Texas Tech

[/quote]
Originally posted by FormerObserver:
Yep, it'll bite you, but with the wind out of the WEST at 14mph, the ball will go out over the LF fence, and that will give you a warm, fuzzy feeling.....[:quote]


Unfortunately, FO missed the warm-fuzzy out of left, but the collikar's watched it on the game tracker. As I recall, it was an 0-2, 3 run bombsky. That was in the first.

Martin's grand was a beauty, also.

Congrats, to both boys. Go Tech!!!

SPP, do you really think that the pitcher intended to throw that pitch down the pipe? Do you think he was that dumb? Do you think the catcher was dumb enough to call for a pitch down the middle?

What lesson do you think he learned?

Sometimes pitchers miss. Sometimes they miss away from the zone, sometimes when they miss it ends up down the middle. It happens.

And there may be those who say "Throw the 0-2 pitch two or three feet off the plate to make sure the batter can't hit it." Well if you're going to do that, just roll the ball to the plate. They for sure can't hit a homer off that. You might as well, because no college batter is going to swing at a pitch 2-3' off the plate.

Off my soapbox. Guess you can tell I'm a pitcher's dad (although not Millard's).

Yep, my kid played in that game last night and went 0-fer. *sigh* BUT, if I think positively, he did make his first CONTACT with the ball in a college game.

I think the lesson he learned was more of a reinforcement... don't miss.

DBU had a bad night. They are a better team than what showed last night........

Sometimes that happens in baseball.

FO, did I hear correctly - Matt has 5 HR's already?

Wow.

Texan,
I have NO WAY of knowing what "the pitcher intended to throw".
I have NO WAY of knowing if the pitch was "down the pipe".
I DO KNOW the pitcher ISN'T DUMB.
I DO KNOW the catcher ISN'T DUMB.
Let me add, I DO KNOW the coach ISN'T DUMB.

"What lesson do you think he learned?"
When I stated: "Note to all pitchers. One of your best pitches doesn't have to be a strike." I will clarify to respond to your question.
The zone is as wide as the plate & width of a baseball (inside & out). The zone is a tall from the knee to the chest. A pitch 2" to 3" (inches) outside the zone (outside or down) is a good pitch. Why totally waste a pitch "2-3'(feet) off the plate?" I believe you over-exaggerate, & then some!
Outside: If you miss, opposite field hit & without the wind assistance, probably, not an out of the park hit or just taken for a ball)
Down: Trust your catcher if you miss in the dirt. If the pitch misses up, should still force a ground ball when hit from the knees.
Up: NO WAY! With the wind blowing out, increases the chance for the long ball.

"soapbox. Guess you can tell I'm a pitcher's dad"
I too claim to be a pitcher's dad.
Son, pitching yesterday in windy conditions, also gave up a long ball. However, he got the win thanks to his teams 5 homeruns. Was he dump? Was the catcher dumb? Was the coach? NO! NO! & NO!
Son told me after his game that he shook off the pitch.
Was my son dump for shaking off the pitch? Was the catcher for allow him to? Was the coach for allowing the catcher & pitcher to call their game? NO! NO! & NO!
How can the players be dump? They are in college & getting to play ball. The coach? He is paid to educate and watch great baseball. Not them. Maybe us since we are on the wrong side of the backstop.

"Lesson(s) learned?"
1) For the pitcher, improve your odds to minize the long ball by throwing down and/or away when you have a pitch or two to waste. If you miss, chances are, it won't be "down the pipe" or inside to pull.
2) If the pitcher changes the pitch called, you own the end result.
3) Baseball, as is life, is A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE!

I think we can pretty safely assume that the pitcher did not intend to groove one on an 0-2. Unless we assume that he, the catcher or the coach is pretty dumb. Which we both do not.

A pitch aimed 2"-3" off the plate can easily end up in a hitter's happy zone. Aiming outside and missing does not mean that the miss will be outside. Neither does aiming down. A miss is a miss. It can occur in any direction.

I was not referring to you when I talked about some folks (and they do exist) who want a waste pitch thrown 2' off the plate. I have personally heard coaches tell the catcher to set up that far off the plate. Sorry I didn't make it clear that I was not stating that you were one of those.

And a pitcher can miss regardless of whether he throws what was initially called or whether he chooses another pitch. Misses happen. Pretty regularly. If he shakes off and throws the pitch he intended, then I would agree he owns it.

I can agree with the third lesson you mentioned, but not the first.

I just hate to see a pitcher criticized for throwing a "sweet" pitch on an 0-2 count & giving up a homer. In that situation, anything that goes near the middle is obviously a miss. And since misses, by their very nature, can happen in any direction, I don't believe the pitcher should be held up for criticism.

Texan,
"I don't believe the pitcher should be held up for criticism."

None intended. My opinion.
Just one of life's little lessons.

SPP, do you have any idea how some of the NAIA schools (e.g., LCU, Wayland, etc.) up your way are looking?

LCU is getting tuned in and their #7 pre-season ranking is deserved. As I read they had a tough fought weekend at Houston Baptist, but showed well. Though they lost their first 4 games in California to #8 pre-season ranked California Baptist, they played all 4 games close. I spoke to a handful of LCU players which I personally know while in Abilene a week ago and they are a quality bunch. With these players, they added JUCO depth at catcher & pitching as well as DII pitching transfer. They also added speed on the bases thru JUCO. The Britton pair-DI transfers, both LH hitters spread out in the lineup, offer a difficult test for opposing pitchers. Though son pitched well against them early in the season, they should put up huge numbers as the season goes. I would be surprised to not see LCU late into May games. I look forward to reading how LCU pitching fared against the likes of Canyon's/HBU's Michael Crabtree.

I read that LCU only win vs HBU came with the pitching performance of 1 run allowed by Chris Holguin. Son took his 4-2 loss in the HSU tournament to the arm of Hogi! But see the Britton boys got it done at the plate. Tough extra inning, extra day loss.

Wayland Baptist Univ has strengthened their program with some young players that gained critical experience last season. I already read that Todd Jeffress 6'-4" RHP from Plainview had a 10 K outing in 6 innings. My son grew up competing against Todd. The Wood Bat Summer League at Wayland serves their team well so I would expect them to put up improved numbers with the sticks this year. Son played in it a few years back so we have experienced it. The question mark as always will be if they can hold opposing teams runs down when Todd is not on the mound.

Got a chance to see Texas Tech play today out in very windy Midland against St. John's. My "boys" and I particularly got a thrill yelling for Matt!

I agree with the words of that wise man, FO... "fun, ain't it?"

to Matt!!!

I wish I had known you were there........

It's fun even in the wind, ain't it?

Cold, this weekend, though..........

I actually tried looking for you! Yes, that West Texas wind can be VERY stiff.

AND... who knew that out in Midland they had such a beautiful ball park???

Yeah, you would think those Midland hicks wouldn't be able to come up with anything that nice...they usually save their money for Midland Lee football tickets and Copenhagen.

***DISCLAIMER***

T-Bird Dad was born and raised in Midland and is allowed to throw that jab out there.

I like the ballpark alot.

If I lived in Midland, I'd have season tickets to those games.

quote:

Originally posted by T-Bird Dad:
Yeah, you would think those Midland hicks wouldn't be able to come up with anything that nice...they usually save their money for Midland Lee football tickets and Copenhagen.

***DISCLAIMER***

T-Bird Dad was born and raised in Midland and is allowed to throw that jab out there.

That's funny, T-Bird Dad! And, you are correct... I did see a lot of round, faded circles on those Wrangler jeans out there.

I'm with FO... I'd definitely be going to a lot of those games. I need to see what organization they "feed" into.

Thanks for the rundown, SPP.

Best wishes for your son's season.