re: If we get a weak 4, which we should, start Money and roll with the HRs he'll give up

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Agreed. If the four seed has a high-quality #1, will be an interesting decision for Jay.

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Surely, you're not suggesting throwing Skenes in the 1-4 game.

I can see an argument to give Floyd the ball over Money, but under no circumstance should Skenes pitch on Friday.

Skenes should be the Saturday guy regardless.

The decision is whether we attempt to bludgeon our way out of Friday with Money/Dutton/Herring or some combo thereof, or we play it safer with Floyd.

I throw Floyd in game 1. We can bludgeon our way through Sunday.

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Also, for the sake of this conversation: Blake Money in SEC games: 8.1 IP over 6 appearances. 0 HR allowed.

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Don’t confuse them with stats. These morons think Money gives up 3-4 homers every time he pitches. Here’s some more stats. He’s only given up 6 homers in 32 innings pitched. He’s also never given up multiple homers in any appearance this year.

I disagree. I wouldn't want to fight my way out of the loser's bracket. LSU is going to face the No. 1 for whoever they play. While LSU has a great offense, it's not a given they will blast away against a #4 seed's ace. Particularly when you consider the last 3 decent midweek teams LSU has faced (McNeese, Nichols, ULL) have at least held the LSU offense somewhat in check without their No.1 guy on the mound.

Worst case scenario Money gets blasted early, forcing LSU to eat through its already weak bullpen...only to maybe still lose. If that happens, you probably win game 2 with Skenes, but then you're putting the entire season on Floyd's back, only to then know you have to win another game with your shoddy (and maybe now depleted) bullpen handling all of the pitching.

I don't think LSU should start Skenes against a 4 seed, but when you only have 2 reliable pitchers (and even Floyd is susceptible to a bad game), you do everything you can to try to go 2-0 in each round of the tournament so you can work with a buffer once you have to put it in the hands of your 3rd starter/bullpen.

If it is me, I'm starting Floyd in game 1. Skenes in game 2. Then (hopefully) forcing someone else with a more depleted pitching staff to beat me twice...at home. Outside of pitching Skenes, I'm doing whatever it takes to avoid going down 0-1 in the regional.

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He hasn't made it 3 innings in any of those appearances. I like Money and he has a role but there is a reason his appearances have been so short. He is also the type of guy who would not shock me if he started a game and went 5-6 giving up 3 or 4.

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He's gone 3 or more against the type of teams we will see game 1, he's also had his worst appearances against those same kinds of teams unfortunately. I think he can get through a line up twice and if he's pretty efficient that could get us 4 innings.

Also, I want every non-LSU game in the regional to go to extra innings.

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I don't think LSU should start Skenes against a 4 seed, but when you only have 2 reliable pitchers (and even Floyd is susceptible to a bad game), you do everything you can to try to go 2-0 in each round of the tournament so you can work with a buffer once you have to put it in the hands of your 3rd starter/bullpen.

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The question is, do you want your bullpen game to come against the 4 seed or a 2 or 3. I feel better about the #4 seed being kept in check.

If it’s a weak 4 I may consider pitching off but my lineup would be. Floyd, Skenes, Hurd, and Coleman if needed god forbid. In no way shape or form would I pitch Skenes in game 1. If it’s a weak opponent I may consider starting Hurd and keep his pitch count low to comeback for an inning Monday if we are in a game 4.

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We already lost once to Nicholls this year when they basically threw a different rag arm every inning. I'm assuming that their Friday night starter is better than everyone they used that night. I don't want to chance it.

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Yeah, but what about the first time we played them? They used multiple pitchers each inning and we run-ruled them.

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But it's not quite that simple. On a deeper level, it's do you want your bullpen game to come against the 4 seed's ace or a 2 or 3 seed's #3?

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This.

If you go with your bullpen in game one...and lose, then you are putting the season on Floyd (who has been good lately, but not dominant all season) in game 3 only to then have to ask your bullpen, which may be depleted at that point, to win again in what would be game 4.

If you can win game 1 with Floyd and game 2 with Skenes, while also limiting the amount of innings worked by your bullpen, you go into game 3 with a rested bullpen against the third starter of whoever you play knowing you also have some margin for error if you lose.

Saving Skenes for game 2 is the right play. But given how inconsistent LSU's bullpen has been all season I'm not willing to take anymore risk of losing game 1 by starting someone other than Floyd.