re: Hurd has to be used as a starter in postseason

I'm just not going to criticize Johnson on Hurd.

The kid has real stuff. It's legitimate top-end stuff. And he'll show it, and you'll say "OK, it's finally here."

And then he gives up two home runs in the 9th when you've got the game more or less won.

Guys like that are the definition of a coach-killer. You keep going back there because you can't help but think "if he just locks in, he's invaluable." But bad things keep happening.

But I'll tell you who's a comp for Hurd, not in how he pitches but in the results he gave.

Trey Hodges.

All season in 2000, Hodges was a lot like Hurd. He showed just enough promise that Skip stuck with him even though his ERA was sky-high, and then finally it clicked in the postseason.

Maybe that's Hurd, and maybe he keeps getting better and this rough two weeks starts to fade away.

Or maybe in a couple weeks Hurd gives up a bomb that sends Troy State or somebody to a super regional out of Alex Box, and we're all going to want Johnson's head.

But since the rest of our arms aren't any better, I can't fault Johnson for chasing the dream with Hurd.