Dawg83 Posted June 13, 2023 Author Share Posted June 13, 2023 (edited) 35 minutes ago, MSTSatchmo said: That closer for Tennessee. Good grief. He was at 100 for two innings and reached 102 on one strike. He was one of their top two starters last year on that crazy good team. Struggled early this year and they moved him to the pen where he’s been electric. I hate to say it because people don’t like them, but with that kind of pitching talent and depth, you have to seriously view Tennessee as a contender to win the whole thing. And as B4 mentioned, the more condensed schedule makes pitching depth a greater necessity than it was prior to last year. Edited June 13, 2023 by Dawg83 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 I will say that this year’s Tennessee’s team has had less arrogance than last year’s team. Possibly because they struggled some during the year. Vitello for his part seems to have scaled back some of his infantile behavior. But the damage is done and they have established (in fact they embraced it over the last couple of years) themselves as the team that nobody likes and that won’t change anytime soon. And 83 you are right that they are going to be a tough out in Omaha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted June 13, 2023 Author Share Posted June 13, 2023 2 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said: I will say that this year’s Tennessee’s team has had less arrogance than last year’s team. Possibly because they struggled some during the year. Vitello for his part seems to have scaled back some of his infantile behavior. But the damage is done and they have established (in fact they embraced it over the last couple of years) themselves as the team that nobody likes and that won’t change anytime soon. And 83 you are right that they are going to be a tough out in Omaha. They are not the same team offensively as they were last year. But they have a very good pitching staff and some power throughout their lineup. Their biggest problem is they have to face Paul Skenes in Game 1. But if that’s a Skenes vs Dollander matchup, it could be a true toss up if Dollander is on his game. My “upset” pick for Round 1 is Stanford over Wake Forest. Wake’s ace is terrific so I may look silly for this, but give me the team that’s been to Omaha three years in a row over the one that hasn’t been in over 70 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 13, 2023 Share Posted June 13, 2023 Experience is a crucial factor in Omaha. In fact I credit State being there three straight years as a big reason we won it in 2021. Stanford beating WF would not be an upset even though the media will portray it as such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 14, 2023 Share Posted June 14, 2023 5 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said: Experience is a crucial factor in Omaha. In fact I credit State being there three straight years as a big reason we won it in 2021. Stanford beating WF would not be an upset even though the media will portray it as such. It sure wouldn’t be an upset. I still think WF has the best starting pitchers and probably the best all around team. Tennesse may have the best overall pitching staff however. Getting that first game is going to be huge for whoever can pull ii off, and it’s going to be tough to come out of the losers bracket of either side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted June 16, 2023 Author Share Posted June 16, 2023 Man, Oral Roberts keeps winning. They take down TCU in the first game in Omaha after a go ahead homer in the 9th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 16, 2023 Share Posted June 16, 2023 4 runs in the ninth after TCU scored 3 in the eighth to take a 5-2 lead. WOW Look out, we might just have another Coastal Carolina this year in Oral Roberts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebmus Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 I'm rooting for Oral, big fan of Oral. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 2 hours ago, Bulldogs4 said: 4 runs in the ninth after TCU scored 3 in the eighth to take a 5-2 lead. WOW Look out, we might just have another Coastal Carolina this year in Oral Roberts. I would say it would be a bigger shock than Coastal or Fresno State if Oral Roberts won it all. The previous two were “Cinderella” stories in name, but both of those teams were preseason ranked teams and Coastal was a 2 seed that probably deserved to host. Fresno had several big leaguers on their title team. ORU has been a solid program for a while and they have a REALLY good team this year, but given how loaded the field is, I think it would be the biggest shock in the modern era of college baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Two 6-5 games to start the CWS. Both winners trailed after 8 innings too. These first two days will be really good. After that who knows. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted June 17, 2023 Author Share Posted June 17, 2023 Wow, another crazy ending with Florida scoring 3 in the 9th to walk off Virginia. This Florida lineup is so loaded. But I also thought Virginia’s pitching management at the end of the game was horrible. Florida vs Oral Roberts in a winner’s bracket game Sunday. How bout that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Another 9th inning comeback. Great way first day of the CWS. Oral Roberts has had some good teams here and there over the years. You don’t luck your way to Omaha. They are legit good. And right now they are at least among the six best teams in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vott Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Tennessee will not beat LSU with Skeenes pitching today. But will not be shocked if LSU loses the next 2 after today. Skenes is just a man among boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Lowder with a shaky 1st inning. He was fortunate to only give up one run. 83, you may be right about Stanford’s experience. They looked really confident at the plate against one of the best in the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Three one run games. It’s been an awesome start. Looking forward to the next one. There seems to have been a ton of weather delays since the regionals started. I’d like to know how many teams lost when leading before the delay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 Wake with another late comeback win. First three games have been entertaining if nothing else. Stanford had some opportunities early to probably put the game away. But failed to do so. That usually comes back to bite you. What are the odds of LSU-Tennessee being a one run game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 17, 2023 Share Posted June 17, 2023 I’m curious, how does it work entering the portal when you’re at a service academy? Do they have to release you from your service commitment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 You can leave the academy without penalty prior to the start of their Junior Year (or as the service academy’s refer to it, second class-men). He is finished his sophomore class last year so he simply withdrew from the academy and obviously at the same time was released from his obligation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 I don’t know how far down the road things got, but at one point last June there was a lot of confidence internally at State that Skenes would be playing in Starkville this past season. Another one of those “what if” things for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 6 minutes ago, Dawg83 said: I don’t know how far down the road things got, but at one point last June there was a lot of confidence internally at State that Skenes would be playing in Starkville this past season. Another one of those “what if” things for sure. He could have been a difference maker for any team. It’s probably a better strategy now to recruit freshmen and sophomore emerging pitchers over high school kids. If you have the $. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 I know there’s a difference between punch out and strike out, but why the hell has everyone started wearing punch out out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 If Tennessee loses which appears now likely to happen down 5-0, means that either they or Stanford will have to win four straight games on four straight days starting Monday. That is a tall order regardless of how deep your pitching staff is. I know teams do that in Regionals (over three days) but in the CWS you are facing the best teams in the nation so it is exponentially more difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSTSatchmo Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 16 minutes ago, Bulldogs4 said: If Tennessee loses which appears now likely to happen down 5-0, means that either they or Stanford will have to win four straight games on four straight days starting Monday. That is a tall order regardless of how deep your pitching staff is. I know teams do that in Regionals (over three days) but in the CWS you are facing the best teams in the nation so it is exponentially more difficult. Skenes comes out and it’s 5-3, with one more inning left. You’re right though, winning 4 straight in 4 days in Omaha is almost impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawg83 Posted June 18, 2023 Author Share Posted June 18, 2023 Tennessee does have very good pitching depth so I wouldn’t count them out even with a loss tonight. It would be a long shot but stranger things have happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs4 Posted June 18, 2023 Share Posted June 18, 2023 Definitely not counting them out. Stanford is good but very beatable. They are capable but after Monday (if they win) beating WF/LSU three straight games is going to be a tall order as you noted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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