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Originally Posted by BruinVol  Deer I have questioned 3 major issues this season .
1) Zajac starting his career in the Saturday game vs Kentucky after a 3 game winning streak. Was that a decision that deserved to be questioned? |
Serrano had planned on having Zajac in the rotation from the fall. He was injured for the early spring. The plan was for him to get some work against FIU that Wednesday, but it didn't work out with the way that game played out.
For a team that was still looking for a #2 starter at the time, I don't think it was unreasonable to send out someone that he had expected to be in that spot. Kentucky also didn't have any film on him. Zajac didn't perform badly, allowed 3 runs, 2 earned, and gave up only 3 hits in 2 2/3 innings. They were hopeful he could go 4 innings that day.
It's not as if losing that game started a downturn. Lost the Saturday and Sunday games to Kentucky, but then won 7 games in a row including sweeping Alabama and winning the opener at USC.
For the majority of the year, the pitching has been the strength. Tough on pitchers when you only score 2 runs a game.
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Originally Posted by BruinVol 2) The running game. Does the succes rate in stolen bases suggest the strategy is all good or open for debate? |
There have been times that it has been very effective. Its success has also been marred by missed signs, failed execution, etc. The system won games early this year, and was responsible for the wins over Kentucky and Florida.
I think there have been times when the system has worked very well as far as getting guys on base and advancing them to scoring position. Look at our hit and baserunner totals, they're pretty good, even during this losing streak. But the thing that has been missing is that key hit with 1 or even 2 outs. That's been the failing on offense this season. When we've gotten the key hit or even sac fly, we've won those games. That's been the disappointment. And we're not good enough on offense to overcome recent pitching struggles.
I think a lot of the offensive problems is the lack of competition for positions. There is zero depth on this team. They're fortunate that there wasn't an injury or two on defense, they would have been in real trouble.
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Originally Posted by BruinVol 3) and then this issue.
DS is doing as good of job as anybody would do under the circumstances but that doesn't shield him from legitimate questions |
My thoughts on 3 are earlier in the thread. It was a bit of a miracle/false hope that they were where they were at the midpoint of the season. They never responded to the Godley injury.
But going into next year, the weekend rotation of Godley and Nick Williams is going to give this team a chance to win every series, especially if they find someone to start on Sundays.