For consideration…..a Regional Opponent

Discussion in 'Baseball' started by Your Wrong, May 25, 2023.

  1. Your Wrong

    Your Wrong 500+ Posts

    Here is the background on a top flight team.

    Maybe their schedule strength is far better than ours. So weight that in your own mind.

    Starting pitchers - 2.56 ERA (Ks a lot, Walks a lot), 4.11, 4.91, 5.69 and 6.49. Minimum 7 starts.

    Bullpen. 2 non starters with sub 4 ERAs and 20 IPs. 2 others with ERAs in the 3s and between 10-20 innings.

    Team ERA is 4.87.

    As for the hitting, they hit .278 with 82 HRs. Only 49 steals. 3 double digit homer guys. Top hitter is .328 with 5 regulars at or above .300. They also have 3 dudes hitting .253, . 202 and .180 with 100 plus ABs. One has 10 XBHs with the other 2 combining for 9 XBHs.

    The roster construction and probably skills are not that vastly different than ours.
     
  2. Your Wrong

    Your Wrong 500+ Posts

    And your Horns….

    Our starting pitching. 2.55 and 2.82 ERAs. 5.68 for no longer a starter. And Witt at 8.22.

    Bullpen. Unfortunately, looks like Burke is gone. Tole and Shaw are possibly out. So you’ve got nothing under 4 and 20 IPs. But you’ve got 4.01 and 4.26 at more than 20 IPs. Andre is 2.45 in 14 innings. The huge blows are Burke, Shaw and Tole were all at 20 + innings and 3.09 or below. Then we’ve got 3 in the 5s.

    We’ve got 6 hitters at or above .300. 5 double digit homer guys. A .286 and .226 guy. 31 XBHs between the 2.

    Our team hits .297 with 85 HRs. We have a better slugging % (.028) and a bit lower OBP (.004). We’ve stolen 64 bases.

    Our fielding % is .980, which matches the comparative team.
     
  3. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    I don't know who you've identified there (Alabama? Stanford?). But, it appears that we have a slight advantage for starting pitchers, and a significant advantage at bat. However, they have a significant advantage in the bullpen--a very big advantage in the bullpen. So that looks like a fairly even matchup overall. If we were injury free in the pen, we'd have a noticeable advantage. But we're not injury free in the pen. Such are the breaks.

    A lot depends on whether Lucas and LBJ are having good days and going for 6-7 (or more) innings. As for a third starter, there's Witt although he's still limited by innings. Then maybe we put Whitehead on the mound. Or go with Zane Morehouse--he had some very good starts earlier in the year, and he has the best "stuff" on the pitching staff. Coach's trust in Sthele is probably shaken quite a bit about now, although Travis also has some of the best "stuff" on the staff. Then there's Hurley.
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2023
  4. Your Wrong

    Your Wrong 500+ Posts

    It is Arkansas. Consistently top 5 all season. From a numbers perspective, we can compete with anyone.

    It will be who plays best for that weekend. Matchups matter.

    I scanned quite a few other top 10 teams. There are a lot of variations stat-wise. But outside of Wake, there are weaker spots on all teams. In many cases, we have statistically better top 2 starters.

    The key for any of these teams is to play your best ball. Easier said than done.
     
  5. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    If our bats wake up from hibernation, we could beat just about anyone. The first game in the Regional is key. If we have to fight our way out of a losers bracket, that could be a problem. Fortunately, Gordon is only off about 1 out of every 5 games. And even when he’s off, he’s still ok.
     
  6. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Since around a month or so ago, various internet gurus have been trying to put us in the Fayetteville Regional.
     
  7. FWHORN

    FWHORN 10,000+ Posts

    Texas is such a hot and cold team that they could go on road and dominate a regional or be 2 and Que, its just a crapshoot. I do know that with the team Texas has and is capable of being on any particular weekend I wouldn't want a 2 seed Texas in my regional if I was a host.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    • Winner Winner x 1
  8. Your Wrong

    Your Wrong 500+ Posts

    We can be frustrating but entertaining.

    I have perused scores and matchups a fair amount. Our crappy games are not as crappy as other teams.

    I feel better about our pitching hanging in there than our hitting. As frustrating as the tournament was, the pitching did battle - one poor inning each game - but the hitting did not. Hitters need to produce early and keep scratching out runs from there.
     
  9. STHAustin

    STHAustin 250+ Posts

    I heard on Craig Way's show today that it could be the Stanford regional. Hated to lose the chance to host, but it sounds like the team could use some extra time to recover from injuries.
     
    • Hot Hot x 1
  10. UT Horn Fan

    UT Horn Fan 500+ Posts

    On paper - yes, TX can compete. In reality the end is near. Too inconsistent to make a deep run in the post season.

    Nobody thought the horns would be this good on paper after losing so much from last year. Moral victory I guess.
     
  11. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    I dunno.

    If Gordon and LBJ both have good days, we can take two from almost anybody if the bats are halfway alive.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  12. Phil Elliott

    Phil Elliott 2,500+ Posts

    Gordon is great so long as he is not going against KU.
     
  13. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Kryptonite University. KU.
     

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