1. Univ. of Rochester..   14
2. Washington Univ.....   11
3. Case Western Reserve    9
   Emory University....    9
5. Brandeis University.    8

Hit batters
-----------
1. Univ. of Rochester..    9
2. Brandeis University.    7
   Case Western Reserve    7
4. Emory University....    5
5. Washington Univ.....    4

[shoeless]

Check out Zongol. 

Top Pitcher and off to a great start.

J. Zongol...........  0.68   1-1     2   2   0   0/1    0  13.1   7   4   1   8   9   0   0   0   46  .152    2   2   0    0   1

[BoomerIL]

shoeless....

Yeah, they made mistakes, but coming out of Florida 8-3 and with no field time except for indoor training, I think they did well.  Some players were moved around defensively.  We'll see if that stays.  Our pitching had their moments of frustration, but I still feel their pretty good.

I have always stated that Zongol was a very good pitcher.  Did you check the stats on our guys?

[shoeless]

Good point about the field time! 

You offensive stats WERE LIGHTS OUT!!!!!!