Vols Drop 11-4 Decision at MTSU

[DeerPark12]

Originally Posted by ShowmeVols

I agree with that. I think now, however, he is laying the groundwork for massive cuts.

I do feel sorry for the kids who aren't SEC caliber players but who did come in good faith, did their best, and now have to find other schools.

I don't think that was ever a big question. You have a lot of in-state guys that are getting little or no scholarship money already, so while some may have to find other places to play if they wish, they're not losing a ton financially. Lot of lottery scholarship guys on the roster this year.

I'm not going to go through and name who I think is and isn't safe, but you graduate 3 position starters, the rest of your lineup is probably coming back. In-season attrition has knocked out some pitchers that wouldn't have returned. There is a junior graduating early. There are guys that haven't played much and don't feel particularly wronged by it.

I'll say this for Serrano and staff. They have continued to coach every player on the team, even the guys not playing. That's not something the last staff made a habit of. Guys that leave for lack of PT will go to their next stop better than when they got here.

[whocaresgobobcats]

Originally Posted by ShowmeVols

You would lose that bet. They posted all the scrimmage innings during the fall and pre-practices, and Allen was never on the list.

Also, once you're mathematically eliminated, you're playing only for pride, and the SEC games are no longer more important.

Resting the pitching staff isn't a credible explanation, either. Thanks to Saberhagen's complete game and Williams' quality start on Saturday, they only used six pitchers all last weekend. Several guys were fresh, and anyone who threw an inning or two last night would be ready again by Saturday.

By starting Allen, he announced to the world that he doesn't trust the back of his pitching staff and is no longer invested in developing them. It was purely a symbolic act.

He might have been hoping Allen would be effective enough to make the Raleigh-recruited pitchers look bad in comparison. But it's laughable to assert it was a serious attempt to maximize victories.

I was just guessing on the fall and bullpens, but there's so much that goes on with a college baseball team that unless you were with the coaching staff, we'll never know why they decided to try this. If any pitcher takes offense to this, then maybe they should go, they've all had their opportunities during the season. You have no idea what he was trying with Allen pitching and to assume he no longer wants to coach part of the pitching staff is ridiculous.

Also, once you're mathematically eliminated, you're playing only for pride, and the SEC games are no longer more important.

So it's not important to play for pride? It's ok just to go out their and get beat? Midweek games are the perfect time to try new ideas, especially with the position UT is in.

[BruinVol]

Originally Posted by DeerPark12

So? God forbid we try something different in the last week of the season when everything has gone wrong recently.

And the starting pitcher making his first appearance has no bearing on whether or not the team hits or defends. Allen starting didn't cause Conner Stevens to give up a 3-run bomb or 3 more runs the next inning.

It seems like you've questioned nearly every Serrano decision all season long. I don't get it. He's tried to piece together a season the best he could with EXTREMELY limited pieces.

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?

2) The running game. Does the succes rate in stolen bases suggest the strategy is all good or open for debate?

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

[Volman09]

I was there, while the game itself wasn't much to watch my girlfriend caught a foul ball it made her night

[Roustabout]

UT has a baseball team?

[vol66]

Generally, I try to stay out of baseball debates. I played little league, so I'm not real qualified. Not to mix baseball and football, but when Saban took over at Bama, he didn't ask the fans for patience, he asked them to be positive. That's what we need to do here, jmo.

[DeerPark12]

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.

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.

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.

[BruinVol]

Originally Posted by DeerPark12

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.




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.




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.

Good post! I don't want to come across as a poster that is anti DS because that isn't the case. His hands are seriously tied. I do enjoy debating certain decisions made in a game that is perhaps the easiest one to second guess.