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re: SEC Baseball: LSU 6, Miss St. 4 | FINAL/10 | TIGERS WIN!!! | Katz 2 Bombs!! |
Posted on 3/15/13 at 2:13 pm to rt3
Posted on 3/15/13 at 2:13 pm to rt3
ICYMI:
Perfect Game Article
Balanced LSU heads to Mississippi State
LSU coach Paul Mainieri couldn't feel better about his club entering its opening series of Southeastern Conference play against Mississippi State.
There were plenty of question marks about LSU entering the spring. Despite a lofty ranking, the Tigers had some significant holes to fill. For instance, who would replace Austin Nola at shortstop, and would someone finally step into that No. 3 spot in the weekend rotation? Those were the primary questions, with others out there, too.
Mainieri certainly wouldn't call the Tigers flawless at this stage of the season, but he feels good about the direction this team is headed. It's easy to see why, too, when you consider the Tigers are 16-1 with an impressive balance of offensive production and consistent overall pitching.
"I couldn't be more pleased with where we are as a team right now. Most of the questions we needed answers to have evolved. Our guys have pretty much played themselves into their roles," Mainieri said. "We have a good balance of right-handed and left-handed hitters, we play solid defense, we've got some power, and we've got some good top-line starting pitchers.
Alex Bregman has been an instant infusion for the Tigers. (LSU photo)"Really, just kind of closing off the closer role is the only question mark we have left."
When discussing the Tigers before the season, the names of right-handed pitchers Aaron Nola and Ryan Eades were most talked about, and for good reason. Nola had an outstanding freshman campaign for the Tigers, while Eades is one of the elite prospects for the upcoming MLB draft.
Both pitchers had incredibly high expectations placed on them before the season, but they've flourished so far this spring. Nola, who has gained 20 pounds since arriving at LSU two falls ago, has a 2.77 ERA in 26 innings, while also flashing a fastball up to 95, while Eades has been much more consistent this spring with a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings. He also has been up to 95 with his fastball, but most importantly, he's avoiding the mistake pitches that haunted him last season.
"Nola has really picked up his velocity a bit, and his overall stuff is just better this season. He gets up to 95, but kind of works at 91-92, but that's not bad considering his overall stuff," Mainieri said. "His curveball has really tightened up, and his changeup is pretty good right now. He's a better pitcher than he was last season.
"As for Ryan, he's really made a big jump forward this season. He's not making the same mistakes he was last season," he said. "There were times in the past when he'd go 0-2 and hang a curveball. He's not doing that anymore, and consequently, he's striking out more hitters."
While Nola and Eades lead the weekend rotation, the Tigers have gotten very comfortable with sophomore left-handed hurler Cody Glenn in the No. 3 spot. LSU began the season with Brent Bonvillain in the No. 3 role, but Glenn has occupied that spot for the past couple of weeks.
The left-hander hasn't disappointed Mainieri and LSU pitching coach Alan Dunn. He has an 0.73 ERA in 24 2/3 innings of work. He also has a unique arm angle, which creates more movement and deception on his pitches. Interestingly, Glenn was recruited as more of a higher velocity type of pitcher.
"He has really emerged and didn't even give up a run through his first 19 innings. He's really done a great job, emerging as our No. 3 starter in the process," he said. "When we recruited him, we though he'd be a 90 mph type of guy, but his arm slot dropped a bit and he's having a lot of success with his new angle. He's not throwing quite as hard as he did before, but his command is better and he keeps the ball down."
With the weekend starting roles seemingly set for good, the Tigers also don't expect to have many changes in regards to the bullpen. Veteran left-handed pitcher Chris Cotton, a 5-foot-10, 166-pounder, continues to do a fantastic job on the back-end of games with an 0.84 ERA and five saves in 10 2/3 innings, while Kevin Berry, Hunter Devall, Joey Bourgeois and Will LaMarche continue to add additional stability to the bullpen.
If there's a surprise with this club at this point in the season, it's the sheer production of the offense when you factor in that second baseman JaCoby Jones and catcher Ty Ross, both Preseason All-Americans, are hitting .235 and .213, respectively. Mainieri said both players are hitting better than the averages might indicate, but it's common thought the talented duo eventually will get things back on track.
The Tigers can give much early season credit to freshmen Mark Laird and Alex Bregman. Bregman's sudden rise comes as a surprise to no one. He was chosen as the PG Preseason Freshman of the Year, and has played the part in place of Austin Nola. Bregman is hitting .391 with six doubles, two triples, a home run and 16 RBIs. He also has been solid defensively so far this spring, a sigh of relief for Mainieri considering how good Nola was last season.
Laird, though, is a huge surprise. A very under the radar recruit out of high school, the premier athlete, who has 3.58 speed from home to first base, is leading the team with an outstanding .410 batting average and six RBIs.
The Tigers also are pleased with the contributions of junior-college transfer Christian Ibarra and Chris Sciambra, who's back after a serious back injury sidelined him last season.
"Those guys all bring something new and exciting to the table. Both Laird and Bregman are fearless and not your typical freshmen. You could see it in the fall," he said. "They had something different about them out there even then. Laird has a very calm demeanor with great skills, while Bregman is more emotional and plays the game at a very high level."
Confidence is abound for the Tigers as they head to Starkville, Miss., this weekend for a huge series against the Bulldogs.
Mainieri and the Tigers are ready for the road ahead.
Perfect Game Article
Balanced LSU heads to Mississippi State
LSU coach Paul Mainieri couldn't feel better about his club entering its opening series of Southeastern Conference play against Mississippi State.
There were plenty of question marks about LSU entering the spring. Despite a lofty ranking, the Tigers had some significant holes to fill. For instance, who would replace Austin Nola at shortstop, and would someone finally step into that No. 3 spot in the weekend rotation? Those were the primary questions, with others out there, too.
Mainieri certainly wouldn't call the Tigers flawless at this stage of the season, but he feels good about the direction this team is headed. It's easy to see why, too, when you consider the Tigers are 16-1 with an impressive balance of offensive production and consistent overall pitching.
"I couldn't be more pleased with where we are as a team right now. Most of the questions we needed answers to have evolved. Our guys have pretty much played themselves into their roles," Mainieri said. "We have a good balance of right-handed and left-handed hitters, we play solid defense, we've got some power, and we've got some good top-line starting pitchers.
Alex Bregman has been an instant infusion for the Tigers. (LSU photo)"Really, just kind of closing off the closer role is the only question mark we have left."
When discussing the Tigers before the season, the names of right-handed pitchers Aaron Nola and Ryan Eades were most talked about, and for good reason. Nola had an outstanding freshman campaign for the Tigers, while Eades is one of the elite prospects for the upcoming MLB draft.
Both pitchers had incredibly high expectations placed on them before the season, but they've flourished so far this spring. Nola, who has gained 20 pounds since arriving at LSU two falls ago, has a 2.77 ERA in 26 innings, while also flashing a fastball up to 95, while Eades has been much more consistent this spring with a 1.80 ERA in 25 innings. He also has been up to 95 with his fastball, but most importantly, he's avoiding the mistake pitches that haunted him last season.
"Nola has really picked up his velocity a bit, and his overall stuff is just better this season. He gets up to 95, but kind of works at 91-92, but that's not bad considering his overall stuff," Mainieri said. "His curveball has really tightened up, and his changeup is pretty good right now. He's a better pitcher than he was last season.
"As for Ryan, he's really made a big jump forward this season. He's not making the same mistakes he was last season," he said. "There were times in the past when he'd go 0-2 and hang a curveball. He's not doing that anymore, and consequently, he's striking out more hitters."
While Nola and Eades lead the weekend rotation, the Tigers have gotten very comfortable with sophomore left-handed hurler Cody Glenn in the No. 3 spot. LSU began the season with Brent Bonvillain in the No. 3 role, but Glenn has occupied that spot for the past couple of weeks.
The left-hander hasn't disappointed Mainieri and LSU pitching coach Alan Dunn. He has an 0.73 ERA in 24 2/3 innings of work. He also has a unique arm angle, which creates more movement and deception on his pitches. Interestingly, Glenn was recruited as more of a higher velocity type of pitcher.
"He has really emerged and didn't even give up a run through his first 19 innings. He's really done a great job, emerging as our No. 3 starter in the process," he said. "When we recruited him, we though he'd be a 90 mph type of guy, but his arm slot dropped a bit and he's having a lot of success with his new angle. He's not throwing quite as hard as he did before, but his command is better and he keeps the ball down."
With the weekend starting roles seemingly set for good, the Tigers also don't expect to have many changes in regards to the bullpen. Veteran left-handed pitcher Chris Cotton, a 5-foot-10, 166-pounder, continues to do a fantastic job on the back-end of games with an 0.84 ERA and five saves in 10 2/3 innings, while Kevin Berry, Hunter Devall, Joey Bourgeois and Will LaMarche continue to add additional stability to the bullpen.
If there's a surprise with this club at this point in the season, it's the sheer production of the offense when you factor in that second baseman JaCoby Jones and catcher Ty Ross, both Preseason All-Americans, are hitting .235 and .213, respectively. Mainieri said both players are hitting better than the averages might indicate, but it's common thought the talented duo eventually will get things back on track.
The Tigers can give much early season credit to freshmen Mark Laird and Alex Bregman. Bregman's sudden rise comes as a surprise to no one. He was chosen as the PG Preseason Freshman of the Year, and has played the part in place of Austin Nola. Bregman is hitting .391 with six doubles, two triples, a home run and 16 RBIs. He also has been solid defensively so far this spring, a sigh of relief for Mainieri considering how good Nola was last season.
Laird, though, is a huge surprise. A very under the radar recruit out of high school, the premier athlete, who has 3.58 speed from home to first base, is leading the team with an outstanding .410 batting average and six RBIs.
The Tigers also are pleased with the contributions of junior-college transfer Christian Ibarra and Chris Sciambra, who's back after a serious back injury sidelined him last season.
"Those guys all bring something new and exciting to the table. Both Laird and Bregman are fearless and not your typical freshmen. You could see it in the fall," he said. "They had something different about them out there even then. Laird has a very calm demeanor with great skills, while Bregman is more emotional and plays the game at a very high level."
Confidence is abound for the Tigers as they head to Starkville, Miss., this weekend for a huge series against the Bulldogs.
Mainieri and the Tigers are ready for the road ahead.
1
Posted on 3/15/13 at 2:15 pm to AstroTiger
ICYMI Part 2:
Baseball America Article
LSU
Preseason Question No. 1: Who will serve as the Sunday starter?
Answer: Cody Glenn looks well suited for the job.
The Tigers began the year with lefthander Brett Bonvillain in the No. 3 starter role, but they turned to another lefty—Glenn—in Week Three against Nicholls State. Glenn responded with seven shutout innings in that 2-0 win, then allowed just a pair of runs over 5 2/3 innings last week against Washington, cementing him as the Sunday starter. A 6-foot-4, 195-pound sophomore, Glenn hasn't yet emerged as the power pitcher the Tigers thought he would when they recruited him, but he has learned to pitch down in the zone with an 85-87 fastball that bumps 88-89, and his style is a nice contrast with LSU's first two starters—power righties Aaron Nola (who touched 95 mph last week, according to coach Paul Mainieri) and Ryan Eades.
"When we recruited him, we thought he was going to be a power pitcher, a hard-throwing lefty, but that really wasn't working for him," Mainieri said. "I don't know why or how, but he kind of dropped his arm slot a little bit to kind of a low three-quarters, which increases the movement, and in his case it's also increased the control. He has good command of his changeup and his breaking ball, and he controls the running game pretty good to keep the double play in order. You've got to play good defense behind him; if you do, he can be pretty effective."
Preseason Question No. 2: Who will anchor the back of the bullpen?
Answer: Chris Cotton's got it covered.
In Nick Goody, LSU was fortunate to have a prototypical hard-throwing closer with wipeout stuff last year, and replacing Goody was one of Mainieri's major concerns heading into the season. Righty Nick Rumbelow fits the mold of the power closer, but a strained oblique in late January got him off to a slow start. Another candidate, Kurt McCune, developed a stress fracture in his back that will sideline him for another few weeks. Joey Bourgeois gives the bullpen another power righty with a much-improved curveball, but he has settled nicely into the setup man role.
Chris Cotton
Cotton, a senior lefty, seized the closer job during LSU's opening-weekend sweep of Maryland, and he hasn't let it go. In 10 appearances, Cotton is 1-0, 0.84 with five saves and a 15-0 strikeout-walk mark over 11 innings. He lacks a true putaway pitch and his fastball tops out around 88, but his ability to locate all three of his offerings in any count allows him to dominate.
"I tell people, from the day Chris Cotton walked on campus, he demonstrated to me that he has the best pitch in baseball: He can throw a strike any day of the week in any situation," Mainieri said. "His velocity has picked up enough to keep people honest, and it's allowed his secondary stuff to be more effective. I think he strikes out an equal amount of batters with his fastball, curveball and changeup. I wouldn't say that any one of them is outstanding, but he mixes them up and keeps them off balance."
Preseason Question No. 3: Can Alex Bregman replace Austin Nola's defense at shortstop?
Answer: Yes.
Nola was a four-year stalwart at shortstop for LSU, a model of consistency and reliability. The Tigers expected an offensive upgrade at shortstop from heralded freshman Bregman, and he has certainly delivered, hitting .391/.463/.580 out of the No. 3 hole to team with Mason Katz and Raph Rhymes in the most formidable heart of the order LSU has had in a few years. The coaches also were hopeful Bregman would be able to handle the defensive responsibilities of his demanding position, but he has exceeded their most ambitious hopes, making no errors through 13 games and just two errors through 16 games.
"Everybody knew about Bregman, and I didn't do anything to squelch the promotion of him. Whenever anyone asked me about him I spoke in raving terms because I knew he could handle it," Mainieri said. "He hasn't done anything to disappoint us, and he's probably been even better defensively than we anticipated. There hasn't been one game yet where I thought, 'Nola would have made that play.' He's just been remarkable on defense."
Preseason Question No. 4: Will the Tigers get the offensive production they need out of freshmen and junior-college transfers?
Answer: Yes, emphatically.
Bregman's impact has been huge, but he isn't the only newcomer making waves in Baton Rouge. Freshman outfielder Mark Laird has emerged as a dynamic catalyst atop the lineup, leading the team with a .410 average and a .474 OBP, drawing eight walks and striking out just twice in 15 games. He also has put his exceptional speed to good use defensively, sliding from right field over to center field, bumping Chris Sciambra to a corner.
To be continued.....................
Baseball America Article
LSU
Preseason Question No. 1: Who will serve as the Sunday starter?
Answer: Cody Glenn looks well suited for the job.
The Tigers began the year with lefthander Brett Bonvillain in the No. 3 starter role, but they turned to another lefty—Glenn—in Week Three against Nicholls State. Glenn responded with seven shutout innings in that 2-0 win, then allowed just a pair of runs over 5 2/3 innings last week against Washington, cementing him as the Sunday starter. A 6-foot-4, 195-pound sophomore, Glenn hasn't yet emerged as the power pitcher the Tigers thought he would when they recruited him, but he has learned to pitch down in the zone with an 85-87 fastball that bumps 88-89, and his style is a nice contrast with LSU's first two starters—power righties Aaron Nola (who touched 95 mph last week, according to coach Paul Mainieri) and Ryan Eades.
"When we recruited him, we thought he was going to be a power pitcher, a hard-throwing lefty, but that really wasn't working for him," Mainieri said. "I don't know why or how, but he kind of dropped his arm slot a little bit to kind of a low three-quarters, which increases the movement, and in his case it's also increased the control. He has good command of his changeup and his breaking ball, and he controls the running game pretty good to keep the double play in order. You've got to play good defense behind him; if you do, he can be pretty effective."
Preseason Question No. 2: Who will anchor the back of the bullpen?
Answer: Chris Cotton's got it covered.
In Nick Goody, LSU was fortunate to have a prototypical hard-throwing closer with wipeout stuff last year, and replacing Goody was one of Mainieri's major concerns heading into the season. Righty Nick Rumbelow fits the mold of the power closer, but a strained oblique in late January got him off to a slow start. Another candidate, Kurt McCune, developed a stress fracture in his back that will sideline him for another few weeks. Joey Bourgeois gives the bullpen another power righty with a much-improved curveball, but he has settled nicely into the setup man role.
Chris Cotton
Cotton, a senior lefty, seized the closer job during LSU's opening-weekend sweep of Maryland, and he hasn't let it go. In 10 appearances, Cotton is 1-0, 0.84 with five saves and a 15-0 strikeout-walk mark over 11 innings. He lacks a true putaway pitch and his fastball tops out around 88, but his ability to locate all three of his offerings in any count allows him to dominate.
"I tell people, from the day Chris Cotton walked on campus, he demonstrated to me that he has the best pitch in baseball: He can throw a strike any day of the week in any situation," Mainieri said. "His velocity has picked up enough to keep people honest, and it's allowed his secondary stuff to be more effective. I think he strikes out an equal amount of batters with his fastball, curveball and changeup. I wouldn't say that any one of them is outstanding, but he mixes them up and keeps them off balance."
Preseason Question No. 3: Can Alex Bregman replace Austin Nola's defense at shortstop?
Answer: Yes.
Nola was a four-year stalwart at shortstop for LSU, a model of consistency and reliability. The Tigers expected an offensive upgrade at shortstop from heralded freshman Bregman, and he has certainly delivered, hitting .391/.463/.580 out of the No. 3 hole to team with Mason Katz and Raph Rhymes in the most formidable heart of the order LSU has had in a few years. The coaches also were hopeful Bregman would be able to handle the defensive responsibilities of his demanding position, but he has exceeded their most ambitious hopes, making no errors through 13 games and just two errors through 16 games.
"Everybody knew about Bregman, and I didn't do anything to squelch the promotion of him. Whenever anyone asked me about him I spoke in raving terms because I knew he could handle it," Mainieri said. "He hasn't done anything to disappoint us, and he's probably been even better defensively than we anticipated. There hasn't been one game yet where I thought, 'Nola would have made that play.' He's just been remarkable on defense."
Preseason Question No. 4: Will the Tigers get the offensive production they need out of freshmen and junior-college transfers?
Answer: Yes, emphatically.
Bregman's impact has been huge, but he isn't the only newcomer making waves in Baton Rouge. Freshman outfielder Mark Laird has emerged as a dynamic catalyst atop the lineup, leading the team with a .410 average and a .474 OBP, drawing eight walks and striking out just twice in 15 games. He also has put his exceptional speed to good use defensively, sliding from right field over to center field, bumping Chris Sciambra to a corner.
To be continued.....................
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