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Freshman Impacts and SEC Pitch Challenge · JustIN Time

0:07
Welcome back to another edition of the Just in Time podcast.
0:11
I'm here with Will. What's going on?
0:13
Brother, good to be back, how you doing?
0:15
I'm doing good. It's good to have you back, man.
0:18
To be back and just, you know, really just, it's even better to
0:22
be back on a winning streak. It's more pleasant so.
0:27
A lot more. Pleasant, yeah.
0:29
You know it was South Carolina. Yeah, well, good.
0:34
But a lot of positives, right? They actually played like they
0:41
want to be there. Yeah.
0:44
I think a lot of that has to do with Jay starting a bunch of
0:47
freshmen. Not that he has a choice, but
0:51
Patrick Rucker. CERN is a freshman.
1:02
You know, this is getting those guys a lot of reps for next
1:05
season, important reps, meaningful reps.
1:08
And I think that, you know, look, hitting wise offensively,
1:11
they were great. They really turned it on.
1:15
They came out and they did what they needed to do, you know?
1:20
Yeah, like I said, this ain't like you just said, you know,
1:23
this ain't Ray Tanner, South Carolina.
1:25
So we're not, we're not being over the moon about it, but just
1:29
based on how the season's gone this year to this point, you
1:32
know, you've had a lot of lot of they have some of us, they've
1:34
had a great bit of downs, but just, you know, they've to their
1:38
credit, they've won five in a row.
1:39
I know the competition competition plays a massive role
1:42
in that. But, and we'll see this week,
1:44
but just they've, they've been, they've been rolling just like
1:46
their most complete, just on paper, just their most complete
1:49
stretch since the beginning of the year.
1:51
Yeah, and you know, if you look, what are we on now?
1:54
Five games, five game streak. Yeah, you look at it too.
1:59
OK, we've done it too, without Cooper Moore and Casey Evans.
2:08
Casey, I'm talking about just on the mound.
2:10
Warren Evans have been out. Then you look at it defensively,
2:13
we've been without Brown and Stanfield.
2:18
That's correct. We are putting it together, you
2:20
know, and it's like a 2% chance Milam does come back next year.
2:26
I like Rucker and Milam in the middle of that infield.
2:29
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I'm liking Pearson more and more
2:33
at third base. Me too.
2:36
And Braun is our first baseman. If they, in fact, if they take
2:40
him out of first base, he's sick.
2:44
Yeah, there's no other reason to other than injury or he's sick.
2:47
There's no other reason to take him off first base.
2:50
Yeah, I totally agree. Yeah, yeah, just like that's the
2:53
beauty of this stretch. You know, we've been saying this
2:55
for the last couple weeks. You know, we, we you and I was
2:58
on the phone last night to talk about, you know, going back to
3:00
the 24 squad. You know, like with Drake Brown,
3:03
who was, you know, freshman, just, you know, using him really
3:06
and like other freshman just to really get a spark in the team,
3:09
which it was effective. You see it two years later
3:12
today, you know, it was just it's the same result.
3:15
It really just like I said, you know, one thing I comment about
3:17
Jane Johnson going to get deeper into it, of course, but you
3:20
know, he's not rigid. You know, like one thing I don't
3:22
like when coaches get too rigid, they get too deep into the ego.
3:26
The only time you should be rigid is when you set in
3:28
culture. Yeah, I agree.
3:31
You know, and coming out with a stretch, that non game stretch
3:35
was just a gut punch. You know, you didn't know what
3:38
what was going on, where we going, You know what we doing
3:42
better, what we doing worse? You didn't really have that
3:47
solution. Yeah, like a lot of other
3:50
sports, you get, you know, you know, just talking about the
3:53
game, the guys look enthusiastic.
3:57
You know, you've got guys out there that I feel I want to be
4:02
out there. The coaching staff looks like
4:06
they're getting back into it. Jeh Johnson said on Monday night
4:11
on the radio show that he felt that they had to win five of the
4:14
next 7 to be in a comfortable position going into the SEC
4:19
tournament to be in postseason. And I agree.
4:21
Only problem is that makes it tough when you either got to win
4:24
two or three from Georgia and two or three from Florida, or
4:27
one scrape one across against Georgia and come back and sweep
4:31
Florida. Yeah, and there's no more mid
4:33
week games. Not that that will play a
4:35
massive role in the standings, but just but yeah, just you
4:39
can't get like that lesser opponent, but no such thing as
4:43
lesser opponents with this team this year.
4:45
And all due respect, but just they just need it's it's a tall
4:48
ass. Basically what you're saying
4:49
this is it's a tall it's a tall, tall order for those guys.
4:53
But I mean, you said they just and absolutely they just can't
4:58
get swept anymore. That's really at the end of the
5:00
day. At the end of the day, you can't
5:02
get swept anymore. I think if you go in and you
5:05
have, so we got 9 SEC wins right now.
5:08
I think if you go into the SEC tournament with 11 or 12, it
5:13
takes the pressure off of you in the tournament.
5:15
You don't have to worry about the last game of the season.
5:19
Yeah, you know, but there's two scenarios right now that I'm
5:23
looking heavy into #1 George is a really good team.
5:29
Man I was looking at this stats bro they are sculpting it in
5:32
conference goodness. Crazy, I mean.
5:34
There is one guy specifically. He's a home run leader in the
5:38
SEC. I don't care if the bases are
5:41
loaded, I'm putting him on. I don't care if the bases are
5:44
loaded with two outs, I'm putting him on because I'd
5:47
rather get beat by one because I walked the guy then let him beat
5:51
me and get 4. Yep.
5:55
You know, it's that's what we're coming to coming down the
5:58
stretch. But you know, we've got Zach
6:01
Cowan with two wins last week, 10 innings, A scoreless ball
6:05
pitched in the SEC Player of the week.
6:08
Yeah. You know.
6:10
And they called it, too. Yeah, they called it.
6:13
You know, he should be in there, you know, But since we spoke
6:19
about it going into the SEC Tournament, I think there's,
6:21
like I said, there's two scenarios LSU can do to make a
6:24
postseason run. One is to get two or three from
6:27
both Florida and Georgia. That'll put you in a really good
6:30
spot. That'll put you at 13 wins.
6:33
You can possibly get 2 sweeps that'll put you at 15 wins and
6:36
you'll be 505 hundred and you'll be happy.
6:40
Yeah, you know, but honestly, I don't see that happening.
6:44
Neither do I. And the other one is going
6:48
through and winning the SEC tournament.
6:50
Yeah, there's a which is a tall. That's a tall order because you
6:56
got to go through, probably go through Georgia again, Yeah,
6:59
probably go through Florida again.
7:01
Maybe at some point you're going to run into Texas.
7:05
In Texas, you're going to run into Arkansas, who's as of right
7:08
now, they're on a downslide just like us, but not that heavily
7:11
because they handle business at the beginning.
7:15
But you're also going to be dealing with a new set of rules
7:18
in the SEC tournament. You know, the SEC is introducing
7:24
the challenge system at the SEC tournament, blah, blah, blah.
7:29
You know the edition represents A continued step forward.
7:34
This is from Greg Skanky Sanky. No, I'm with.
7:39
Dyslexic moment. No, you're good.
7:42
You got you. You're going to come to.
7:45
This edition represents a step forward for our game, aligns
7:51
more closely with the professional level, and supports
7:53
the development of our student athletes as they prepare for
7:55
success at the next level. Which I did see a TikTok, I
8:00
don't remember who it was from, but I think it was a girl that's
8:05
from Wash that covers the nationals.
8:08
And she was talking about Dylan Cruz and specifically Dylan Cruz
8:14
and SEC hitters, like the really elite SEC hitters and how Dylan
8:20
Cruz got bumped down to AAA. And she was saying, like, you
8:25
know, everybody looks into these hitters coming out the FCC and
8:29
they see a guy like Cruz who was consistent across the board and
8:36
they thought he was going to come into the MLB and be this.
8:39
The Nationals thought they were in.
8:40
The fans thought that he was their guy #2 pick, he was coming
8:44
in. She went through and looked at
8:48
the numbers of those guys on Friday night pitching and then
8:52
the rest of the weekend and the rest of the competition,
8:56
basically like Paul Skins level pitching on Friday nights in
9:00
SEC. And then there was a dip down.
9:05
There was more frequent strikeouts, more frequent
9:08
hitless nights on Friday night compared to Saturday, Sunday and
9:13
Tuesday or whatever day you play midweek games.
9:15
Yeah. And she was saying that it's not
9:19
a Dylan Cruz thing, it's not a player thing.
9:22
It's a developmental thing at the SEC.
9:24
Yeah. And going in, that's a problem.
9:27
That's why pitchers more likely are those to get called up
9:30
faster, like Paul Schemes. Use Paul Schemes as an example.
9:34
But like she said, Paul Schemes is a freak of nature.
9:36
He's just a different kind of guy that they plugged him in
9:40
directly into that lineup. Yeah.
9:42
But I mean, she got a good point.
9:43
I never looked at it that way. Yeah, neither that just like, I
9:47
mean, and The thing is, you're going to have a transition
9:50
period. And that's the thing.
9:51
Just, you know, people look at these generational outliers and
9:55
like, you know, you know, they set the unrealistic expectations
9:59
for everybody. Like, I mean, there's only one
10:02
even going back, you know, going to a rod, you know, they're like
10:04
there's only like a a handful of guys to that level.
10:08
I'm like brother. Speaking of a rod, I don't know
10:11
if you watch the game or the highlights.
10:13
On Sunday, when Curio got thrown out of the plate, he said it was
10:18
interference, that he knocked the ball out his hands like a
10:20
rod did in that playoff game. You know, you know, it's funny,
10:23
like, you know, a guy like I already was asking me just about
10:26
like, like he was asking me about that that play.
10:29
And I was like, because the rules aren't clear because I had
10:32
looked it up and said like, let me let me see if I can.
10:35
But basically saying you know, just like, because if you look,
10:37
he swatted it out, but it's like, but it didn't look like he
10:41
because like that's what he was saying.
10:42
Like because if because if he doesn't nothing like it's going
10:45
to be a violent collision. And like you say, you trying to
10:48
eliminate violent collision. I mean, I'm trying to do my
10:51
everything, my power, just to avoid the collision because I'm
10:54
trying to that one. I'm trying to avoid getting out,
10:56
you know what I'm saying? Unless he jumped over him, that
10:59
was a lose lose situation for him because your only options
11:03
are to slide around him, which he did and the ball hit him when
11:09
he made that tag the ball came out 2 truck him.
11:15
Yes. And be tossed.
11:18
Right. They they, that's that's that's.
11:21
Or just stop being an athlete and walk and take the tag out.
11:26
There's no other option. But then and then another thing
11:29
you got to look at just even when you slide like the way he
11:33
tried to dip back, they've got to do just you already have a
11:37
teammate that missed the like 16 of the 1st 17 games of the
11:40
season slide in the home. I just think Curio was thinking
11:44
about that, that moment, but just just the fact that what do
11:48
you want? What do you want them to do?
11:51
You eliminate, you eliminate, you eliminate or say we want to
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eliminate violent collisions. I mean, but I'm trying to get
11:57
home. Yeah, but you know, that's at
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some point they're going to have to make a rule and it's going to
12:03
be put these players in bubble wrap because we don't want
12:07
umpires can't make the Speaking of terrible umpire.
12:10
And that's what we were going off with with this whole thing.
12:14
Yeah. The SEC is implementing at the
12:16
SEC tournament the ABS system, right, who the Hoover met, will
12:21
be equipped with cameras that will track the movement of the
12:24
baseball. This is going to be an automated
12:27
system, can place the ball and location of the ball within the
12:31
strike zone. This is what made me laugh last
12:33
night. So measurements of each player
12:36
will be gathered prior to each team's first game at the SEC
12:39
Tournament. This will determine the
12:42
appropriate strike zone for the individual player based on each
12:45
player's height. Like Ronnie Rant said, you're
12:49
going to get some guys that are going to get exposed like Diego
12:51
Pavia, because, you know, they like to add some height on them.
12:58
And now they're going to have to be officially measured to get
13:04
the strike zone like we need it, you know?
13:09
And we're going to see a lot of guys go from like Milan, we're
13:15
going to see a lot of guys go from 5:00 to 859, however tall
13:20
they say they are, 510 to 5-6 or six foot to 51059, you know?
13:30
Yeah. But how this is going to work is
13:33
each team will start the game with three challenges.
13:36
The challenges must be initiated immediately after the conclusion
13:39
of the prior pitch. If there's a throw down or a
13:44
play that includes a runner, provided that it you know
13:47
provided if that. If there is an ensuing play on a
13:49
runner or for the repeal of a check swing, the call may be
13:54
challenged immediately upon the conclusion of the play.
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Just like your other two challenges the team has.
14:03
Successful challenges will be retained.
14:05
Unsuccessful challenges will result in a loss of views
14:08
Challenge in extra innings. Both teams shall be awarded one
14:12
challenge per inning, which can be retained through the inning
14:16
but may not be carried over to the subsequent inning.
14:19
The next inning, the challenge is initiated by the player
14:22
tapping his hat or his helmet after the umpire singles that
14:25
the challenge has been initiated.
14:26
An animated pitch result graphic will be displayed on the stadium
14:30
view board and on the television broadcast showing the location
14:35
of the pitch, where the call was, when, whether the call was
14:40
confirmed or overturned, and updated ball and strike count.
14:44
All decisions regarding the placement of baserunners
14:47
resulting from a call that is overturned shall be made on the
14:50
by on the field umpires in accordance with the standards
14:54
set forth by the NCAA Baseball Rules.
14:58
This seems to me like a lot of the green base green bag at
15:02
first thing from two years ago. They're going to try this out.
15:08
To me, this is a lot more expensive than the
15:11
implementation of just a green base of.
15:15
Course. So it might not be rolled out
15:18
next season, but for sure look for it in the next two seasons.
15:23
This is a big step and you know, they went through the numbers
15:27
last night, but, and I looked at it a while back, a lot of the
15:33
success rate on average there's a 54% success rate, catchers
15:40
having the highest ones of the calls.
15:45
You know, the catcher in defense is between 6059 and 61% of the
15:51
time it's over is either overcalled and then the hitters
15:55
in the offense have success about 45% of the time.
16:00
Then the usage rate percent of the time the catch is initiated,
16:08
you know. Yeah.
16:10
Ben McDonald was saying a lot like to change the game to make
16:15
it more. What the MLB is doing is
16:19
changing the bats, making a more pitcher friendly game, which to
16:24
me it is a massively with the way these pitches are coming up.
16:29
You hardly ever saw a lefty throw in the upper 90s back in
16:34
the day. Well this is a cheat code
16:36
already just because it's always a different rotation on the
16:39
ball, but just we had the velocity to it and the
16:41
commanders and exactly night nightmare.
16:45
What are the cheat code do you want?
16:47
You got a switch hitter like Milam, but you had at
16:50
Mississippi State, I forgot the kid's name, who was ambidextrous
16:54
with his glove, where all he had to do was swap the glove and he
16:58
would just swap the hand and he would get up and switch it.
17:04
He would get up and switch hitters.
17:05
One pitch he would throw from his right hand, the other pitch
17:07
he would throw from his left hand.
17:10
Like that's cheat code. Yeah, but of course.
17:13
It's a pitch it like we're heavy on offense in college, but I
17:16
find that more and more of these days these college pitchers are
17:21
coming up as freshmen and already throwing mid 90s to low
17:27
90s. Yeah.
17:29
And and that's the thing, like my thing is like, yes, college,
17:31
college, even though college basketball, I mean it's like
17:34
college baseball as is more offensive friendly than the
17:37
pros. Baseball at its core still a
17:40
defensive driven sport. Like this is like even with all
17:43
like the the way the bats were made in college.
17:46
It's like even with like going back to guerrilla ball eras and
17:49
all this, all this other stuff, but like people still batting in
17:53
the 203 hundreds, not like the bad 5600.
17:56
It's like it's still a defensive sport.
17:58
I mean, you know, you look at it, you're trying to get more
18:02
attention to the college game. People love offense.
18:07
Yes. That they love big scoring
18:09
games. That's it.
18:11
You can't change the bats. You can't just go from a
18:14
aluminum bat or a composite bat or whatever they're using now to
18:17
a straight wood bat in the middle of trying to get this
18:21
game big to where, you know, like it is college football or
18:28
college basketball. Yeah.
18:30
People like offense, sure. They also complain that baseball
18:33
is a longer sport, it takes forever and it's more boring.
18:37
But once you teach people the rules and they understand it, I
18:42
think it'll grow. Yeah, and like, you know,
18:45
baseball just like we they've already in the last few years,
18:48
you've already shifted to like we've got the pitch clock now,
18:51
you know, just like to pick off limits and stuff like that.
18:54
Now it seems like, you know, and the pros like going back to the
18:57
ABS real quick. Look at like the way the season
19:00
started with ABS. It was such a, it was such a
19:03
phenomenon because you when you see the replays, like when they
19:06
get the, when the, when the fans get the favorable call, they
19:09
start cheering. It's like now that's and like
19:12
one thing you have to realize people, I know people like to
19:15
say defence win a championship. Listen offense, you know, sell
19:19
like sells the tickets like because you got to score.
19:22
And then casual fans are not going to be deep into the
19:25
history as if I'm just new to the game.
19:28
I need something that's going to I could cling to as entertained
19:30
and engaging. And you know, you think about
19:34
it, OK, the MLB numbers are 60% of the time for the catchers and
19:40
usage rate, it's about 5060. College umpires are so much
19:44
worse. It's like they go get these guys
19:46
that are blind in Casey. Right.
19:50
And throw them behind the plate and say watch this, a 100 mile
19:53
an hour fastball come through and tell me if it's a ball or
19:56
strike. That dude probably went that
19:58
probably dude goes strike. I was like.
20:02
Man, I remember, I forgot who he was playing.
20:04
It was one of the Roads series. I don't know if it was Tennessee
20:07
or not. I think it was Tennessee, Yeah,
20:11
that delayed strike call. It was a, it was a ball, but it
20:14
was a delayed. I was like, oh, you got it.
20:16
You cannot be serious at a point of the game like that.
20:20
Any any point is is egregious. But.
20:22
I think that's the one Jay got thrown out on in the Tennessee
20:25
city. Yes, that's it.
20:26
I was like, that's what that's what I thought.
20:28
I knew it was a Rolls series in conference, but I knew that.
20:30
But it was. Now all I got to do for that,
20:33
all I got to do for that is. As it.
20:37
And it'll make a huge difference.
20:38
I think it'll make a huge difference.
20:39
I think just that and bringing it to the college level.
20:42
And like I said, the SEC schools put a lot of money in their
20:45
baseball. That's it.
20:47
I mean, and that's the thing, like I'm glad they're doing it
20:49
because one is overdue. I mean, it's it's overdue for
20:52
the sport in general. It's like, you know, people have
20:55
many complaints about the umpires having too much control.
20:58
At least I'm not going to say like I'm not, I can do that.
21:00
I can go out right now and do their job.
21:02
But sometimes you can tell it's like there's just bad calls
21:05
seeing it all. It's a bad call.
21:08
Do you look at Sunday's game versus South Carolina?
21:12
The balls hit down the first baseline and I don't know if
21:16
that dude just thought he was a spectator with the best seats on
21:19
the in the house, but he waited a solid 30 seconds before he
21:24
motioned foul of Fair foul, you know?
21:28
Then the home plate umpire couldn't get anything right and
21:31
the 1st place umpire couldn't get anything right.
21:33
I mean. But I'm excited about this ABS
21:35
system being implemented. I don't think it will slow the
21:40
game down because I think it'll be real fast.
21:42
It's not like they have to call Birmingham and be like blah blah
21:45
blah blah blah. Yes, it's it's you.
21:47
It's like and The thing is like 10 tennis.
21:49
If you look at tennis, they've had like this like ABS stuff for
21:53
years and we see like those hits on the on the line, like they
21:57
just they go on the big board. They tennis has been a long
22:00
ahead of this. I mean, it's not good.
22:02
It doesn't take too long. Now all they have to do is look
22:06
up at the screen, watch the umpire get exposed, been being
22:09
terrible at his job and have the call overturned.
22:14
I will say this, they're leaving.
22:16
I feel like they're going to leave a lot of this in players
22:18
hands and I think that's where a lot of schools are going to get
22:22
in trouble because you are having kids out there.
22:25
They're getting paid a lot of money, but they're still 18 to
22:29
20 something year old kids going out there.
22:32
And they might think it's a baller strike, but they also
22:36
need to have the, you know, going back to skip urban days
22:40
and the how to win awareness to know when is the right and wrong
22:44
time to. Yeah.
22:44
That's good. That's a good time.
22:46
If you like, if you like the lead off batter of an inning and
22:52
it's a 111 count and the umpire calls a ball, that's clearly a
22:57
baller strike. Yeah.
22:59
Is it the right time to use that challenge?
23:01
Not a clear ball, but like a borderline ball.
23:04
No, yeah. Yeah, of course.
23:05
Yeah. You know, is it the right time
23:06
to use that challenge? Probably not, because if you run
23:10
the chance of you lose one of them for the game.
23:13
Yeah, that's that's that's good. That's a great point.
23:15
Just like you said, just, you know, you pick your battles,
23:19
man. Just like I said, you know, it's
23:20
not like it's going to be every single pitch, but they won't
23:23
because something is just that obvious.
23:26
But just. But yeah, that's a great tie in.
23:29
Yeah, I was telling somebody, thank God Jake Brown is injured
23:33
for this. Not wishing the kid any hurt,
23:36
but you look at the TV and he could take a ball, a meatball
23:41
right down the middle and throw his arms up like it's hitting
23:45
him and it's nowhere near him. The umpire calls a strike
23:50
through and he turned. He would turn around, he
23:52
wouldn't strike. And you know, it's players like
23:56
that that if they had that, Jake Brown's hand would never leave
23:59
his hat. Now the the tape thing to the
24:01
head. Just start swinging one hand.
24:03
And look, he was one of he was our most offensively productive
24:06
player. Having him out hurts us.
24:09
Yes. But having him in that system,
24:12
he would abuse it and he would lose all three challenges and
24:14
one at bat. Yeah, man.
24:16
Like I'm just, I'm just, I'm just pleased about this news.
24:20
It is really not just for this, for this conference of court,
24:22
but just like the whole landscape, you know, just like
24:25
now, I've said this many times, just like with Cosby's life, the
24:28
fact that ESPN app doesn't have like the live updates of the
24:32
cows. It's like this is America's
24:33
pastime. Brother, that's all.
24:35
I just like say yeah, go ahead. ESPN.
24:37
Nowadays they do. If you open their app up and you
24:41
hit scores, they do have a top one that says NCAA Baseball.
24:46
Yeah, they do right. Yeah.
24:48
They never had that before. It was always in the back, you
24:53
know? Yeah.
24:55
So they are starting to get with the get with it.
24:59
You know, that's not where it should be.
25:01
They're starting to get with it, but it'll come the SEC, and I
25:06
will say this about the stuff, the SEC implements.
25:09
The SEC implements stuff, and then other conferences follow
25:14
suit. That's the premium of the
25:16
conference, yeah. I don't see this going because I
25:20
feel like the system is going to cost a lot.
25:24
I don't feel like this is going to be across the board NCAA
25:29
thing because you have schools that don't even play at their
25:32
don't happen to have their own parks.
25:34
They go to the minor league park and play, you know, so, but you
25:41
know, that being said, every school has the ability to video
25:44
review. So why couldn't they use the why
25:48
couldn't they use the ABS system if they've already got the stuff
25:50
for video review? I don't feel like it's that much
25:53
of A change. Yeah, I know.
25:55
Like Scott was talking about that too.
25:57
Just like, you know, the thing about about the same about the
26:02
cost of money, the money cost involved just, you know, you
26:06
have limited, you know, camera angles, you know, so it's just
26:11
like it's it's going to be a transition.
26:13
Of course, I'm not expecting them to, you know, have this all
26:16
flushed out perfectly by the end of the tournament.
26:18
But just like I said, I'm just glad.
26:21
I'm just glad for the progress because it's needed.
26:23
Yeah. And if you look at it, some of
26:25
these stadiums aren't made. They were made in the late 90s
26:31
or early 90s or the 2000s or they were made in the 70s and
26:35
80s. You know, some of them weren't
26:37
made for this technology in mind because people weren't thinking,
26:40
oh, the game is going to be this much of A change.
26:43
Yeah, yeah, of course. Baseball is like every other
26:46
sport. You're going to have changes.
26:48
You know, just look at the catcher position.
26:50
It used to be they were up, squatted 2 feet on the ground,
26:55
no knees. And if a coach caught you on
26:58
your knee, it doesn't matter if it was in between pitches, you
27:01
wouldn't be going back out there the next inning.
27:03
And now that's all they teach because it's better for them to
27:07
frame the ball. Some of them need to work on
27:11
receiving the ball. But you know, it's they say it's
27:16
better for them. I think it hurts them in the
27:19
long run because while you're better at receiving you, the one
27:24
of the biggest parts of your game is struggling by dropping
27:26
down to both knees and blocking a ball in the dirt.
27:31
You know, and I think it was Oklahoma State and I forgot who
27:35
they were playing, but the one of the broadcasters on there was
27:41
a former coach and he said you put a fat guy on his knee, I'm a
27:45
steal. I'm a steal.
27:46
The base regardless. And he said you can call me or
27:52
text me, I don't care. You're not going to change my
27:54
mind. And as soon as he said call me
27:56
or text me, his phone started ringing.
27:59
You know, I am not a big fan of the whole on your knee thing
28:04
because I feel like with the amount of balls that are let
28:07
through nowadays, get on you, get on, get on your two feet,
28:11
stop being lazy. Yes, like my just my thing is
28:16
just wherever is helping to be effective for one and healthy.
28:19
That's that's my I don't listen. Just bottom line, just like, and
28:23
like you said, I'm I'm with you with the late just like it was
28:26
poor technique because like if you, if I'm crouched down,
28:31
especially with this, with this pitches that the way it's been
28:33
with the free passage this year, it's like you got to like hurry
28:36
up and I'm like, you're already like a half, two steps, half
28:39
behind to just that's not an ideal thing.
28:43
I will say this, this weekend and last night Aaron Beatty had
28:46
some pick off 2 pick offs at first base.
28:49
It threw a couple of people out. There were a couple of runners
28:52
out stealing. He can get there from the knee,
28:56
it's just he suffers at blocking in the dirt.
28:59
I find there's a lot more lunging at balls now than there
29:03
was just putting your chest down and scooting over the block.
29:07
Yeah. But that's what they teach them
29:09
nowadays, you know? Yeah, that's right.
29:11
That's indeed man. But yeah, yeah.
29:13
So we can get into the I'll let you go off with the powerhouse
29:16
pose. Week 12 brother has been has
29:19
been a fast movement season that has a struggle has been moving
29:22
fast brother even with all I know we've been tracking it very
29:25
closely, but it's it's moved fast.
29:27
I get just yesterday it was like mid February.
29:30
We are in May, so it's. Crazy.
29:32
So it does feel like it was just yesterday.
29:35
It felt like just yesterday I was in Jacksonville.
29:38
Yeah, yeah, he's having pigs and everything, man.
29:41
Yeah. So, but yeah, just week 12
29:45
powerhouse pose. You know, you're going to start
29:46
with the pitching from my side, number one at the top of the
29:49
guy, Zach Cowan. You know, just, you know, Jake
29:52
called it, you called it, you know, number two.
29:55
Number two, I got Marcos Paz and #3 I got William Schmidt.
29:59
Now I put Cowan was, you know, he was excellent in game three
30:01
versus Carolina. Yeah. 7 strikeouts to only two
30:04
hits in a walk and six innings pitched.
30:06
You know, as far as Marcos passed, he gave up three walks
30:10
during his outing, but he recorded 8 KS but only allowed
30:12
one hit. And then lastly with you know,
30:15
William Schmidt, you had a five hits or steep, but he still
30:19
produce 7 KS not only allowed one hit on the game.
30:22
Well, this is only why I want to walk.
30:23
I'm sorry, I'm typo right there. But just but like you have you
30:27
guys that three guys with at least seven KS like again, you
30:30
know, we we've always preferences.
30:32
You know, I know South Carolina. This ain't this ain't the early
30:34
2010 S Carolina. So, you know, we're not, we're
30:37
not confusing that by any means, but.
30:38
Which, by the way, for you South Carolina fans, that was the only
30:42
time y'all were relevant in baseball.
30:48
Sorry to burst you bubble, but y'all weren't this elite program
30:51
that y'all kept saying. Y'all keep thinking y'all were
30:53
OK We. Can move on.
30:56
I just had to throw that out there and put salt on the wound
30:59
and like somebody, somebody in my section kept saying maybe I
31:03
should have kept Paul Minary. I love Paul, I mean, but they I
31:05
can't. It's hard to say we made a bad
31:07
decision having two 2004 years and I love Paul though, don't
31:10
get me wrong. I'm not, I'm not talking about
31:12
us. This guy from behind us kept
31:14
screaming at South Carolina. Y'all should have kept Paul
31:17
Minary. Well, I assume to Yeah, yeah,
31:19
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But no, be out, dude.
31:22
Yeah, I got you from my pitch. I got Cowan positive she did.
31:25
So what you got? Same thing, actually, you know,
31:28
Cowan pauses. Schmidt Cowan had two wins last
31:33
week, and there's not many FCC pitches who can start two games.
31:38
By the way, these weren't like a relief pitches.
31:40
These were two starts. And he went on the week he went.
31:45
These were his stats for the Week 0 ERA, 10 innings pitched.
31:49
He gave up four hits, walked two and struck out 14.
31:52
Yeah, that was that was amazing this week, bro.
31:56
Yeah, then I'll let you go with your you go on offense or
32:02
defense next. We go offense next.
32:04
So offense I put Kate Air B, Omar, Sona Junior and Steven
32:08
Milam and three to round out the top three guys for me.
32:11
So you know, finishing this one with 9 combined hits.
32:13
You know, Air B he he, this dude is on a tear.
32:17
Like you know, I snubbed like I would like I snubbed them the
32:19
other week. But I mean, but other guys, I
32:21
feel like they were more steady. They had hits in each game, but
32:25
just like when you when you consider just air B has been on
32:29
scorching tear, just like I said, nine hits during this this
32:33
stretch. You know, just like he started
32:35
off the season hot, went cold for a while.
32:37
Days really picked it back up in a major way.
32:40
So shout out to him. I just saw I got second.
32:42
I got Omar Serna. You know, he has seven hits
32:46
during this during this stretch, like by the end of the South
32:49
Carolina series, he had he was on the 11 game hit streak.
32:52
And last I got Steven Milo and you know, very steady with six
32:56
hits during this run. And like I, I gave some
32:58
consideration to Dardar because he had like several, several
33:01
hits tried to run too, but I gave Steven Milo just a little
33:04
bit more steady. So those are my guys, my guys I.
33:09
Think we all got 1 the same Yeah, I'm going to start this,
33:12
but anytime you get a bunt double, you're on the top of my
33:17
list, yeah. Number one.
33:21
Derek Curiel for that double that he bought it.
33:24
It was just a perfect thought. Rucker on fire with the bat had
33:30
some timely hits. Yeah.
33:33
Which we struggled to get. Then weeks pass, so Rucker at
33:36
2:00 and then Cerner junior at three, you know, you know,
33:40
enough said. The work he's done and the stuff
33:42
he's done, yeah, he's been incredible.
33:45
And they needed them. Yeah.
33:46
We can't say nothing about the freshman man.
33:48
Yeah, but like I. Said I went with Rocket because
33:50
he's had a few good at bats. Really got the team going.
33:54
Let you go to your on defense blasted with defense.
33:58
Let me. Guess, Let me guess #1 Steven.
34:00
Mylam, he guess right he. Guess right, Steven Mylam look,
34:06
there's going to be a shock. Kate Aramedius second and
34:08
William Patrick rounds out my top three.
34:10
So look, this is my description. Deaf taxes in the infield
34:13
monster. I mean some stuff in line in
34:15
Wisconsin instead, but you can just rest assured with Steven
34:18
Mylham in the infield, you know, just he continues to be
34:21
brilliant defensively. You know, he produced numerous
34:24
house, but he had two unassisted double plays in this stretch and
34:27
this like this dude is is this unstoppable defensively.
34:32
I think like I know you, I I'll leave this to you, just like I
34:35
know he's the to me, he's the greatest defensive shortstop
34:37
this program's ever seen. I think so.
34:40
Yeah, I just like, I mean like. Say I know you you deeper like I
34:43
know Bregman is up there. Bregman's up there, but if you
34:47
got to give a slight edge to Bregman over Mile and it's I
34:50
think the bat was more consistent for sure.
34:52
Yeah, without question. But defensively?
34:54
I think he's the more solid choice.
34:56
Yeah. Like especially this.
34:57
Like the guy, the guy is so unbelievable man.
35:00
I know we Tiger guy, but just like if you if you just sit down
35:03
and watch the games every time out that he he does not miss.
35:07
It is extremely, extremely rare. But just like to finish off real
35:11
quick, you know, I was really impressed by Kade on defense.
35:15
He had like 4 throw outs especially like he had like a
35:18
sliding catch behind home plate against Tulane.
35:20
He did have that. Yeah, it was like, dude, I was
35:23
like. Oh man, like you saw you could
35:25
see him smiling just to the to the dugout.
35:27
Just that was a that's a heck of a play right there, just like I
35:30
was like, you know, we've we've gotten on him a good bit about
35:33
the defense. Defense hasn't been good behind
35:36
the play this year for the most part, but.
35:39
He was real solid this. Week just stretched and last I
35:42
got William Patrick, you know, steady in the field throughout
35:44
this run. You know he had a sliding deep
35:46
catch in game two against Carolina.
35:48
So obviously, you know very we talk about the fresh like these
35:51
guys been really impactful. Yeah, I have.
35:54
Where is it? You know Milo number.
35:58
One, of course, enough said. Then I have Rucker to major just
36:03
leap and balance improvement from him.
36:05
Yeah, yeah. He may.
36:10
They. Turn a couple double.
36:11
Plays with him in there. He was really solid.
36:14
I liked him, you know. And then Mason.
36:18
Braun at first, if that umpire wasn't so terrible on first
36:23
base. He would have.
36:26
Saved 2 double s going down that line against South Carolina.
36:30
And you know, to me, that's big. You know, I sit next to Musso at
36:34
the games and I overheard him say, oh, that's cool.
36:37
Last week. You know I.
36:40
Hate to be the. Guy who has to replace shortstop
36:43
next year man. That that you talk about a high
36:46
bar. God bless you, brother.
36:49
Yeah. You know, the bar is here right
36:52
now, Yeah. And I would be satisfied if the
36:55
new shortstop could at least go here.
36:58
I mean, listen. Everybody can't be like I said
37:00
to say, I was thinking similar with like, you know, Michael
37:03
Braswell at third last year, like just like that dude was
37:06
elite defensively. So just like if you get some of
37:09
that, I think it's a win. But just like they just set the
37:13
bar so high, man this and you and you really see it this year
37:16
with like Milan. They they've been unless you've
37:20
been a very poor fielding team this year.
37:22
Imagine how even worse they would be without him.
37:24
Exactly. So yeah.
37:27
I'm with you. I don't.
37:27
Have a least valuable player for LSU, but I will give one to
37:30
South. I'll give one to South Carolina.
37:34
There's Sunday pitcher with the shakes every time.
37:40
That kid. Would throw out the wind up he
37:44
would. Before he would bring his leg.
37:47
Up. He would shake his butt and then
37:49
he'd bring his leg up and throw and it'd be a bit worse.
37:52
He had success. Because it was so distracting at
37:57
first. That's.
37:58
What I was, I was like, but you would have got me once.
38:01
Once, once he got through that lineup the first time, he
38:04
stepped off the mound and called timeout.
38:06
Coach, you got to come get me. And that coach said we ain't got
38:10
enough arms. We used them all.
38:11
You got to stay out there. Yeah, I know.
38:13
That's that's. Tough.
38:14
That's tough, man. I said listen, that's that's.
38:18
That that was so. Fun, I'm like, bro, you cannot
38:21
do shit. I'm even working back.
38:23
I mean, but hey, there's you. Oh man, but you know, I was
38:28
going to say before you said that we're just like, you know,
38:30
it's a good week you when Justin doesn't give her LVP.
38:33
So you know, shout out to the tigers.
38:35
Like I said, you know, we're not we're not over the moon.
38:38
I mean, I'm, I'm not, we're always happy when our Tigers
38:40
wins, but just we're not over the moon about it because the
38:42
the competition and it does play a role, but they didn't what
38:45
they were supposed to do. I will say this.
38:47
I'm over the moon about it, but not for this year, for next
38:51
year. How those freshmen competed and
38:53
played, I'm really impressed and if they can keep that up, I
38:57
think we're going to be good in the next couple of years.
38:59
I'm with you. Well, as far as my tone setting,
39:03
Tiger, you know, I could have put the team by specifically.
39:06
I just went with pitching, you know, only.
39:09
Largely. Because of Georgia, you know,
39:11
they have scores to baseball all year.
39:14
You know, the staff we need the staff needs to be all hands on
39:16
deck to control the the control the series.
39:19
You know, like even I was looking at the the two lane
39:21
game. You know, just two lane's not a
39:22
great team this year and we gave up several runs to him.
39:26
You know, the mile wasn't good. So it's vital that you come
39:28
against the dogs man, because like, and I always say baseball
39:31
starts on the mound. I'm a I'm a offensive guy, but
39:33
baseball's so unique, uniquely driven to the defensive game.
39:37
It starts on the mound. And really, to be honest with
39:39
you, I put an asterisk. You know, at this point, I don't
39:41
care who, how you get it done, just get it done.
39:43
Like you said, I could have put the team, but just they they
39:46
need like, and I'll tell you early just about Georgia is
39:49
leading in every offensive category.
39:52
They lead the conference at batting average 325.
39:56
They lead the conference in runs, 466, lead the conference
39:59
in hits, 545. You know, they're SEC.
40:03
They are. They're actually third in double
40:05
s. They lead in home runs with 131.
40:09
Yeah, and like. The second place is has is.
40:14
Vandy at 100. And they were like the hottest
40:16
on the hottest office team in the in the sport.
40:18
The start of the year. Yeah, man, you know I put the.
40:22
Team, I just think. You can't.
40:25
It was hard for. Me to pick a certain area.
40:28
Because we've been so bad. At all three assets, yeah,
40:31
that's the thing like. Don't want into it.
40:33
That wasn't the vision I have for.
40:34
Tall city Tiger we. Finally played A5 game stretch
40:39
where everything kind of aligned.
40:42
Yeah, it. Wasn't walks last night?
40:44
That did damage. It was just hits and I can live
40:49
with that, you know. So I put the team, they just
40:52
need to come out with that same energy and start with a bang
40:55
this weekend against Georgia. And if all else fails, the
41:00
freshmen are getting pretty solid reps for next year.
41:03
Yeah, that's the thing. You know this and I looked at
41:05
just the last thing about Jordan real quick and they lead the
41:09
conference with slugging percentages at 6:22.
41:11
Second place is A&M with 574. They're like 50.
41:15
They're 50 points and sudden percentage is bigger and better
41:18
than the second place team. Like they're they're just on
41:20
another tear this year, brother. I understand like the field.
41:23
I know even the thing about baseball, I know like the fields
41:26
and like the structure of the field plays a role in that.
41:28
But you still got to hit it over the field.
41:30
But like I said, every. Time I make fun of a team for
41:33
playing on the T-ball field. LSU goes over there and don't.
41:37
Listen and doesn't hit a. Single home run.
41:40
So, you know, I'm not saying anything about that.
41:43
They lead, they lead it in office.
41:45
That's what it all boils down to.
41:47
That's their home turf. Do I think that George is going
41:50
to make a run? They're not in my top, my Omaha
41:52
8 just because it doesn't matter how good they are, they always
41:55
seem to blow it at some point. I mean.
41:57
Listen, well, shoot down. I mean, I mean, you still got
42:00
some competition in the conference, but it would be a
42:03
year for them to do it. But yeah, but this, we'll get
42:07
into that Omaha. 8 next week or the week after, yeah.
42:12
Yeah. We'll do that though.
42:13
SEC Tournament week, We'll get into that, but I don't have
42:16
anything else. You got any closing thoughts?
42:19
And like I said, brother. Just like, you know, again, it's
42:21
always a pleasure. You know, this it was a fun week
42:23
of baseball this week and five in a row, you know, they got
42:25
some momentum. Now I get this.
42:27
I just want to give a shout out to those young men.
42:29
You know, it's it's been a struggle this year, but just I
42:32
don't know how the season's going to end.
42:33
You know, they still got you got the Georgia series, you got the
42:36
the Florida series left in conference.
42:39
No more Midweeks and then of course, you got the tournament.
42:41
But just I'm not I'm not sure what's what's what's in store.
42:46
Like I said, just basically what you said, just they need to keep
42:49
that momentum going. They just cannot they they
42:52
cannot afford to get off to those slow start on both sides,
42:57
especially against this team on like they just cannot do it this
43:00
time. And look, I will say I'm going.
43:02
To use this as an example, Lord was the number one team in
43:07
Louisiana going into that playoff.
43:09
They had only lost two or three games, and Dutchtown beat them
43:15
six to two, then lost 14 to 1 and then won six to two again to
43:22
punch that ticket to the semi finals against Zachary.
43:24
So congratulations to Dutch Town Inc.
43:27
Yeah, then congratulations to all those seniors out there that
43:30
are graduating this week in Ascension Parish and everywhere
43:33
else. Yeah, that's right.
43:35
Yeah, but you know. That'll do it for me.
43:38
I don't have anything else to say other than LSU just needs to
43:41
keep going. That's it and keep pushing
43:43
through a pleasure as always. Likewise brother.
43:47
And please, like, comment, subscribe, share it.
43:50
I'll do all the things help us grow.
43:53
I'm shooting for 100 subscribers on YouTube and that's it.
43:57
But. I know you steadily climbing.
43:59
I know that I've been looking at the numbers.
44:02
We're at 40. Right now, yeah.
44:04
It was like, it was like. 38 a couple days ago, that's what's
44:06
up. Yeah, that's what I'm we're
44:08
trying. To making the push, try to get
44:11
100 subscribers on YouTube, then I'll make the push for the
44:14
Spotify later on. You know, I just feel like.
44:18
YouTube's a lot easier to grow it, yeah.
44:21
Sure, but shooting? For 100 subscribers on YouTube,
44:25
go follow the TikTok. Go follow the Instagram,
44:28
Twitter, Facebook page to Spotify.
44:31
But let's get this thing going and hopefully the tigers can
44:35
keep it going and that'll do it for me.
44:38
As always, have a great day, a great night, whatever you have,
44:41
just make it a great one and that'll do it from us.
44:44
Yes, Sir. Peace.
44:45
Peace.