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UNC
Mar 7, 2012 8:35:31 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 7, 2012 8:35:31 GMT -5
Comming of aweekend series with USC (cal) and a 4-5 win over davidson last night, UNC could be a little low on pitchers. if we can get the bats going i think this afternoons game is ours to loose.
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UNC
Mar 7, 2012 9:49:19 GMT -5
Post by phoenix3 on Mar 7, 2012 9:49:19 GMT -5
But, unfortunately, we have a big series this weekend against GaSo so our starters won't be available either.
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UNC
Mar 7, 2012 9:58:45 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 7, 2012 9:58:45 GMT -5
well not our starters, but we still have our top mid-week, while they might of burned through him yesterday.
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UNC
Mar 7, 2012 10:00:00 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 7, 2012 10:00:00 GMT -5
Wednesday EU - RHP Jim Stokes (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. UNC - RHP Benton Moss (0-0, 8.44 ERA)
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UNC
Mar 7, 2012 10:20:54 GMT -5
Post by phoenix3 on Mar 7, 2012 10:20:54 GMT -5
That looks positive!
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UNC
Mar 8, 2012 9:23:24 GMT -5
Post by elonpride on Mar 8, 2012 9:23:24 GMT -5
I expected the margin to be a little wider than 3-0 for this mid week game and a big series this weekend.
The hitting has got to pick up. Team BA down to .207.
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UNC
Mar 8, 2012 9:30:08 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 8, 2012 9:30:08 GMT -5
Our pitching is very good this year, we just cant seem to hit the ball and score when we have runners on base. We should be ok this year, and if we can make it through the draft without loosing a bunch of underclassmen I think we can be a dule threat next year.
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UNC
Mar 8, 2012 9:55:48 GMT -5
Post by elonpride on Mar 8, 2012 9:55:48 GMT -5
Well, it does look like Kennedy is being ultra aggressive on the base pads.
Something is to be said for the pitching so far, a 2.52 ERA and a strength of schedule of 7.
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UNC
Mar 8, 2012 11:24:26 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 8, 2012 11:24:26 GMT -5
Well Kennedy knows are bats arent as strong this year so hes trying to advance runners any way possible. good news is we do have some speed on the bases.
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UNC
Mar 8, 2012 20:51:20 GMT -5
Post by bballfan on Mar 8, 2012 20:51:20 GMT -5
I think you guys are missing the boat here .... to a degree. These are the kind of bats that Kennedy and Starbuck recruits and likes. This is the style of offense that he feels most comfortable with. Let's remember these are the guys he personally recruited and gave scholarship money to .... they didn't fall off the wagon by accident. They just didn't sneak on the team bus.
After BBCOR he chose to go small and fast using BB, HBP, SB, HnR, good pitching with low ERA, good D (hopefully) and lots of unearned runs by putting pressure on opposing defenses.
I hear guys bashing the kids by inuendo because of their batting/hitting. I just don't think that's fair or shows an understanding of what this coaching staff is attempting to do.
This is Elon's style of play. You may not like it or understand it or agree with it ..... but this is the kind of team KENNEDY CHOSE.... PERIOD. MOVE ON FROM denegrating the players batting skills. Remember it's hard to hit when you're behind in the count alot cause you're trying to get a BB, or HBP or passed ball, or hang on to your AB so your team mate can steal a base or a HnR play. This offense relies on getting in scoring position and getting a clutch hit. It isn't coached to nor does it rely on high batting averages.
If this coaching staff wanted different type players or better hitters for AVG .... it's real easy. Recruit those type players. Then be patient and develop them to play at this level and then ultimately play them when they're ready.
Understanding this offense it better than denegrating the players offensive skills.
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UNC
Mar 9, 2012 8:50:38 GMT -5
Post by bballfan on Mar 9, 2012 8:50:38 GMT -5
Example of what I mean by this offense isn't coached for high average or rely on high BA. Cyle Rasmus batted .323 before he got here. .217 while he was here and now .332 after he left Elon. This style of offense and the types of AB the coaches like to see ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO HAVING HIGH BA'S. Cyle didn't start out good, get bad and then all of a sudden find his swing again and get good again.
These aren't bad coaches either. They just like to go deep into the count to get the other teams starters out of the game .... hence alot of late inning come backs last year against the bull pens. These are much better hitters than you give them credit for (like the example I gave you with Cyle Rasmus). If you look at others that left the program you will also see that their BA's went up considerably. Everyones BA goes down when they frequently have to bat from behind in the count or with 2 strikes, yes even good hitters.
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UNC
Mar 9, 2012 8:53:18 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 9, 2012 8:53:18 GMT -5
I think you guys are missing the boat here .... to a degree. These are the kind of bats that Kennedy and Starbuck recruits and likes. This is the style of offense that he feels most comfortable with. Let's remember these are the guys he personally recruited and gave scholarship money to .... they didn't fall off the wagon by accident. They just didn't sneak on the team bus. After BBCOR he chose to go small and fast using BB, HBP, SB, HnR, good pitching with low ERA, good D (hopefully) and lots of unearned runs by putting pressure on opposing defenses. I hear guys bashing the kids by inuendo because of their batting/hitting. I just don't think that's fair or shows an understanding of what this coaching staff is attempting to do. This is Elon's style of play. You may not like it or understand it or agree with it ..... but this is the kind of team KENNEDY CHOSE.... PERIOD. MOVE ON FROM denegrating the players batting skills. Remember it's hard to hit when you're behind in the count alot cause you're trying to get a BB, or HBP or passed ball, or hang on to your AB so your team mate can steal a base or a HnR play. This offense relies on getting in scoring position and getting a clutch hit. It isn't coached to nor does it rely on high batting averages. If this coaching staff wanted different type players or better hitters for AVG .... it's real easy. Recruit those type players. Then be patient and develop them to play at this level and then ultimately play them when they're ready. Understanding this offense it better than denegrating the players offensive skills. bballfan, i think you misunderstood my post and to be fair I probably didn't word it in the best way. I understand that the college game has move to a more small ball atmosphere, and Kennedy has built his team around that and done it well. My reference was more to the bats not producing when needed , not the power hitting. Too many times we get a runner in scoring position with 0 or 1 out to have the next 2 strike out or pop up. We have very smart base runners but when we need to put the ball in play we just cant seem to do so. Agreed we do a great job getting runners on base in unconventional ways, HbP, bunts and move them with past balls and steals. But your not going to steal home and a past ball with a runner on 3rd is rare. So you need that hit or sac fly. I have no problem with the small ball, or pitching staff has proven they can keep us in games to where a small ball atmospher works.
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UNC
Mar 9, 2012 9:03:55 GMT -5
Post by bballfan on Mar 9, 2012 9:03:55 GMT -5
Unfortunately elonff they do steal home quite a bit. I'm not talking about power either. They rely on putting the ball in play late in the count. THESE ARE GOOD HITTERS. When you rely on putting the ball in play late in the count or getting a clutch hit or a timely hit .... this is the type of offensive baseball that you get. You can't always expect your batters to get timely hits late in the count against top notch pitching even when the ball is put in play. That how this offense works out.
I'm not trying to pick on you. I'm just a little sensitive about inappropriate criticisms of players skills when it's not warranted. After all they're not getting paid and being told what to do at the plate.
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UNC
Mar 9, 2012 9:20:47 GMT -5
Post by elonfirefighter on Mar 9, 2012 9:20:47 GMT -5
Understand I am not trying to criticize any player they put there heart out there every day while trying to get a degree. I guess my downfall is I expect the best from the baseball team, and sometimes over analize them. When I was with the team my freshman year we were streight power. i understand the concept of small ball and have complete faith in kennedy and starbuck. I just hate to see runners left on base with a strikeout to end the inning.
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UNC
Mar 9, 2012 13:34:44 GMT -5
Post by bballfan on Mar 9, 2012 13:34:44 GMT -5
Hey, EFF.... I hear you. I want to look for a reason why they can't score and blame somebody even though I know it's not the politically correct thing to do. This type of an offense can be very frustrating to watch as a fan and supporter of the program. I'm with you here.
This offense will struggle against good pitching, bad pitchers having a good day, good defensive teams, and not being able to get timely hits.
But it's not the kids faults or the coaches faults. The BBCOR's bat have changed the way this coaching staff approaches their offense and it's a 180 degree turn from where you were when you played.
Nobody wishes it were more different (like the old days) than I do, except maybe you. It's the style of play that these coaches feel will give them the best chance to win with the kind of players they feel they can recruit, or have a chance to recruit or develop. Trust me when I tell you these kids can hit and would hit for a higher average under a different system. This is the style at Elon now and will be in the forseeable future. Don't look for the reason it sucks and point a finger at the kids they're doing what they are told.
Remember it's not the coach whipping whatever ounce of production he can from the offense, this is the way he intended this offense to run. It's a choice of philosophy that the coaching staff made, not something the coaching staff got stuck with and is trying their best to deal with.
Where on the same side here.
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