Gator Baseball 2023 Gator Baseball Thread- CWS Bound

[Joegator96]

In total the staff only walked 1 and only hit one batter, so much improvement. Nesbitt was not as sharp as last week, but UNF is not a terrible team, but he did not have his A stuff. I like Jameson, but he just can't seem to get outs, but in fairness he walked no one so that bothers me less. He just can't quite locate when needed. It is not as frustrating watching the other team get hits as opposed to walking around the bases without swinging.

Looks like it is going to be the 3 starters from here on out and a bullpen of Slater, Fic, Fisher, Abner and Neely, barring a blowout game. Midweek game will be a potpourri of the hopefuls. The wildcard will be Coppola if he comes back. I am sure Sully will pitch him midweek if healthy just to see what he has before throwing him to the weekend wolves out of the bullpen, if his arm is healthy and his pitching stuff can measure up.

Rather see the little lefty playing left field this weekend. Fabian looks uncomfortable out there and of course Evans dropped another routine fly that would have ended the game.

Yeah, sounds right, I would add Hartzog to that middle inning group too. Knowing Sully's tendencies I doubt we have seen the last of Purnell much to our dislike. Having the Noles as our mid-week games over the next month makes it imperative for the remainder to provide some quality innings. WTF is wrong with Coppola? Long stint disabled.

 

[FireFoley]

Yeah, sounds right, I would add Hartzog to that middle inning group too. Knowing Sully's tendencies I doubt we have seen the last of Purnell much to our dislike. Having the Noles as our mid-week games over the next month makes it imperative for the remainder to provide some quality innings. WTF is wrong with Coppola? Long stint disabled.

Made one appearance last year as a frosh and I think it was a Sunday start. Looked pretty good and came out with I think a back injury. Well never heard anything after that and has not pitched again. Word has been he should be coming back soon, so he would make for a decent starter against the CLOWNS midweek b/c we normally just pitch our leftovers midweek.

 

[OBG]

First game I've watched this season. Sproat with a gem, complete game shutout giving up one hit with 11 Ks. Gators beat the Tide 3-0

 

[Joegator96]

WOW, Brandon Sproat owned opening night in the SEC. Complete game 1 hit shutout. Just blew them away. We get 3 timely hits turn it into the 3 runs we need. Excellent!

 

[FireFoley]

I was at the game. First 2 innings Sproat was his usual wild-ish self, and then BOOM he found something and the switch was flipped. He was terrific.

 

[Bullag8r]

One of the best baseball games I have ever seen. Sproat pitched an absolute gem throwing less than 12 pitches per inning (11.78) and Rivera, Halter, Robertson, Kurland, etc. made some unbelievable web-gem defensive plays. The game was one hour and fifty minutes long. It is only one game but I am loving it while it lasts.

As a bonus we also had great seats.

 

[FireFoley]

Game 1 3:30 today. Game 2 will folllow. Long day at the park today but plenty of rest for the starters before going to Ole Piss next week,

 

[dphgator96]

Game 1 3:30 today. Game 2 will folllow. Long day at the park today but plenty of rest for the starters before going to Ole Piss next week,

Do you know if they are doing 7 innings or 9

 

[FireFoley]

Do you know if they are doing 7 innings or 9

I believe it is 9, but of course it could be less by pulling out the whoompin stick and run ruling them

 

[Joegator96]

I believe it is 9, but of course it could be less by pulling out the whoompin stick and run ruling them

My only concern is this has Cags on only 4 days rest. I suspect Sully will want to be cautious with him and get him out after 70 something pitches. Hope Waldrep can go deep into game 1/

 

[FireFoley]

My only concern is this has Cags on only 4 days rest. I suspect Sully will want to be cautious with him and get him out after 70 something pitches. Hope Waldrep can go deep into game 1/

Understood but Cags only threw 60 or so pitches last week as Sully was cautious with all 3 given it was a short week and Siena sucked. I concur that Cags has the shortest leash but we have plenty of arms for today. Just keep the walks and HBP's down and I will live with the results. Halter was really good defensively last night as was Rivera, so let your defense help you out.

 

[AuggieDosta]

Game 1 3:30 today. Game 2 will folllow. Long day at the park today but plenty of rest for the starters before going to Ole Piss next week,

Game 2 and 3 today due to rain tomorrow.

 

[PhD Gator]

Walk-off win for the Gators in game 1! Now let's get the sweep.

 

[FireFoley]

Nice comeback. Wind was blowing hard. Helped both teams. Kept fighting back despite so so pitching. Our pitching was just enough but every time we walked or hit a guy in an inning it haunted us. We have plenty of arms, just not sure we have enough good arms in the bullpen. Hope Cags can find his bat but maybe with Langford out it is hurting him a bit

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Well glad we won the first 2, bc we're getting whipped in the last one.

 

[Towels 'N Sporks]

Well glad we won the first 2, bc we're getting whipped in the last one.

Yeah I'm happy happy to win the series without Langford but the sweep would be great. I don't think it's a coincidence that our runs are more sparse now that he's been out.

 

[Joegator96]

Did not get to watch every inning and much of what I watched I was distracted by festivities. Three observations 1) Robertson may be very fast but he is not a heady baserunner, too many unforced mistakes for a guy who has been playing for top programs for so long. 2) Ty Evans is more liability than asset hitting in the heart of the order, his strikeouts are maddening. It makes little sense to have him hitting behind Riopelle as the two lead the team in SO's. Move Halter up to six and Evans down a notch or two. 3) Not having Langford is a huge hole and I believe not having Heyman is another hole in the lineup, he was stroking the ball well in his opportunities and we need him back, the lack of run production this weekend makes these cases.

 

[FireFoley]

Well the games were competitive but UF is beginning to exhibit many of the qualities that has plagued them recently. Way too many pop ups and K's. Yes I know the game is played differently but zero stress on the defense is not a good recipe. As mentioned Robertson leaving 1st base on that dropped 3rd strike was killer for Uncle Mo. You have to know the rules with less than 2 outs.

Both starters on Friday were sub par relative to what will be needed going forward. Waldrop took a step beck and walking the first 2 hitters he saw was not a good omen. Thankfully the Bama coach chose NOT to use his closer in Game 2. Had he we might not have won that series. That dude is legit. Big difference between him as a closer and Neely. Different ways to skin a cat I guess.

Need Langford in a big way. As the opposing pitching only gets tougher going forward.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

yeah what i saw this weekend was a lot of pop ups and fly outs or home runs and not much in between. its either over the fence or an easy out. very few guys on base early in the inning. seemed like when we did get a guy or 2 on it was with 2 outs and then followed that up with a strike out to end the inning the same way we started it. yea, the team can hit some bombs but weve had good HR power for years. id trade all that to just be able to put the bat on the ball and get on base consistently. its looking more like feast or famine with this team, just like every other year the past 10.

 

[Bullag8r]

@FireFoley and @Durty South Swamp

Great observations! The big hitters with few exceptions disappear under pressure by drubbing hits into the dirt or striking out if they don't pop out. The occasional HR with a guy on base is not a winning strategy but that is where we have been for over 10 years. They are all swinging like Jud Fabian which is a strategy based on luck and rainbows