Latest / JustIN Time / LSU Baseball: Turning the Tide in 2026

Transcript

LSU Baseball: Turning the Tide in 2026 · JustIN Time

0:07
Welcome back to another edition of the Justin Time Podcast.
0:10
I'm your host, Justin, and with me, as always, is my guest Will
0:15
Brother. How you doing?
0:17
I'm doing good. You too.
0:21
There's some certain group of people that we're about to talk
0:26
about that need to get it together.
0:29
Yeah. But I'd be a lot better if they
0:32
got it together to. Yeah, I'm with you on that.
0:34
You know, like, you know, I had to wear the shirt, the
0:36
powerhouse because, you know, it's a reminder to where we are,
0:39
what the standard is, the powerhouse.
0:41
Yeah. It's first of all, it's my first
0:44
time wearing it for one. Shout out to Alumni Hall.
0:47
Yeah. So this thanks for my brother
0:49
for putting me on. No problem, Alumni, Alumni Hall,
0:52
you're listening. There's the podcast you need to
0:54
put into, you know, we got the they claim we're powerhouse.
0:58
We're playing like the light bulb right now.
1:01
And don't tell me about no energy efficient or all the
1:04
energy. They're not energy efficient
1:07
either. Some of them come out, some of
1:12
them are just flat out, you know, that we just need to do
1:15
better overall. I need to do better.
1:18
That's right. I'm pulling up the team stats,
1:21
but I got a few things written down right here.
1:24
Who's here? So for pitching, spoiler alert,
1:28
I didn't I don't have a powerhouse pole pitcher this
1:30
week. Matter of fact, I'm going to
1:33
give Stanfield whatever points he comes in, whatever points he
1:37
comes in on my pose this week, he gets the that number 2 added
1:43
to he gets my pitchers points added to his stuff from
1:47
whatever. If he's in second place, he gets
1:50
the 2nd place spot for pitchers. He gets their points.
1:54
But you know, I looked it up yesterday while I was making
1:58
notes and I mean, we still need to get better.
2:01
Those transfers that in Dardar Caraway in York, who was
2:05
supposed to be these, I mean, not Caraway.
2:08
Caraway didn't turn it on, but he came up and they said he was
2:10
doing a lot better at the plate. This need to step it up.
2:15
Dordor came out like a Man on Fire at the beginning of the
2:17
year. He didn't.
2:18
He needs to be IDH. York was supposed to be this
2:21
home run hitting machine, which I dug a little into his stats.
2:26
He didn't really hit many at Grand Canyon when he was there.
2:29
What was the total? I think his total was 33 in his
2:34
two years there. But we have a batting that team
2:37
batting average of 288, which I was hiding.
2:41
I expected our team batting average before that though was
2:46
in the high three hundreds, but has drastically dipped going
2:51
into last weekend and the losing our losing stretch.
2:55
Our team batting average I think has been they put up on the
2:57
thing 12O6 is got higher than the hundreds, but it's just two
3:03
O 6. But you know pitching, which we
3:08
thought was going to be our bright spot.
3:10
Yeah 93 walks in 28 games yeah that cannot happen.
3:16
We had looking back at the weekend, we had 20 two walks in
3:24
the first two games and those 20 two walks are the reason we lost
3:29
the first game. They reel that in and Evans
3:33
doesn't do throw. I think his numbers on the
3:36
weekend. Let me look, I'll pull it up.
3:37
Give me one second. I'm dogging on him, so I want to
3:40
get it right when I dog on him. OK, pitching Evans, five walks,
3:45
6 because he hit a batter and I am 90% sure if I go look at
3:49
this, he had a clean, no, he didn't have a clean first
3:53
inning. He only gave up two in the first
3:54
a walk, a strike out, a walk and then a walk and then a two out
3:59
single or a one out single. Now he got to walk a strikeout,
4:04
walk, walk, strikeout. So he walked the bases loaded,
4:08
then a single. So two of those walks came.
4:11
Then we finally take the lead again, single, walk, infield
4:15
fly, single to score the hit. So that's I'm I'm OK with that
4:21
dot, dot, a single hit by a pitch, you know, they in air to
4:26
get the bases loaded. Then a walk brings a run in,
4:29
then a fly out brings another walk, a run in, then a Homer
4:33
settled down and then walked with the bases loaded.
4:36
A ground out scores a run and then a single scores two more.
4:40
You know, then we finally get one across and then clean
4:43
inning, clean inning, clean inning.
4:46
We played five. Then clean inning for Guidry,
4:50
clean inning. Then we go single, single, we
4:56
get 2 outs and then a walk off to end it for Friday night, you
5:04
know? Then you go to the real ugly one
5:08
on Saturday. We walked in.
5:13
Yeah, that'll do. And I'm not going to bore
5:15
everybody going through with how Vandy scored and our offense was
5:18
flat, you know? But walks kill you every single
5:21
time, you know? And then the game on SAT on
5:25
Sunday, we kept the walks to a minimum, but we still had eight.
5:29
So we had more walks than we've had almost a half the season.
5:33
Look, we had more walks in three games this weekend at 22 then I
5:39
think our pitching staff last year might have had in the first
5:43
half of the season. I saw that.
5:44
I forgot the exact numbers, but I saw that I was like, man,
5:49
going into this season, you got the exact numbers from yeah,
5:53
last year, But what were you going to say?
5:55
I was going to say real quick. I know this going.
5:58
That's what I did see that step, you know, just going into the
6:01
season and I'll get into I'll get into more when I chime in,
6:05
but just, you know, that was the biggest question the mile.
6:08
But yeah, and I'll get into that a little bit over the course of
6:11
the season. I mean, last season we gave up.
6:14
We had we walked 269, but we also struck out 760.
6:20
So I'm I'm fine with that. You know, that was last year
6:24
though. And when I talk about the
6:25
defense, I mean, in a few seconds I'll get into that
6:29
because that is the only team Jay Johnson had that has the
6:33
worst fielding percentage was his first one.
6:35
But pitching, OK, Schmidt is leading it right now.
6:39
He's got 39 strikeouts with seven walks.
6:43
Then Cooper Moore, 35 strikeouts, seven walks.
6:49
Then Evans with 35 strikeouts, 12 walks.
6:53
Those twelve walks for Evans, you know, half of them came from
6:58
Friday, last Friday night. But we have, we've walked 93 in
7:02
the 1st 20 something games and that's almost half the total of
7:06
the total amount of walks we had last season.
7:09
Yeah, that's that's outrageous, man.
7:11
And we've struck 265, which I think is still second in the
7:15
incident, you know, But here's, man, this is the thing that is
7:19
killing us. Defense.
7:22
We are fielding 964. Yeah, 964.
7:27
We have 25 errors, you know, And if I'm not mistaken, something
7:33
that should never happen is K Darren Beatty to Omar Serna 3
7:39
Then let's go to our pitchers one.
7:41
I think that's 234510 of the 25 errors have come from our
7:47
catchers in pitchers. Yes.
7:51
Take that back, because Gavin Gage, he's got an error, too.
7:54
Yeah. Overthrow off SEC.
7:57
Yep, that's right. Yep.
7:58
So that's it. Eleven of our errors have come
8:02
from our catches in pitchers, and this will be in lockstep.
8:05
Then two more have come from our first baseman, which kills you
8:10
21 from 3rd baseman. Jake Brown has 2, Seth Dordar
8:13
has three, Tanner Reeves is 2, Jack Rocket has 2, John Pearson
8:18
has two. You cannot make that many
8:20
errors. You have to play clean ball.
8:22
You can't be filled in 964 and expect to win in this league,
8:26
especially not when you're pitching is walking that many
8:29
people and your offense is suffering that.
8:32
That's what makes it this stretch so frustrating.
8:36
Just really just like the last couple weeks all together, I was
8:40
we talked about the offense. I was encouraged by what I saw
8:44
in comparison to what they've been looking like the previous
8:46
week or two, but just obviously still not perfect.
8:51
Now even going back to the Creighton game, Kim was pulled
8:54
out after two innings with a couple wild pitches.
8:57
I was pulled out the four pitches in the top of the
8:59
second, even though plug limited the damage at the top of sex.
9:02
So like you've already pulled out multiple pitches in that
9:04
series in that game against Creighton.
9:07
And like what you were talked about the game one against
9:09
Vandy, you know, pulled out the four innings, Evans 83 pitches
9:14
at the four. That's not a lot of innings to
9:16
be with that amount of pitches. We issued 14, three free passes.
9:21
And I was surprised that Jay didn't pull Evans after the 3rd
9:24
inning. And, you know, listen to Musso
9:25
you confirm that I'm like, I was what I'm thinking when I'm
9:28
watching it. You.
9:29
I was kind of shocked by that because you heard me get out
9:31
there and just get a fresh body in there.
9:34
Yeah. And you know, just for
9:37
comparison, OK, this is a team we play tonight, which normally
9:42
mid week games, I wouldn't even bother pulling up here.
9:45
But Grambling team batting average is 286-O shoes team
9:51
batting average Lady 8. So we're even.
9:56
Yeah. OK.
9:58
Pitching Gremlins total ERA is 919.
10:03
Let's see, they've walked 133 and they've only struck out 154
10:08
Gramblings. A Gramblings fielding percentage
10:11
is 952, and they have 29 errors. So we're almost dead even with
10:16
the bottom of the pact. I don't even know what
10:19
conference they play in. Swag.
10:22
Yeah, OK, We're almost dead even with the bottom of the barrel
10:28
SWAT team that is 5 and 13 and two and one in conference play.
10:33
And yeah, we're, like you said, mirror images of each other
10:35
like, so if you if you didn't know anything about like the
10:37
college levels and stuff like that, there's the tears in
10:40
confidence. You do look at a blind resume as
10:43
a spinning image of each other. Yeah.
10:45
And you mean if you're looking at this, it doesn't bode well
10:48
for us because let me pull up the rankings real quick.
10:50
We play left on the schedule. We've got #8 this weekend.
10:54
We have number six later on in the season #18 #23 #22 and #15 I
11:01
don't think we play Auburn this year.
11:03
I'm going to double check. Double check right now.
11:06
OK. Yeah, I don't.
11:07
We play #7 Apparently D1 has Oklahoma #8 so we play #8 We
11:16
play #15 #22 Ole Miss isn't ranked, We play 26 no non
11:27
ranked. Then we play number 7 and finish
11:30
up with #18 Those are all as of current rankings right now, but
11:36
we have a bunch of ranked teams left.
11:38
We can turn this thing around and become the top 8 national
11:41
seed without question. But just for comparison, I think
11:46
this is the pitching Oklahoma's team ERA is.
11:50
And walks. They've got a high number of
11:54
walks too, at 76 in a strikeout of 217, you know.
12:01
Yeah. The team batting average is
12:05
3/14, so not too much of a difference, but fielding,
12:10
they're fielding 975 with only 17 errors on the year.
12:14
This is still a hard number, so we're almost evenly matched with
12:18
them. You know, you're right.
12:20
We're still evenly matched. They're in the number 18 in the
12:23
country. We just have to be better at
12:25
fundamentals these next few days of practice.
12:28
In this game tonight, we need clean games.
12:31
You know, they always do the keys to victory.
12:33
I'll do the keys to victory for LSU right now.
12:35
For tonight's game. Yeah, You need to keep it basic.
12:40
Yes. PlayStation to station ball,
12:44
field the ball, throw the ball. You know, because we had trouble
12:48
doing that this weekend where we fielded it, had trouble throwing
12:52
it. Yes.
12:54
Field the ball, set your feet, throw it.
12:57
The only one I want to see running and making running
12:59
throws this week, today and this weekend is Steven Milam.
13:02
That's right in. He almost had a couple of
13:06
throwing errors this weekend, but just we need to slow it
13:11
down, bring it back, you know, come on, that I feat.
13:18
Where's all this talent we heard about at the beginning of the
13:20
year? Well, I'll be like, you know, I
13:22
listen to like, you know, scone in the morning, morning scone
13:24
and stuff like that. A lot of people not they're not
13:27
hearing that. They don't want to hear that
13:28
right now because I know he's still talking about, you know,
13:31
on paper. I mean, I get the case for sure,
13:34
but I mean it, it comes out to the results.
13:36
You know, my Co worker, but he said he he's pretty much out on
13:39
the transfers right now. You know, I just, I, I
13:42
personally, I'm not at that point yet personally, but they
13:46
do, they do have to get it together.
13:47
Like you said, they got to turn the corner.
13:50
Personally, I'm OK with starting Caraway tonight, first base.
13:54
I do believe we need to find a solid backup because I don't
13:58
know if York is going to turn around.
14:00
Yeah. He just looked foolish up there
14:02
this weekend, you know, rough. I mean, it's rough.
14:06
Go. Yeah.
14:07
I would like to see Pearson get a few starts at third base this
14:10
weekend, You know, Rucker. Rucker.
14:13
I'd like to see him. I think he's more defensively
14:16
sound and Dardar at second base. Yeah, I'm with you.
14:20
Catch your man. I don't know.
14:22
I was very high on that was what I'm getting into that Turner
14:26
last weekend, he but he made both of our poles last weekend.
14:29
He was like 3 Bros, very sound catching the ball, but he took a
14:33
massive step back. He took a step back.
14:37
Aaron Beatty. I don't, I think I was fooled
14:40
from where I was sitting on opening weekend to make a
14:42
decision because now that I've seen what he's done and I've
14:45
seen it up close and watched it on TV, he just doesn't look
14:49
good. I mean, I don't know if it's the
14:51
MIT because these both of these catches were the number one
14:55
rated catches in Texas in the recruiting class, the number one
15:01
rated Texas catcher that Texas is a huge place.
15:05
You know how many catches they probably have in Texas.
15:07
For these two to be top of their recruiting class, they have to
15:11
had been able to catch the ball at least instead of dropping it
15:14
like they are. I don't know if the mitts just
15:19
not broken in. I saw a TikTok video, you know
15:21
how those thermal guns that they all have, that's what people use
15:25
starting to use to break in mitts.
15:27
I know they got a thermal block. You know they can.
15:32
I know we Elop, they can do that.
15:34
Yeah. Go to Costco.
15:36
Costco probably got one. Come on.
15:40
But I mean, yeah, but I mean, if it's the MIT that's not working
15:45
for you, usually MIT from high school, you don't have to use
15:49
every new glove they give you. But I mean, we need to just
15:54
catch the ball. We need to throw the ball first
15:56
of all, and these pitches need to stop trying to be what
16:00
they're not. They need to break it down, go
16:03
to a simple thing, simple mindset, and just ignore the
16:08
batter. Don't ignore the runners on base
16:10
that get on, but ignore the batter and just focus on the
16:16
MIT. I know you're not going out
16:18
there and trying to throw balls and get all these walks.
16:21
You're not Alabama from 2023 where their coach was actively
16:24
betting against them. And throwing close games.
16:27
But at some point, you need to take it, look inward, look at
16:33
your mechanics and fix what's going wrong.
16:36
I mean, I know a lot of that might have been you threw on a
16:41
dirt mound at practice in everywhere you play this week
16:46
this year up for that high school field in Lafayette.
16:50
I think they had a turf mound, too.
16:53
At least Vandy's turf mound was a nice turf mound, and it wasn't
16:57
just a bunch of turf thrown over a dirt pile like it was in ull
17:00
But still, there's no reason you should be that uncomfortable on
17:03
a mound. You know, a lot, a lot of people
17:05
talk about, you know, so and so has all the stuff He has his
17:09
collection of stuff, which I commend and applaud.
17:12
You got to produce stuff. Yeah.
17:14
So it's, I mean, I don't care what stuff you got.
17:17
I mean, just put the ball into plate consistently.
17:20
Yeah, I I could careless about that person.
17:22
Pitching wise. You can throw all, have all kind
17:25
of pitches you throw. The more pitches, the better.
17:27
I think skeins is like 6. I must stop using skeins.
17:31
Skeins is an example because skeins, his arm is just
17:35
different because, you know, he's going to have a long
17:37
career. And I think it's because he
17:38
didn't beat his arm up as a starting pitcher, didn't do
17:42
extended innings until he got to LSU because LSU was his first
17:45
year where he didn't catch. He was a catcher at airport.
17:49
Yeah, good point. But you know, at some point you
17:53
have to. And as a coach, too, because we
17:55
were, we were concerned with Vandy's popping at bat since
17:58
they, I think, are only second behind Georgia in home runs.
18:03
Yep. Vandy also moved that feet, that
18:06
fence in a good 2040 feet because of construction.
18:10
Yeah, Georgia, like Georgia's has a very favorable batters
18:14
Part 2 with like the dimensions, you know, just I just feel like,
18:18
but it's all another topic, you know, I just feel like all field
18:20
dimension should be identical. That's all.
18:23
Another time for another day. But you know, I do have some
18:27
pluses this weekend and it's only few and far between because
18:30
there's not a lot to be positive about going over there and get
18:33
you. But the on Saturday like you did
18:38
and then losing a heartbreaker like you did on a Friday night.
18:43
Chris Stanfield being back, oh, man, clears up a lot of
18:47
defensive issues, in my opinion. And he came out and he hit the
18:52
ball this weekend. Multiple, multiple hit games.
18:55
Yeah, yeah. The only game he didn't hit in
18:58
the rest of the team didn't hit either was on Saturday.
19:01
Not even Jake Brown hit Saturday.
19:03
One of those days. Yeah, in a game where LSU got
19:07
lucky on Saturday, Sunday, they got lucky.
19:10
That was 22 mile an hour wind gust on Saturday in Nashville,
19:15
all blowing. Out.
19:17
Wasn't blowing and it was blowing out.
19:19
So we got lucky our offense picked it up and you know, but
19:24
at some point our offense only had scored six runs on one hit
19:27
because Vandy did their best LSU impression.
19:31
I mean, let's look at the I'm pretty sure these top guys on
19:36
their list for pitching is their starting pitchers for OK .951,
19:43
.59 ERA, 41 strikeouts and eight walks 28 and a third innings
19:51
pitched. Cameron Johnson 334 strikeouts,
19:56
12 walks and then Cord Ragger 4 point and I might have butchered
20:01
that name. 4.71 ERA, Lookout 28 and walk 7.
20:10
You look at our starting pitchers, William Schmidt. .92
20:15
ERA. Walk 7 struck out 39.
20:18
Cooper More 3.21 The walk 7 struck out 35.
20:24
This is our Friday night guide too.
20:26
OK Cason Evans. 6.45 ERA. Yes. 35 strikeouts and 12.
20:34
To me it makes more sense for them to start Evans tonight.
20:38
On Thursday night maybe. Well no, you can't bump up
20:43
Schmidt because Schmidt might not even pitch this weekend.
20:45
I don't know what his injury was.
20:48
If it was just a sore back like they say it is, then maybe put
20:52
him on Saturday and move Cooper more to Friday night spot and
20:57
bump Evans back down to Sunday, bump everybody up 1 and bump him
21:01
back to. Yeah.
21:03
Because when he looks good, he looks good.
21:05
But you got to set the tone on a Friday night and he's just not
21:10
getting it done. Go on.
21:12
Yeah, which is disappointing because after that after sack,
21:15
his sack stayed opener. Just I thought he was really
21:18
turning the corner because he was already, you know, trending
21:21
upward. But yeah, he's he's got the
21:24
stuff. It's just, and I mean, I would
21:26
love to see track man data too, and see how much of that is
21:31
umpires, small strike zones or because I think some of his was
21:35
strikes, but I don't have the track mandate.
21:38
And what it boils down to is you got to throw strikes.
21:40
I mean, it's kind of hard. Our defense doesn't make it easy
21:43
on a pitching because they can't trust the guys behind them.
21:48
They feel like they need to make every out.
21:51
If you don't hit it to shortstop, it's not like it's,
21:54
you know what I mean? Yeah, to start up the only, only
21:58
Milan is the only automatic thing we have in the infield
22:00
really on defense right outside of Stanfield.
22:03
But you know, I would give Stanfield a pass because he has
22:06
to work his way back even though he's productive over the course
22:09
of the week. I'll go ahead and I'll say the
22:11
only four sure things even though Brown is 2 heirs is
22:17
Milan, Brown, Curiel and Stanfield.
22:22
You know, those are all only things.
22:24
And here is a comparison from last year.
22:27
OK, We have 25 errors on the year right now.
22:31
In comparison, the championship team last year only had 44.
22:36
My goodness. And we still we only halfway
22:38
through March, So we got the rest of March, April, all of
22:42
May, and that's not even cool in the postseason.
22:46
Yeah. And at this point, we better
22:48
hope we make postseason because big knuckles, right?
22:52
And here's the just because I gave fielding percentages from
22:56
the other championship team, 23 championship team, their
23:03
fielding percentage was 975 and they made 59 errors and we're
23:08
half of that. And then in 24, the only other
23:11
the year that shaping up to be like this, you know, yeah, as
23:15
soon as it pulls up still we had you know, I'm 77 was their
23:20
fielding percentage that year. We made 51 errors that year.
23:23
You know, so we need to play clean baseball because on the
23:27
pace you're going, you are on pace with the 22 team whose
23:30
fielding percentage was 962. And they made I for the most
23:34
errors of the Jay Johnson team at LSU.
23:36
Yeah, it's it's not the company you want to be in.
23:39
You know, I start 2014 was underwhelming and especially in
23:42
the first half of the year. But this like it's just you got
23:45
to make the routine plays, man. Is anything under like 9695?
23:49
Is this not where you need to be?
23:52
And you like you said 96 and 96, like even with 96, are you still
23:56
pushing mediocre because a lot of the stuff is just routine
24:00
stuff. I think 96 is worst fielding
24:03
percentage ever. Yeah.
24:05
So this that again, especially high.
24:08
I know it's a higher standard, but just a lot of stuff that
24:10
they're not, a lot of the mistakes they're making is just
24:13
routine stuff. That's what's hard thing about
24:15
it. So you know, you've got pitchers
24:17
that are, it blows my mind. Normally pitching errors come
24:20
from throwing errors on ground balls hit to them or on butt
24:26
field in the butt. Our pitching errors have come
24:30
from failed pick off moves and throwing the ball away.
24:33
You limit those, you limit moving runners up, and you're
24:36
better off, you know? But walks is what gets us into
24:39
trouble right now. Catching, I don't.
24:43
We can't have that many errors. As a catcher, that kills me.
24:46
You know, I can give our second baseman, A shortstop, our first
24:51
baseman, a couple of errors here and there, our infield, a couple
24:54
of errors here and there on tough place.
24:56
But for more than almost half of our errors on the year to come
25:01
from pitchers and catchers, that's inexcusable. 1/5 alone
25:05
comes from catchers. Yeah.
25:07
Yeah, I said we had 25 errors on the season.
25:10
Yeah, 25 errors so far in this season and five of them are
25:13
coming from the catchers. That's 1/5 of the total errors
25:19
are coming from the catching position.
25:22
That cannot happen. And The thing is, like I know
25:25
that we talked about previously, Jay Faber's offensive players in
25:28
the lineup, which I have no issue with, but my thing is have
25:31
to if even if defense is not your strength, you have to make
25:35
the routine, please. And what's even compounded even
25:37
more is when your offense struggles, that's where you
25:40
become. And like you said, defensive
25:43
players put them in the lineup over offensive players.
25:47
The problem is that catcher. They're both equally terrible
25:52
insect. That's the problem.
25:53
There's not one that has a stronger point than the other
25:57
one at this point. They both have strong arms, they
26:01
both have looked very good at times, but the only.
26:04
I say I'll give Aaron BD a slight edge because he's only
26:07
got 2 errors and Serna has three, but still that's way too
26:11
much. As a catcher, that should be
26:15
your season total numbers, not your March Week 5 for the
26:19
catcher position. Yeah, but because I'm tired of
26:24
talking about the negatives, let's jump into the positives in
26:31
I'll let you go ahead and give your pitching.
26:37
All right. So with the week 5.
26:38
Powerhouse Pole. We started with the Creighton
26:41
game and ended with the three games of the Vandy Series.
26:44
You know, pitching. I know you know the goal to the
26:46
series, the, the, the face of this brand.
26:48
You know, I put a note in the, in the spreadsheet.
26:51
Justin did not submit anything for pitching and they didn't
26:54
deserve anything. I say he's a man of his word and
26:57
I know that. But yeah, but we don't.
26:59
But I'm going to let him share his piece on that in a little
27:01
bit. You know, for me #1 for
27:04
pitching, I was Zach Cowan. I was Zach Cowan, Devi sherer #2
27:08
and William Schmidt #3 and I'll get into it.
27:10
So like I said, I put in a notice that pitching overall was
27:13
awful to the last four games. Let me just be very clear,
27:16
fishing over as a unit, the mile was terrible even before the
27:19
Vandy series. We gave up eight runs to
27:21
Creighton at home before and allowing 10 plus runs twice in
27:26
the Vandy series. Having said that, you know, Cow
27:28
was simply the best in the mile throughout the stretch.
27:31
He threw 5K without allowing any walks or runs.
27:34
Again, pitcher was tough. It was terrible.
27:37
I can't stress that enough. But just so I just want just
27:39
take the take, take my rank with a grain of salt for the
27:41
audience. But Sharon, you know, he was
27:43
respectable on paper. You know, he could buy for 8
27:45
strikeouts in his two appearances during this stretch
27:48
against two walks out of the bullpen.
27:50
And I push Schmidt at third because he struck out a third,
27:53
basically a third of his the batters he face.
27:56
And I also put like a phantom ranking.
27:58
I still put Zach Cowan, Deborah Sheeran in the top 2, but I had
28:02
a Garcia because he he had at least seven KS over the stress
28:06
and multiple innings. Whenever a bullpen guy gets
28:09
multiple appearances and he looks decent, I'll give.
28:12
Him, I'll give him some. Credit like listen again, I
28:15
can't say this enough. Pension was just an abomination
28:19
larger this whole weekend. That's what lost you to see the
28:22
Vandy series period. So.
28:25
On the. Flip side of that Nobody.
28:28
None of them, none of them put my fandom like that's why I put
28:32
the fad on them and I'll make a note.
28:34
None of them, none of them deserved it.
28:37
Sure, some guys look good, but. There wasn't a single.
28:42
Guy other than Cowan and Guidry, well Guidry hit AI think Guidry
28:47
hit a batter and yeah, gave up the well he he was strong in the
28:50
eighth like he in his first. He was very good in the 8th, but
28:54
yeah, yeah. No, he just gave up two.
28:57
Singles and then the walk off. The walk off.
29:02
But other than him and Cowan, I don't think there is a single
29:07
game where we didn't have a relief pitcher.
29:12
You have at least one walk. Yeah, yeah.
29:14
Saturday Paul came in for out and they took him out so I'm not
29:19
counting him but he didn't walk anybody but OK Williams and
29:22
Williams came in on Friday night he don't count and got to gave
29:26
up a walk. Rizzi gave didn't give up a
29:27
walk, but I'm pretty sure he walked somebody on Friday night.
29:31
No Rizzi. OK Rizzi.
29:33
We had a out of 123456789101112131415. 15 guys
29:45
we only. Had 123.
29:49
Guys that didn't. Walk a single person when they
29:52
got in. Can't happen.
29:53
Not going to win your games. Not at all.
29:55
You're not going to win games like that.
29:57
The numbers in my slot that I will give for those guys,
30:06
whatever slot Chris Stanfield ends up in my 2 in my offense
30:12
and defensive pose, he'll get those points from wherever he
30:15
placed for those pitches so they don't go to waste and then I'll
30:20
go ahead and do give my offense yeah go ahead.
30:23
Jake Brown, of course, he looked really good against Creighton.
30:27
He. Looked good against.
30:29
Dandy. 2 out of three days yeah I mean, you can't knock that
30:34
guy. He's doing his thing.
30:36
Then I've got Stanfield multiple hit weekend just coming back.
30:40
Look really good at the plate. Look really good on the base
30:43
path Yeah, I totally agree. Then I'll give it to Milam at 3
30:48
again. He looks solid.
30:49
Always edge he's got over Curial is heads up base path.
30:56
You know, he's always trying when we got runners on the
30:59
corners and Milans on 1st, he's always trying to if he steals or
31:03
he's gone, he's always trying to get no rundown to score that run
31:06
from third. He's always looking good.
31:10
Yeah. And I'll let you go ahead and
31:11
give yours. Yeah.
31:13
So far offense like, you know, Jake Brown, I just put in my
31:15
notes. Enough said.
31:16
I mean, just you can't you just can't say enough about what he's
31:19
done. Scorched earth.
31:20
At least 11 homers so far. Just one one of the games he was
31:24
a hit shot of the cycle. I don't know if that was Friday
31:26
or Sunday, but I forgot which one, but just nonetheless, one
31:29
hit side of the cycle and all the other games that he's
31:32
producing this it was on Friday night.
31:34
OK, that's why I figured just I know it was a one of the games
31:37
either Friday or Sunday, but you just can't you just can't speak
31:41
enough highly of him on offense. You know, I have Stephen Milam
31:45
just he's really been like really been making a lot of hard
31:48
contact on the ball. Just haven't gotten enough
31:51
breaks early on, but just he's starting to get those breaks
31:53
now. It was really just been standing
31:55
himself on the office and side and you know, Chris Stanfield,
31:58
like I said earlier, multiple games with multiple hits and
32:01
just in a short time back, just he's just such a boost to this
32:04
team on both sides as a two way player.
32:07
You know, just it's really it's it's so big to have him back.
32:11
Yeah, I just can't say enough about that.
32:13
Yeah, and look, defensively, Milam's going to probably top
32:19
this pole the. Rest of the season.
32:23
So I'll make an audible. I'm going to throw my top
32:27
defensive guy, Chris Stanfield. Well, let's sing it out.
32:32
You're the brand, brother. So I'm going to change this.
32:35
No one on the pictures so you can put it in your notes as
32:38
Stanfield. Stanfield Two, I'll make a note
32:43
as an emotional booth intangible.
32:46
Yeah, and the pitchers did so bad.
32:49
I'm giving Stanfield my top slot for pitching and I'm giving him
32:52
the second slot for pitching just because having him back has
32:55
been huge. My gosh.
32:57
Two way player, two way super, which is.
33:01
Why he is my? Number one for defense because
33:03
having him back is huge yeah and look, this is a huge decision
33:08
for me because Milan made a really great double play.
33:13
That double play was huge. That's the the let falling back.
33:17
Toss it back. Oh my God, that's the play of
33:19
the year probably right now. But I will take one away from
33:22
him because he had that I would have gave him a throwing error.
33:24
Right now he's spotless, but he had two bad throws.
33:27
So Miles, my number two guy and then look, I went back and forth
33:32
on this because if Brown would have dropped that ball that he
33:35
made that diving catch on yeah, that's right out of ring his.
33:38
Neck but he. Made the catch and I'm putting
33:42
him in at Putting him in at number three yeah, I like it for
33:49
that yeah, I'll let you go ahead and do your defense yeah, I I'm
33:53
with you like so I still for defense.
33:55
I still have Stephen Milam one put Chris Stanfield at 2nd place
33:59
and Jake Brown rounds at the top three.
34:01
It was Stephen Miles like we had talked about just unbelievable.
34:04
You know diamond double play throwing back to the IT was that
34:09
was a sublime it just he's like he's been flawless defensively.
34:13
I I don't know where we would be as a defense, especially in the
34:15
infield without him this year. Chris Stanfield was just an
34:18
incredible boost. You know this that one of the
34:20
best two way two way players on the team and then Jake Brown
34:23
just made to another dive in play just been steady in the
34:25
outfield. It was you know it was tough to
34:27
even Curry off this this this week's list.
34:30
But but those guys like the two at the top is just you know they
34:33
just been so big on defense. Even like with Chris Stanfield.
34:37
I know he's a veteran so he's not new to this.
34:39
He true to this, but this coming back from that Andrea after
34:43
missing over double digit games. You know, just it's.
34:47
It's an. Intendable value thing right
34:48
there. Yeah.
34:49
And not only coming back after the missing that double digit
34:52
games, but looking comfortable at the play and looking
34:56
comfortable in the field to making those plays.
35:00
That's a really huge get back for us and one that I think is
35:04
going to when he gets to the point where Jay says, look,
35:07
we're going to put you at lead off.
35:10
I think that'll. Be a huge spark, but.
35:12
Tone setting, Tiger of the Week, you know, I wrote down on my
35:15
notes just the pitchers, but I'm going to go pitchers and
35:21
defense. We've got to have some clean
35:23
games I'm looking for. We play four games this week.
35:26
I'm looking for at. Least three spotless.
35:30
Games, no errors. I would be greedy and say 4 but
35:33
no, I'm looking for just three clean games.
35:36
Just three where we filled the ball.
35:40
Get the ball where it needs to go.
35:43
If it looks like he's going to beat you out at first base and
35:46
you're playing third, put it in your pocket.
35:50
You know, I'm just looking for. Three to four clean games, no
35:54
errors in pitching wise. I'm looking for single digit
35:58
walks the whole weekend. Yeah, I don't think that's
36:03
unfair to ask that. I mean, you're at home, you
36:05
know, you're at home on the mound you used to practice on.
36:09
Let's look, go out there and look good.
36:11
Let's throw. I really do think what needs to
36:14
happen is we stick with Evans on Thursday just from a rest
36:18
standpoint. Yeah.
36:19
Go Thursday, Friday, Saturday and have Cooper, William, I
36:23
mean, Cooper Moore on Friday night, William Schmidt on
36:28
Saturday. Leave those two the way they are
36:31
moving forward and then bump Evans to Sunday, you know?
36:35
Yeah, I don't. Think that'll hurt anything I.
36:37
Think that'll make you stronger going forward.
36:39
If anything, you'll have a Friday night guy.
36:42
You have three Friday night guys.
36:43
You know, they all three have Friday night potential.
36:47
Schmidt has, really. Impressed me my.
36:49
Biggest thing for him going in is was he mentally prepared for
36:53
these starts and from what I've seen he is mentally prepared.
36:57
He makes a mistake. He gave up those home runs to
37:01
dead center, and he just shook his head and went right back
37:04
down the throne. Yeah, that's right.
37:07
You know we. Just need to.
37:10
Play our. Game and go forth.
37:12
With that kick it over to you. Who's your tone setting tigers.
37:15
So you know, it's interesting total setting Tigers the mound.
37:19
Simply put, you know it's funny. You know, last for last week's
37:22
episode, I put everyone because you know, this was coming off
37:25
the like the weekend where, you know, the pitching, the starting
37:28
pitcher was really carrying the team because the office was such
37:31
in a bad place and also with the fielding.
37:34
So just but as soon as I say that, you know, you know, the
37:38
starting pitcher started to take a little step back and really
37:40
the bullpen and just large has just been underwhelming.
37:43
So I just say the mound. Obviously, you know, I'm not
37:47
like I said early in the show, just I'm encouraged by what I've
37:49
seen with the offense comparison to what they've been the
37:52
previous week or so. But I'm still not at a place
37:55
where I'm just super comfortable that they're going to just
37:58
dominate everybody they play. And like I said, fielding, you
38:02
know, just, you know, they just got to have his Milam is just a
38:06
tea code have a Stanfield back as a boost to this team overall.
38:10
I just want to see consistency. You know, it's just been a
38:12
Jackal high thing. I don't I don't really know what
38:14
I'm going to see weekday to day. And that's like, I've never, as
38:17
long as I've been watching you watch way more LSU baseball than
38:20
I have. And I've watched a good bit.
38:22
But this the worst. I most worst stress I've seen
38:25
them have since I've been a fan and watching so does I don't
38:28
know what I'm going to see every day.
38:30
And I haven't really felt that way before about watching my
38:33
Tigers on the mound on the diamond, I should say, yeah.
38:37
What's really encouraging to me is though, we do have 3 definite
38:42
starting pitches, yes. I mean Cason.
38:46
Evans doesn't look, he's great at times, but he's, you know, he
38:50
has nights like Friday night. Well, all of our pitchers at
38:54
some point are going to have a night like that.
38:56
Yeah, of course. But.
38:58
He's looked consistent. At the starting position as a
39:02
starting. Pitcher and.
39:04
Look, we won a national championship last year with two
39:06
starting pitchers. We just.
39:08
Had a Friday and a Saturday. Guy, you know, we won in 23.
39:12
Really. We just two starting pitchers, a
39:16
Friday and a Saturday guy. One of the Friday guy.
39:20
The Friday guy didn't even pitch in the Championship Series.
39:24
And if he. Would have.
39:25
We'd probably. Win that game and we'd won that
39:28
series. In two games.
39:30
But you know, you're going to have your bumps.
39:34
You're going to get. Knocked down.
39:35
But you have enough potential and enough talent on this team
39:44
if you can. Get everybody to come.
39:46
In together Buy in I think. It came out right after we.
39:51
Did the, we did the episode last week that Zion Theopolis, I
39:56
think that's who it was, wrote each player a letter with a
40:00
little note on what they were good at and put I believe or
40:05
something like that, believe it or something like that at the
40:07
bottom and gave it to his teammates.
40:10
That's the kind of player buying you need.
40:12
That's the kind of attitudes you need from every person on the
40:15
team. Yeah.
40:17
And I think deep down you have that on this team, what I think.
40:21
Needs to happen is. A level of trust where they can
40:25
say, these fielders can say, oh, that guy.
40:28
At first base I can throw. It to him and he'll catch it.
40:30
Our pitchers need to have a level of trust in our catchers
40:34
to say I'm going to throw this to him, he's going to catch it
40:37
and not mess it up. And then our pitchers need to
40:39
feel also that they can throw a pitch, get the ball put and play
40:43
in our fielders will play defense behind them.
40:46
That's right. It's to me it's solely level to
40:48
trust the trust thing we need to give.
40:51
Once we get back to playing our brand of ball, I think
40:54
everything will be fine. We have a unique opportunity yes
40:57
to. Where we can go from?
40:59
Preseason #1 #2 to unranked. To at the end of the season.
41:06
Potentially be one or two. Again, that's just how way our
41:10
schedule breaks down. We have a tough schedule in the
41:13
SEC. Like I said, we have a bunch of,
41:16
we have #8 coming in this weekend.
41:19
We have number six at some point in the season coming up.
41:24
We have number. 15 Right after we have #6 or #8 we have #15 and
41:31
we have #23 or 20 or 18, then we have 23.
41:36
Then we have number six. You know, we've got a good,
41:39
we're in a good position. And if they translate and
41:42
correlate everything we saw on Sunday to how they handle
41:45
everything going forward, we'll be just fine.
41:47
But on the flip side of that, they don't, they're not just
41:50
fine. Buckle in because it's going to
41:52
be a long rest of the season. Such a realist brother in the
41:55
GOAT. Yeah, I mean, that's just how
41:59
it's coming down. But I won't keep you too much
42:02
longer. Appreciate you coming back on.
42:04
Always a pleasure, man. I love you as my brother.
42:07
Love our tigers, man. It's such a great time.
42:10
Like I just said, I just want to my closing thoughts, really
42:12
just, you know, I've been enjoying this, you know,
42:15
talking, you know this, you know, really just charting.
42:18
It's been a very great experience, you know, being on
42:20
the pod and just really just charting this stuff to really
42:23
get a better deeper understanding of how I should
42:26
see the sport. You know, just I just want to
42:28
see consistency. Like I'm not big on like the
42:30
stuff like that. No, I'm not saying I want guys
42:33
to have the talent because I do. It's important, but it's about
42:36
the bottom line, especially at a program like this where the
42:38
championships are the standard, at least playing for like, the
42:42
floor should just be Omaha should be the floor every year.
42:45
So just like basically what I'm saying, just like how I don't
42:47
care how you get there, just get there.
42:49
Yeah, exactly. And, you know, I think what
42:52
it'll boil down to is I just looking back over my shoulder in
42:56
this camera and see and skip Bertman, it reminded me of
42:59
something we read in that book and something else that somebody
43:01
brought up on one of the broadcasts last week.
43:05
I don't think at this moment in time, I think what Jay is
43:09
looking for is his nine best and not his best 9.
43:13
And I think once he finds that, those nine best players that fit
43:17
together and play well together, once he finds that, I think
43:20
we'll be just fine. Yeah, sure.
43:22
And at this moment, I don't think he's found that combo yet.
43:25
But when he does, we'll be great.
43:27
But, you know, as always, please like, comment, share, subscribe.
43:33
Let's grow this thing big and let's cheer these Tigers to
43:36
victory. That's right.
43:37
That's forward. Yeah, well.
43:41
That'll do it from us. You'll have a great.
43:43
Night, great week. Great day, whatever you have,
43:46
just make it a good one. Yep, bye.