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How did the Pitching dramatically improve so quickly?
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:51 pm
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:51 pm
Once the "Friday Starter" Skenes was taken into account, there was not much after that to generate a lot of confidence after LSU beat Kentucky in the Super Regional. Most people thought that the LSU Offense would have to win the games, because the Pitching and especially the Bullpen was not generating a lot of confidence.
Most folks accepted that. After all, LSU had lost three excellent pitchers to injury. That's a big loss. No college team is perfect and it was accepted that the LSU Offense would have to win the games in Omaha. Not many expected LSU to win it all, and, this board reflected that fact at the time.
But something very strange happened - Skenes was Skenes of course, but, the rest of the LSU pitching staff pitched out of their minds, and I wish I knew how they managed that amazing feat.
How did these guys do it? How did they manage to step up the level of pitching so dramatically?
Most folks accepted that. After all, LSU had lost three excellent pitchers to injury. That's a big loss. No college team is perfect and it was accepted that the LSU Offense would have to win the games in Omaha. Not many expected LSU to win it all, and, this board reflected that fact at the time.
But something very strange happened - Skenes was Skenes of course, but, the rest of the LSU pitching staff pitched out of their minds, and I wish I knew how they managed that amazing feat.
How did these guys do it? How did they manage to step up the level of pitching so dramatically?
23
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:52 pm to Champagne
The SEC zone went away and for the most part the wind blew in.
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:53 pm to Champagne
Home field all the way through plus Omaha is more of a pitchers park is part of it
Guys stepping up in crunch time
Coaches calling great games
Guys stepping up in crunch time
Coaches calling great games
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:54 pm to Champagne
The coaches scaled back on who they put in high leverage situations.
Some guys that struggled this year will be better next season for the experience gained
Some guys that struggled this year will be better next season for the experience gained
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:54 pm to Champagne
Biggest difference I saw was much more of an emphasis on attacking the zone.
Earlier on 0-2 or 1-2 it seemed like we threw alot more “chase pitches” let the hitter even the count and had to feed Fastballs that got smoked or just walked guys.
In Omaha it seemed like 0-2 or 1-2 meant blood in the water and we just went after dudes.
Earlier on 0-2 or 1-2 it seemed like we threw alot more “chase pitches” let the hitter even the count and had to feed Fastballs that got smoked or just walked guys.
In Omaha it seemed like 0-2 or 1-2 meant blood in the water and we just went after dudes.
This post was edited on 6/28/23 at 9:57 pm
Posted on 6/28/23 at 9:56 pm to Champagne
Stopped walking a dozen batters a game
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:03 pm to Champagne
Rope was held
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:12 pm to Champagne
We don't know how it all magically came together, but we needed every bit of it.
Between Floyd being a true #2 (he was arguably even better than that especially in the CWS), then filling in the gaps with an Ackenhausen and Hurd and then move to the bullpen where Cooper was absolutely nails, this is how you win a championship. Add in a Herring giving very crucial long relief.
Hard to explain. Nobody saw all that coming. But it had to happen. And it did.
Between Floyd being a true #2 (he was arguably even better than that especially in the CWS), then filling in the gaps with an Ackenhausen and Hurd and then move to the bullpen where Cooper was absolutely nails, this is how you win a championship. Add in a Herring giving very crucial long relief.
Hard to explain. Nobody saw all that coming. But it had to happen. And it did.
This post was edited on 6/28/23 at 10:13 pm
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:33 pm to Champagne
We did change one thing. In Omaha we had the catcher set up in the middle of the plate instead of whatever side the ball was going to. Makes us less predictable and easier to pound the zone.
Wind blew in
Strike zone changed a bit
Roles were defined
Focus intensified
Wind blew in
Strike zone changed a bit
Roles were defined
Focus intensified
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:44 pm to Champagne
Much better job not giving up walks
Posted on 6/28/23 at 10:51 pm to Champagne
Bigger strike zones
Posted on 6/28/23 at 11:35 pm to Champagne
Seems like after Miss State game Wes Johnson never went to the mound, only CJJ from that point forward. Seems like CJJ took more control of the pitching strategy/management.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 3:14 am to Champagne
Maybe they are more talented than we gave them credit for! and
The strike zone expanded a bit in CWS
They challenged the hitters more over the plate, and less walks allowed
Wind blew in a big park
CWS made them step up a notch
The strike zone expanded a bit in CWS
They challenged the hitters more over the plate, and less walks allowed
Wind blew in a big park
CWS made them step up a notch
Posted on 6/29/23 at 3:32 am to Champagne
Amphetamines.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 4:30 am to Champagne
quote:
How did these guys do it? How did they manage to step up the level of pitching so dramatically?
Thatcher Hurd started turning it on, on his own about halfway through the year and continued to get better and better. Floyd had a great season from start to finish. Those two pieces were the biggest regarding the look of the pitching in the college world series.
The Bullpen arms are a different story. Riley Cooper looked great at times even last year. I think the biggest thing for him were the ball park conditions at Charles Schwab field. The big park feel really played into his hands. His biggest issue was giving up homeruns. (He pitched in nearly every game for LSU in the college world series and was our go to closer.)
Another major thing that changed the performance of the bullpen in the college world series was the fact that they stuck with a trusted rotation of their most reliable pitchers out of the pen. During the season they weren't able to do that. In the one game that LSU pitched Collins, Little, Dutton, and Money, Florida scored 24 runs and tied the record for most hits in a college world series game.
Lastly, there's a lot to be said about confidence sweeping through the pitching staff. When Skenes, Floyd, Hurd, and Cooper began stepping up all of the talk started about the change in pitching and the confidence swept through the staff. Herring was great for most of the season because of his control. Ackenhausen (a lefty with a day game and shadows) trusted the park and just found the zone. He said before he pitched he knew that players were smashing pitches and the ball still hung up and didn't get out so he just let it ride and trusted the park and his defense. Guidry honestly didn't look great and hung several breaking balls that were smashed for homeruns and he was taken out quickly. In the final game he had a huge lead and it didn't matter.
This post was edited on 6/29/23 at 4:56 am
Posted on 6/29/23 at 5:18 am to Champagne
Skenes and Wes. Skenes was like the best big brother to all of them. And Wes is just the best. We are going to miss him.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 6:06 am to Champagne
Improved about the time CWJ was announced coach at UGA
Posted on 6/29/23 at 8:29 am to Champagne
A guy like Hurd you could tell early in an outing of he would be good or bad. Most of the time in the last month or so it was good. He harnessed the over throwing and threw more offspeed pitches
For Cooper, his velo went up noticeably late in the year. He went from hanging around 89-90 to 92-93, and he got more swing and miss. Just with the naked out, this was an effort thing you could see in his windup. He was just putting more on his throws.
I think for Ty Floyd, you kept hearing Johnson in his press conferences hint that Floyd has always been in his own head. To me, his pitches down the stretch had more intent and purpose and he started to trust his stuff. The strike-zone helped him the most out of all the pitchers, but his control actually improved a good deal as well.
Im not sure anyone else pitched abnormally outside of the Ackenhausen outing, but we just didn't really see enough of him to judge. He certainly had never thrown that long, but there were days when his stuff was that good.
For Cooper, his velo went up noticeably late in the year. He went from hanging around 89-90 to 92-93, and he got more swing and miss. Just with the naked out, this was an effort thing you could see in his windup. He was just putting more on his throws.
I think for Ty Floyd, you kept hearing Johnson in his press conferences hint that Floyd has always been in his own head. To me, his pitches down the stretch had more intent and purpose and he started to trust his stuff. The strike-zone helped him the most out of all the pitchers, but his control actually improved a good deal as well.
Im not sure anyone else pitched abnormally outside of the Ackenhausen outing, but we just didn't really see enough of him to judge. He certainly had never thrown that long, but there were days when his stuff was that good.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 8:43 am to Champagne
Floyd had already shown that he was ready for the next level as had Hurd. The great performances by the relief pitchers was Lagniappe. Unexpected.
Posted on 6/29/23 at 9:03 am to Champagne
The guys stepped up, and the coaches let them fight through tough situations rather than going to multiple bullpen arms
Wind blowing in at Omaha made a big difference, as it did for our offense.
Wind blowing in at Omaha made a big difference, as it did for our offense.
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