BB: Pitcher of the Year Candidates

[hokieone]

   At least one of us on here sure hopes that's the case!

Fall practice looked good for CNU but we'll see "when the lights come up". I suspect it'll be another very competitive battle in USAS this year. The small number of conference games makes a logjam at the top a realistic possibility every season. I think CNU went from tied for first to 5th by losing their last conference game in 2007, or something close to that.

[NCWC]

   At least one of us on here sure hopes that's the case!

Fall practice looked good for CNU but we'll see "when the lights come up". I suspect it'll be another very competitive battle in USAS this year. The small number of conference games makes a logjam at the top a realistic possibility every season. I think CNU went from tied for first to 5th by losing their last conference game in 2007, or something close to that.

The guys wanted to say sorry about that

[hokieone]

 

[Jim Dixon]

The number of good teams in the USA South should make one of the most competitive conferences.   They teams will probably keep everyone out of the top of the polls but whoever emerges will stronger for it. 

Having gotten off topic, let me forward Averett's Shelton as the favorite for pitcher of the year in the USA south

[BigPoppa]

The CCIW has 3 of its 4 2007 ALL-Conference pitchers back this season: Illinois Wesleyan returns two juniors in Matt Aronson and Jesses Foster while Carthage returns Chris Krepline. All three had outstanding seasons last year, led by IWU's Aronson, the CCIW pitcher of the year.

Carthage also returns CCIW second-teamer Jacob Husing while Augustana returns senior Eric Knott. Any of the five mentioned could easily be the dominant arm in the CCIW, if not the Central Region this year.

It is shaping up to be quite an arms races in the CCIW... no-pun intended.

[Bob Maxwell]

I'm not sure where to put this... so I will put it here.  Kitchens only went 1.2 innings... was he on a pitch count?  was he not feeling well?  did he have a twinge in his arm and was taken out?

Anyone know why he only went 1.2?

[utilitycat17]

I'm not sure where to put this... so I will put it here.  Kitchens only went 1.2 innings... was he on a pitch count?  was he not feeling well?  did he have a twinge in his arm and was taken out?

Anyone know why he only went 1.2?

He was taken out due to a twinge in his shoulder.  I was at the game, but didn't get there until after he was taken out, so I didn't see how he was throwing or what he looked like when he was taken out.  However, I was told that he had slept on his shoulder funny a few days previous and it had been bothering him since then.  Apparantly he felt that he could tough it out, but it bothered him too much once he got out there, and they took him out.  At the time no one seemed too concerned.  I haven't heard anything new, so I assume there isn't any real cause for concern.  Although if we don't see his name this weekend I guess we can assume that it was more than just sleeping on it wrong. 

[Jim Dixon]

I'm not sure where to put this... so I will put it here.  Kitchens only went 1.2 innings... was he on a pitch count?  was he not feeling well?  did he have a twinge in his arm and was taken out?

Anyone know why he only went 1.2?

He was taken out due to a twinge in his shoulder.  I was at the game, but didn't get there until after he was taken out, so I didn't see how he was throwing or what he looked like when he was taken out.  However, I was told that he had slept on his shoulder funny a few days previous and it had been bothering him since then.  Apparantly he felt that he could tough it out, but it bothered him too much once he got out there, and they took him out.  At the time no one seemed too concerned.  I haven't heard anything new, so I assume there isn't any real cause for concern.  Although if we don't see his name this weekend I guess we can assume that it was more than just sleeping on it wrong. 

Always good to take it easy and not push any injuries. 

[Bob Maxwell]

Utilitycat,  thanks for the update... appreciated.

Agree Jim, especially the opener of a season.  When I was coaching, our starting setter missed a match because she slept on her shoulder funny and her left collar bone was slightly out of place... the one match off was all she needed and it put itself back in place.  Funny how that happens... guess its not funny when it happens to you.

Hope he is OK after a few days rest.

[frank_ezelle]

This question came up last year regarding the top D3 pitchers and maybe some of you gurus can answer it again for me.  It is about determining the winning pitcher when there is some sort of pitch by committee thing going.

There were two SCAC games yesterday.  In one game, Millsaps was the visiting team, it was 4-4 after 3 innings, Millsaps scored 5 runs in the top of the 4th and a new pitcher came in for Millsaps in the bottom of the 4th.  Millsaps never loses the lead in a game that goes 9 innings.  This second pitcher goes 1.1 innings, is replaced while leading 9-6, and the next pitcher throws 1.2 innings and gets credit for the win.
Box score:  http://www.millsaps.edu/athletic/baseball/mcb-022008.htm

In the other game, Rhodes beats Rust 10-0 in a game where the 10 run rule kicks in after 7 innings.  The starting pitcher goes 3 innings and leaves with a 4-0 lead, and he is followed up by two pitchers who throw 2.0 innings each.  In this case the starting pitcher gets credit for the win.  Is this one of those things that is at the disgression of the coach or are their official rules regarding who gets credit for the win?
Box score:  http://www.rhodeslynx.com/Pdfs/baseball/2008/2/20/22008ru.htm

[Spence]

This question came up last year regarding the top D3 pitchers and maybe some of you gurus can answer it again for me.  It is about determining the winning pitcher when there is some sort of pitch by committee thing going.

There were two SCAC games yesterday.  In one game, Millsaps was the visiting team, it was 4-4 after 3 innings, Millsaps scored 5 runs in the top of the 4th and a new pitcher came in for Millsaps in the bottom of the 4th.  Millsaps never loses the lead in a game that goes 9 innings.  This second pitcher goes 1.1 innings, is replaced while leading 9-6, and the next pitcher throws 1.2 innings and gets credit for the win.
Box score:  http://www.millsaps.edu/athletic/baseball/mcb-022008.htm

In the other game, Rhodes beats Rust 10-0 in a game where the 10 run rule kicks in after 7 innings.  The starting pitcher goes 3 innings and leaves with a 4-0 lead, and he is followed up by two pitchers who throw 2.0 innings each.  In this case the starting pitcher gets credit for the win.  Is this one of those things that is at the disgression of the coach or are their official rules regarding who gets credit for the win?
Box score:  http://www.rhodeslynx.com/Pdfs/baseball/2008/2/20/22008ru.htm

There are official rules, but it doesn't make sense to not give a guy a win because of something the coach predetermined. So usually the starter gets it if he was effective.

Similar but different, I found two scorekeeping errors related to earned runs today; one of which was pretty obvious. Averett's Hildreth got credit for two unearned runs that should have been earned because as a reliever in an inning, you can get earned runs that are not earned to the team. The other one I can't really remember the details of.

[Bob Maxwell]

I'm not sure what the rule quote is for the applicable rule.... may be Oxybob or some of the others who made very informed posts and contributed on other scoring quesitons with rule references last year... but there is something in the collegiate rules that (for early season games) if a pitcher is on a set number of innings/pitches and was effective and his team was leading when he left that he can get the win...  I'm sure someone can find it.


Also, Spence... I can't believe the number of times when errors are made with earned vs unearned runs.  It happens rather often... it does change the stats a little bit, but doesn't have any impact on the outcome of the game.  So it bothers those of us who look at those things more then it does most people.

[Bob Maxwell]

I would have given the win to Berry (and not just because his name is Max...  )

But becasue he was the pitcher who was in the game when they took the lead... him not being the starter means the the 5th inning issue with a starting pitcher is moot.

What say everyone else?

[Just_Some_Guy]

"For all games of fewer than eight innings, the starting pitcher
must pitch at least four innings to get credit for the win."

"If the starting pitcher does not pitch enough innings, the win is credited
to a relief pitcher in the following manner:

(1) The winning relief pitcher shall be the one who is the pitcher of
record when his team goes ahead and remains ahead throughout the
remainder of the game. No pitcher may receive credit for a victory
if the opposing team ties the score or goes ahead after he has left
the game.

Note: Whenever the score is tied, the game becomes a new contest insofar as
the winning and losing pitchers are concerned.

Exception—If a relief pitcher conforms to the above regulations but pitches
briefly and ineffectively, the scorer should not credit him with a win. If a
succeeding relief pitcher pitches effectively and helps maintain the lead, the
scorer should award the win to that succeeding pitcher.

(2) By prearrangement, if three or more pitchers are to be used, the
pitcher of record shall be considered the winning pitcher."

Because of the bolded part, my interpretation is that Flanagan can get
the win via scorer's disgression in the Rhodes game.

The other game is pretty much a mess. Based on these rules I would say
Berry probably gets the win in the Millsaps game, unless they determined
that he was inffective and Pearce more effectively.

Interested in other interpretations.

JSG

[frank_ezelle]

I also thought that Berry would get the win for Millsaps in that situation.  As for the Rhodes game, with the competition be Rust, it probably was predetermined that the pitchers would go 3, 2 and 2 with maybe another guy in the wings to pitch the final 2 if needed. 

I'm sure most of us feel like we know the rules in most or all of the sports we watch, but it is amazing to see how complicated it gets when you get down to the finer rules of a sport.  Even the guys playing, such as on the PGA tour, often don't know all of the rules and interpretations.