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Is the 9th inning LSU's doom?

Posted on 5/24/15 at 4:14 am
Posted by SlapahoeTribe
Tiger Nation
Member since Jul 2012
12441 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 4:14 am
Okay, maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but I was looking at the season's stats and it does appear that the late innings have been a struggle for the team:

4 of the 10 losses were blown in the top of the 9th.
2 more were blown in the 7th or 8th innings. (60% of the losses came in the last 20% of the game.)
4 of the 5 extra-inning wins were sent into extra innings by a blown lead in the 9th. (That's 8 of the 58 games, roughly 1/7th of the games wherein the 9th inning cost the team and I haven't added in the regulation wins of which they were required to recover from giving up runs in the top of the 9th.)

There were also a couple of instances were they went 9+ innings without an earned run. I love the team's power (415 runs on the year to opponents' 212) but the extended lulls and LOB are painful to watch.

Thoughts?
Posted by Malaysian Tiger
Manila
Member since May 2008
4732 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 4:42 am to
LSU throws the best Pitcher and he pitches a great game but the hitters go on vacation. When your best Pitcher is throwing you should always win those games!
Posted by LSUzealot
Napoleon and Magazine
Member since Sep 2003
57656 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 4:55 am to
As opposed to other teams who lose a lot more games but blow it in the early innings?

Give me this LSU team over any LSU team in the PM era except 2009 where I think we had much better pitching but weaker hitting.

I swear as an LSU fan, you can be the best team in the entire country and still have to read negative thread after negative thread.
Posted by iknowmorethanyou
Paydirt
Member since Jul 2007
6614 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 5:14 am to
quote:

Thoughts?


Gonna catch your fair share of downvotes.
This post was edited on 5/24/15 at 5:15 am
Posted by im4LSU
Hattiesburg, MS
Member since Aug 2004
34373 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 5:40 am to
They're coming out of the woodwork now boys.


Baseball season just started for most folks. Gonna be a lot more threads like this over the next few weeks.
Posted by SlapahoeTribe
Tiger Nation
Member since Jul 2012
12441 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 5:42 am to
quote:

LSUzealot
I swear as an LSU fan, you can be the best team in the entire country and still have to read negative thread after negative thread


I wasn't really complaining, I was putting some facts out there and asking if anyone had anything to add to the discussion; besides, they did just get a loss and I think that any team in any sport critiques their play after such a loss.

quote:

iknowmorethanyou
Gonna catch your fair share of downvotes.


Oh no, what ever shall I do?!

Really though, I was just seeing if anyone had any insight as to why the stats look the way they do. Is it the bullpen? Or maybe just that the starters are having better showings than the bullpen? Is it explosive scoring in the early innings that is skewing the numbers? Is it just the natural ebb and flow of the game and just an incorrect application of the statistics?

I like the game and I love LSU. That's why I look at the numbers so as to have a better knowledge of the sport/team.
Posted by josh336
baton rouge
Member since Jan 2007
81809 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 6:47 am to
Welcome to the bandwagon
Posted by JJ27
Member since Sep 2004
61872 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 7:00 am to
quote:

LSU throws the best Pitcher and he pitches a great game but the hitters go on vacation. When your best Pitcher is throwing you should always win those games!



I guess that's why Lange didn't lose a game this year.
Posted by GeauxxxTigers23
TeamBunt General Manager
Member since Apr 2013
62514 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 7:03 am to
Jesse Stallings is our doom
Posted by teeMike
In my mind, I'm already there.
Member since Feb 2007
7574 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 7:14 am to
Based on this tournament, you can throw starting pitching in there as well. Poche spotted 5 runs in the first. The next game, Bain was pulled early as well. For any LSU baseball fan, expecting a National Championship run, that is not concerned about pitching has their head in the sand. One legit starting pitcher and mediocre, at best, bullpen. The offense and defense must be there for LSU to have a chance at a Natty. If they have to rely on pitching (especially out of a losers bracket) not happening.
Posted by Penrod
Member since Jan 2011
51772 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 7:42 am to
quote:

I swear as an LSU fan, you can be the best team in the entire country and still have to read negative thread after


bullshite. This guy makes a great point; he backs it up with thoughtful statistics; and he's dead right. If a closer doesn't emerge, this team's ceiling is lower than the championship.
Posted by josh336
baton rouge
Member since Jan 2007
81809 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 7:51 am to
You do realize teams have won the cws without a designated closer, right?
Posted by Tigerinthehollow
Madison, MS
Member since Sep 2014
5655 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 8:12 am to
I had commented on this but was quickly put in my place, being told that THIS WEEK the bullpen was great. I wasn't slamming the team at all, but merely pointing out the obvious, that throughout the year the one main issue that LSU has had has been the late innings bullpen. Even some games we ended up winning were made much closer than they could have been due to ineffective late/closing pitching. Does it mean LSU can't win it all? No. Does it mean there is some concern? I think you are kidding yourself Catholic if you believe we don't have issues there. I think LSU has its best shot in a while to make some noise, but if we are to fall short, it will probably revolve around being able to close out a game.
Posted by Earn Your Keep
Member since Nov 2013
1417 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 8:41 am to
I'm hoping the "offense" can keep the foot on the accelerator in late innings instead of putting all the pressure on relief pitching.

It's like trying to protect a field goal scored in the first quarter in football. The late inning at-bats are vital. This year's postseason focus should be on scoring Insurance Runs.
Posted by roscoe mike
Member since Nov 2009
1641 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 8:59 am to
If you look inside the numbers for the whole season and not just the losses (the team has won 48 games), then it becomes obvious that this is the best equipped LSU baseball team in years to make a deep championship run.

They lead the league in team batting average and team ERA...and this might be the best defensive team in the field LSU has ever had. What more could anyone want?
Posted by shutterspeed
MS Gulf Coast
Member since May 2007
70423 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 9:36 am to
You're burying your in the sand if you haven't noticed a negative trend with pitching emerging late in the season.

Doesn't mean one is a negatiger to notice reality. Our season long Friday starter and closer have been having major issues, as well as a couple of other arms with placement.
Posted by lsusteve1
Member since Dec 2004
46161 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 9:44 am to
You're not going to win many games scoring 1 run

Posted by Topwater Trout
Red Stick
Member since Oct 2010
69443 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 9:47 am to
Of the 58 games how many were we out of it in the 9th?
Posted by lsusteve1
Member since Dec 2004
46161 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 9:54 am to
quote:



You're burying your in the sand if you haven't noticed a negative trend with pitching emerging late in the season.




Bullpen carried our arse the first two games of SEC tournament.

I know Poche will show up rest of year.
Posted by mattgr1983
Austin, Tx
Member since Oct 2012
2434 posts
Posted on 5/24/15 at 9:59 am to
quote:

If a closer doesn't emerge, this team's ceiling is lower than the championship.


#1 team in the country has a ceiling of less than a championship because of one weakness? Do you know what ceiling means? Moran.
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